I quickly got dressed, slipped a hat on, brushed my teeth, and grabbed my backpack before slipping out the door. The wind was brisk, but it wasn’t super cold like usual. You could tell that winter was soon going to disappear, and spring would be here. I pulled the hood up on my hoodie as I rushed across campus to Emery Hall. I’d had Dr. Haywood for a linear algebra class the semester before, and I knew that today was going to be a lot of introduction and going over expectations. If I was a few minutes late, it wouldn’t be a big deal.
When I reached the door to the classroom, I slowly slipped inside and scooted into the first desk I came to. Most of the students had a notebook out and were jotting don’t contact information from the board.
“Nice of you to join us.” Dr. Haywood’s eyes narrowed on me.
“Thanks.” I smiled, thinking he might remember me and cut me some slack. He knew I was a hard worker, and that no matter how much I struggled I always pushed myself.
“Ah, Mr. Sutter.” He nodded before going back to what he was doing. I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.
Class went much like I expected it to until the very end. Ever heard the saying “when you stopping look, you’ll find it?” Well, I finally found it.
“Before we dismiss today, I’d like to introduce you to someone who will be helping me out this semester.” Dr. Haywood smiled as a woman came striding into the room. I wasn’t really paying attention to her as I made notes in in my notebook. I knew it was a woman because I could smell her perfume, but that was about it. “This is Miss Porter, my graduate assistant. She’ll be helping out with some of the classes and leading the tutoring sessions that I’ve set up. I expect you’ll want to take advantage of these since this class is not an easy one. Addison was one of my best undergrads, and I know that she will not let me down.”
“Hi.” A voice that seemed familiar filled the air. “I’ve made a list of ways you can contact me as well as a schedule for the ‘help sessions’. You’re welcome to copy this down.” My eyes lifted at that point and as they met hers, my mouth fell open. It was the girl/ woman that I’ve spent the better part of two years looking for. Miss Baseball Cap stood at the front of the room, in a suit no less. She looked nervous as she rocked on her feet which were incased in a pair of heels that caused me to take notice. Where had this woman been all this time, and where were the jeans and t-shirts?
My mouth went dry as I stared unabashedly at her. Man, I thought she was hot that time at the library, but this was a whole new level of hot. I shook my head as I watched people around me start to leave. I guess class had been dismissed and I missed it. Addison had her back to me as she talked with Dr. Haywood, and I scribbled furiously to get all of her info written down. I could find her now.
As I left the classroom that day, I knew that I was going to be at every study session, every class, and any other time that Miss Porter would be teaching. I needed to get to know her, and I needed her to want to know me. I was so screwed.
Chapter 2
Cayden
I only had differential equations twice a week, so on the other days, time seemed to drag. I was only two weeks into the semester when my first opportunity to talk to HER came. We had our first test scheduled, and Dr. Haywood had suggested that we all take advantage of the study sessions Addison had offered. It was a no-brainer for me. Not only was this class one of the hardest I’d taken thus far, but I had a beautiful woman offering to help me study.
The worst part about all of this? She acted like she didn’t know who I was. The piece of paper that had been handed out in class today said that Study Room # 3 in Emery Hall’s bottom level was where we were to meet. I’d kinda hoped that we’d be in the library, but whatever. Noah thought I was nuts to blow off a night with him and the guys for a math class, but he’d never met Addison.
After I’d grabbed something to eat, I rushed back to my room to change and take a shower. I’d worked out at the gym that afternoon, and I kinda smelled. I didn’t want my first conversation with her to be tainted with me stinking. I jumped into the shower, scrubbed off the daily grime, and then rushed back to my room to slip into something presentable. Most days you could find me in a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved tee, but I wanted tonight to be different. I grabbed a sweater instead, and after I pulled it over my head, I sprayed on some cologne and ran a comb through my hair. I doubled checked my appearance in the mirror over my dresser before grabbing my backpack and rushing out the door.
