Read The Neighbor #4 (The Neighbor Romance Series - Book #4) for Free Online

okay Jenna? Should I call 911?” Ryder asked
with clear concern in his voice.
    “Oh my god. I don’t want to get blood on my suit. Claude get some
towels. Quick.”
    “Everybody relax. I’m fine. The cut isn’t deep. I
don’t think I even have to change my sweater. God, I feel like a complete fool.
Mom, I don’t think you have formally met our neighbor. This is Ryder.”
    Ryder was standing in my mother’s blood stained
bathroom in his boxers and his shirt inside out.
    “I’m glad to finally meet you Marnie. Jenna has told
me wonderful things about you.” Ryder reached out and shook my mother’s hand.
    I was exhausted already, and my day had not really
begun. It was the first time Ryder had been in my home. It wasn’t as I imagined, but we all managed to have a laugh.
    My mother and I left for our meeting, leaving Claude
and Ryder to repair the window and sweep up the glass.
    We drove my mother’s sedan to campus. We had quite a
bit of drama already for one day. There was little that the dean could say that
we couldn’t handle.
    ****
    “Fancy furniture they have in here,” my mother
whispered
    “I know. Only the best for the dean’s office,” I
said.
    “You must be from the Walsh family.” The same
secretary was at the desk.
    “Yes, I’m Jenna, as you remember, and this is my
mother, Marnie Walsh. I have been here before.” I stared the woman right in her
puffy eyes.
    “I will let Dean Meadows know you’re here.” The
woman waddled to his door.
    I don’t know if it was my crazy morning, the fact
that I had company this time, or my reconciliation with Ryder, but I felt that
I was on my game. Dean Meadows opened his door and nodded in our direction
indicating that he was free to see us. He was wearing the only suit in which I
had ever seen him. It was gray and ill fitting.
    I walked into his office, making a conscious effort
to walk as normal as possible despite the divot replacer in my shoe for luck. I
was sporting a large gauze patch on my forearm. My mom looked great in her
Chanel suit.
    We took our seats in the stately leather chairs.
    “Mrs. Walsh. I ’m sure your
daughter has explained the reason behind her suspension and we had the
opportunity to discuss it over the phone. Do you have any questions? We always
want to consult a parent or guardian when a situation as this occurs.”
    “Yes, Dean Meadows. I ’m
aware that my daughter was seen celebrating with her golf instructor at the
putt-putt facility. I have to be honest; I had a great laugh over the
situation. You said you’re in the process of conducting an investigation. I
would like to know how you investigate. The way an instructor and student
celebrate varies, and it’s subjective. My daughter is passionate about golf. She’s
dedicated and I can imagine a celebration was warranted.”
    “Mrs. Walsh. We have had several students—err,
people, come forward. We have reason to believe that the relationship between
Jenna and Professor Curran has crossed the line.”
    “Define this fuzzy line,” my mom asked.
    “I explained to Jenna, how the kiss in question was
seen as inappropriate.”
    “Please lay it out for me. We are all adults,” my
mother said.
    She cradled her head in her chin. She placed her
elbow on the Dean’s desk and stared directly at him. He was flustered.
    “Ah, em . It was said that Professor Curran slipped his tongue
into Ms. Walsh’s mouth. Another witness claimed he placed his hand on her
bottom.”
    My mother laughed. I knew I was in trouble.
    “Are you telling me that he gave her a pat on the
butt and for that reason you’re disrupting two innocent lives? How many of your
football players celebrate the same way?   It would seem to me that your decision is rather discriminatory—if it
weren’t, the entire football team would surely be suspended with my daughter.”
My mother was running at full steam.   “I
can’t believe this is the biggest issue your university is facing right now—a
golf