Honestly, it’s unfair how guys can toss on a basic backwards cap and their hotness level goes up, but a girl wears one and it’s because we didn’t wash our hair.
He holds up a greasy brown bag, another smaller one tucked behind it. “I brought dinner.” He lifts a plastic baggy in his other hand. “And dessert.”
My lips threaten to smile at the freshly baked cookies. “Stress baking again?”
“You have no idea,” he grumbles. “You gonna let me in or not, girlfriend?”
“Oh, right.” I step aside and allow him entry into my dorm room.
I realize it’s the first time it’s been just the two of us here and we’ve always been leaving, never staying, and now I can’t help but wonder what it looks like from his eyes.
It has the standard furnishing every suite has with a couch and two chairs in the main area, as well as a bookcase, and a small table with two chairs. As far as decorating goes, neither Danika or I have done much beyond a gray and white rug and a few pink throw pillows. I spent more time decorating my room since that’s where I spend most of my time.
I know it would be safer to stay out here with him. It’s less personal, doesn’t reflect so much of me, and there’s also no bed—just the idea of Teddy lounging on my bed might send me into a tailspin—but I know I don’t want to stay out here. It’s not where I’m comfortable.
Flicking the fingers on my right hand, I motion for him to follow me into my room.
He looks around as I ease the door closed, purposely leaving it cracked. He smirks when he notices.
“Nice digs.” He eyes the white macrame dream catcher above my bed. “Did you make that?”
I snort a laugh. “Um, no. I bought it at Urban Outfitters because I’m a basic bitch.”
He chuckles, toeing off his sneakers. “Where do you want me to put these?” He raises the bags again.
“We can eat on the bed.”
“Cool.” He sits down on the end, my laptop beside his hip. I pick it up, moving it to my desk before I sit beside him.
“What’d you get?”
“Five Guys. They’re my favorite, but I don’t get it often.” He lifts the bottom of his sweatshirt, showing off his impressive abdominals. He smirks, smoothing the fabric back down. “I didn’t know what you like on your burger, so I asked for all their toppings on the side.”
My eyes widen. “What?”
“I didn’t want to mess it up. Don’t worry, I gave them a nice tip for the trouble.”
“You’re—”
“Hot, amazing, awesome, one of a kind, a perfect catch? Yeah, I know.” He pulls out a foil wrapped burger and passes it to me, then hands me the smaller bag that I assume has all the condiments and toppings. “There’s plenty of fries in the bag too. They always give so many.”
“Thank you. You didn’t have to do this.”
He rolls his eyes, unwrapping his own burger. “I think it’s time you realize I only do things I want to.”
He stares into my eyes, and I get lost in that endless sea of green and gold. My brain, unbidden, goes back to the house party, to his confession about his father and the kiss we shared.
Clearing my throat, I go to work assembling my burger.
A minute, maybe longer, passes in silence when he clears his throat and confesses, “My dad is requesting our presence at a function this weekend.”
“What kind of function?” I eye him warily.
Once again, I wonder why he chose me for this impossible task. I’m not the type of girl someone like his father would be pleased to have his son with—not with their status. I’m poor, from the wrong side of the tracks. I have to work. I drive a clunker of a car. But for some reason Teddy chose me that day and I know he saw that I was in need, but he didn’t have to help me.
I guess, beneath that gorgeous face, the flirty banter, and player ways, maybe Teddy McCallister has a heart of gold.
No, in these weeks I’ve gotten to know him I realize ‘maybe’ is an injustice. Teddy is a good person. A little wild, and cocky of course, but at his core he’s a kind and caring person.
“Are you thinking about me naked? Because you have this serious look on your face. I promise you, it’s way bigger in reality, and yes, it’ll fit. I have lube.”
I grab a pillow off my bed and smack him with it while he breaks into riotous laughter.
“You’re such a pig.”
“And you made me get mustard on your bed.” He points to the yellow blop on my white bedspread.
“It’s okay, you can afford the dry-cleaning bill.”
He cackles with amusement. “I’ve never met someone who keeps up with my wit so easily. It’s refreshing.”
“What can I say? It’s a gift.” I don’t tell him that I’m not like this with anyone else, but with him, it’s like all the walls I’ve built to protect myself don’t exist at all. With his easy and accepting personality I’ve never felt the need to be anything but me. “You didn’t answer my question.”
“About what?” He stuffs a handful of fries into his mouth. Such a caveman.
“What kind of function this is exactly?”
He rolls his eyes, stifling a snort. “Some fancy shmancy schmoozefest brunch thing at my family’s country club.”
I process his words and ask carefully, “When you say your family’s country club do you mean you’re members or that you own it?”
He stares at his half-eaten burger like it holds all the answers in the world. He clears his throat and mutters, “We own it.”
“What else do you own?” I inquire curiously.
“If I listed everything out, we’d be here for days.”
“Wow. That’s…”
“Horrifying?”
“I mean … kind of. Cool too, I guess.”
“The mega wealthy like to put their hands in everything. Their influence is far and wide.”
“You don’t seem to want that life.”
“I used to,” he admits honestly. “It was all I knew, what I was raised for, but last year was a wake-up call.” His brows lower, shadowing his eyes. “I thought I was untouchable because of my family’s name, money, influence … and that’s true, but consequences exist for a reason, and I was skirting away from them all, and I realized if I continued down the path I was on, I was going to end up exactly like my father, and he’s the last person on the planet I want to be like. I want to have a good heart, to be known for my kindness. One day I want to be a good husband and father. And money, it doesn’t buy those things. It can buy comfort, stability, but the saying is true; it doesn’t bring you happiness.”
I think about all the shit I’ve been through in my life, how money would’ve made things easier, but overall I’d say I’ve been happy and loved. Looking into Teddy’s lonely gaze I know I wouldn’t switch places. I’d take my poor wallet with a rich heart over the reverse any day.
Our eyes hold, and I realize that while Teddy is an outgoing, fun guy who is always making people laugh, there are shadows that cling to him, haunt him. On the surface he seems like your typical college guy, and maybe that’s who he truly was once, but that’s not the guy I’ve gotten to know.