SAWYER
Chapter Three
I happened to be in the library on Saturday morning.
There was nothing suspicious about a college student spending time in the campus library.
Sure, I would normally be on a treadmill at this time, but I had a hunch that the time when the jocks filled the gym, nerds might flock to the reading rooms.
And it just so happens that I was looking for some physics textbooks to teach myself the basics. I had every reason to be here and at this time. Just because I was also looking for a shaggy-haired guy wearing a shirt, suspenders, and a bowtie, it didn’t make me a stalker, right?
So when Noah Foster passed by me wearing a baggy hoodie and a pair of oversized sweatpants that swallowed his figure, I almost didn’t recognize him. Luckily, he recognized me.
Or, unluckily, to be more precise.
As he passed by me, his bright green gaze sharpened and he all but growled at me.
It was so intense that I nearly stepped back between two massive bookshelves.
I quickly compared this guy to the version I had seen last night.
He’d looked like a nerd, but at least he’d had a shape.
Not that he looked bad, exactly. He still had that casual, pillow-combed hairdo going on and his face was handsome, but he was easy to miss with all these clothes hanging off his body.
“Hey, dude,” I greeted him, having to turn on my heels and follow him because he picked up his pace as he spotted me. I quickly pulled my earbuds out and cut off Ozzy Osborne’s voice so I could hear Noah.
I shouldn’t have bothered because Noah said nothing.
“Er, I said ‘hello.’” I caught up with him and marched down the hall of bookshelves shoulder to shoulder with the king of geeks.
“And I didn’t,” he replied. “Goodbye.”
It caught me so off guard that I literally stopped in my tracks for a moment, frowning and trying to figure out what just happened.
Noah turned left and disappeared between some bookcases, but I hurried and caught up with him again. “That was kinda rude,” I pointed out and, I swear to God, I wished I had bitten my damn tongue off instead.
Noah rounded on me. “Are you kidding me? That was rude? The entire campus is laughing their asses off because a nerd got drenched in vodka last night. They’re saying this is the most booze I have ever had in my life.”
I blinked twice, gobsmacked into silence. “But…is it true?” I stretched my lips into the faintest smile I could manage.
Noah narrowed his eyes at me like he could slice me in half with the sheer power of his look. “It’s not…exactly. I don’t drink. Sue me.”
He moved his foot to my left and I appeared in front of him, blocking his way.
I exhaled. “Listen, I’m sorry about the drink.
I’ll take full responsibility. Even though it was barely my fault.
It was more like I was the catapult that other people operated.
You can’t blame the catapult when it works, right? ”
“Sorry, was this an apology?” He cocked his head, his glasses catching a twinkle of the yellow ceiling light. His cheeks turned ever so slightly pink and his lips were stuck in a permanent thin line of anger.
We were nearly the same height, though I was broader and maybe an inch taller.
And maybe it was my Doc Martens that gave me the slight advantage of looking down.
Still, I needed to slouch apologetically.
“You’re right. I wasn’t looking. Honest to God, I didn’t mean to spill my drink all over you. I didn’t even know who you were.”
“And if I was someone else, would you be apologizing?” Noah’s tone was flat and tight.
I balked from him and frowned. It was a good question. “I…yeah, I would have.” I would have apologized right away had I had the chance.
“Because here’s what I think. You came here to run into me so you could apologize and sweet-talk me into helping you with your physics course.
” He crossed his arms over his chest and the baggy sleeves of his hoodie pulled around his biceps.
There was some shape to him after all, but he was determined to hide it.
I hadn’t gotten a good look at him last night to know for sure, but I had a vague recollection of some definition beneath the well-fitted shirt and pants.
Not that it mattered. That wasn’t my priority.
My brain was under-fucked by squabbling siblings, neither of which ended up inviting me to their room, and I had been too horrified at splashing vodka into my last shot’s face to take care of business myself.
But being low-key horny while pleading for mercy wasn’t exactly the finest combination.
“How do you know I’m failing physics? Is that public knowledge? ”
Noah snorted with a truckload of contempt. “You’re all the same. I know you’re failing because you’re standing here and you’re talking to me. And now, you’re going to fail for sure because I’m walking away.” He bumped into me just as I blocked his passage again. “Move,” he demanded.
