I’m practically breaking into hives just thinking about it. “Not yet.”
“Are you going to?”
If only it were that simple. I hate keeping secrets from Dee, but lately I feel like I have to. Which sucks. It sucks that I have to keep secrets from my very best friend—because if I don’t, she’ll whirlwind through my life and make things crazier than they already are. “Yeah . . . I’m just not sure how or when yet, so don’t say anything, okay?”
After Leti vows his silence, he heads to his next class and I hopelessly try to comb my fingers through my hair in the girls’ bathroom. I only succeed at making it even rattier until I give up and throw my backpack over my shoulder. Outside, I shield my eyes from the bright autumn sun, and then I hear my name.
Dee?
She’s there, sitting on a bench and waving me over, and she’s sitting with . . . Oh God.
Last night, I called her to tell her I’d be staying at Adam’s for the foreseeable future, but I was so tipsy I don’t even remember half of what I said. She must have waited outside our class like a freaking stalker, which I should have known she would do. I take a deep breath and walk over. “Hey.”
Adam doesn’t scoot over to make room for me. Instead, he pulls me to stand between his knees and wraps his arms around my legs. Dee grins at us like a fox—an evil fox with predatory ideas. “So I decided it was time for Adam and me to get acquainted. We’re tight as spandex now.”
I give Adam a questioning look, but he just smiles up at me.
“He told me you guys are headed to get coffee,” Dee continues.
“We are?”
Adam nods up at me. “You said you’d get one with me after the test.”
“And,” Dee interrupts, “he asked if I wanted to come along.”
“Do you?”
Invisible horns grow from her long chestnut locks, knocking the halo right off her head. “I do.”
On the walk to the campus coffee shop, Adam wraps his arm around my shoulder and Dee grills me about what happened yesterday at Brady’s. I still can’t believe that slut was with him again. What happened to waiting until marriage? I mean, seriously. Fucking seriously.
Dee grabs us a spot in line to the register and turns around, pointing a finger at me. “I still can’t BELIEVE you went back there! Honestly, Rowan, what were you thinking?” She steps up to the counter, orders a frappuccino, and then spins back around like she never stopped talking. “That man is the WORST kind of people. I am definitely going to go over there and fuck something of his up! I don’t even care if you come with me anymore!”
“Be my guest,” I say with a shrug, and Dee grins at me, surprised.
“FINALLY!” She clasps my face in her hands. “THANK YOU.”
Adam chuckles at us as he orders his drink and asks me what I want. I order an iced mocha, and then we grab a table while we wait. He pulls a stool out for me and takes the one next to it.
“So I’m guessing you need to pick up some of your stuff to take to Adam’s?” Dee asks, staring back and forth at us like she’s already planning our wedding colors and baby shower theme.
“She needs to get all of it,” Adam corrects, which makes her grin even wider. “I’ll get the guys to help.”
I shoot her a warning look, but she ignores it and thoughtfully taps her finger on the table. “I really like your shirt,” she tells me with a devilish glint in her eye. “Is it new?”
My eyes stab another warning look through her forehead, and then I answer, “It’s Adam’s.”
“Hm,” she hums, trying to control the impish dimple threatening to sink into her cheek.
“We’re just friends, Dee.” My tone is flat because I am so not amused.
“That’s such a shame,” she pouts. “His clothes look so good on you.” She turns her attention to Adam and asks, “Don’t you think so, Adam?”
Dead. She is so. freaking. dead.
I cast Adam an apologetic glance, but he returns it with a playful smile and then tells Dee, “I think she looks hot as hell.”
He stands up to get our drinks, and as soon as he’s out of earshot, Dee practically dives on top of the table and grabs my hands. “MARRY HIM. Oh my God, make beautiful babies!”
I shake my head, wishing my blushing cheeks would stop changing color like a manic-depressive mood ring. “You’re crazy.”
“YOU’RE crazy! How have you not hooked up with him yet?! He’s totally into you!” When I don’t say anything, she says, “Wait, HAVE you hooked up with him?!”
I subtly shake my head no as Adam strolls back over to our table. He sets our drinks down and then looks back and forth between Dee and me as we try—and fail—to pretend we weren’t just talking about him.
“Do I need to take another walk?” he asks with a suspecting glint in his eye.
Dee gives him her sweetest smile. “Would you?”
“Sure,” he says, grabbing his drink from the table, “I could use a cigarette anyway.”
First he teaches my ex a lesson for me, and now he’s volunteering to give my best friend and me some privacy so we can gossip like giggly schoolgirls about him? God, he’s perfect. If I thought he couldn’t get more perfect, I was dead wrong.
Dee swoons as he walks away, resting her chin in her hands and letting her big brown eyes follow him out the door. “I think I’m in love.”