As I jogged down the front steps of my dorm, Noah rounded the corner. “I thought you were studying?” He narrowed his eyes at me.
“I am.” I glanced at my watch. “I’m gonna be late. See ya later.”
“Wait!” he shouted causing me to stumble to a stop.
“What?” I turned around and flung my arms out to the side.
“What are you really doing? You got a secret girlfriend or something?” He smirked as his head tipped to the side.
I rolled my eyes. “No.”
“Whatever you say. Bring her back here to study sometime and ask her if she has any friends.” He laughed as I shook my head at him, turned around, and now jogged across campus. I was going to be late, and with my luck, winded too.
When I reached Study Room #3, Addison was standing by a white board with a dry erase marker clutched in her hand. Her back was to the door as she explained the current problem. I slipped in and found a seat nearby as not to cause too much of an interruption.
“Nice of you to join us,” she muttered before going back to what she was doing. There were only about ten students in the room, which baffled me. Did they not hear what Dr. Haywood was saying?
I pulled my notebook from my backpack and copied down what she had written. As the session progressed, I wrote furiously. I didn’t want to miss anything and being there with her made it hard to concentrate. She was dressed in a pair of dark skinny jeans with a light pink sweater. Her hair was loose, and every time she leaned forward to look at the textbook, it would fall over her shoulder. Each time she tucked it behind her ear, I wanted to do it for her. The hour blew by, and before I knew it she was ending the session.
“We’ve got time for one more before I have to go.” She smiled at the group before turning to write the problem on the board. I tried to copy it as she put it up, but my eyes didn’t want to look at where her hand was. They scanned her back in a slow caress as they made their way down to where her denim cover ass swayed from side to side. I almost sighed as I watched her. Every muscle in my body took notice and tightened, making me well aware that I was not going to be standing in the near future. Addison had this effect on me that no one else had ever achieved, and it was frustrating. How was I ever going to pass if I couldn’t pay attention?
“Ok.” She smiled as she turned around. “First, we’re going to separate the variables. We need to put all the Y terms on one side, and all the X terms on the other.” Her hand moved in a fluid motion as she began working the problem. Now we need to integrate one side with respect to Y.” I sighed as I followed her lead. I was starting to get it, but my brain was only half paying attention to the actual problem. I knew I’d be heading to the library when I finished here so I could go over all of this in a quiet, non-distracting place. “Don’t forget to add the constant.” She smiled as she scribbled a C at the end. “Then simplify.” She turned and crossed her arms over her chest like a proud parent. “Any questions?”
The entire class nodded along as they finished writing the problem down and then we all nodded in understanding. I could tell as I looked around the room, that I wasn’t the only one who was lost. I didn’t know if the other men in the room felt the way I did, but the fact that the women looked just as confused told me it wasn’t Addison’s looks that were the problem. All of us had officially entered that level in college where you have to sink or swim. We were all going to need to work hard to pass this class no matter who helped us study.
“That’s going to be it for tonight.” She bega
n packing up her materials, and then clearing the board. “I’ll be here again next week, and I’ll see you all in class on Monday. If you need anything before then, you can email me at the address on your study sheets.”
A few students mumbled a ‘thanks’ before we all began filing out. I took my time packing my things with the hopes of getting a chance to talk with her, but I wasn’t sure if it would work.
“Glad to see you survived, Freshman.” She laughed as she stopped at the door.
My head snapped up before my eyes met hers. They were as green as I remembered only this time, annoyance didn’t fill them.
“I wasn’t a freshman.” I chuckled.
“This is a junior level course.” Her nose wrinkled and she looked adorable.
“Yep.” I didn’t offer anything else. “And you told me you didn’t tutor.”
“Touché.” She shook her head as she waited for me and held the door open. She followed me out before turning the lights off in the study room. “See you Monday.” She waved as she headed in the other direction.
