From that point, her mom would pick them up and take them to Mia’s house for tutoring and dinner. Afterward, Mia accompanied her mother in dropping Ross off at his home, a tired, brick-red ranch-style house on the outskirts of town.
Their time together lasted for about four months with Ross becoming a regular part of her weekly schedule. Until he wasn’t. One day, Ross didn’t appear at their meeting spot beside the bike rack. He also didn’t respond to her texts. She tried to convince her dad to take her to Ross’s home to see if he was sick. Her father refused, not wanting her to get sick if this was the case. Regardless, she worried about her friend.
The next day, she was informed by the school counselor Ross wouldn’t be back at school for some time, and Mia could have another person to tutor if she wanted.
“What happened to him?” Mia asked.
“I can’t talk about it. Do you want someone else to tutor?”
“No, I’ll wait for Ross to come back.”
She was more surprised when her father told her she wasn’t allowed to tutor Ross anymore and to stay away from him.
“Why?”
“He got into trouble. I don’t want you around him.”
It was irrational, but Mia worried that she was somehow at fault. What if Ross was eating inside the library because she previously flaunted the rule and now he was in trouble? She pushed down a flutter of anxiety. “Did I—Was it something that happened at school? Did he get in trouble because of me?”
The judge’s stern face softened as he slipped an arm around her, rubbing a shoulder. “No. Why would you think that? He’s not a good kid, honey.”
“But—”
“I talked to the school. I know you try really hard, but I think tutoring this kid might be beyond your capabilities.”
Her gut dropped off a cliff. “Is that what they said?”
“We all agreed, including Ross—”
“Ross doesn’t want me?” It didn’t make any sense. He had never given her a clue. But, then again, at their last session, they tried to go over an English assignment and Ross had been especially surly. Maybe he had gone to the school to complain. She wasn’t enough. He didn’t want her. She’d failed. Her cheeks blazed hot and tears stung the corner of her eyes.
The judge released an impatient breath. “I told you he got into trouble. Look, how would you feel if the person you put in all this time with, turned around and cheated? Some people are just cheaters and there isn’t anything you can do about it. The last thing we want is for his failings to reflect back on you. Stay away from him. You just have to trust me.”
Her father, her Atticus Finch, was someone Mia trusted with her whole heart, who gave her the best advice, who was always truthful with her. Ross cheated? Was it on something that they had worked on together? Was this why he didn’t want to work with her anymore? Because cheating was easier? Mia pushed herself and studied nonstop and didn’t have much of a social life outside of school. She was working toward something better and Ross could just turn around and take the easy way. The more she thought about it, the angrier the whole situation made her. He didn’t want her? Well, maybe she didn’t want to waste her time on him either.
Several months later, Ross returned to school for a short time before he was gone again for good. But she didn’t care because she had her own future success to worry about and she wasn’t going to waste her help on someone who didn’t want it.
*
But all thathappened nearly ten years ago. Ross was right. It was a long time, and they were no longer kids. As Mia stared at the man across the counter, she couldn’t miss the remnant of adolescence there: the reservation, the quietness, the dark, grave eyes. It was him.
“Rosso.” The old nickname floated from her lips on a breath.
The intensity of his eyes warmed to slow-burning embers, still capable of heating her insides. “Hey, Russo.”
He gave her a slight smile as a hand claimed the Americano on the counter, but she hadn’t removed her own hand and his fingers brushed over hers. The coffeehouse chatter melted away in the background and she could remember how it used to be between them. When they would tease each other, or he made her giggle, or he’d shyly share a small moment of success. It was those tiny moments that made her heart swell, and she could forget all the bad feelings that followed later.
But she didn’t know Ross. Not anymore. After an initial glow of pleasure swept through Mia, her thoughts shifted in a different direction. Ross grew up without any of the expectations and pressure she had. If the school had been cruel enough to have a title for someone like Ross, it may have beenMost Likely to Fail.
Except Ross hadn’t failed. In fact, there was a store. He was a businessman. Ross had found success. In her own desperation, Mia had asked him for a job. Heat crept over her ears at the shame and embarrassment. He knew her secret. She was far from being the success everyone thought she would be. She had not been a cheater, but she had also not found prosperity.
Mia could have said a lot of things to Ross. She could have said it was great he was doing well. She could have asked how he became a jeweler? Did he ever leave Placerville? Go, see, have exciting experiences since they last talked? How was his family? Did he remember eating her mother’s Mexican Italian wedding cookies with her in the library? She could have said any number of innocent, pleasant things.
But her mind was so focused on the negative. He hadn’t wanted her. He had cheated. His life had turned out fine—more than fine. Whatever she had contributed during their sessions had meant nothing. And she was about to hand this successful businessman his morning coffee.
“Did you ever graduate?”Oh, god!Did she really just blurt that out? It was a bitter question, and instantly followed by regret. Her teeth clamped onto her bottom lip to keep from saying anything more.
The dark embers, which had been so warm before, cooled as if doused by a bucket of ice water. Mia swallowed hard, waiting for the response she deserved.
