Chapter 4 Ace wants me to tutor him?

Summer's Pov

The study lounge was quiet, filled with the soft rustle of pages, the tapping of laptop keys, and the faint scent of burnt coffee.

I kept my eyes glued to my sociology textbook, trying to drown out the ache in my chest. The words blurred together. Every time I tried to focus, my mind replayed Brooks’s radiant smile as he tightened his arm around Taylor’s waist.

“I knew you’d be happy for us.”

A quiet sigh escaped my lips. I pulled the sleeves of my oversized gray sweatshirt down over my hands against the chilly draft from the windows. I felt raw, like a ghost in my own life.

Suddenly, a heavy shadow fell across my table.

“Is this seat taken, sweetheart?”

The low, gravelly voice was instantly recognizable. My chest tightened. I snapped my head up, my thick reading glasses sliding down my nose, and found myself staring into a pair of piercing gray eyes.

Ace Hunters.

He stood beside my table, looking too massive for the quiet space. He wore dark gray sweatpants and a black university hoodie that clung to his broad shoulders, carrying that unbothered aura. A faint, knowing smirk played on his jaw.

My face flooded with heat as the memory from yesterday slammed back. The steam. The metal lockers. His bare, tattooed back.

I won't lie, he did look fucking hot.

Wtf, Sum? Get that image outta your mind. I murmured to myself.

“You,” I gasped, my voice a little too loud. A few students glanced over, and I quickly lowered it, glaring at him. “What are you doing here? This is a study lounge.”

“I know what it is,” Ace said smoothly. He pulled out the chair opposite me without waiting. The legs scraped loudly against the floor. He dropped his heavy black backpack and leaned forward, resting his thick forearms on the table. “And I’m here to study. Or rather, I’m here to find someone to help me study.”

I stared at him in disbelief. “If you’re looking for someone to help you with your homework, you’re in the wrong department. The athletic tutoring center is across campus.”

“Yeah, I tried that,” Ace murmured, his gray eyes locked on mine, tracking the flush on my cheeks with amusement. “Too many distractions. I need an expert. And according to the department charts, you’re the smartest girl in this building.”

I let out a cold laugh, crossing my arms tightly. “Let me guess. You failed a test, your coach threatened to bench you, and now you want me to do your dirty work so you can keep chasing a puck around the ice? Not interested, Hunters. Find someone else.”

Ace didn't flinch. His smirk only widened. He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “You want a wholesome image? The last time I saw you, I was literally hooked up against a locker with a girl. We locked eyes, remember? You wished it was you, right?”

The words cut through me. My jaw dropped, my heart hammering as my face burned. “You are disgusting,” I hissed, fingers clenching my sweatshirt sleeves. “We made eye contact because you were violating a public athletic facility! I was dropping off tools, and you were... you were being a menace.”

“I was enjoying my afternoon,” Ace corrected with a shrug. “But let’s talk about your afternoon, Summer. Or rather, your night.”

My breath hitched. “What are you talking about?”

Ace didn't answer with words. He slowly tilted his head toward the large glass windows overlooking the courtyard.

I followed his gaze. Across the quad, near the stone fountain, stood Brooks and Taylor. Brooks was laughing, his arm slung over her shoulders as she pointed at something on her phone.

A sharp pang sliced through my chest. I quickly looked back down at my textbook, blinking rapidly to fight the sting of tears.

“They look real cozy, don't they?” Ace’s voice was softer now.

“Leave me alone, Ace,” I whispered, my voice thick. “I don't have time for whatever game you’re playing.”

“I’m not playing a game, Summer. I’m making a business proposition,” Ace said, his tone turning serious. His gray eyes held mine with intensity. “Here’s the deal. I’m failing Professor Harrison’s sociology class. If my GPA drops below a 2.5 by the end of the month, I’m academically ineligible to play. NHL scouts from Boston and Chicago are coming to our home opener in three weeks. If I’m on the bench, my draft future is dead.”

I blinked, absorbing it. “And what does that have to do with me?”

“You’re going to tutor me,” Ace stated firmly. “You’re going to make sure I pass Harrison’s final project with an A. And in return, I’m going to clean up my bad-boy reputation for the scouts by showing them I have a steady, respectable girlfriend. You.”

I let out a breathless gasp. “You want me to fake date you? Are you insane?”

“Think about it, Summer,” Ace pressed, leaning in close enough that I could smell his soap. “My agent wants a wholesome image, and you need a distraction. But more importantly? My thick-headed younger half-brother over there needs a massive wake-up call.”

The mention of Brooks being his half-brother made my stomach flip.

“Brooks thinks of you as his safe, quiet little sidekick who will always be waiting in the wings while he dates girls like Taylor,” Ace said, his voice low and compelling. “But what do you think happens when he sees you holding hands with the captain of the varsity team? What happens when the girl he takes for granted suddenly becomes the most desired girl on this campus? I’ll teach you how to flirt, I’ll take you out, I'll transform your social standing, and we will make Brooks absolutely lose his mind with jealousy. You tutor me, I pretend to be your boyfriend, and you get your guy. A win is a win.”

I sat frozen, staring at his smug face. The logic was reckless and dangerous. But as I glanced back out the window and saw Taylor kiss Brooks’s cheek, a dark spark of pride flared inside me. I didn't want to be invisible anymore.

I gathered my textbooks, slamming them shut one by one. I shoved my highlighters into my backpack, pulled the strap over my shoulder, and stood up.

I looked Ace dead in his calculating gray eyes, my heart hammering.

“You're crazy,” I said flatly.

And before he could say another word, I spun on my heel and marched out of the lounge.

The heavy glass doors of the academic building hissed shut behind me, but the sound did nothing to block out the frantic thumping of my own heart. I marched down the wide concrete steps, clutching my heavy textbooks tightly against my chest like a shield.

“He’s insane. He’s completely out of his mind,” I repeated like a mantra, forcing my legs to move faster.

The fall breeze picked up, rustling the golden leaves and biting through my oversized sweatshirt. I kept my head down, my black-rimmed glasses slipping slightly down my nose. I just needed to reach the library or my car. Anywhere away from Ace Hunters and his toxic gray eyes.

“Summer! Wait up!”

A deep shout cut through the courtyard. My stomach plummeted. I didn't turn around. Instead, I ducked my head and accelerated, weaving past a group of sorority girls.

“Summer, seriously, stop walking for a second.”

The heavy thud of sneakers closed in behind me. Before I could turn toward the parking lot, a massive frame stepped directly into my path.

I skated to a clumsy halt, nearly colliding with the black fabric of his hoodie. I stumbled back, looking up to find him looming over me, his broad shoulders blocking the sun. He wasn't even breathing heavily.

“Get out of my way, Ace,” I breathed, glare fixed on his chest.