Page 2 of Novice Girlfriend

“No, you’re not,” he argued. His tone was clear though that there was a problem.

And he currently thought it was Winter, my boyfriend—publicly, and we were together even if I had something more with a few men. One? Sergey only really?

I didn’t know most days what I was doing.

I didn’t know if Nigel was right or wrong. Honestly, I thought both.

Winter and I had gotten into a fight after my “stunt” going to the cafeteria in a bikini. A… Well, I wasn’t sure if it was a big fight or not. I had no idea what really made up the levels of fighting in relationships. My parents didn’t fight.

My father exploded and my mother cowered.

And TV, movies, and the internet weren’t really what someone should ever trust. Ever.

Which made me clueless.

Which led to me wanting to blow off steam and feel normal.

Which was how I actually accepted one of the flyers people were passing out about the freshman dorm party. And that led to me asking Nigel to come with me because I was too chicken to go by myself.

Which ended up with us in this comically, not really funny situation of being two dorks leaning against the wall sipping water while everyone else seemed to have fun. Like they knew the secret of how to… Life and we were missing out.

“Sorry,” I whispered.

“Hey, come on, don’t say that,” he murmured as he leaned in more. “This just isn’t our scene.” He bumped my shoulder when I simply nodded. “Now we know, okay? Maybe other parties will be fun but not freshman dorm ones.”

That actually made me feel better and I took in a slow, deep breath to shield up my emotional armor a bit.

But still came up with nothing. “So now what?”

He frowned and that actually made me chuckle and then he smiled. “Let’s go find our thing and something else for college break?”

“Sounds good, but I have no idea what that is.”

His face lit up and he turned to me. “I got an idea.”

Good, because my ideas had been striking out left and right lately and I was feeling a bit defeated about that.

We left and Nigel whispered off to the side with one of my security asking them to help us out. I was curious but left it alone when clearly he wanted it more as a surprise. It amused the two guys who heard him, so at least I knew it was fun?

Or amusing.

That was better than the party at least.

I was curious when we ended up at a grocery store and wanted to check it all out. He gave me a funny look and told me to hurry up.

“Oh, sorry,” I whispered and jogged over to him.

He did a double take and actually slid his arm around me in a way that was more than friendly. He leaned his forehead down to mine. “No, I am. I wasn’t thinking of—is this your first time at a grocery store?”

I didn’t want to answer. I knew how crazy that would sound. I couldn’t answer that. “What are we here for?”

“Something I love, but we’ll come back and check out every aisle another time, okay? All of the grocery stores even,” he promised. “Just us.”

“And my security,” I drawled.

“I don’t even notice them anymore,” he fibbed, kissing my forehead.

I swallowed a flinch, wondering if Nigel thought this was like a date since I’d asked him to go to a party with me. Was it?