Business as Usual (Off The Subject) Read Online Free PDF Page A

ironic that I was exactly the opposite just a few months ago. But Kyle has been caught in the middle of my fallout with my dad, and I miss the little guy more than I care to admit. I can thank fucking Sabrina for that one. “I’ve got a job on Saturdays. I can’t make his games.”
    Tucker lowers his voice. “I heard about your arrest and how you lost your scholarship. All I can say is when I look back at everything I did in the years before I met Scarlett, I’m amazed it never happened to me.” He sighs. “I’m sorry you’re stuck in this mess.”
    “They dropped the charges, but code of fucking conduct and all that shit…” I shrug, pretending it’s no big deal, but the bitterness still leaks out in my words. “Just one semester left in my mechanical engineering degree. I couldn’t go anywhere else to finish up without practically starting over, so I sucked it up and got two part-time jobs.”
    He grimaces. “That’s a bitch.”
    There’s no denying it. “I’m looking for another one in the afternoons. Something on campus would be great, but we both know those jobs are next to impossible to get.”
    Tucker studies me for a second. “Actually, I know of one that just opened up. One of the tutors in the math lab quit a couple of days ago and Scarlett has been filling in for him. You’re an engineering student, so you should be damn good at math, right? It could work. No one knows about it yet, either.”
    Math lab. I hadn’t considered it as a possibility before now. “Do you know how many hours?”
    “That’s the problem, not many. Maybe ten? But it’s something.”
    “No, it sounds good.” Tucker’s right. This could be a great job for me. “Thanks for the heads up. Who should I get in touch with?”
    “Sure thing. Reed Pendergraft is the guy. Tell him I sent you.”
    “Thanks.” I try to keep the disappointment out of my voice. Of course it was too good to be true. Reed Pendergraft has been on campus for less than two semesters, but he already has a reputation of being a total hard ass both inside the classroom and out. Austin, one of my roommates, had a run-in with him in the fall semester and almost lost his spot as a student liaison on the academic advisory committee. Still, I’m desperate.
    “I know for a fact that he’s at the math lab right now if you want to run over. I just saw him after walking Scarlett over there.”
    I’m torn. I need this job, but Pendergraft ? I close my history book, hoping I’m not wasting precious study time on this. “Thanks, I’ll do that. And thanks again for the heads-up.”
    “No problem.”
    When I arrive, the math lab is full of students waiting for help. The only tutors are a cute brunette, a curly-headed guy who looks like he stuck his finger in a light socket, and a guy who has to be Reed Pendergraft. He’s seated at a table with a student, going over an equation. I stand by the door and wait.
    Pendergraft looks up. “You can take a seat and we’ll get to you as soon as possible.”
    I take a step toward him. “Actually, I’m here about the tutoring position.
    His mouth parts as if he’s about to say something, but instead he looks me over as if he’s taking my measure. While he’s wearing dress pants and a button-down shirt, I’m dressed in faded jeans, a long-sleeved T-shirt, and a hoodie. The look on his face says he finds me lacking.
    “I’m Ben Masterson. Tucker Price sent me.”
    The brunette girl smiles and shoots me a look of recognition. I haven’t seen Scarlett in over a year. We had a couple of classes together freshman year, but we never interacted much. She was always extremely quiet and self-contained. She looks different now—happier and surer of herself.
    “Your name sounds familiar,” Reed says. “Have we had a class together?”
    “No.” I’d remember if I’d had anything to do with Reed Pendergraft. He probably recognizes my name from the news about my arrest, but there’s no way in hell I’m going