Playing Hard to Get(22)

“I don’t know. I didn’t ask for those details,” Mom says. “Why don’t you ask her? Doesn’t your school provide a bus for students to travel to the games?”

“Yeah, you’re right. But I’ll talk to her. Don’t really get the point of her going if it’s an away game.” I’m getting a little shouty, and I tell myself to calm down.

I can admit that I’m overprotective of both of my sisters, but sometimes it’s warranted. Blair does flighty shit that gets her in trouble, and don’t even get me started on Ruby. She’s trouble with a capital T. I’m surprised Mom and Dad let her go away to a college on the East Coast, though I don’t know how long she’ll last there.

Ruby’s all about being wild and free, but she’s secretly a homebody. She’s going to miss it here in Colorado, miss our parents, miss her siblings. Just miss…everything.

“She’s probably going with friends. Don’t worry about her. She’s become very responsible,” Mom says.

“Yeah right,” I mutter, feeling like a dickhead.

“I’m just sorry we can’t make it.” The disappointment in her voice is clear, and I wonder about that.

They’ve been at pretty much every home game the entirety of my career, and most of the closer away games as well. With the exception of this year. They made it to the first home game but otherwise, I haven’t seen them.

I don’t know what’s up.

We’re about to end the call when Mom says, “Hey, good luck with the tutor tomorrow.”

“Thanks. Hopefully she can help me.” I hesitate. “I’m worried about this class.”

“She’ll help you,” Mom says firmly. “I know she will.”

Yeah. Hopefully, though I’m not betting on it.

All I know is…

I’m going to need every last bit of help I can get with that class.





NINE





JOANNA





I’m a nervous wreck and it’s all a certain football player’s fault.

Did Knox Maguire know he scheduled his tutoring session with me? Or is this some sort of random joke the universe is playing on me, and once he sees that I’m his tutor, he’ll be disappointed?

Leon calls it fate. Because, of course, I told him as soon as I saw the appointment hit my schedule app. And when I let Natalie know what happened, she said me getting boned by Knox Maguire was now pretty much a sure thing.

Yeah, right.

I definitely don’t think about ‘boning’ Knox. I’m too fresh off the breakup train for that.

But he is…pleasant to stare at. He’s also kind of funny. He becomes more appealing every day that I see him, which is surprising. Arrogant athletes aren’t my type. I avoid them like the plague thanks to dear old absent dad.

He’s out of my league though. He goes for hot girls who throw themselves at athletes because they know they’re hot. And then there’s me: the complete opposite of that type of girl.

I’m quiet. I keep to myself. I study hard because I want good grades. I thought I wanted to be a teacher when I started college, but during my first semester, I knew teaching wasn’t for me. Why would I want to spend the rest of my life in school?

No thanks.

Now…I kind of want to be a writer. A dream career that’s probably totally unattainable, but, at the moment, it’s exciting to think of all the possibilities.

Since I’ve always done well in English, becoming a tutor in the subject felt like a no-brainer. Fall semester of my sophomore year, I applied and was hired. Two of my earlier students had dyslexia, and I did all the research I could to help them. They both left such rave reviews that now I’m considered a specialist when it comes to reading disabilities.

And according to Knox Maguire’s profile, he has a reading problem. Hmm.

What a coincidence that Knox chose me to be his tutor—insert sarcasm here. Did he figure out my name? Does he actually have a reading disability? Not like I can ask him if he’s faking it. That would be rude.

Maybe it is fate, as ridiculous as it sounds.

I’m waiting in the meeting room at the library, constantly checking my phone for the time. I forgot to wear my Apple Watch today, which is so freaking annoying. I love being able to see my messages, how many steps I’ve walked, and if I’ve closed those rings on the watch yet. It’s addicting.

Knox’s already two minutes late, and while that’s not a huge deal, I’m big on being punctual. My time is just as valuable as his.

The door suddenly swings open, and there he is, filling up all the space as he rushes into the room, dropping his backpack onto the table with a loud clunk, his gaze never, ever straying from mine.

His smile is slow, his eyes beginning to sparkle as he studies me, resting his hands on his hips. “Joanna.”

I incline my head toward him. “Knox.”

“I knew it was you.”

I try to ignore the way my heart leaps happily at his words. “You’re late.”

His smile fades and he whips out his phone, checking the time. “By only three minutes.”

“I don’t like it when people are late.”

That smile returns, smaller now. “Got it.”