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She pulled her hands away. “Stop looking at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“You’re late.”
“I’m not. It’s seven forty. Did something happen?”
“My brother had his stupid pothead friends over.” Quinn grabbed the seat belt and jerked it across her chest. “I had to get out of there.”
She’d been lucky to get her dance clothes without being groped. Then her mom had gotten in her face and demanded to know where she’d been last night.
Why, Mom? Were you conscious?
At the stop sign at the end of her lot, Nick turned to look at her. “You could have called me. I would have come to get you.”
“You were working.” She sounded petulant and she didn’t care. She knew he would have come to get her, because that’s what perfect boyfriends did. “Did you dress up for Adam?”
He gestured down at his clothes. “I wouldn’t call this dress-ing up.”
She would. Dark-washed jeans and a forest-green pullover that clung to the muscles of his chest. He’d probably told his brothers he was getting ready for a date with her.
Quinn looked out the window. She didn’t know what was wrong with her tonight. This felt like jealousy, but that was insane. It had been her idea to keep pretend dating in the first place!
“Are you mad at me?” Nick sounded puzzled. Almost hurt.
“No, Nick. I’m not mad.”
He put an arm out. “Come here. What’s wrong?”
She was tempted to curl against him and let him stroke her hair or whisper assurances or whatever he was so good at. She didn’t move. “Forget it. It’s fine.”
rsquo;s mouth went dry. “Yeah—a few. I just—” I just have their sealed responses hidden in a drawer. “I haven’t heard back.”
“University of Maryland has a program that allows a few select students to take college level science and math classes for the spring semester. It’s by teacher recommendation only. It’s an opportunity to get a jump start on an already competitive program.”
Nick stared at him, unsure where this was going.
“I’d like to recommend you. But I also need to know you’re focused.”
Reassure him. Say you’re focused. Or thank you. Say thank you.
But he couldn’t say anything. A jump start? He was terrified of the prospect of leaving his brothers to start college next fall, and this guy wanted to accelerate that by nine months.
Dr. Cutter grabbed a cardigan off the back of his desk chair and shivered. “It certainly got chilly in here. Do you have any thoughts?”
Nick grabbed his bag and stood up. “I need to think about it.” He bolted for the door.
“Nick!”
The instinct to obey authority overrode his desire to get the hell out of the classroom. Nick stopped in the doorway, but he didn’t turn all the way around.
“I don’t know what’s going on with you,” said Dr. Cutter,
“but make sure it doesn’t damage your chances at a future.”
His voice wasn’t unkind, and Nick swallowed.
Then Dr. Cutter added, “I want to make sure I recommend the right student for this opportunity. Do I make myself clear?”
