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“Doing what?”
“Taking my books. Smiling in my presence. Complimenting me. It’s almost like you’re trying to seduce me.”
He threw his head back with a chortle. “Sorry, Princess, but you ain’t my type. Your ex, however,” He tipped his head, looking dreamily into the distance, and I groaned with disgust at the mere mention of Connor. “What? You may not want him, but he can sneak into my dorm anytime.” His eyebrows danced as the smirk on his face grew.
I crushed my eyes shut because he had no idea how close he was to the truth behind our breakup, and I refused to let him see me sad. Or maybe he did know about it? It wasn’t like Connor was one to keep things quiet.
Either way, I wasn’t going to let him see me upset, so instead, I pulled up my big girl panties, and rolled my eyes, glaring at Ralph with a gaze that I felt could cut through his shit like a thousand knives. It did nothing, though. The guy was like Teflon. Nothing stuck. He just continued to look at me with his same usual smug smile. “Please don’t talk about that idiot. I can’t stand him.”
“I know. I know. But that doesn’t change the fact that he has abs sharper than a cheese grater. I still have no idea how you tamed a guy like him for longer than a few weeks.”
“I didn’t,” I muttered. Ralph didn’t hear me, but his crossed brows only served as a reminder that Connor was never really interested in me. He only entertained the idea of dating because I could help him with his homework, and I stupidly did. In more ways than I should have. I shook my head, trying to rid myself of those thoughts.
“Anyway,” Ralph drawled out, stepping in front of me so I couldn’t get around him. “As much as I love discussing the intricacies of your ex’s perfect muscles, I’m here to ask you for a favor.”
And there it was. “I knew you were after something.”
He cringed. “It’s just I hate asking you this because I already know you’re going to say no, but I have no other option.” With pursed lips, I watched him flailing, but didn’t put him out of his misery. I liked watching him squirm. “There’s a very real possibility you’re going to kill me for this request, and you’re wearing those super high heels that I don’t know how you walk in without spraining your ankles. Those could pierce my balls easier than a knife through butter.”
“What do you want?” I said, taking my books back from him and balancing them on top of my pile.
“I need you to take on a new tutoring client.” He blew out a few breaths and gave me a relaxed smile.
“You know I can’t take on anyone else. My schedule is full.”
“I know. I know, but I was talking to Kinsey, and she agreed you could cut back on Hazel and Alex’s hours and transfer their hours to her study group.”
“Hazel and Alex?” Both had come so far in the last two months, and I believed they were more than ready to move on to the study group, but that didn’t mean I was ready to let them go yet. “I’d need to check that they’re okay with it.”
“They are.”
“You’ve talked to them already?”
He nodded. “It’s important.”
“How many people do you want me to tutor?”
“Just one.”
“Then why do they need so many of my hours?”
Ralph looked around the library skittishly before leaning in. “Because this guy really needs your help. Likereally. He’s on the brink of flunking out.”
“He is?” My toes danced in my heeled Mary Janes because the thought of helping this guy got me excited. I loved helping people discover the joy of learning. “Why haven’t you brought him my way before?”
He cringed. “It’s, uh, because I know you’re going to say no.”
My toes stopped. My heels were planted firmly on the ground. “Who do you want me to tutor?” I deadpanned. “Because if it’s Connor, it’s a straight-up no, and I’ll kill you for the suggestion.”
Ralph raised his hands, shaking his head defensively. “Woah. No, of course not. I don’t want to die today.” He drew his arms down. “But, then again, you might kill me at the mere suggestion of who I want you to help.”
“Just spit it out already. I’m late for my session with Hazel.”
“Fine. I need your help with the school’s newest quarterback.”
He cringed when he was met with my silent, angry glare.
“A football player?” He nodded, and my face soured at the thought. “What you mean to say is that you want me to tutor one of the over-privileged assholes that not only get their tuition paid for but can now accept sponsorships to earn even more money.”
