I knew the tips of my ears were bright red, but I did my best to act nonchalant. “Yeah?” I asked.
“Yes. You are. And, one day, you’re going to make a girl very happy.”
I frowned at that, but then the barista said our names, and we went to get our drinks.
“Not that I’m not happy right now,” Mandy said, seeming to think about what she’d said earlier. “But, come on. We both know this isn’t serious. We’re having fun. That’s what you do in college. And I plan to have as much fun as possible.”
“That sounds like a plan,” I said, a little weary.
“Plus, while your brothers seem to have finally settled down and are the marrying kind, I wouldn’t have thought it possible.”
I frowned, feeling as though I should be insulted. “I have no idea what you mean by that or what to say.”
She patted my cheek and smiled at me. “Don’t you worry. You don’t need to think about it at all.”
I knew when someone was patronizing and condescending when I heard it, but since we were still in public, I didn’t want to deal with it. I had a feeling that whatever fun I was having with Mandy would be over by the end of the afternoon. I could handle being the fun-time guy for a minute. I couldn’t handle being the idiot dating the girl with other prospects, who treated me like shit.
A girl with honey-brown hair piled on the top of her head caught my eye, and I blinked for a minute. She looked familiar. Had I seen her before? I wasn’t sure, but the look in those hazel eyes made me think there was recognition on her side, too.
Or perhaps I hadn’t had my coffee yet, and Mandy had thrown me for a loop.
I pulled my gaze away from those doe eyes and elfish features and told myself it didn’t matter that Mandy wasn’t in it for the long haul. There were plenty of girls on campus, and since Mandy was done with me, I might be able to find another for myself. Or, I could focus on work and school.
Either way, it was my decision. Because for once, I wanted to live. I had spent enough time hiding. And I would do what my brothers had told me to do from the start. Finally. I would make sure to enjoy life.
Even if I failed along the way.
Chapter 5
Elise
I looked over where the man with the bright eyes and dark hair had been and blinked. “Earth to Elise, where are you?”
I shook my head and looked over at my best friend and roommate. “Who is that?” I asked and could have rightly smacked myself for voicing my thoughts.
Corinne grinned, her eyes dancing. “That, my darling Elise, is Dillon Connolly. He’s the new guy.”
I stared at her and blinked. “We’re at a university. There are lots of new guys. How do you know his first and last name already?”
“He just moved in with Pacey.”
“Oh, yeah. Your friend. The one you won’t tell me about or let on how you know him.”
Corinne rolled her eyes. “It’s nothing nefarious. At least, I don’t think so.”
That made me snort. I loved Corinne, and she loved her little games. They were never cruel, never mean. And they always made me smile. It was more like word games and mystery and magic. That was Corinne, all mysterious. A little pixie.
“Anyway, Pacey mentioned him. He’s a transfer student, the same year as the rest of us. He just didn’t start here.”
“Plenty of people do that.”
“True. And he’s hot. Too bad Mandy saw him first.”
I cringed. “I saw her with him. I hoped he was just standing next to her while my imagination ran in a thousand different directions. But good for them.” See? I wasn’t a bad person. I just had a little daydream, and now it was over.
“Well, it’s been about four weeks, from what I can tell,” Corinne said.
“How do you know all this?” I asked, laughing.
“I would tell you that I’m mysterious and know all, but we both know it’s because of Pacey.”
“Okay, yeah, that’s true,” I agreed, laughing.
“Anyway, they met at the house party I tried to get you to go to. The one you declined. And they’ve been together ever since, I guess. It’s only a few weeks in, and it’s Mandy, who has told us all that she doesn’t want anything serious and wants to be free and happy. And more power to her. She should be able to sleep with whoever she wants as long as it’s consensual and happy. She shouldn’t be put in a little corner of marriage and possibilities. Just because she isn’t a man, doesn’t mean she can’t have sex whenever she wants.”
I cringed as other people looked around. Corinne wasn’t exactly quiet.
“Good for her, you’re right,” a woman said from the table beside us.
Corinne waved. “Thank you.”
“Seriously, though, it shouldn’t just be men who are allowed to go out and have casual sex. Everybody should have the option if they so desire.”
“I’ll talk all about casual sex if you want,” a guy said from the other end of the line.
The woman at the table rolled her eyes. “Nice try, honey.”
“Anybody should have as much sex as they possibly can and feel like,” Corinne said. “As long as we’re talking about consent.”
“Amen,” four different women in line said, and I knew I was blushing from head to toe.
“I swear, you love putting me at the center of these conversations,” I mumbled.
“Just a little,” Corinne said, beaming.
“Anyway…” I whispered furiously as the others went back to their original conversations. “I’m glad Mandy seems happy.”
“I’m sure you are, and you should also know that Pacey doesn’t think they’re going to last much longer because Mandy’s already thinking about this guy named Jeff.”
I blinked again. “Okay, I’m seriously a little worried about how Gossip Girl you’re sounding.”
“X O X O,” she whispered, and I laughed. “Seriously, though,” my best friend continued, “that is Dillon Connolly. And he seems quite dreamy.”
“He’s not for me. But he has a nice smile.”
“Well, it took us this many years for you to notice a guy’s smile. Since you did, I think you’re on the right track. By the time we hit our dotage, you may get laid again.”
I growled under my breath, even as I blushed harder. The guy in front of us finally turned, his dark hair pushed back from his face, his eyes piercing.
“I was trying to ignore your conversation, but now I can’t,” he began.
“I’m not sleeping with you,” I said quickly and then shut my mouth.
The guy looked at us and then laughed. “Okay, good to know. By the way, I’m Tanner. I live with Pacey and Dillon.”
“Oh,” I said, mortified.
“I’ve heard about you. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Corinne.”
“Hello, Corinne. And you must be Elise.”
“Hello,” I mumbled.
“We’re having another house party in a few weeks, right after the first set of exams. You two should come.”