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"You ready?" Karly asked. I nodded, shoving the envelope deep into my bag.
"Let's get this over with," I muttered.
TWENTY-TWO
ADDISON
Four years later.
Tapping my pen on my old wooden desk, I scanned this week's tutoring schedule for errors before posting it. A grin spread across my face when I realized, for the first time in a long time, I didn't have to writehisname on the schedule.
Maddox fired the last tutor available to him last week, and now he was off the schedule.
I'd like to say that I hadn't given him a second thought in the last four years, but that would be a lie. The pain from what happened was still raw, even though I'd buried it deep. I might have been able to forget him by now and move on past all the pain, but for some reason, out of all the schools in America, Maddox chose Florida Southern University to attend. Now I had to see him occasionally, and every time I did, it brought back all the hurt and pain he'd caused.
He didn't choose this school because of me. I knew that because he didn't know where I went. In fact, I passed him on campus several times, and he'd not once recognized me.Not that we'd exactly made eye contact, and I did go out of my way to avoid being noticed.
I'd changed over the years. I no longer wore glasses or giant clothing, my dark hair was now blonde and longer, I was thinner and finally filled out in my chest area, and the Florida sun gave my pale skin a perfect summer glow. I'd learned how to do my makeup and felt more confident in my appearance.
Part of me was thankful he didn't recognize me, but the other part hated him for it. I hated that I'd loved him, and now he didn't even know who I was when I passed him in the halls.
A soft tap sounded from the doorway of my small office, pulling me out of my thoughts. My gaze flicked up, and my mouth curved into a smile at the sight of Chance Brown, aka Coach Brown. Not only was he the head coach, but he was also the director of the tutoring center and he was kind of my boyfriend even though we had to keep everything hush-hush because I was a student, and that kind of thing was frowned upon.
Chance was one of those coaches that woman came to the game to see. They didn't watch the game. They watched him, and I couldn't blame them. He was tall and lean with dark hair and eyes. His skin was tanned from all the time he spent on the football field, and he had recently grown a beard that only added to my attraction for him.
"Hey." I smiled, but it quickly faded when I saw he wasn't smiling back. His dark eyes were full of stress. His strong jawline flexed. It was football season, and this was what he looked like during the season. "Is everything okay?"
"Not exactly," he said, sinking into the chair across from my desk. "I kind of need a favor, and I hate to ask, but at this point, I'm desperate."
"Okay," I said, drawing out the word. He should know by now that I would do anything for him.
"I need you to tutor Maddox Parker."
Well, anything but that. Chance didn't know what happened between Maddox and me, and I hoped never to have to tell him. I'd refused to tutor Maddox on several occasions, blaming it on my full schedule or the fact that I wasn't wasting my time on athletes who didn't want to help themselves, and Maddox didn't want to help himself.
Maddox wasn't the same person I knew in high school, or at least the person I thought I knew. He was wild and reckless now. He was passing the time to go pro and, in the process, letting everyone around him down, and he didn't seem to care.
"I'm sorry, Chance," I apologized. "I can't. My schedule is full right now."
"You're the head of the athletic tutoring department," he reminded me. A job he'd personally promoted me to. "Change the schedule around."
"I'm not going to do that." I sighed. "I have too many athletes who want to work hard to raise their grades, and Maddox doesn't."
"Addison," he emphasized my name, leaning forward. "I'm desperate. Maddox is my one chance of winning this season, and I need this win. If he doesn't bring up his grades, he's out. He'll lose his scholarship, and I'll lose my one chance at a championship." I didn't see a problem with any of this. He'd go pro if he lost his scholarship, and I wouldn't have to see him up close ever again. Sounded like a win for me. Chance was being dramatic. If Maddox left, he'd find another player to replace him who he wouldn't have to stress over constantly.
"Chance," I started.
"Please, Addison," he pleaded. "I will double your pay and your vacation and sick time."Wait, he can do that?
Sucking in a deep breath, I blew out a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry, Chance," I said, shaking my head. "But I can't tutor Maddox, but I will find him the best tutor whose sole focus will be to tutor Maddox."
"There is no one else." He sighed, falling back against the chair.
"Trust me." I smiled. "I will find someone for him." I had no idea where I would find another tutor for him, but I would if it meant that I didn't have to do it.
"You'll let me know who you find by tomorrow?" I nodded. "Okay." He pushed out of the chair.
"You coming over tonight?" I whispered.
