“We do.”
When she shimmies on me to climb off my lap, I’m so close to blowing my load I’m panting.
She even shoots me a weird look. “What’s with you?”
“Nothing.” I gulp, take a few breaths, then get this conversation back on track before I lose my sanity.I’m lusting over my best friend here.What the actual fuck? “I still don’t think you should let Mel guilt trip you into this. Not when sororities are so not you.”
“Mom said it’d build character and I’d gain friends who’ll help me network in the future.”
“If she were talking about any other sorority, I’d agree. This is the one where women go to get married and become trophy wives.”
I’ve been in Poughkeepsie for two minutes and even Iknow that.
“Then get divorced before they’re forty,” she tacks on, nodding. “That’s the weird thing though. Mom doesn’t want the same path for me. An ex I loathe but have to share kids with and who I’ll push into Oakwood College because that’s our alma mater and he’ll keep on paying me child support that way.”
“So…?”
Her lips purse. “You weren’t there last break. She was really pushing me. I just… The next time I’m home, if this’ll get her to chill, I’ll take it.”
Concerned, I sit up. “Denny, you don’t have to go home. You can stay here with me.”
“You know I love spending time with her. Plus, I want to see Paul and Logan.” Her brothers.
“They can come and visit us and I’ll be the go-between.”
“You’re the best,” she quips.
“I know.” I smirk at her eye-roll. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want, Den.”
“Can I switch majors then?”
“If you want.”
“Shame my dad wouldn’t agree.” She twirls a lock of hair around her finger. “Something bizarre is going on between them. She neverpressures me, even if my grades are terrible, but…. I wonder if Dad put her up to this.”
“Why would he?”
“I don’t know. It’s no secret she wanted me to try, but crying about me refusing? It’s like something else is going on and they’re not saying.” D bites her lip. “I need to tell you something.”
Distracted by the out-of-the-blue desire to suck on that lip she’s gnawing on, I ask, “What is it?”
She growls at her tits, which still haven’t disappeared. I’m in both heaven and hell when she juggles them between her hands and does something that makes them smaller.
I gape at her.
Women can do that?!
Is that how I never noticed?—
“I applied for the study abroad program last semester, Zach,” she says in a rush.
“Hmm?” Only when she repeats herself do her words register. “You did?” The idea of her leaving when I just got here has me jerking upright. But she’s so excited. “That’s… great?”
I sag into the cushions and look anywhere but at her.
It’s not D’s fault I chose to study at the community college closest to my mom so I could stay home with her when her doctors told us how sick she was.
It’s not D’s fault that when she offered to stay with me, withus,her father insisted she start college or he wouldn’t pay her tuition.
