The thought threw me back into my chair. I was ready to stew for an hour when the back door opened and the Honor Council returned. The foreman handed a slip of paper to the interim dean of students. He reviewed it and then cleared his throat.
"The Honor Council has reviewed the evidence, heard testimony, and decided on how to move forward. In the matter of Professor Bauer and Libby Blackwell, the Honor Council finds the relationship was consensual."
A ripple sigh and smattering of applause went around the room.
The interim dean frowned and continued. "The relationship should have been declared to administration, but, seeing as Mr. Bauer has left Landsman College, the Honor Council finds no farther action is necessary."
I stood up lighter than I had felt in years. Former students waved and it was easier to look everyone in the eye. Especially Clarity.
I turned to meet her gaze and felt a bolt of lightning run through my body. She waited until most of the students had filed out of the assembly room, but she never once took her eyes off me. Thomas, her former classmate, tried to get her attention, but she waved him away. Her father went to talk to his replacement, and the room emptied out.
As soon as the crowd was gone, she moved. I stood rooted to the ground as she wound her way through the empty folding chairs. A few feet from me, Clarity broke into a run, and she was flying by the time she leapt into my arms.
I caught the enthusiastic hug with a wave of surprise. "I understand if you're still disgusted by my past with Libby," I said.
Clarity tossed back her hair and hooked her hands behind my head. "The past is the past. Who wants to think about something that won't change? Besides, our future is much more exciting."
I pulled her into the doorway of the back room. "Our future?" I asked.
Her green eyes darkened as she grinned. "You know, you didn't need to do any of this. You've already proved yourself to me in many different ways."
I shrugged, "I just wanted to make sure I had my bases covered."
"Grand slam," she said and leaned closer to me.
I set her back, still keenly aware we were on her college campus. "Clarity, I'm serious. I want to start whatever this is on the basis of total and complete honesty."
She widened her eyes. "Whatever this is? You mean this?" She brushed her breasts against my chest. For a moment our hearts pounded against each other. "Or did you mean this?" Her lips hovered near mine.
"More," I whispered. "I want more."
Her cheeks blushed and she seemed to remember that people could still see us. "What kind of more?"
I chuckled. "Everything. A whole relationship. You'll be stuck with me, if you let me."
"Oh, then, yes," Clarity said.
I tugged her closer, our bodies flush, and her lips were inches away.
Then Jackson and his wife popped up in the doorway. "Oh, no, don't do that," Jackson groaned. "Now my wife will think she really is a matchmaker. None of my friends will come over for beer anymore because she'll be so busy setting them up on dates."
"Matchmaker?" Clarity asked.
"Sorry," Alice smiled, "but I couldn't help notice at Thanksgiving. We've known Ford these past few years, and when I saw him chatting to you, I knew we'd only known a part of him."
"See? This is what I'm talking about," Jackson said. "Just because we're happy in love and we happened to spot another happy couple, does not mean this is all you should think about. For god's sake, get a hobby."
"You mean like practicing law?" I asked.
Jackson chuckled. "Yeah, I suppose she is pretty amazing at that too."
I let go of Clarity only to shake Alice's hand. "I can't thank you enough, Alice. You really saved me there."
She shrugged her diminutive shoulders. "I didn't do much else besides call in a favor. The judge took one look at all the evidence you compiled and threw out the libel suit. We may not have been able to make anything stick to Michael Tailor, but at least the truth is out there."
"Without you, both my father and Ford would have been mired in courts and paperwork for years," Clarity said. She snaked an arm through mine.
I hugged her arm close, despite Jackson's wide grin. He winked at me and snaked his arm around Alice's waist, not to be outdone.