“And how does Dani know her?”
“She lives on the second floor of Dani’s building. They go walking together sometimes.”
“Is she a student?”
“Yeah. She’s a senior. Dani said she’s studying engineering. Thought it might be a good fit, you know? We’ll have something in common. Something to talk about.”
“Okay.” Lincoln nods. “And if not? If things don’t go as smoothly as you hope, do you want like a safe word or something?”
“A safe word?” I whip my head to look at him just before pulling into the small parking lot behind the restaurant.
“Yeah, you know, just some phrase we can say to each other if we want to bail early.”
Why would he want to bail early on Dani?
I nearly tell him he’s crazy, but he keeps talking before I get the chance.
“How about I start talking about finals week and how it’s only one month away.” He grins. “And then you’ll be like, ‘Damn, man. I’m behind on my studying.’”
I give him a skeptical frown.
“And then I’ll start going on about busy schedules, and you’ll regretfully say that as much fun as we’re having, we really need to get our asses home and hit the books.”
“That sounds completely lame,” I murmur.
“Yeah, I know.” He laughs. “But what else have you got?”
I think for a moment and come up with nothing. Checking my watch, I see we’ve only got a minute before we’re due in there, so I just have to flick my hands up and admit, “I don’t have anything better.”
“Okay.” Lincoln claps his hands together. “So, we probably won’t have to use it, but if we do, we pull out the study excuse, and even if you’re having the best time, you have to bail. And I’ll do the same for you.”
I reluctantly agree, although the chances of him needing to bail are slim to none. It’s Dani. He’s not gonna want to leave her for studying.
Me, on the other hand… who knows?
“You sure you’re okay bailing early if you have to?” I double-check with him.
“Yeah, man. I’ve got your back. And you’ve got mine.” He winks. “It’s only fair.”
With an agreed nod, we open our doors and walk around the building to the front entrance of the restaurant.
I spot Dani first. She’s decked out in a pair of black pants that hug her legs and butt. Damn, she’s got nice curves. Always has. Her denim jacket hides the top half of her body, but I know. Atlas couldn’t get enough of her shape, and I’d hear all about it. It was impossible not to look, especially over those summer months when she’d run around in cutoff denim shorts and that orange bikini top she loved.
She hasn’t changed all that much.
“Is that her?” Lincoln nudges me, looking through the window. “The denim jacket and hoop earrings?”
“Yeah, man.”
“Damn, boy. Thank you.”
“Hey.” I grab his arm before he can walk inside. “Treat her?—”
“Good. I know, I know.” Lincoln rolls his eyes, shaking me off and striding into the restaurant.
I shuffle up behind him, nerves racing through me like wildfire as I pause behind him and check out Chastity.
She’s taller than Dani. Long and lean with bronze skin and almond-shaped eyes. Her smile is sweet, kind of shy, and I try to settle her obvious nerves with a smile of my own.
