One Choice (Hogan Brothers 2)

As he came to her desk, she froze.

“You all right, Miss Morrison?”

“Fine,” she gritted out between clenched teeth.

“Let me know when it’s too much” was all he said as he went on his way. “All right, class. You have ninety minutes, make them count. Drop your papers on my desk as you finish.”

Just like that. As if the test weren’t forty percent of their final grade. He tossed his feet up on his desk while reading some sports magazine.

An MMA fighter on the cover.

Her blood boiled, and she was hurt and pissed off all over again.

Stupid men.

Letting the pain consume that part of her mind, she concentrated on the equations in front of her.

Right angles.

Unknown theories.

Pie squared.

A dozen variables.

All equations she wished she could concentrate on as the throbbing in her leg and hip picked up again. Sitting still wasn’t going to help her any either.

Suffering through the exam, Hayes felt she might have done better than she thought she would by the time the first hour was up, and she was handing the paper over.

“I’m going home,” she whispered.

“Go to physio, Hayes,” he told her without looking up.

The MMA glaring at her as she walked out of the class.

Levi foolishly sat parked in front of Hayes’ house for nearly an hour. She had him tied up in knots, and he didn't like it. She was quickly becoming a habit he couldn’t, or maybe wouldn’t quit.

When Tuesday rolled around, he found himself in the same spot, only earlier. Hoping to catch her before she went to school.

Armed with double chocolate chip muffins and green tea—Soph swore she’d like it—he sat on the hood of his Charger and was waiting for her at seven a.m. By the time seven thirty rolled around and she still hadn’t come out, he thought he might be too late, period. Maybe she was one of those people who liked arriving at school hours before it started. Maybe she saw him and was hoping he’d go away.

“Can I help you, young man?” An older man had come out from behind the detached garage with garbage cans in tow. Standing straighter, he figured he must be Hayes’ father.

Levi walked over to the gentleman. “Hi, I was waiting for Hayes,” he explained.

The man looked him up and down like a bug under a microscope; a feeling he wasn’t used to. “You’re aware she’s in high school, right?”

Why did everyone have to keep bringing that damn fact up?

“Painfully so,” he admitted.

“Aren’t you a little old for her?”

“I don’t know.” It’s something he was struggling with.

The man watched Levi for a full minute before finally offering, “Come on in, she’ll be up by now.”

“Great!” He cheered inwardly. Offering a hand, he introduced himself. “I’m Levi Hogan.”