“See ya, Addison,” I called as I turned toward the library. I wondered how she’d react now that I knew her name. I didn’t have to wonder long.
“It’s Miss Porter!” she yelled back before turning the corner and disappearing from sight.
Addison
Out of all the classes that were available on campus, why did he have to be in the one I was a TA for? I’d thought about requesting a change, but Dr. Haywood had been so supportive last year of me that I couldn’t turn him down. My thesis was too close to completion too. I’d thought it would be easy to ignore him. He never stayed after class, and always slipped out the door first. His loose jeans, and baggy tees did a good job of hiding what he was packing. Tonight, he must have had a date planned for later. He showed up in a pair of well-fitting jeans and a gray sweater that clung to his arms and chest. I knew who he was once I learned his name. Cayden Sutter. His dad, Cameron Sutter was the Seahawk’s assistant coach, and his uncle was the head coach. Cayden was known here before he was ever a student, I just didn’t know what he looked like. When he met the age requirements to play football and he wasn’t on the team, I didn’t know if maybe he picked another school. After watching him in class, I saw why.
Cayden was taking a different route, but I wondered if it was the right route. He seemed to struggled with math. He came to every class though, and by the way he was watching me tonight, I can be almost certain that he’ll be attending the study sessions.
It was still early for me, so instead of heading to my car I decided to make my way to the library. I had my laptop with me, and if I was lucky I could get a little work done before I needed to head home.
I took the stairs two at a time as I made my way inside and headed for my spot. I’d been coming to Byrd since I was a freshman. It was near the physics department, and never crowded. Most of the students went to the main library, but I preferred this one since it was off the beaten path. I had a spot on the fourth floor near the back corner, that was well hidden and perfect for not being disturbed. I thought I’d lucked out until I rounded one of the stacks and saw him sitting there.
Right in my spot, again, was none other than Cayden Sutter. He must have taken a different route to get here, because he didn’t walk the way I did. He was hunched over the table with his hands gripping his hair and pulling vigorously. He muttered something that I couldn’t quite understand before slamming his fist on the table.
“Easy. What did that table ever do to you?” I laughed as I approached him. I knew that I should have just turned around and picked a different spot, but something inside me told me he was different.
His head jerked up before he saw me. “Oh. It’s you.”
“Ok then.” I turned and started to walk away.
“No! Wait!” He shoved back from the table and stood. “Maybe you can help me with this.”
“Is it more math?” I moved closer and pulled out the chair beside him.
“Sort of.” He chuckled. “Know anything about heat transfer?” His face looked hopeful until I slowly shook my head.
I scanned the table and noticed several books were stacked to the side and his backpack was sitting near the edge. “Is this all your homework?” I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing. He looked thoroughly frustrated at the moment, and I didn’t want to set him off.
“Kinda.” He shrugged. “I have a big project due in my lab next week. I’m trying to stay ahead.”
I nodded as I picked up a book that read ‘Introduction to Finite Element Analysis’. “Are you an Engineering Major?”
“Yes.” His chest puffed out slowly before deflating. “At least I think I am. After reading today’s assignment, I don’t know if I will be next semester.”
“That tough, huh?” I set the book back down.
“You’re a math whiz. What do you know about tough?” His eyes narrowed slightly as he eyed my bag.
“More than you think. Is math my thing? Yes. Is everything easy for me? Not a chance.” I pulled my laptop out and set it on the table. “Mind if I work here with you?”
“Sure.” He turned back to the book he was looking at and began scribbling some problem out on a notebook.
Cayden
Why is it the only time I run into this woman is when I’m screwing up? Every time she sees me, I’m sinking in a giant pool of problems and can barely see the light. The only difference tonight is, she doesn’t understand this either. My design and manufacturing class has a lab that goes along with it. I’ve been doing well, until the material I chose melted. I tested the strength today, and the arm bent under the heat I added. I’ve been trying to work out what I did wrong and how to enforce it better, but nothing’s coming out right. The heat is moving up the arm and I can’t stop it. I thought coming here would help, but it’s not. Now she’s here, and I might as well give up.
