Chapter 32

Hollis stood back as Lexi brushed past her on her way out. She wandered into the living room to find Kate sitting on the couch with a tumbler in her hand.

"Hi," Hollis said, swallowing. It was obvious something was wrong. She'd never seen Kate drink hard liquor, and as Hollis got closer, she could tell that Kate had been crying, her eyes red. "What's happened?" she asked, leaving her bag on the arm chair and coming around to sit beside her, taking her free hand in hers.

Kate took a swig, finishing what was left in her glass. She leaned forward to put it on the coffee table, and a tear trickled down cheek. She reached up to wipe it away with the back of her hand. "I think we should take a break," Kate said, avoiding her gaze, her voice rough.

"What?" Hollis dipped her head, desperate for Kate to look at her. "Did something happen?"

Kate shook her head, but Hollis remembered something. Dave had left the kitchen after Kate had, saying he was going to get his suitcase out of the car. He couldn't have known what Kate was to her. Nothing had been out of place. They hadn't been sitting too closely together.

"We just should," Kate said with a sigh, taking Hollis away from her thoughts.

Hollis lifted her hand to Kate's cheek. "Kate, talk to me. Please."

Kate closed her eyes, shaking her head slightly, and Hollis's hand fell away.

"Everything was fine this morning," Hollis said, taking a deep breath, trying to calm the racing thoughts in her head. "Did he say something to you? After you left? I'll kill him."

"I don't want to complicate your life any further than I already have," Kate said in a rush, pushing herself off the couch.

Hollis was up in a second, grabbing her hand, an uneasy feeling settling in her stomach. "Kate, I need you to talk to me," she said, her voice wavering. "Whatever's happened, we can fix it. You just have to tell me."

"We can't." Kate's hand slid out of Hollis's as she shook her head. "It's…" She took a breath. "He's my professor." She pressed her lips together. "And he said that if I didn't stay away from you, I wasn't going to graduate. I need to pass his class, and obviously, that's not likely at the moment."

"That fucking asshole." Hollis ran her hand through her hair as Kate started to pace. "I'm so sorry, Kate. But we can fix this."

"No, we can't. I've put off my education before, and I can't do it again."

"Hey," Hollis said, putting her hand on Kate's hip to slow her steps. "Look at me. I'm going to fix this," Hollis said when Kate had turned to face her. "Do you trust me?"

Kate held her gaze. "Yes."

"Then let me sort this out."

"You should go."

"I was just out for dinner with Jen. And that's where I still am if he asks," Hollis said, lifting her hands to Kate's cheeks. "We are not ending this, because he wants us to. Not after all the shit he's been up to." She wrapped her arms around Kate, holding her, hating that Kate had even been put in this position.

A plan was already forming in her mind. There was no way that she was going to stop seeing Kate for Dave's benefit. Not a chance in hell.