“You’re a major dick,” she greeted him.
“I know, but you know you love me anyway,” he said as he wrapped his arms around her. “She treats you badly,” he defended himself.
“She doesn’t. You’ve seen a snippet into our lives that’s been filled with drink-spiking, Quinn’s troubles, and absolute change. My best friend, listen to me,” she warned him when he was about to interrupt her, “mybest friend is not who you painted her as, either you or your brother. Do you trust me?” she asked him, and he nodded. “Then trust me and be nicer to my friend.”
I was holding my breath, and I didn’t even know why.
“I’m sorry.”
Fuck, she really did own his balls.My mouth had to be hanging open, because when he hugged his girl, little fearless Ava gave me a triumphant wink over his shoulder, and I had to stop myself from laughing out loud.
When they broke apart, I schooled my features, and as Ava passed me, she hugged me briefly. “She’s all yours.”
That dark inner thing poked its head up again inside of me.Mine. What was happening to me? I wasn’t my cousins; I didn’tclaimwomen. “Do you think I can get store credit if I was to return her?” I asked seriously.
Chapter 21: Mia
After the intense and horrible weekend, staying in the suite that night was actually anticlimactic. Ash watched football as he listened to me talk about the songs that we had sung in the bar. He’d made some comments in regard to song choices and even made suggestions, and it was normal. A normal conversation.
With his easy manner and the fact that his focus was on the football game, I found myself relaxing with him. With relaxation came tiredness, and I had gone to bed, leaving him to watch the rest of Sunday Night Football.
In the morning, he woke me up before he left for practice, telling me he was sending a freshman to walk me to class. I was going to protest, but Ash Santo at five in the morning, looking gorgeous, was more than my brain was capable of accepting, never mind being able to form words.
The freshman was waiting outside the building and also had coffee for me. I didn’t ask who gave him my coffee order — it was probably Ava — but a small part of me wanted it to be Ash. I didn’t want to ask myself why, so I ignored the internal voice that was desperate to tell me.
Wade texted me during the day to suggest practice after classes, and like a dutiful friend, I texted Ava to ask if that was permissible. Things with myself and Ava were still going to be tense, but at lunchtime, she still sat beside me and told me about her day, albeit the conversation was stilted. She had her least favorite professor on a Monday afternoon, and she was always nervous before she went to his class. I realized she would rather endure this weirdness between us than go to her next class. Which was so depressing I couldn’t bear to think about it.
As both of us sat at a table in the cafeteria with hardly a word being spoken, I realized I wasn’t sure how to fix us. Did we need fixing? This had never happened to us before. I knew Ava wasaffected as much as I was. She kept pushing her candy around on her tray rather than eating it. If she didn’t eat the M&M’s soon, I would.
Her phone rang, and the speed with which she reached for it made me feel crappy. I saw her frown before she answered it.
“Hello?” Straightening in her chair, she listened before she started to look around the cafeteria. “Uh-huh . . . Shit, really?”
She turned to me and mouthedWhat the fuck. Curious, I mouthed backWhat?
“Me? Are you sure?” Ava’s hand shot out and grabbed mine as a wide smile broke out over her face. Her fingernails were digging into the back of my hand, and to take my mind off the fact that Ava was going to break skin soon, I plucked two M&Ms off her tray.
“Are you sure?” Ava asked again. “Um, I could? I can! I mean, ofcourseI can.” She was nodding and practically bouncing in her seat. “Yes, I’ll see you soon.”
The phone dropped to the table, and Ava launched herself at me. “Mee!” she squealed excitedly as she hugged me close.
Laughing, I hugged her back. “Tell me what it is,” I said impatiently. “And give me my hand back!” I teased.
Her eyes widened when she saw the half-moons on the back of my hand. “Sorry! That was the college newspaper,” Ava told me with glee. “Bobby broke his leg and now can’t cover games, so they want me to do the sports news.”
“What? Bobby broke . . . what?” I shook my head in confusion. “What?” This was huge. She so deserved this.
“The college paper wantsme, Ava Bryant, to be his stand-in. Apparently, Bobby told them I was the best person for the job and that I’m an English major, so the paper wants me to do a trial column for them to see if I’m any good.”
“Well, fudge on a cracker, that’s amazing!” I said excitedly. “Are you allowed?” I asked, turning serious.
Ava’s smile dimmed. “Jett isn’t controlling, he’ll be happy for me.”
“No! I don’t mean him, of course he will.” Clutching at her hand that she had been withdrawing, I tugged it back. “I mean, are you allowed with the dean and the probation and also with your class schedule?”
“Oh.” Ava looked at the phone and then at me. “I didn’t ask.” She looked at me worriedly. “Should I have asked?”
“Asked what?” Jett asked. He and Ash were across the table from us, and we had been too caught up in the moment that neither of us had noticed their approach.
