Dirty Curve
q
Meyer
Out front, I walk to the edge of the driveway, keeping myself in view of the safety guy at the door, and plop onto the grass.
I text Bianca so I don’t risk waking Bailey and then look along the road.
This is ‘Ruckus Row’ here on campus, every house on the block owned and affiliated with campus. The boys’ team and frat houses line this side of the street, while the other is made up of sorority and female squads.
Both sides are well lit tonight, LEDs glowing all around, music flowing from most, but there are a few quiet ones. Come tomorrow, the yards will be full and people will be going from house to house on the hunt for whatever it is they’re searching for that night.
Some will be looking for a good time, others will be looking for a good way to forget...
Last time I was here, it was for all the wrong reasons, a night I’ve regretted for far too long, but somewhere along the way, that regret faded into something else, something a little more dangerous.
It transformed into hope.
It’s completely reckless, at least where my heart’s concerned. I know myself and I won’t allow my life to be thrown off course. I can’t. I have Bailey to think about, but I’d be lying if I said it won’t break another piece of me to watch the man I’ve come to know walk away … like the one I thought I knew before did.
Like all the men in my life have, outside of my brother.
If he does, it will be my fault.
When he does, it will be my fault ...
I’m the one who allowed things to get this far.
“Now this is familiar.”
My head snaps right and I shoot to my feet. “What are you doing here?”
His eyes narrow and he goes to speak, but a couple guys step out the door, spotting him.
“What’s up, Coach!” One salutes him, while the other nods his chin.
“Boys.” He gives a curt nod, watching as they slip behind the wheel of a blue Chevy before turning back to me. “I went by your house today.”
My face falls, tension swimming in my stomach. “Why?”
He scoffs, malice driving the sound from his throat. “I wonder, Meyer.” He steps closer. “Why would I come by, hmm?”
I swallow, shaking my head. “I don’t know.”
“Where were you today?”
“That’s none of your business.”
“No?” He sticks his hands in his pockets, tipping his head with a condescending look in his eyes. “You’re not even going to try and lie your way out of this, say you’re tutoring someone at eleven o’clock on a well-known party night this side of campus?”
I stare without a word and his lips thin.
“I take it you haven’t been online or on campus today,” he continues, inquisition heavy in his tone. “If you had, I don’t think you’d be here right now, then again, I thought you were smarter than this period. Guess I was wrong.”
Panic swells in my chest and I have to fight myself not to pull my phone up again.
“Did you come here looking for me?”
“I came here to check on my athlete,” he snaps. “I’ve been calling Tobias all day, and he hasn’t picked up once.” He glares. “Do you have something to do with that?”
“I was with Milo,” I rush out. “He showed up this morning to surprise me.”
He raises his chin, doing his best to decipher if I’m being honest since five seconds ago, I refused to tell him anything. “I got Tobias’s grade check-in today, his GPA is almost at a three.” He stands tall. “You’re done, Meyer.”
“There’s three weeks of school left. He still needs help—”
“He’s got a hint of cushion in his problem class, thanks to your … dedication. He’ll be fine,” he snaps. “He’ll be removed from your schedule by the time you sign in tomorrow, and I’ll be refilling it with others.”
A sharp pain knocks against my ribs, and my next words leave me before I have time to think them through. “You can take him off my schedule all you want ...”
He raises a brow. “Don’t do something you’ll regret, and you will regret it. Don’t forget you’re no longer on scholarship, Meyer. Think of Bailey.”
“Every move I make I’m thinking of her.”
“Your actions say differently. Do I need to remind you I can make all this go away? Not just the job—”
“How can you be like this to me?” I cut him off, my panic morphing into something else. “I’m just trying to get through school so I can take care of myself and my daughter. Why are you making it so much harder than it has to be?”
“Don’t put this on me.”
“I won’t need you forever, you know.” I don’t mean to whisper. “And then what?”
He’s quiet for a moment, but when he speaks, he’s just as callous as ever. “You have one stipulation and that’s to steer clear of my athletes, especially Tobias.”