Eli
Please do and send it to me. I want to bring him a Danish tomorrow.
Grace
Will do.
“Dude, what’s up?” Malik finished his banana and licked his fingers.
“I’m getting Wren’s class schedule from his roommate, so I can surprise him with a Danish tomorrow.” Aswarmth wrapped around my heart, I set my phone on the table. Wren wouldn’t know what hit him. He’d see me everywhere.
“That’s very stalker of you.” Malik snorted. “Maybe you should bring him a gift daily until he caves and agrees to a date?”
“What a great idea.” After licking peanut butter off the knife, I brought the dishes and banana peels to the sink. “I’ll see if I can get other ideas from the internet.” I was on a mission now.
The next day,I stood outside a classroom inside the business building with a Danish tucked inside a bag with the Queer Confections logo on it, watching students filter out. Wren’s class schedule mirrored some of my own, so it wouldn’t be too hard to meet him between classes.
As Wren strolled from the classroom, he was chatting with another man, and as his gaze caught mine, he stopped. “Oh, Eli. What are you doing here?” He glanced at the bag in my hand.
“Danish?” I held it out to him. Who was the guy with him? I eyed the other man, who had dark hair and eyes and a muscular body. I didn’t get queer vibes from him, but you never knew.
Brushing his hand down the back of his hair, Wren said, “Oh, thank you. How many are there?” He glanced at his classmate. “I was about to study with Jackson here.”
Heat filtered through my chest. “There’s only one. I was told you’d only eat one a week.” And I wasn’t expecting him to bewithsomeone.
“It’s cool, man. We can visit the bakery and study. Then I can get one too.” Jackson gave me a smug grin.
Hitching my backpack up my shoulder, I clenched my jaw and then said, “Yeah, you do that.” I had another class in fifteen minutes, damn it, or I’d try to tag along with them. I needed to know who this guy was.
“Okay, guess we’ll do that.” Wren held the bag up. “Thanks,Eli. I love the Danishes there.” He narrowed his eyes. “Do you have a class now?”
“I uh…” Could I get out of it? No, it was Personality Theory, and it was too important. “I do have a class. Enjoy the pastry.” I swiveled and strode toward the front door of the building. I looked like an idiot. Maybe this was a bad idea?
As I threw the glass doors open, the sunshine hit my face, and I squinted. My phone buzzed in my backpack, and I fished it out, then opened the screen with my face. A text message popped up.
Wren
Thank you for the Danish. It was a friendly gesture, and I appreciate it. I’m just wondering how you knew where I was.
He had the same cell number from high school. As a smile played over my lips, I typed.
Eli
You’re welcome. Don’t give Grace too much grief for letting me know where you’d be. She’s just trying to be helpful.
Wren
That’s what I figured. Thanks again.
Now to find out who Jackson was. With a glance around me at the students walking on pathways under the palms, I texted Grace.
Eli
Who is Jackson? Should I be concerned about him?
Grace
He’s a study partner in his class. I don’t think there’s any interest.
