“My best friend doesn’t like you. Therefore, I don’t like you.” I shrug my shoulders. It’s as simple as that. Mess with my best friend and you’re basically my enemy for life.
“You have a crush on me.”
“I’ve got a crush on Loki, but I’m not pursuing that either.”
“Loki? Interesting.”
“Now, are you going to release your hold on me?”
“No.” It tightens a fraction. What is happening here?
“Did you forget your meds today?” He’s giving me whiplash, but I suppose I’m not much better. We’re both all over the place when it comes to interacting with one another.
“I’m really starting to believe I might need some.” His face is so serious I burst into laughter because I don’t know if he’s joking or not. “Glad you think it’s funny,” he grumbles in an almost pouty way.
“But jokes aside?—”
“Haven’t been joking,” he mutters, but I ignore him and keep going.
“I’m deadass serious about Georgia. She’s been my friend for years, and I know how all of you have treated her.”
“What did I do?”
“Luke, come on.”
“I never sought Georgia out to do shit.” That first day I met him, it had been Georgia that bumped into him, but he could have moved.
“That doesn’t let you off the hook. You’ve borne witness to it. To how she was treated by them.”
“And that’s my problem?”
“It seems now it is.”
“All right.” He drops his hands holding me and takes a step back. Wow, okay. “Don’t look disappointed, Buttercup.”
“I’m not,” I say way too defensively, clueing him in to how I really feel.
“I’ve gotta make friends with Georgia and find a dead girl. Starting to think you’re high-maintenance.” He smirks, knowing damn well what it does to me. Why do I have to be so attracted to this man?
Chapter Sixteen
LUKE
It didn’t take too long for a missing person’s alert to go out. It’s not public; enough time hasn’t passed, but that’s the perk of coming and going from the dean’s home. You overhear shit. For the most part, I don’t bother to listen because I don’t care, but I do now.
When trying hard to recall the dead girl, the description does fit. It’s Coach Murphy. Who would want to kill the Ice Crew coach and shove her in a boathouse? That is one of many things I’ve been mulling over, but one issue is pressing down hard on me.
There’s the fact that Madeline Pearson had broken into her office. I don’t think she offed the coach, but I also know that no one can find out about it either. I don’t want a target or inkling of suspicion of any of this on Madeline. It’s not helping that we saw the body either. That would only stack up against her. It’s why I don’t say shit to my brother. I do, however, need to talk to everyone.
I text Madeline and Grant. We all agree to meet at my brother’s. He’s out for the next few hours, and no one will overhear us there. It’s the safest bet. It doesn’t take them longto get there. I have everyone come up to my room. I don’t need Bennett walking in on this.
My eyes are on Madeline when she enters my bedroom. There isn’t much to it. The same as my dorm. I want to see hers now. It would be hard to guess how Madeline would decorate. She really is a mix of everything. You never know what you’re going to get.
“It’s the first time you’ve ever called me to hang out.” Grant winks at me. I ignore his comment but see his eyes go straight over to Georgia, who is peering around my room curiously. He’s into her. That’s got to be it. This might not be the worst outcome for me.
Madeline wants me in Georgia’s good graces. Grant can talk me up to her and possibly keep her occupied.
“Oh, you have Banana Kicks!” Georgia picks them up from my desk. “I love these.”
