“Food?” I asked, raising my brows. “I thought you said you were out for a bite to eat when I texted?”
Eric grinned nonchalantly. “I thought you might be hungry.”
Juuuust great.
My stomach swooped.
How was I supposed to stay suspicious if he was so considerate?
“Thank you. What did you order?”
Eric smiled. “For tea, I went with a pumpkin spice chai. And for dinner, I chose sandwiches with chicken breast. I hope it’s light enough for your stomach.”
In that moment, I didn’t care. I’d probably have eaten acid if he’d been the one to order it for me. Not that I told him that. I didn’t want him to think I was crazy. Besides, I didn’t want a lecture because I wasn’t taking care of myself.
“Thanks, that sounds good.”
I took the mug and reveled in its warmth as I slowly raised it to my face and gave it a sniff. It was still way too hot to drink, but it smelled heavenly. Like cinnamon and cloves, with a hint of cardamom and warmth. If it tasted anything like it smelled, Eric had found the perfect choice for a day like this.
When I put the tea down again, I found Eric watching me intently, his eyes slightly narrowed.
“It smells good,” I told him, waiting for his face to relax.
Seeing his face transform was quickly turning into one of my favorite things.
“I’m glad. I…”
“Eric, fancy meeting you here!” a new voice said with a playful, amused lilt to it, making my brain come to a screeching halt.
I knew that voice.
Right?
“Bennie.” Eric’s nostrils flared as he got up to meet the stranger. Wait.Bennie. That was the guy he’d told me about. The IT guy. Eric’s friend.
Why did I recognize his voice?
I quickly turned my head toward the newcomer and examined him as he was giving Eric a quick side hug, trying to figure out where I’d met him. Maybe somewhere on campus?
Possibly.
He looked a bit older, though. More like he was in his late twenties or early thirties, not really like a college student. Then again, there were older students on campus too. But his face wasn’t familiar to me at all, and I would’ve remembered him because he was stunning. Almost as handsome as Eric, but in a completely different way. While Eric was this dark, brooding, stoic type, Bennie reminded me more of a surfer—an easygoing smile on his face, blond hair a bit shaggy with very light highlights that made him look like he was spending hours out in the sun. He was a little smaller than Eric too, and slimmer, more wiry than built.
Nope, his looks didn’t ring a bell.
Bennie caught my gaze and gave me an easy grin. He nudged Eric and squeezed past him, walking over to me with his hand extended. “Hey,” he said, offering me his hand to shake. “I’m Bennie, this one’s best friend. You must be Finn; I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Eric told him about me? A flutter made my chest feel too tight.
I grinned and took his hand, but shuddered when I first made contact with his icy skin. Holy cow, had he stuck it in a fucking freezer?
“Nice to meet you. Eric was just telling me how you were teaching him IT stuff.”
Bennie laughed, giving me a wink that I could swear made Eric growl a little. “I’m trying, but some are harder to teach than others.”
I gave a polite chuckle, but my mind was already wandering off again. His voice was like an itch I couldn’t scratch because I had no ideawhyI knew it.
“You look a lot better than you did that night at the club,” he stated, taking a step back to take me in from head to toe. Behind him, Eric pressed his lips into a thin line, firmly walking past Bennie to sit down again.
