“You definitely didn’t pay it?”

Alfie shook his head. “Nope.”

I exhaled, running a hand over my face as the reality sank in. “Well, hell.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Obviously I can’t accept it. I don’t even know how he managed to pay it off. It’s not like they just let anyone pay another person’s loans for them.”

“With his background I’m sure he has his ways.”

I started pacing, my thoughts frantic. “I’m going to have to make him take the money back. He can’t do this.”

Alfie came and placed a hand on my shoulder. It was the first time he’d touched me in over a week. “Maybe he needed to. Maybe this was his way of saying sorry.”

“He’s already said sorry countless times.”

“Sometimes actions speak louder than words.”

I glanced at him, surprised. “You’ve changed your tune.”

Alfie’s expression grew serious. “I’ve had time to think. I don’t blame Stu anymore for what he did. In all honesty I’m not sure I ever blamed him. It’s not his fault I was born the son of a ruthless, greedy sociopath. He just got tangled up in all this by chance. In fact, I actually find his actions very noble. He might’ve deceived us, but there was love for his family at the core of what he did.”

“I know but . . . Alfie, I still can’t accept this. It’s too much.”

My cousin patted me on the shoulder. “Good luck trying to convince him to take it back. I don’t know him as well as you do, but if you ask me, Stu Cross is as stubborn as they come.”

And wasn’t that the problem. Alfie returned to his room, and I went to find some wine.

The following morning when Stu arrived to class I was antsy to pull him aside and confront him. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the chance until lunchtime, and when the bell rang I found my courage waning. I couldn’t settle on an opening statement, couldn’t think of a foolproof argument to get him to take the money back. Don’t get me wrong, the idea of being debt-free was incredibly liberating, but at the same time I felt trapped. By paying off my loans, Stu had indebted me to him, and I wasn’t emotionally equipped to repay, nor did I understand the currency.

The classroom was already empty by the time I came to my senses. Standing from my desk, I grabbed my handbag and went in search of Stu. It wasn’t too difficult to find him. He was in the canteen sitting with Kian and Susan as they ate lunch. I hovered in the entryway until I caught his eye, then gestured for him to come over. Once I saw him get up I turned and walked straight out of the college to my car.

Sliding into the driver’s seat I waited for him to join me, my nervousness building. Stu opened the door and climbed inside a minute later.

“What’s wrong?”

With a shaky hand I dropped the letter into his lap. His dark brows furrowed in concentration as he read it. I saw the moment of comprehension dawn before he turned to me. He exhaled heavily, his gaze softening.

“I paid it.”

I folded my arms. “Yes, I know.”

His expression tightened. “Are you angry?”

At this I made a very passionate hand gesture. “Of course I’m angry. This was a private matter. You can’t just go around paying off thousands of pounds of debt for me, Stu. We’re not together.”

His jaw stiffened. “I don’t need reminding of that, luv.”

I blew out air, exasperated. “How did you even manage it? Surely they would’ve needed some kind of authorisation from me first.”

“That’s the upside of being indebted to unethical loan companies who send heavies around to threaten the people who owe them money. They don’t mind so much who’s paying them so long as the money’s legit.”

I stared at him. “But why?”

Stu’s gaze grew heated, his expression intense as he replied, “I’m not sure you want to hear the answer to that, Andrea.”

Complete awkwardness descended, and I didn’t know what to say. I stared out the window while Stu dropped back into his seat. There were a long few moments of quiet before he spoke.

“Look, by tutoring me and introducing me to your dad you’re helping me turn my life around. How about you just look on it as me returning the favour?”

“It’s £50,000, Stu. That’s more than just a favour.”

He ran a hand over his face and I noticed he looked a little tired, like he wasn’t sleeping so great. “If I’d done this job three years ago, I wouldn’t even be here right now. I’d probably be doing the exact same as Alfie’s old man, swanning off to the Seychelles to enjoy all that money. I sure as fuck wouldn’t be getting up every morning and going to school, and I wouldn’t be breaking my balls studying every night just so I can graduate from this course and go on to do another three or four years of study. But I’m not the same bloke I was three years ago. I’ve grown the fuck up and it’s about time. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life going from one dodgy job to the next, constantly trying to avoid jail time. I want something different and that’s all thanks to you. So just take the money, Andrea. You deserve it.”

What he said made my chest tighten. Suddenly I forgot all my indignant feelings about the loan because I could barely mask how proud I was of him, how happy it made me that he was sticking with education. That he actually wanted to. If my estimation was correct there was still another £150,000 sitting in his bank account. He could be anywhere else in the world right now but he was here, attending class.

I reached out and took his hand in mine. “I’m . . . I’m so proud of you,” I whispered.

Air rushed out of him all at once; he clearly hadn’t expected me to say that. His expression made me think he might kiss me, but he didn’t. Instead he tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear and replied, “This might sound weird, but I’m proud of me, too.”

I chuckled softly. “You should be. You’re defying the odds, Stuart Cross.”

His voice deepened, his eyes tracing my lips. “Well, you know what they say about the right teacher . . .”

At this the bell rang from inside the college, signalling the end of lunch. “Crap,” I breathed. “We’re late.” I looked at Stu again and squeezed his hand one last time. “Come on, we’d better get inside.”