August in Virginia is stifling, even if we are sitting inside an air-conditioned coffee shop.
“I wish you had gotten someone a little more suited to you.” She continues, “I hate the idea of you having to deal with that every day.”
“Me too.” I shrug. “But given that most juniors and seniors live off campus, it’s not like the roommate pool is overflowing.”
“Perhaps we should take her out, show her a good time,” Char chimes in.
“Why in the hell would we do that?” I look at her like she’s sprouted a second head.
“Why not? Ply her with alcohol, maybe introduce her to a cute guy. Maybe getting laid will help ease the stick out of her ass.”
“I don’t think that would work with this one.” I blow out a hard breath, looking between my two best friends.
“You won’t know unless you try,” Lyric offers, seemingly on board with Charlotte’s plan. “You could invite her to the party at Alpha tomorrow night.”
“We’re going to that?” My brow furrows in confusion.
“Of course we’re going to that.” Char leans back with a slight shake of her head, my attention momentarily drawn to the thick waves of red hair she has tied up in a messy bunthat she’s tried more than once to teach me how to do. For some reason, I simply cannot master it.
“I just assumed...”
“What? That we’re tied down now, so we don’t know how to have fun?” Char asks with a smirk.
“You two are practically married at this point.”
“No, she’s practically married.” Char hitches her thumb toward Lyric, and my gaze flicks to the diamond ring on her finger.
“I still can’t believe Kai proposed,” I say more to myself than to them.
I’ve known Kai for most of my life. He’s like a second brother to me. And when I say the last thing I ever expected was for him to settle down with one woman, I mean that wholeheartedly. But to also ask her to marry him, I sometimes feel like I’m living in an alternate universe.
“It’s been six months,” she reminds me.
“I know. Still can’t believe it, though. How long do you think it’ll be before your brother slaps a ring on this one’s finger?” I point to Charlotte.
Yes, Charlotte is dating and living with Lyric’s older brother. It was a whole thing last year. They lied about it for months. Kept it quiet from most everyone, including Lyric. If she were less of a person, she and Char probably wouldn’t still be friends, but like I said... Saint.
“Knowing River and how head over heels in love he is, I’d say sooner rather than later.”
“Why do you say that? Did he say something?” Charlotte pales slightly.
“No.” She smiles. “Just a feeling.”
“Well, let’s hope your feeling is wrong because I’m not ready for marriage. I’m only twenty years old, for Christ’s sake.”
“I’m only twenty,” Lyric reminds her.
“Yeah, well, you’re you.” She gives her a quick once-over.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Lyric crinkles her small nose.
“It just means you would have probably agreed to marry Kai after one night together. I, on the other hand, am not so easily tied down.”
“Says the girl who can’t spend more than an hour away from River before she starts having withdrawals.”
“I do not.” She insists, even though she knows I’m right.
“Sure, you don’t.” A knowing smile tugs at the corner of my mouth.
