“I know,” Amber says. “But they’re good-looking. Going to the same school.”
“And almost too perfect to be true,” Lauren goes on. “Also, Chase models. Did you know that?”
“Yes, I did,” I say flatly.
“Anyway! I recognized him! Thought I knew him, but when I couldn’t figure out why, Damon was like, Probably seen one of his ads. And then I was like, OMG. I ran up to my room and got the ad I cut out with Chase in it. He was with a group of five people, and they were all dressed up for a preppy fall day at college. It’s hanging on my bulletin board! So, I made him sign it for me, and we took a picture with me holding it.” She grabs her phone. “You have to see it.”
I study the photo. Chase is smiling. But he doesn’t look all that happy. Probably because Damon dragged him here, kicking and screaming.
“Any idea where they are now?” I ask.
“I’d probably do a bed check.” Amber laughs.
“Actually, they were looking for you, Dani,” Lauren says. “They said they texted you, but you didn’t reply.”
Shit.
I run downstairs to the dining room, where I think I left my phone, and see it lit up with texts.
I call Chase, and I’m nearly breathless when he answers.
“Heard you’re looking for me.”
“Yeah, you weren’t at your dorm. Or your house. Met some of your sisters though.” He’s speaking to me in that tone. The mad tone. The I really don’t want to be talking to you tone.
I hate that tone.
“Heard that, too. Where are you?”
“Um, about three houses down. You know Damon. He’s talking to everyone. Wants to get a feel for college life.”
“By feel, does that mean my sorority sister’s lips?”
“Ha. Exactly what he means. He cracks me up.” And finally, he sounds a little more normal.
“And what about you? Are you kissing anyone?”
“You offering?” he says in a cocky tone. One that sounds more like my brother than Chase.
And that worries me more than him being mad at me.
“I, uh …”
“We’ll head that way, I guess,” he tells me. “Meet us out front, okay?”
“Okay.”
The second I hang up, Amber and Lauren are like, “Are they coming back?”
“Yeah,” I say.
“Good, because we want to get their numbers,” Lauren says.
Over my dead body.
But I can’t really say that. Instead, I go with, “You’d date a younger guy?”
“When he looks like that? Yes. Also, he’s already eighteen. I’m eighteen, too. Aren’t you?”
“Yeah.”
“Your brother is a little younger.” Amber shrugs. “But who cares?”
“They’re still in high school,” I push, wanting to understand if they really would date them.
“So what? They’ll be here next year,” Lauren says, “and I’ll already have first dibs on our team’s future quarterback.” She grabs my shoulder. “Don’t move. I’ll be right back.”
When I get a text from Damon, I do move, going outside to meet him.
I expect to see Chase.
What I don’t expect is to see Lacey draped all over him.
I’m barely out the door when I hear a couple of the girls, who are people-watching from the rocking chairs on the porch, point and go, “Oh, look at those two cuties.”
“One of them is with a girl,” one says.
“They’re hot, regardless,” the other counters.
I ignore them and make my way down the grand steps, onto the sidewalk, and to the fence.
I am a college girl. A sorority girl. I am strong, smart, and worldly. I will not let the fact that Lacey is here ruin what should have been a really fun day. I am going to forget last night’s stupid video and the fact that Chase hung up on me and greet him like I always would. No, scratch that. I’m going to treat him like what he is—my friend with benefits.
I open the fence, let them in, give my brother a hug, and then give Chase a kiss right on the lips.
“What are you doing?” he whispers.
“Greeting my best friend.”
Because it’s one thing to have a friends-with-benefits relationship with two girls at the same time; it’s another thing completely to hang out with them together.
I mean, what did he expect? For me to act like nothing had happened between us because she’s here?
I let go of Chase and then say, “Hey, Lacey! How are you? I didn’t know you were coming.”
“Well,” she says, “Chase asked me to Homecoming last night at the game, and then we hung out, and before he dropped me off, he asked me to come up here today. Which is so cool. I’ve always wanted to come here. You all talk so highly of the place.”
So, he asked her last night. After he hung up on me.
He’s trying to make me jealous.
Or they’re dating now. Officially.
But I doubt it because I know that would have been all over her feed.
“Chase told me you’re thinking of going to Auburn. Are you going to rush?”
“Uh, yeah,” she says, seemingly getting over the shock of me kissing Chase on the lips in front of her.
But the thing is, Lacey is a nice girl.
And so am I.
Especially today.
“Awesome. Come on. I’ll show you all around.”
I act like the belle of the ball—actually, it’s not an act. I feel happy to be here. Happy for them to meet my sisters. Especially Chase since we talked in-depth about why I chose this house.
When Lacey goes to use the restroom and Damon is off, flirting somewhere, Chase leans against the corner of the wall and just stares at me.
“You look happy,” he says. “In your element.”
“I love it here. I really do, Chase. What do you think of all the girls?”
“I understand what you told me about. How they all seem like individuals with varying interests. I like them.” He pauses and then cups the side of my face in his palm. “I’m sorry I got mad last night. It was a crazy week. Lacey broke up with me.”
“Yeah, your mom told me.”
“I was out on the field, asking her. But all I could think about was you,” he says, his voice cracking. “It was like that day. And you hadn’t bothered to call me all week.”
“I’m so sorry. It’s just that when we talk, it’s always been just us. When I talk to you, I want it to be special. Private. I skipped going to a frat party with my roommate last night, so I could stay home and call you. I was even going to suggest that should be our time. Instead of trying to talk during our busy weeks, we—I don’t know—maybe, eat pizza together. But then I saw the video. And I was hurt.”
“I like your idea,” he says, his face brightening. “It’s a date.”
I smile at him. “Really?”
“On one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“That you kiss me again before Lacey comes back out.”
“Because friends kiss?”
Chase nods in return.
The kiss I give him isn’t steamy. It doesn’t get me heated up. Instead, it soothes me. And seems to make everything right with the world again.