Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 85453 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85453 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
“Okay?” I practically squeal my response.
“Okay. But…” She leaves me hanging long enough I almost asphyxiate. “If this backfires, I will have to tell Cash it was your suggestion to test him at a higher level.”
“That’s okay. I’m fine with that.” I don’t sound as confident as I feel, but I play the part well. After thanking Professor Ren by squeezing her hand, I spin around and give Cash the thumbs up.
His grin assures me I made the right decision, not to mention my detour through the mathematics department after a grueling three-hour veterinary bioscience practice exam before another two hours of animal sciences studies.
My brain is zonked from a lack of nutrition, but its sluggish speeds kick into a gallop when I hear a familiar voice shouting my name. It isn’t Cash as hoping, but Professor Ren’s request to speak with me kickstarts both my heart and my head.
“Hey.” What? I told you my brain is exhausted.
I don’t feel as stupid when she replies, “Hey.” She nudges her head to a park bench in the middle of the quadrant. “Do you have a second to talk?”
I nod before gesturing for her to lead the way.
I’ve only just plonked my backside onto the recently repainted wood when she hands me a stack of papers. “This is the results of Cash’s test today.”
“Oh no,” I push out in disbelief when I notice the below-average score.
It isn’t the pass he needs.
My worry that I’ve stuffed up Cash’s life doesn’t last long when she hands me another wad of papers. “And this is his score on the test I made him sit after his first exam.”
After bouncing my bewildered eyes between hers, I drop them to the red ink at the top. It isn’t a perfect score, but it is pretty darn close. An A-minus.
“Please tell me these are the grades you sent through to his coach?”
I want to kiss her when she smiles and nods. “But when the head of mathematics sees his results, he’ll want to move him to the accelerate program.”
She looks at me as if my IQ is in single digits when I reply, “Good.”
“I don’t think that is what Cash will want, McKayla.”
“Why wouldn’t he?” Stealing her chance to reply, I leap up from my seat and snatch up my backpack. “I’ll talk to him, convince him it’s a good idea.”
“I don’t—”
I’m racing for Cash’s frat house before all her reply leaves her mouth. I can’t believe my mother’s theory was right. Stack that onto the fact Cash gets to play ball for the season without any stipulations, and I’m so ecstatic I burst through the front door of his frat house without knocking and climb the first set of stairs.
“McKayla, uh, hey… what are you doing here?”
I return Crew’s odd greeting with a wave before skirting past him to tackle the second set of stairs. “I’m here to see Cash. We have celebrating to do.”
I lose my footing when someone in the distance shouts, “He started without you.” But it only slows me down for a second.
The sock on the doorknob of Cash’s room though, that ends my steps entirely.
That’s not meant to be there, is it?
He only places a sock on the doorknob when he doesn’t want to be distracted.
When he’s fucking.
With my heart in my throat and my brain fritzed beyond repair, I push open Cash’s door and storm in like I own the place. I take a startled step back when my eyes stray to his bed. It’s occupied, but it isn’t Cash’s backside heating the sheets. It is his ex-girlfriend’s. Vivienne.
“What are you doing here? And where is Cash?”
The shower faucet switches on at the same time Vivienne shifts to face me. Her lips are swollen, and not even nonexistent knowledge in cosmetics could convince me their swollen state wasn’t manmade.
“McKayla.” She swipes her thumb over her lip, gathering up a blob of substance glistening on them before saying with a giggle, “Oh my god, you weren’t meant to arrive until tonight. Not until after Milo told you.”
I shouldn’t believe a single word fired out of her mouth, but like a child with her favorite toy stolen, I get desperate. “Told me what?”
She stands from Cash’s bed, fixing her disheveled clothing on the way. “That we’re getting back together.” Her confession already knocks me for a six, but the hits keep coming. “He passed, which means we don’t need to fake anymore.”
They were faking?
“Faking what?”
Vivienne laughs again. “Being apart, silly.” She belittles me as if I am a child, her lips twitching as she tsks me. “That’s the only way he could convince you to tutor him. He needed to convince you that you were in with a chance.”
“That’s not true,” I deny, my tone not as confident as I’d like. “Our deal had nothing to do with him.”