I set the pen down on the counter. Did he sound a bit defensive? “I think everyone’s good.”
“Again with the thinking.”
I laughed. “I don’t see people as much as I did last year. You know, with Maddie and Chase and Shar and Rob—” I cut myself off, realizing I’d treaded into awkward territory. “You know how it is. They’re doing their thing.”
Logan grunted again. “Team’s doing well, at least.”
“Only a couple of games in. First tourney games are tomorrow.” I thought back to Rory, Axel, and Jake. Maybe I should put more effort into those relationships. I thought Jake was only a fling, but if he was here? If I could get something going, and he got along with my friends? Then I wouldn’t be a fifth wheel. We could actually triple date and?—
“Crystal!” Jenna made an exasperated noise.
“Right. Okay, sorry, I’ve got to go.” We said our goodbyes, and when the dial tone buzzed in my ear, I clicked the phone back into place on the wall mount. I expected Jenna to swoop in and grab it, but instead, she still stood a few feet away, watching me.
“What?” I asked, not loving the smug look on her face.
“Who is he?”
“Uhhhh, just a friend.” By the triumphant gleam in her eye, I knew I’d hesitated too long.
“You said ‘your roommate.’”
“So?”
Her smirk curled at the edges. “Anyfriendwould know your roommates' names. He’s new.”
I rolled my eyes and walked past her into the living room. “I make new friends all the time.”
“Not men! Who you talk to for an hour!” she called after me as I hustled into my room and shut the door behind me.
In hindsight, running away with my tail between my legs was probably not the best way to prove my innocence.
I flopped onto the bed and turned my alarm clock toward me. Had it really been an hour? The whole conversation had felt like five minutes.
I closed my eyes and blew out a breath. If I talked with Logan for an hour, I clearly wasn’t getting enough socialization. My stomach grumbled, making me regret that conversation for more than one reason. There was never a good excuse to miss free pizza.
BUT.
Tomorrow I was going to meet Norman Marcus.
I grinned at the ceiling. Logan shouldn’t have made a big deal out of it. When he was around, I was eternally bound to speak Norman’s full name.
Chapter
Five
No surprise,but I couldn’t sleep that night. I put together a small art portfolio on my floor at three in the morning. A much more productive option than lying on the couch and watching Sex in the City for three hours.
Prints and slides fanned out over the rug like an archaeological dig of my brain. Wire-and-plaster pieces from Sculpture II. A few charcoal studies. The mixed-media canvases.
Thankfully, I’d borrowed a portfolio case from the studio a couple of weeks ago when I took a few paintings to my parents. I’d berated myself for not returning it yet, but now it was coming in handy. I swapped out one photo for another, then swapped it back. It really wasn’t a life-or-death situation. I wanted a job, not representation.
Jenna stuck her head in around eight. I’d filled her in on the opportunity last night after coming up with a story to explain my lengthy phone chat. It was networking, that was all. I left Logan’s name completely out of it.
“Need a ride?”
“I’m borrowing Rob’s truck.” He was gone for the weekend at the tournament and always left a spare set of keys out for me. “Thanks for the offer, though.”
She nodded. “Tell me how it goes.”
