“My company, sir?” I said, continuing to wring my hands in my lap.
“Yes. Normally, I’d be put out that you chose to leave early, but when I saw your paramour arrive in such ghastly attire, I excused the behavior immediately, knowing you’d left to thoroughly chastise him for his behavior.”
My mouth opened once. Twice. Three times, as I let his words sink in.
“It wasn’t from embarrassment, sir. Well, not all embarrassment, I suppose. The night was dragging on, and I was tired. Miller’s arrival happened to coincide with my departure.”
My honesty must have surprised him because his eyes widened before his face melted into its usual scowl. Perhaps not a scowl, more like a barracuda that had scented blood in the water and was circling its prey, taunting it before moving in for the kill.
“Dragging on? Those are part of your responsibilities, Miss James.”
I sighed, remembering the same dozen staff members who attended these events. It was always the same people, the same conversations, the same guests pushing checks of various amounts ending with zero into the headmaster’s eager hands.
Something didn’t add up.
“Hmm. Well, I’m glad you stopped by, Headmaster, as I’ve been wondering what the exact requirements of these after-school events are. More often than not, I’m canceling plans with friends and family to accommodate the academy, and I can’t see that as an acceptable long-term solution.”
His eyebrows raised somewhere north of his receding hairline, like he’d never heard someone question his motivations. Perhaps no one had, and he needed a moment to think of an excuse that didn’t sound like a petulant parent saying, ‘Because I said so.’
“The exact requirements are whatever I deem them to be,” he said, adjusting the cufflinks on his right hand. “And I deem that you attend each and every one we have. Consider it an ongoing penance for bringing that man to one of our esteemed events. He tracked mud into the ballroom with his dirty work boots.”
He stared, almost daring me to disagree. I replayed his words, too stunned at what he said to form a response without considering my options. Whatever doubt I had about my future with this academy was blown to smithereens as he sat across from me, a Cheshire-like grin spread across his features like we’d been playing chess, and he’d just exclaimed, “Checkmate.”
“I respectfully disagree, sir,” I said, brushing my hands along my skirt to displace the nervous energy. “This job has taken over my life. All in the hopes that I’d obtain a position I’m not sure I want anymore.”
“Don’t be silly—”
“Oh, I’m not, sir. Far from it. Obtaining this position has caused me undue stress and has taken away time from people I care about.”
“I suppose I could limit your events to only a handful a month as long as you find better company than that man who showed up in the ballroom wearing a baseball cap.”
“That wasn’t a comment to open the floor for negotiation, sir. I’m not sure I want to work for someone who is so easily influenced by outside sources.”
“Ah,” he said, running his thumb over a deep scratch on the table. “Your father—”
“Has no bearings on my ability to do my job or apply for a new one, sir.”
“He, not unlike myself, Miss James, only wants what’s best for you.”
“I thank you for the concern, but this job seems to be the last thing that’s best for me. And just so you’re aware, that man in the baseball hat was under the impression that I was in distress. He raced across town to get to me. He has more respect and care in his little finger than some members of this staff have in their whole bodies.”
“I don’t need your childish quips and insults, Emma.”
My glare jerked to his, stunned that he used my first name. It wasn’t my intention to insult him, but he needed to know I was aware he and my father had been playing me for a fool.
“My apologies. I only meant to convey that Miller Hansen’s honor far surpasses how he dresses.”
“Ah. Well, he is your paramour.”
“Um. Well.”
“Don’t be embarrassed. Someone you defend so wholeheartedly is clearly someone you care deeply about. It’s a shame he isn’t more refined.”
“Refined? I’ll take compassion and loyalty over refined any day. And I wouldn’t subject him to meeting the board if the only thing we have to gain is passive-aggressive comments and pretentious stares. This job isn’t worth losing my friends. Losing my paramour.”
I dropped my head in my hands, rubbing my temples until I heard the chair he was sitting in move backward.
The sound had me opening my eyes and meeting his. “I’d like to respectfully remove my application from consideration, Headmaster.”
