Page 68 of Only With You

“Can you just listen?”

“Look.” She twists her body to look at me. Hurt flashes in her eyes, but she blinks and it’s gone. “You’re my tutor.That’s allyou’re here for, so do your job. If you don’t want to. You know where the door is.”

I assume she forgot I was staying, but I don’t bring it up. I can’t take back what I said, and she’s sure as shit not going to listen to me. I could push, but like she said, I’m just her tutor.

That’s all. She doesn’t need the reminder, but it seems I do.

“Right. Let’s get started.”

“Did that all make sense?”

“Yup.”

“Are you sure? Because?—”

“It made sense.” She closes her laptop a little forcefully.

“Okay,” I firmly say.

In silence, she packs up all of her stuff, but stops when her phone buzzes on the table. When she picks it up, she walks over to the door and opens it.

“Hi—wow, you look amazing.”

That voice. I recognize that voice. River? The twat from the club? She’s going out with him? Of all the guys, him?

“Thanks,” she sheepishly says, and even though I’m not looking at her, I can hear the smile in her voice.

I shouldn’t, but I can’t help but turn to see the disgusting couple standing by the front door.

He then holds out a bouquet of white roses and says, “I saw these and thought you. I hope you like them.”

How unoriginal. White roses? For fuck’s sake, there are so many flowers, and he brings white roses?

“You didn’t have to do that, but thank you. They’re beautiful.” She takes and smells them.

“Beautiful flowers for the beautiful girl.”

I just threw up in my mouth. What kind of compliment is that? Of all the things he could have said, he saysthat? And somehow that earns a giggle from her. It’s disturbingly corny, yet she giggled? Wow, the standards are in hell.

“Come inside. I’m going to put these in water and then we can leave.”

Once he’s in, he registers that I’m here and his smile grows wider. “Oh, hey, Landon. I didn’t know you were going to be here. You probably don’t remember me, but I’m?—”

“Brook,” I say.

He chuckles. “No, it’s River.”

“Hmm, I could’ve sworn it was Brook.”

Julianna shoots me a glare. Not sure what she thought she’d accomplish with that.

She walks past me and into the kitchen. As the water runs, Brook speaks up again.

“We should hurry. Reservations are at eight-thirty.”

She sets the roses in the middle of the dining table, then her gaze flits to me. “I don’t mean to be rude, but?—”

“I’ll lock up.”

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