said, slower this time.
Relief flooded through me, and I sighed, closing my eyes. “Yours. It’s bigger.” Why was he being so nice to me? Not just tutoring me—he was getting hours off his community service in exchange for that. But everything else—in the lobby when we met, at his party, sitting next to me in class, worrying about my test score. I was about as congenial as a starved gator. “How about tomorrow after class?”
He pushed out of my car, shutting the door gently behind him and running his hand over the hood. His nimble fingers brushed the lines where the convertible top met the windshield, and I stared in awe at those able hands. “Maybe someday I’ll be lucky enough to take her out for a spin myself.”
There’s no shame in admitting when you need help.
It wasn’t only my mother’s voice reciting those words. It was mine. I had just said nearly that exact same thing to Sophia the other night. But it wasn’t my failing grade on the first test that bothered me. It wasn’t even the fact that I needed help from a tutor. It was that I needed help from someone like him.
Chapter Eight
TATE
There was a firm knock at my door. I grabbed the beret from my coffee table and jumped to my feet, sliding toward the door that separated my kitchen from the foyer entrance. Buddy ran at my heels, barking and hopping behind me. I had gone all out for this one, though I didn’t know why. I loved France—it was the only time that we traveled as a family without worrying about Dad’s work interfering. Mom had no country club to visit, no luncheons to attend or plan. It was the only time in our family history that we could just be together, visiting landmarks or going to the beach. My mom worked on her tan, and we actually talked. I had no friends to go running off with, and Dad had no meetings. It had been utter perfection.
I had laid out a spread of baguettes, Brie, and macaroons, along with Orangina to wash it down with. I skidded to a stop in front of the door as nerves bounced around in my stomach. It felt empty—despite the fact that I had already dug into the stash of macaroons. I swung the door open, “Bonjour, Mademoi—”
Brad, wearing a smirking face, leaned against my doorway with his arms crossed. “My fucking hero.” His grin spread wider, and I rolled my eyes, sliding the hat off.
“What are you doing here?” I turned away, heading into my kitchen, and grabbed a bottle of water.
“Sorry, man.” He casually dipped his hands into his pockets, looking around the apartment. “I didn’t know you’d be having company.”
“It’s nothing.” I waved off his innuendos. “Just a study thing.”
“More of this community service shit?”
I swallowed as Shelby’s face popped into mind. “Something like that.”
Brad leaned back against the counter, resting his weight back on his elbows. “Man, your parents are a piece of work. When’re they gonna ease up?”
I shrugged, glancing at the clock. Roughly five minutes until Shelby came up. I needed to ditch Brad ASAP. She was already skittish around me—throw my dumbass friends into the mix, and she’d be out of here in seconds flat. I mean, Brad was a good guy and all, if you were one of his bros. But as a woman on his radar? Yeah, not so much. “So, is this a courtesy call, or do you need something?”
“Just popping in to let you know b-ball is cancelled for tonight.”
I nodded. “Okay…that warranted a visit?”
He shrugged, his lopsided grin growing higher on one side. “Thought we’d go grab a beer instead.” He looked around as one eyebrow shot up. “But even I can take a hint. Let’s just hope this girl is in it for the bulge in your pants, not the bulge of your wallet, right?” He slapped me on the chest and those words cut deeper than I’m sure he intended. I opened the door to the foyer, tapping the elevator call button. Normally, the penthouse needed a key to open into the apartment, but I liked an open door sort of policy, and I had a tendency to leave my floor unlocked while I was home. I examined Brad, in his wrinkled shirt and the jeans I recognized from yesterday. Maybe it was time to change that life practice.
“Oh, before I go…check out this girl I went out with last night.