Page 25 of Tutoring the Bad Boy
“I’m very disappointed in you, Ginny.” Mom doesn’t even glance at me while she drives. Her eyes are narrow.
“I’m sorry. It’s like it…came out of nowhere.”
“I told you I was picking you up at six, and that’s when you conveniently steal a kiss from Kaleb Quinn.”
I look at the clock on the dashboard. It’s 6:15. How did I lose track of the time so badly? I was having fun, then when Kaleb arrived, everything froze and I was in an alternate universe. He smelled so amazing. It’s just as I remember from the first kiss. Kaleb isn’t the kind of guy that wears Axe body spray or anything like that. He smells like soap and ocean air. I could’ve stood there kissing him all night.
“I didn’t know he was going to show up,” I finally say.
“How did you not know? He’s the one who mentioned it at school the other day.”
“Yeah, but you told me to text him less. I’ve barely talked to him since then.”
And Mom has no idea how crazy hard that was. The past few days, I’ve wanted so badly to reach out to him, but if I’m going to be honest with myself, my heart was hurting the whole time. The realization after the first kiss, that Kaleb was only doing it because of the plan, was too hard to stomach. I was convinced he was just a good actor…until tonight.
Then it hits me. My mom caught us. Pretty convenient, right? Did Kaleb see her and then kiss me? The thought is like a sock to the gut. He’s played me again, and like an idiot, my heart is panting like a dog. Inwardly, I groan. How can I keep my feet on the ground when my heart can’t stay rooted?
Mom takes a deep breath, trying to collect herself. She leans over to turn on the radio, and Dave Mathews Band comes on. “Crash Into Me.” Great, that’s the last song I want to hear right now.
Because Kaleb just literally crashed into me, and it felt so amazing.
Mom starts talking again, and there’s something unfamiliar in her tone. “I understand that you and Kaleb aresharingsomething, and I don’t want to allow it, but I will so long as you keep your grades up and your eye on the prize. In fact, if you even excel during thisrelationship, perhaps it has some benefits.”
I turn to her, and my eyes go wide. Did she just say that? That so doesn’t sound like my mom, and it dawns on me that she’s going along with the plan right before my eyes. Should I be angry? She’s literally saying this with the full knowledge that Kaleb will break my heart. I feel my trust fly through the window.
I lean to the radio and spin the nob. “Can we turn this down?”
“We can’t put on your resume that you’re reforming a notorious bad boy, but if Kaleb succeeds, it’s only going to make you look better.” Mom’s tone becomes light and reassuring. This is so twisted I don’t even know what to think.
“We have another tutoring session on Monday.”
“In public.”
“What?” I ask.
“I said, in public. I will only allow this to continue if you and Kaleb meet in public.”
A humorous smile comes to my lips, and I try to keep myself from laughing. “We were just in public.” And why would she even mention it? We’ve never met anywhere that wasn’t public. Unless she’s trying to sound like she’s being hard on me. To make thiswhole planmore authentic.
Mom’s voice goes flat. “You have a point.”
As DMB continues to hum in the background, I can’t get the kiss off my mind. There was deep tenderness in it, and longing. There’s no way that Kaleb could’ve faked that. Just when I thought the first kiss was the greatest in history, the second kiss was even better. Even Kaleb’s breath was amazing. Why is everything about him positively edible? Never in a million years did I think I’d be the girl who would be the object of Kaleb Quinn’s desire.
The sun sets over the ocean, and I’m fantasizing about walking with Kaleb on the beach, hand in hand. I know it’s corny, but these are the kinds of thoughts that dance through my head when I think of him. Not that I should, because it’s all pretend. Which I should’ve known.
Mom breaks me from my reverie. “What is it with that Jolene Jones?” She shakes her head in disdain.
“What do you mean?”
“I think half of her skirt was missing.”
“She’s kind of a free spirit.”
“And where was her husband?”
“You don’t seem like the type who judges other women for not having a husband around.” The statement flies out of my mouth before I have time to consider it. That was so the wrong thing to say, and I can feel Mom sitting on her anger.
“I’m not saying she needs to have a man around all the time. I just think that if he’s a good man, he’ll stay for his daughter’s party to make sure no funny business is going on.”
