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After my drink is ready, I spin around to leave when someone calls out my name. It’s a woman’s voice, one I don’t recognize until I turn around. Taylor Bradshaw has her hand raised in the air waving to me from across the crowded space.
Smiling, I wave back. She gestures for me to come over to the table where she’s sitting with Bex Bryant. Bex flashes a closed-mouth smile in my direction. She looks upset, her gaze lowering to the table in front of her.
“Hey,” I say as I approach their table.
Taylor pulls out an extra chair and pats the wooden seat. “Sit with us. We have some room.”
I swat my hand to refuse her offer. “No, that’s okay. I have to take the bus soon. Gotta get to work.”
“Hang out for a minute,” Taylor insists, tapping her fingers on the seat. “We haven’t seen you in forever.”
“I broke up with Jamie,” I admit.
Taylor nods. “I heard.”
Bex sniffs and rubs the corner of her eye. “Preston’s suspended,” she announces. “Which means his college hockey career is over. And now, he won’t even talk to me. Because he blames me for everything that’s happened.”
I sit between Taylor and Bex, drinking from the Styrofoam cup in my hand. Clueless, I ask, “What happened?”
Taylor’s head snaps in my direction. “You haven’t heard?”
“I thought everyone on campus knew by now,” Bex says. “I’m actually surprised it hasn’t been blasted all over Dethroned.”
“I hate that bitch,” Taylor growls.
“Me, too,” Bex adds. “She’s such an asshole. Like our lives aren’t hard enough we need someone with nothing better to do than sneaking around behind our backs to report on us.”
“Jamie’s been looking for her since her first post,” I offer. “He couldn’t handle being bested by a girl.”
Bex snorts. “Typical man. They can’t deal with a girl doing anything that trumps their accomplishments.”
“That’s not what Preston is doing,” Taylor says. “You just need to give him time to process.”
She rolls her eyes and then takes a sip from her mug. “I have never met a more complicated man in my life. I never thought Preston would act like such a baby. Just because I was the reason he fought Kellan doesn’t mean I should suffer for his stupid decision. I love him even more for standing up for me, but I really wish he’d have backed down to him and just let it go. Now, my past could ruin our future. And it’s all my fault.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” Taylor says. “You didn’t force him to beat the shit out of Kellan. And let’s face it, Kellan deserved more than a beat down. I’m surprised your dad didn’t jump in, too.”
“I’m so confused,” I interject. “Who’s Kellan, and why did Preston get into a fight with him?”
“My ex-boyfriend,” Bex says, her voice low and soft. “He did horrible things to me when we were in high school. I told Preston about it. He promised not to go after him. But apparently, Kellan egged him on, and Preston snapped. So now, he has his friends giving me shitty excuses for why he can’t talk to me. He hasn’t left the house all week. It’s not like him to miss class.”
“Drake said he’s barely speaking to anyone,” Taylor says. “Don’t take it personally.”
“What’s up with you and Drake?” I ask, hoping it’s not too much of an intrusion.
She bites the inside of her cheek as if she has to consider my question. “I don’t know. He’s such a player. And a pain in my ass.”
“Jamie said he talks about you all the time.”
“As far as I know, he’s not talking to other girls,” Taylor says. “But I don’t know if I want to get involved with him. I’m moving back to California after graduation for grad school. It’s not like a relationship between us could last.”
“Everyone on campus has seen pictures of Little Drake,” Bex says with a chuckle.
“It’s not little,” Taylor says, laughing.
“Maybe you should jump on it while you can.” Bex winks at Taylor. “At least you know he’s a good time.”
Taylor laughs so hard she snorts, and I join in their laughter. Literally, everyone at Strickland University has seen a Drake Donovan dick pic. It’s really something to look at. Jamie’s big enough for me, but Drake is a whole other level of wow. Sex with Drake would probably scare the crap out of me.
“What are you doing after graduation?” Taylor asks me. “You going to grad school or have a job lined up?”
“No, to both.” I set my drink on the table and explain how much I love to cook. I tell her about my job at Rizzo’s and how it made me realize I want to be a baker. “I’ve been saving money for the last four years to hopefully one day open my own bakery. Cupcakes are my specialty. I get a lot of orders for them.”
