Page 35 of Wrong For Me

She nods, studying my face in a way I don’t like. “This first semester, while she’s learning the ropes, I’m going to keep her responsibilities somewhat limited. I want you to take a supervisory role when it comes to leading lectures and your hosted office hours. Do you think you can do that?”

The last thing I want to do is waste time holding the hand of some kid with nothing but a bachelor’s degree. But I can’t exactly say that to my mentor. Not without sounding like a giant tool. So I clench my teeth and manage to grit out a terse, “of course.”

From the amused look in her eye, Dr. Hernandez can tell exactly how much I’m struggling. “Oh, come on, Mr. Malone,” she chides. “It might actually be fun. At least you’ll have someone to keep you company all those hours we both know you’re planning to hole up in your office.”

This time, I can’t keep the displeasure off my face. “I have to share my office?”

She laughs at my distress. “Can’t say I’m sorry, kid.”

I glare at her. She knows full well how much I’ve been looking forward to having my own space. But she only laughs some more. “I know exactly what you’re thinking, but from where I’m sitting, this is a good thing. Spending so much time alone is bad for you, Leo. You need to form relationships with your fellow classmates.”

I make a dismissive noise in the back of my throat, scowling when her amusement only seems to grow. “You’ll survive a little company. I promise.”

“We’ll see about that,” I grumble.

“Smile, kid,” she says, standing. “We don’t want your face to get stuck that way.”

Pretty sure if scowling was going to affect my face long term, it would have already happened years ago.

“Come on. I’ll introduce you to the new department head before orientation starts.”

When I woke up this morning, I’d been looking forward to all of those things. Now I can’t seem to shake the sense of rising dread in my chest.

And when I stand up to follow Dr. Hernandez, it only gets worse. Because standing in her doorway, a dear-in-the-headlights expression on her gorgeous face, is the last person in the world I would have ever expected to see here.

“Rose?”