...“I don’t need a tutor. I’ve made it through four years without one, and I don’t need one now.”

His mother reached across the table and patted his hand. He thought about moving it away, but he didn’t want to hurt her, just make her change her mind. “But you’re always stressed out about deadlines and extensions. Justin can help keep you punctual, on schedule. And he’s a genius—a real one!”

Monica beamed and nodded. Justin had the grace to flush a little now that the attention was on him. Gabriel glared at him. Somehow…somehow, this was his fault.

“Okay, that’s great. Congratulations on being a genius, Justin. But I really don’t need a tutor to keep me in line. I’m an adult. The course is only four weeks long. This whole situation is ridiculous.”

To his horror, instead of the stern retort he expected, his mother’s voice trembled when she spoke next. “I’m only trying to help. I just want the best for you!” Her eyes were glassy as she looked in Gabriel’s.

It was a trick. He knew it, she knew it, and if their mothers were anything alike, Justin knew it, too. Gabriel wasn’t heartless, though. He couldn’t call her on it, and he couldn’t make things worse. Damn her. “Okay. Tell you what. I’ll try it for a week and if I think I could do just as well without him, then he’s out of here.”

His mother cheered up immediately, eyes clearing before her mascara had suffered at all. “That’s all I ask. Now, Monica and I are going to have a glass of wine. Why don’t you two go sit outside and talk about how this is going to work?”

Gabriel stood and walked outside without waiting for Justin. How dare this young upstart come in and ruin his last summer as a free man? Why would he even agree to tutor someone four years older than him? He might not even be eighteen if he had only just graduated. It was humiliating.

It wasn’t that Gabriel was stupid. He’d breezed through high school putting in a minimal effort. His first year of university had been the same. His second year was a little tougher, but with an only slight increase in effort, he’d managed to do well enough. His third and fourth years, he admitted, hadn’t been spectacular. Still, he knew he had to be smarter than a high school student. If he wasn’t, he’d drown himself in the pool to save face.

When Justin came out, closing the sliding glass door behind him, Gabriel realized just how tall he was. He was over six feet by at least two inches. Gabriel, at a respectable five foot nine, felt dwarfed. Not only that, but Justin had a jock’s body—hard and broad and utterly fit.

“Shit,” Gabriel said, staring.

“Don’t worry. I don’t believe in corporal punishment.” Justin threw that grin at him again and Gabriel flushed right down to his navel, knowing he’d been caught.

He cleared his throat. “So, how do you propose we go about this? You could come over whenever our moms have you scheduled and you could go swimming or play video games or whatever and then report back that everything’s fine.”

Justin looked thoughtful. He walked over to the poolside lounge chairs and sat back in one, threading his fingers together behind his head. Gabriel rolled his eyes. Make yourself at home.

“But how would you learn anything?”

“I’m not an idiot,” Gabriel snapped. He sat stiffly in the chair next to Justin, narrowing his eyes at him. “You could make this really easy on both of us. I won’t waste your summer, and you don’t waste mine.”

Justin sighed. “Look, I know how you feel, okay? This is probably pretty embarrassing for you. But try not to look at it that way, okay? I believe your mom when she said you’re stressed. I can tell just by looking at you. When did your class start?”

Gabriel frowned. “Today.”

“And let me guess…You haven’t logged in or whatever you need to do?”

“No, but—”

“Exactly. You’re already behind and you haven’t even started. Think about it this way… If you let me help you, I can make it so you actually enjoy your summer. We’ll work a little every day, you’ll read every night, and you won’t have any stress because you’ll be caught up every day. How would you rather spend your summer—carefree on the outside and panicking on the inside until four days before the final when you study without sleeping and probably barely pass? Or spend a few hours every day working with the rest of the day all yours to enjoy, stress-free.”