“So, are you going to pretend I don’t exist now? You’re going to pretend you didn’t offer me breakfast? Which you still owe me, by the way.”
I spin in her direction. “That’s exactly right. You are my student now, and that effectively negates anything we’ve done or would have kept doing.”
Her eyebrows lift slightly. I’m not even sure why I said that last part. I didn’t really intend to be with her more than once. We didn’t even exchange contact information, but after she left my house, I wanted her back. Watching her in class and seeing her now only solidifies that I’d definitely enjoy being with her again. But goddamn, I have terrible luck.
“You can’t change the past,” she states simply.
Boy do I know that.
“Have a good day, Nova.”
She rewards me with a smile, but something in her eyes makes me believe she knows the effect she has on me.
“You too…Professor.”
* * *
By the time I arrive at Royce’s house, which is a little over twenty minutes away, I’m no longer thinking about Nova and her flirting. Students have flirted with me before, so it’s nothing new. Some do it to try to get a better grade, some seem to have really been interested, but I’ve never taken the bait. However, this is the first time it’s happened after sleeping with me—the first time it’s affected me.
Not only is it against the school’s policy, but I have never been interested in dating someone who is so much younger than me. Nova doesn’t look my age, but I never pegged her for a student either. Maybe it was the dim lighting in the bar and the alcohol flowing through my veins. Maybe I didn’t care how young she was because I was so taken by her exotic beauty. She has the curves and confidence of a woman, not the demeanor of an insecure kid.
“You coming in or what?” Royce calls out from his porch.
I unbuckle my seatbelt before opening the door and stepping out. “What’s the rush?”
He waves me in before disappearing through the doorway. “Just come on.”
Once inside, I make my way to the kitchen where Cillian’s already sitting, eating out of a bag of chips.
“Sup, bro?” he says with a nod.
I tilt my chin up. “Hey. What’s all this about?”
Cillian shrugs and Royce saunters into the kitchen with a huge smile on his face. “Okay, I have a surprise.”
“Is London pregnant?” Cill asks, his eyes going wide.
“What? No!” Royce exclaims.
“You gonna propose?”
“No, dude. This wasn’t supposed to be a guessing game.”
I move to a stool positioned at his island. “Well, it better be worth it, because I just got off work and haven’t eaten or changed.”
“And I was on my way to the studio,” Cill adds, gesturing to his paint-covered clothes.
Royce slouches. “You guys suck. You’re making this less fun.”
“Just get on with it, bro,” Cillian demands. “Or I’m gonna eat all your food.”
“Yeah, give me those chips,” I say, stealing the bag from Cill.
“All right, hold on.” Royce disappears down the hall.
“He texts us telling us to get over here, doesn’t even have proper food to eat, and doesn’t tell us what the hell is going on. That’s your brother,” Cillian says, looking through Royce’s pantry.
I get up and make my way to the fridge, hoping he has something to wash these chips down with. “He’s got some Gatorade. Want one?” I ask Cill.
“Sure.”
I toss him a bottle, and go to open mine when we hear his steps approaching.
“This better be worth my trip all the way out here when I have a painting to finish,” Cill calls out.
It isn’t Royce who comes around the corner. It’s Merrick. Our baby brother.
“What?” Cill exclaims.
A smile grows on my face as I put the Gatorade bottle down and step up to hug the brother I haven’t seen in months.
6
When I get back home, I only have enough time to pee before my phone is ringing. The special ringtone tells me it’s my sister.
“Hey, G. What’s up?” I ask, flopping onto my couch.
“Hey, how’s it going? How was your first day?” she asks.
“As good as a first day can go. Two professors seemed okay. One’s an asshole. One is super hot!”
She laughs. “Oh, Lord. Don’t you start.”
“I’m serious, G. Even you would think so.”
Even without seeing her, I know she’s shaking her head and rolling her eyes. “Well, don’t get in trouble with that, just focus on your work.”
Any thought I had of maybe being able to tell her what happened goes out the window with that comment. It’s not my fault, though. How was I supposed to know he’d be my teacher? But I don’t want her to worry or stress out about this, so I keep it to myself. It doesn’t seem like it’s going to turn into anything anyway.
“Yes, ma’am,” I reply sarcastically.
“Whatever. Make friends yet? Tell me everything. I’m so bored without you here,” she whines.
I lift my feet onto the couch and grin. “Aww. I miss you, too. But at least you have friends there already. I’m just starting out, but I met this one chick. Her name’s Ayanna, and she’s pretty cool. She’s taking me to a party this weekend.”
Gia groans. “Just be careful.”
“You know I will. Don’t worry.”
Silence settles between us, because there’s always an unasked question on the tip of my tongue, or an untold story on hers.
“So, just to keep you in the loop, Mario still hasn’t been seen around lately.”
My shoulders sag as the information hits my ears. I’m always hoping he’ll pop up around there, so I know he isn’t anywhere near me.
“Well, we were pretty good on keeping things quiet about where I was moving to. I don’t think he’ll find me here.”
“I don’t think so either, but you
