My Rebound (On My Own #2) - Carrie Ann Ryan Page 0,27

as heir to the throne.

I wasn’t bitter or anything.

Much.

But that was just who Hunter was.

He constantly did things to make sure that he got the best of everything, even if he had to step on people along the way.

Maybe that rule was right. Perhaps no one had seen it, and my advisor had pushed me in the wrong direction. It hadn’t been malicious on her part—at least I hoped it hadn’t. But I had been screwed, nonetheless.

And Hunter made sure that everybody knew he had beaten me. Said he always did.

But not today. Today, I would take my step in the right direction. Finally.

So, I ignored Hunter Williams, III.

The asshole.

“Ms. Thomas, if you’ll meet with me in my office?” Dr. Michaels said, and I nodded.

“Of course,” I replied aloud.

Hunter smirked, but I ignored him. I wasn’t being sent to the principal’s office. This was a planned meeting. I sat in front of Dr. Michaels and tried to rein in my excitement. Today was the day.

I would sign the papers and work towards my program. My senior year would be all about my thesis, and I needed my advisor to make that work. But my junior year was when I could choose which advisor to work with. I had already decided, and Dr. Michaels and I had an understanding. Today, that would be cemented. I would also work on the dates for my internship. I had been planning this since freshman year, and Dr. Michaels knew it. I was setting my sights high and knew that things would work out. They might not do so in my personal life, but I was moving past that and finding my future.

And this was only part of that.

“Ms. Thomas,” Dr. Michaels began, and I smiled, but not too brightly.

“Hello, Dr. Michaels. I really enjoyed your lecture today.”

“Of course,” he muttered, looking down at his notes.

“And thank you for meeting with me,” I began again, trying to think of what else to say. This would be a difficult semester if it turned out like this, but I would figure it out.

“Anyway, I suppose we should just get started.”

Excitement bubbled up within me, and I did my best not to bounce in my seat.

“Of course. I cannot wait to get started. I have so many ideas for where I want to go, but I know that my senior thesis will be fantastic, what with working with you. We’ll be able to work together, and I’ll learn so much. Thank you.”

He gave me a kind smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. A slight edge of worry slid through me.

“Well, Ms. Thomas, that’s what I need to talk to you about.”

I froze, unnerved at his tone. “Oh?” I asked, trying not to sound as if I were shaking inside.

“As you know, we hadn’t made any final decisions yet. And with the way the budget is, I’m only allowed to have one student this year.”

“I see.” I didn’t, but it seemed like the best thing to say.

“And though you are a strong candidate, I decided to go in another direction.”

“Excuse me?” This couldn’t be right. This slot was mine.

“I know you seem to think we had an understanding, even as early as last semester, and I’m sorry to have led you astray. But this is business. You’ll need to learn to toughen up. Be a man about it.”

“Be a man about it?” I whispered.

He rolled his eyes and floated his fingers in the air. “Or a woman. Whatever you need me to say that’s more politically correct. As I said, I’ve gone in another direction. You’re a strong candidate, but you’re not what I’m looking for,” he repeated. “You’re going to land on your feet. You always do. You’ll be able to find your program and internship pretty easily, most likely. There are other classes out there that you can focus on. Maybe something not so difficult as mine. I’m a taskmaster, and I need someone who will be up for it.”

I sat there, my hand shaking, everything breaking inside.

This couldn’t be happening. That understanding we’d had, had been Dr. Michaels saying outright that I was getting the program and internship and that I didn’t need to look elsewhere. And I hadn’t wanted to. This was the path I wanted to take. I had done the research. I had taken a year to go through everything that I could to pick this one. I wasn’t headstrong and blind to my faults or his, but I knew this was