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“Hey,” Shannon says, her face glowing when she sees me. “You ready?”
Preston gives me a confused look. “Where are you going?”
Sometimes, he can act too much like a parent.
“Not that it’s any of your business, Dad,” I say. “But we’re eating breakfast at Broad Street Beans.”
His eyebrow rises slightly, his gaze shifting between Shannon and me, and then he smiles. “Oh, okay… have fun.”
I know what he’s thinking without him saying it. Preston has been hoping I would meet someone else to get Cece out of my head. What he doesn’t realize is that I will never shake her. She’s the one woman who gets me, even if she’s a miserable bitch. No one has ever come close to reaching Cece’s level in my mind. But maybe Shannon can change that.
“Bring me back one of those scone things,” Killian says, and Shannon laughs.
She taps him on the arm and snorts. “Scone things.”
Killian shrugs. “You know what I mean. The one with the chocolate in it.”
“I make those all the time at the bakery,” Shannon says. “They’re called chocolate chip scones.”
“Then, what are you waiting for?” Killian holds out his hand, motioning for Shannon to get in the kitchen.
She covers her mouth and chuckles, blush creeping up to her pale cheeks. “Maybe another time.”
“Stop hitting on my girl,” I say to Killian.
Everyone’s head snaps in my direction, and now I realize my mistake. Shannon isn’t my girl. But I did feel somewhat protective over her when Killian tried to stake his claim.
Killian narrows his eyes at me. “Your girl?”
Ignoring Killian and Preston’s intense gazes, I hook my arm around Shannon’s back and lead her out of the house where the air already feels lighter. Just being away from my friends helps me to relax.
“I didn’t mean it like that,” I say to Shannon, releasing my grip on her. “I was just trying to—”
She holds out her hand to stop me. “I know. No worries, okay? This isn’t a date. Just two friends having breakfast together.”
Letting out the breath of air I was holding, I mutter, “Right. Let’s go eat. I’m starving.”
“Yeah, me too. My stomach has been growling since I woke up.”
Even at this hour, the street is crowded with half- drunk people stumbling out of the houses occupied by the sports teams on campus. Beer cans and trash are littered across every lawn. The old Victorian houses, despite their pristine shine, look a hot mess. Weekends are the worst around here. It doesn’t hurt that the fraternities and sororities are one block over from us. Greek Row is already alive, the soft hum of rock music filling the air.
When we reach the end of the on-campus housing, we cross over Broad Street to the coffee shop. Broad Street Beans is a staple at Strickland University.
“Was Jordan pissed when you got home?”
Shannon shakes her head. “No, not really. Thank God.” I can hear the relief in her voice. “She said the dry cleaner could remove the stain no problem. I hope that’s true. Her dress cost a fortune that I don’t have.”
Last night, right before Shannon went home, I accidentally spilled the rest of my beer on her dress. She looked so panicked I wasn’t sure what to do other than offer to have it cleaned.
“Let me pay for it… since it was my fault.”
She peeks up at me from beneath her light brows, pretty green eyes fixed on me. “That’s sweet of you to offer, Jamie. But you don’t have to do that.”
Money is tight for Shannon. She’s good at hiding the fact she doesn’t quite fit in with the girls in her sorority. It’s not that she doesn’t look the part of a Kappa girl because she does, but most of her sisters have trust funds like my friends and me. Scholarship kids are few and far between at Strick U. Jordan and a few of Shannon’s sisters have made it easier for Shannon to conceal the truth. I’m one of the few people outside of her inner circle who knows she commutes to campus.
“If you insist,” I lie, intending to call Jordan after I take Shannon home to tell her to send the dry cleaning bill to me.
My dad grew up so poor he never knew if or when he’d eat. Now that he’s a self-made tech billionaire, he gives back in any way he can. I have the largest trust fund of all my friends as well as an actual empire to share with my siblings. Sometimes, I feel a little guilty having so much while others struggle. It’s not that Shannon is a charity case, but some people just need a little help to make their life easier.
I open the door for Shannon, and when I step inside, the scent of brewed coffee and pastries baking fill my nostrils.
