Almost Perfect (Fool's Gold #2)(47)

She still remembered the fury in his eyes, the loathing.

“He’d never been interested in me beyond what I could do for his career. He’d lied about nearly everything, especially how he felt about me.” Liz managed a smile. “The good news is he moved away after that and my recovery was fairly quick. Apparently I wasn’t as in love with him as I’d thought.”

But it had been one more illustration of the lesson that men shouldn’t be trusted. Not with something as delicate as a woman’s heart.

“How did Tyler take it?” Montana asked.

“It turns out my son had never much liked Ryan but he hadn’t told me because he wanted me to be happy. Which makes me about the luckiest mother ever.”

Montana sniffed. “Now I just want to hug him and never let go.”

“I know how you feel.”

“And kill that Ryan jerk. Want me to give Ethan his name so he can beat him up?”

Liz shook her head. “Probably best if Ethan doesn’t hear the story at all.” She didn’t need him to know how stupid she’d been.

“You’re right. But still. I hope he’s punished in some way.”

“I suspect Ryan will be unhappy for most of his life. That’s punishment enough for me. I’m just happy to have escaped. He gives writers a bad name.”

“You should tell the college to start giving your scholarship to students who want to be writers. That would be very cool.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Your scholarship. Okay, it’s not yours, but it’s named after you. Here. At Fool’s Gold Community College.”

If they’d been drinking alcohol, Liz would have thought Montana was drunk. But it was the middle of the day and they’d only had lattes. “I don’t have a scholarship at the college.”

“Sure you do. It was set up a while ago. I don’t know all the details, but it was started with the scholarship you didn’t use.”

Liz stared at her blankly. “The scholarship?” Nothing about this made sense.

“You had a scholarship out of high school. Remember?”

“Sure. But I left.”

“Exactly. Someone had the idea to use that as seed money to fund a scholarship every year. They’re given to women who have faced hardship—financial or personal. I know because I looked into applying. You really don’t know about this?”

“No.”

“You should talk to the college. They can explain the details.”

“I will,” Liz assured, thinking that Montana had to be wrong. Who would have started a scholarship in her name?

An hour later, she had the information package in her hand and was smiling at a very excited clerk in the admissions office.

“We’re all huge fans,” the older woman told her. “I can’t believe you’re really here. We read all your books.”

“Thanks,” Liz said. “Can you tell me about the origin of the scholarship?”

The woman, her tag read Betty Higgins, frowned. “I would have thought someone would have been in touch with you about it. Very strange. Anyway, when you left town without using your scholarship money, someone suggested giving it to another student. But then several people came in with anonymous donations, increasing the amount and we realized we could make this an annual scholarship instead of a onetime gift.”

Betty glanced around as if to make sure they were alone and lowered her voice. “I moved here a few years ago, but heard all about your sad story. How your mama, God rest her soul, wasn’t exactly maternal and a lot of boys said hateful things about you. Apparently many people knew you were having a rough time of it and they felt badly. So they put this all together. Your scholarship is one of our most popular. Not only for people funding it, but for the women who apply. Most of the recipients are returning students. Women with families, trying to give themselves a better future. It’s so inspiring.”

Talk about too much information in too short a time, Liz thought, her head spinning.

She remembered the scholarship she’d been offered and how she’d planned to use the money to go away to college. She and Ethan had spent the summer talking about being together on a university campus. How perfect it would be.

Then he’d denied even knowing her and she’d taken off. She’d never given the money a second thought. She’d left because staying was impossible.

That much she could handle, but Betty’s claim that people had known about her circumstances astonished her. Part of her appreciated the gesture of donating while the rest of her wondered where they’d been when she’d been young and alone. A kind word back then would have meant the world to her.

It was too much, she thought.

“Thanks for the information,” she said.

“You’re welcome.” Betty smiled. “This is such a thrill. I can’t wait to tell everyone I met you. Oh. We’re having our reception in a few weeks. For the recipients. Can you come?”

“I, ah…”

“It’s only for an hour or so. I know those women would appreciate the chance to thank you in person.”

“I didn’t do anything,” Liz countered. “I’m not the one they should be thanking.”

“You’re an inspiration. In fact, two of the women wrote about you for their essays. How you started with nothing and made yourself a success. Why don’t I send you an invitation and you can think about it?”