Page 46 of Wrong For Me

My brother shakes his head. “I don’t understand why you would want to be a teaching assistant in the first place,” he mutters. “Helping a bunch of bored freshman sounds like a nightmare.”

“It’s part of the program.” I don’t tell them that I had briefly considered forgoing the TA position after leaving Leo scowling in our office this morning. It wasn’t like I needed the money that comes with the job. But I also don’t want to be the type of person who gives up on something so quickly. Definitely not because a boy is making me uncomfortable.

But I had been tempted. Especially after his jab about not giving me what I wanted this summer. He sounded so…judgmental about it. So cruel. Like me wanting to get a phone call from the guy I slept with made me clingy or something.

“So, what’s the plan?” Will asks, jarring me from my thoughts. “Did they give you another advisor or something?”

I nod, playing with the edge of my beer bottle so I don’t have to look at him. “They did. Dr. Hernandez. She’s a pretty tough professor. I had an intro class with her my freshman year. She scared the shit out of me.”

River’s eyebrows go up. “And now you have to work closely with her?”

I may as well get this over with. “That’s not the worst part. She already had a TA, so I have to share the position.”

River chomps on his burger, not bothering to swallow before he says, “Cool. Sounds like less work for you.”

I glare at him. “Your table manners are as atrocious as ever.”

He grins, showing off more food in his mouth. “We’re not at a table, genius.”

Will tosses a balled-up napkin at his head then turns to me. “You don’t seem happy about sharing the position.”

I avoid his eyes. “Under different circumstances, I probably wouldn’t mind.” There are parts of the TA experience I haven’t exactly been looking forward to—primarily the standing up in front of a lecture hall of hundreds of students to teach some of my advisor’s sections. Having someone to share the load wouldn’t be so bad.

If only it was someone else.

“Rose?” Will presses and I decide to get it over with.

“You remember that guy I hooked up with in Lake Tahoe this summer?” I blurt out.

Will immediately looks angry while my immature little brother groans at the mere mention of me with a guy. I ignore him and focus on my cousin.

“The asshole who didn’t call you,” he says, his voice taking on a growly tone.

“Yeah. Leo the hot bartender.” I swallow. “Well it turns out bartending is just a summer gig for him. Something he does to save money forschool.”

I give him a meaningful look and Will’s eyes widen immediately as he catches my meaning. “Shit. You’re kidding.”

“I wish. My TA partner is the hot bartender.”

“Oh, shit,” Will breathes. “What are the odds?”

I shrug. “Apparently I have shit luck.”

River is looking back and forth between the two of us. “Why is this such a bad thing? You obviously liked him enough to go home with him.” He winces slightly at those words but manages not to groan.

Again, I wish I was talking to Will one-on-one. “We, uh, didn’t have the best parting.”

River sets his burger down, fixing me with a steady blue glare that looks exactly like our dad’s—all protective and threatening. “What did he do?”

I shrug. “He didn’t do anything. He just didn’t call. And I had expected him to. Hurt my feelings a little.”

Will snorts. “A little,” he mutters, eyes every bit as ferocious as my brother’s. “You were a fucking mess after that.”

“Why the hell didn’t I know about this?” River snaps, glaring at me, fists clenched on his thighs like he’s preparing to go find Leo and punch him out.

“I can’t imagine why I didn’t want to tell you,” I mutter sarcastically, but he ignores me, turning to Will.

“This is bullshit. Why didn’t you go back to the festival and kick his ass?”