Addison’s been tapping away on her computer for a while. She hasn’t said anything to me, and I wonder if she forgot I was here. She’s tied her hair back and has been chewing on a pencil as she taps away in deep concentration. Just as I was getting ready to tell her that I was leaving she startled me.
“Yes!” She fist pumped in the air before blushing. I think she just remembered that I was sitting beside her.
“Did you figure out what you were working on?” I grinned as I began to put my books away.
“Yes. I’ve been trying to solve this for a month. It’s for my thesis.” She smiled as she saved her file and closed her laptop.
“Nice.” I zipped my backpack shut and stood. “I gotta get going. It’s late. Let me walk you to wherever you’re going.”
“You don’t have to.” She shrugged.
“Yes. Yes, I do.” I stood there waiting for her. “If my dad found out that I didn’t, I’d be in more trouble with him than I am with heat transfer.”
She stood there for a few minutes staring at me. When she saw I wasn’t backing down, she slipped her computer bag onto her shoulder, and nodded her ascent. We walked side by side out of the library, and Addison made a turn to the right. I let her guide us since I didn’t know where I was going. We weaved through the buildings until we came to a parking lot for commuters.
“This is me.” She pointed to a small blue Honda. “I’ll see you next week in class.” She climbed in and cranked the car. I stood there and watched as she drove away, wondering what classes she had. Would I ever see her on campus? I hadn’t yet, and why not?
Chapter 3
Cayden
It’s been four days since I last talked to Addison. I spent most of the weekend working on my project in the lab. I ran a few tests yesterday, and I think I solved my problem. This is the least of my worries now though. My test in Dr. Haywood’s class is in a half hour. I stayed up most of the night going over the problems from the study session, and I think I might actually understand this stuff now. If not, I can always beg him for some sort of second chance. Who am I kiddin
g? If I fail this test, I’m going to spend the rest of the semester trying to prove myself just to pass.
“Maybe you should just show up without a shirt on.” Noah snickered from where he was putting on his running shoes. “You know the ladies have trouble resisting your sexy self.”
“Addison’s not administering the exam, you idiot.” I grabbed my backpack. “It’s only in the forties today. I’d freeze my ass off.” I rushed out the door, leaving him in the room laughing. Noah didn’t get it. He was majoring in communications. He didn’t have to take the math and science courses that I did. I could do public speaking with no problem; this was a whole different ball game.
It didn’t take me long to get to class, and when I sat down at an empty desk I took a few minutes to look over my notes. The room slowly filled with students all doing basically the same thing I was. When Dr. Haywood stepped in, everyone put their books away.
“Morning, ladies and gentlemen. I hope you’re ready for this. Please make sure you complete the problems on the back as well, and good luck.” He placed a stack of tests on the front desk of each row, allowing us to take one and pass back the rest.
I placed the stapled papers in front of me, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath. I could do this. I’d done everything I could to be ready, and I’d been attending every opportunity I had to do better. I scrawled my name across the top and began reading the first problem.
I was moving along pretty well until I reached the last page. My eyes scanned the problem, but my memory came up blank. I blinked a few times as I stared at it, willing something to change. It didn’t matter if it was the problem or my memory, but nothing happened. The clock on the wall of the classroom seemed to tick louder, and the rustling of papers around me became almost too distracting. What was it that Addison had said? I could picture her by the whiteboard in the study room. The night played over in my head as I searched my memory for what I needed to get started. I saw her explaining the problem as her hands waved around and a smile graced her beautiful lips. I could see it all except for what I needed. What I needed hadn’t been what I was concentrating on that night. I could tell you what she was wearing, the way she sounded, and how she made me feel like I could do this.
Teaching Cayden (The Sutter Family Book 4) Page 2