After Math

After Math by Denise Grover Swank
My rating: ★ 4 Stars ★

~"I'm broken Tucker. I'm hopelessly broken inside, and I'm not sure there are enough pieces in me to put back together. But when I'm with you, I feel like maybe I can actually be whole."~

Mathematics major Scarlett Goodwin goes to her classes, her job in the tutoring lab, and then hides in the apartment she shares with her friend.
She struggles with her social anxiety and is determined not to end up living in a trailer park like her mother and her younger sister.

Failing his required College Algebra class, Star soccer player, Tucker Price needs help.
With his eligibility is at risk, the university chancellor dangles an expensive piece of computer software for the math department if Scarlett agrees to privately tutor him.

After a rocky start, Tucker starts to show a side of him that makes Scarlett realise there is more to this bad boy, cocky, womaniser that everyone sees.

As they start to get comfortable with each other, we learn they both are vulnerable, broken and as trapped as each other.

Soon Tucker starts to effect Scarlett.

"For the first time, I feel genuinely connected to another human being and just my luck, it turns out to be Tucker Price.
And that's the saddest fact of all."

But Tucker still holds back, fearing he will only hurt her in the end.

~"If I kiss you now, I won't be able to let you go, and you'll end up hating me. Tell me to walk away right now before it's too late. Tell me to leave you alone so you can have the life you deserve, Scarlett Goodwin, and not get stuck with a fuckup like me." The agony on his face tells me he believes every word.
It makes me want him ever more. ~

~"Goodbye is too permanent. Goodbye has the risk of never seeing each other again. But good morning is full of possibilities."~

But Tucker can't stay away, taking the risk of knowing that he could possibly break her in the end.

~"Everything just feels so right when I'm with you, Scarlett. I can be me. But it's more that that. You give me something I haven't had in a long time, if ever. you give me peace. It's like the jumbled mess in my head can settle down, and I can be still with you. Like none of the other stuff matters."~

This was a sweet read. Tucker was your tortured hero, but was always upfront honest about not being good enough for Scarlett.
Even though they both suffered in their past. I really felt this was all about his journey, letting go of the past and guilt that he carried.
I really enjoyed this.


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