“Talk to me,” I said.
“We’re done talking. I believe Matt told you I’m not taking on any more students.” He pressed his hand against my chest and sucked in a breath of air, then attempted to push me. It failed, but he reddened nonetheless.
“Yeah, your pimp wouldn’t let me speak to you,” I said, pulling on my bitch face and deciding to risk it. Pleading wasn’t going to make him change his mind. All I could do was lay it all out there in the open.
“Matt’s my friend,” Noah said, pulling his hand back from my hard pecs.
“I’m sure he is, but this isn’t about him.
I need your help, Noah. It’s just like you said.
I’m going to fail for sure and it’ll be the end of my hockey career.
I’ll have to go back to some community college and settle for collecting hockey cards.
If you know anything about me — and, let’s face it, who doesn’t?
— you know I’m born to be on the ice. You know I have a promising future just like you do in…
physics.” Shit. What did physics majors do?
Teach it to other future teachers? “Wallaby won’t let me pass.
She hates my guts and I need to be way better than my maximum capacity allows in order to get a mere passing grade.
And that’s the truth of it. So yeah, I’m talking to you now because you’re my lifeline. ”
“There you have it,” Noah said. “The story of my life.”
I narrowed my eyes and cocked my head. “You’re probably right. Chances are, I wouldn’t be talking to you here if I didn’t need you. But that’s not because I’m too popular. Not just that, at least. You’re a scary motherfucker, Noah.”
A frown exploded over his face.
“It’s a term of endearment,” I explained.
“Nice fucking endearment.” He was pulling back a little, looking for exit routes. I’d pressed a button there and he needed to escape me.
Oh well. I would kiss my career goodbye.
“You are, though. You’re the Olympiad prodigy, buddy.
You have a bouncer to deal with all the students who want your help.
You’ll probably end up developing cloud cities on Venus or discover some particle or whatever.
And if you don’t think that scares people, you’ve got a lot to learn.
And like that isn’t enough, you’re painting a picture of my pathetic future after I drop out because you denied me help. You’re a little psycho.”
His mouth dropped open and his eyes widened. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
I had nothing else to lose. “I’m telling you what I think,” I said. “Because I’ll drop out in a few months anyway. So there you go.”
Silence fell between us and I felt like I wanted to squirm out of my skin. I wasn’t letting him leave until he said something, but I didn’t know what I wanted to hear, anyway. We stared at each other until something softened in his eyes. “I…I’m really busy.”
There was the slightest note of regret in his voice at having to say this. I could work with that. I could cling to that glimmer of hope. “Okay, but what if I was a super low responsibility?” I asked. “What if we made it so that you help me just a little? Something that won’t make you busier?”
“I…don’t know,” he said. He was reluctant as fuck, but I had my foot in the door and wasn’t backing off.
This was how much I loved hockey. This was how much I wanted to remain on the ice, in the thick of it, in the heat of battle and the swelling pride and camaraderie of our team. “I’d have to look at my schedule.”
“What if a student disappeared?” I asked, thinking I was being witty.
Noah deadpanned and rolled his eyes. “Be serious for a hot minute. I’m trying to think and you’re making it impossible.”
I made a little move toward him, closing the short distance between us. “I’ll do anything. You’re pricey as hell so I can’t compete that way, but I’ll do whatever the hell you want me to do.”
“What do you mean?” he asked, his voice quivering.
“I dunno. You tell me. I’ll be your personal servant if you need one so that you can have more time.
I can bring you books from the library so you don’t waste hours you could otherwise use tutoring me.
I can wash your dishes, I can clean your room.
I can make your weekly schedules to make sure you’re using your time in the most efficient way.
” I was way too eager and he kept frowning at it.
“No offense, but I don’t exactly trust you to be in charge of my entire life,” he said, resting his fingers on my shoulders and pushing me back a little. “I saw how you handled yourself last night. You’re not really the example of positive virtues.”
“I’m a flirt. That’s what I do. But that’s only on Fridays and Saturdays. Don’t you worry. I can do all of these things. And I’ll get you tickets for all my hockey games if you want to watch. Front row, too. You get to see all the body checks up close.”