My Rebound (On My Own #2) - Carrie Ann Ryan Page 0,79
he works on his papers and upcoming textbook. That leaves a spot open. We’re going to make it work.”
She talked again about logistics, and I felt like I was still trying to catch up. I felt lost and confused.
Hunter had cheated. And it had been bad enough that they’d had to do something about it. I didn’t want to know the details because it wasn’t my business, but somehow, it felt as if things were working out. I liked Dr. Jackson. She was basically who I wanted to be when I grew up, a joke I told myself often. And yet, she’d stood up for me, just like I was standing up for myself.
At the end of the meeting, I shook her hand, nodded at Dr. Michaels, and walked away, knowing that I had a plan to rework. One that would make sense. I wouldn’t be behind. I wouldn’t flounder.
I would thrive. On my own merits. And not just because they’d had to push me through.
I was practically beaming, even as I thought that I really wanted to talk to Pacey. Suddenly, I bumped into someone and looked up, only to swallow hard.
Hunter Williams, III looked down at me, his eyes narrowed. “You’re happy, aren’t you?” he asked.
“I’m sorry things didn’t work out the way you wanted,” I said honestly. Hunter was brilliant, but he was an asshole.
He tightened the hand on my forearm.
“You need to let me go,” I said, alarm bells sounding in my head. He just narrowed his gaze.
“Oh, I do, do I? Who’s going to stop me?”
I pulled away, twisting slightly, and he finally let go. “I don’t know what’s going on, but you need to leave me alone.”
“You’re going to be sorry you took my spot. My parents will fix this. And when they do, you’ll never get into any program you want. My grandfather helped to build this department. He’s still the most brilliant mind in our field. Do you think he’ll just sit back and let a girl take my spot? No, you’re going to regret this.”
And then he stormed off, and I stood in the quad, wondering what exactly had just happened.
Hunter had been shaking, his face pale, his eyes bright. He was always an asshole, but he had never really threatened me like that before.
I rubbed my arm and knew I would likely have bruises later, but it didn’t matter.
He was going away, would get kicked out of school. I needed to breathe.
“Mackenzie?”
I looked up as Pacey came toward me, his eyes narrowed, his jaw set.
“Pacey,” I whispered. My heart raced at just the sight of him. His hair was disheveled, and he looked as if he were ready to hit someone.
And since he’d focused his gaze on where Hunter had gone, I had a feeling I knew who he wanted to hit.
“Did he hurt you?” he asked as he reached for my hand. He froze for a moment, then let his arm drop as if he were afraid to touch me.
I swallowed hard and then reached out to grip his hand. “Not really.” I looked down at my arm. “Well, he sort of squeezed my arm, but it doesn’t hurt.” At least, not right then. I hoped it wouldn’t later once the adrenaline was out of my system.
“Why would he do that? Why the hell am I not chasing him down and beating the shit out of him?”
I swallowed hard and looked up at him. “Apparently, he was caught cheating and was kicked out of the program. I got to take his spot for the internship.” I explained everything, and the look in Pacey’s eyes went from anger to excitement.
“Hell, yeah. I knew you were brilliant. And we’re going to be working with the same professor.”
I swallowed hard. “Is that okay? I know things are weird between us, and I just...” I took a deep breath. “I’m sorry for walking away yesterday. I thought it was what I was supposed to do.”
Pacey cursed under his breath. “You did what you were supposed to, what you needed to do. Because I told you to. And because I was the asshole who pushed you away. I’m so damn sorry. I shouldn’t have. Things just got confusing, and I didn’t want to be the guy who put too much on your shoulders. But I ended up hurting you in the process. I’m so damn sorry.”
I wiped a single tear from my face. “Don’t...don’t...let’s just forget it.”