“So true.” I take another bite. “So, I have new suitemates.”
Evie’s eyes widen. “Really? That was so fast.”
“Yeah, they must have gotten a call as soon as you left.”
“Are they good?” she asks. I hesitate. “Ooo. Really?”
“I didn’t say anything,” I point out.
She waves her fork in the air. “You didn’t have to. Your lack of response was answer enough.”
“I mean it’s too early to really get a feel yet, but they’re,” I pause again, and Evie just laughs. “What? I’m trying to think of something. They’re redheads. Twins.”
“Really?”
I nod and take another bite. “I‘m sure they’re great when you get to know them.”
“Yeah, I’m sure—” Her eyes fix on something behind me, and her face lights up. I don’t bother turning around; I figure Zane is about to join us.
“Hey, Baby,” he says, leaning down for a kiss. I drop my head and focus on my salad. “Hey, Tessa.”
“Hey, Zane.”
I’m busy eating my salad, so I don’t realize they’ve gone quiet until a moment later. I look up and nearly jump in my seat when I see Slater standing at our table. “Is that seat taken?” he asks, nodding to the empty seat next to me.
“No.”
“Do you mind if I sit there?”
“Oh, sure.” It doesn’t surprise me all that much. Quint and Reid join us often when Zane’s sitting with us. It makes sense that Slater would as well.
“You sure you don’t mind a jerk like me sitting here?” Slater asks in a low voice. I turn to him and find him much closer than I realized.
I lean back slightly. “Okay. We might have gotten off on the wrong foot, Slater Thorne.”
“I think maybe we did, Tessa Parker,” he says in a low voice.
I take a breath and turn to him and put out my hand and give him a bright smile. “Hi, I’m Tessa Parker. I’m a freshman, studying history.”
He stares down at my hand only for an extra second before he takes it in his. “Slater Thorne.”
I don’t release his hand. “And?” I encourage.
“And what?”
I give a patient sigh. “Your year and major.”
“Junior. Security management with an emphasis on IT.”
My eyes widen in surprise. “Really?” I realize at this point I’m still holding his hand. I release it immediately and drop it. “See that wasn’t so hard, was it?” I go back to eating my salad. When it stays quiet, I look across the table to see Zane and Evie watching us in complete silence. “What? We had a run-in earlier, but it’s all good now.”
“You had another run-in after yesterday?” Evie asks.
“Already?” Zane asks, giving Slater a look I can’t quite read.
“Yep. I called him a jerk in front of all his soccer buddies this morning.” Evie’s eyes widen, and I hurry on. “Which I realize wasn’t the greatest thing to do, but I was just calling him what you did, Evie.”
Evie’s eyes widen even more. “What? I didn’t call him that.” Zane and Slater both look at her. “I didn’t,” she protests, but she follows it up with a scowl in Slater’s direction. “But you certainly didn’t help yourself any yesterday.”
