Page 232

My dad laughed. “If that’s what you want to call it.”

I was really starting to wonder what exactly Uncle James had had to do...

My mom ignored my dad. “No, not about that. I’m actually still a little upset about that whole dropping out of school without talking to me first thing.” She shook her head. “But I’m proud of you for being so resilient.”

I pressed my lips together.

“You had a hard year. I know. But look at you now.” She tapped the bottom of my chin. “My shining star.”

“Thanks, Mom.” Yeah, if my parents didn’t leave soon I was going to end up bawling.

Aunt Penny and Uncle James were saying their goodbyes to Scarlett.

I smiled. I couldn’t believe I was actually here. God, I was so freaking lucky.

“Before I forget,” Uncle James said. “I had to pull a lot of strings to get this last minute room change. But even more for this.” He pulled out two folded up papers out of his back pocket. “Your schedules.” He handed a paper to each of us.

I unfolded it and stared at the class names he’d written out, with the days and times.

“What?” Scarlett asked. “I already signed up for classes.”

Uncle James smiled. “But I figured the two of you would enjoy having the same schedule.”

Scarlett squealed. “Really?! We have the exact same schedule?”

“Mhm,” Uncle James said.

He really was the best. “Thank you,” I said again. “I’d say it a million times if I could.”

“Do Axel and Jacob have this schedule too?” Scarlett asked.

Her dad laughed. “No.”

Scarlett shrugged. She’d probably been expecting that. Uncle James was still not 100% supportive of her relationship with Axel. Probably because Axel kept purposely provoking him.

“But they do have one class with you,” Uncle James said.

“Which one?” I asked.

He pointed to Scarlett’s schedule and she frowned.

“Why do we have a class at 8 o’clock at night every Wednesday?” she asked.

I looked down at my schedule. We had entrepreneurial studies every Wednesday night. “I’m sure it was hard for Uncle James to find two openings in so many classes.” Which was my fault. “And we’re super lucky that a class had four openings. It’ll be fun. The four of us together. And at least it only meets once a week.”

“That’s the spirit, Soph,” Uncle James said and squeezed my shoulder. “Well, we should get going.”

Aunt Penny gave me a quick hug. “You’re both going to have so much fun. Did you know that this is the exact dorm building I was in freshman year?”

I smiled. I wondered if Uncle James had known that.

Aunt Penny pulled back. “Now, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, girls.”

“Don’t say that to them,” Uncle James said.

“Why not?” she asked.

“Because I was your professor, Penny. And you slept with me.”