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Jesus. Apparently the Black Roses are serious about keeping an eye on me. Levi’s positioned so if I even thought about leaving the building to run off somewhere, I’d have to go right past him. Unless I climbed out of a window or something. Most people don’t have the kind of time on their hands necessary to stand there while someone else is in class, but I guess this counts as Levi’s job now. Babysitting me full-time.
I roll my eyes and head to my next class.
That one drags on with just as much boredom as the first, and I pay even less attention. The three guys I’m now living with are going to be bad for my grades if this keeps up, but it’s hard to focus with everything going on.
Finally, I’m freed for lunch, and I follow the stream of students out of the building and into the sunshine. Levi is in the same spot, looking at something on his phone, but he glances up and meets my gaze as I get close.
“What’s next?” he asks.
“Lunch. I’m starving.”
“Good. Someone didn’t let me get breakfast this morning.”
I roll my eyes and start walking again, trusting him to follow. Sure enough, he falls into step with me just a second later. “I’m sorry, but it’s not my fault you didn’t get up with enough time to eat before stalking me across my campus. That’s on you.”
He doesn’t argue, and I just keep walking.
After a bit, I glance at him again. “You know, this is a lot of fucking effort to go to, just for one man and his daughter. We’re nobodies, and you’re making it seem like we’re important or something.”
He glances at me but doesn’t answer. There’s a flicker of something in his eyes that makes me pause though.
It makes me feel like maybe I’m wrong. Maybe there’s something else going on, and I’m more important to the Black Roses than I know.
Or, more likely, my dad is.
It’s clear Levi isn’t going to say anything else about it, and I don’t bring it up again, instead keeping the thought tucked away in the back of my mind to explore later when I have more information.
The Fairview Heights Community College campus is in a busy enough neighborhood that there are plenty of restaurants and food trucks within walking distance. Most students head for the popular chains, ready to grab burgers and fries or overpriced salads before they have to go back to sitting in the hard chairs and listening to professors who want to be there about as much as we do.
But I figured out a while ago that those fast food joints are only worth going to if you’re desperate and in a huge hurry. I’m neither of those things today, so instead of heading toward any of those places, I lead Levi over to one of the food trucks that’s parked just about a quarter mile away from campus.
It’s one of those that looks kind of shitty from the outside, dingy and mud-splattered from driving in the rain. There’s a grinning pig painted on one side, and the paint is peeling a bit in spots and faded in other places.
It’s not much to look at, and I can see Levi’s skepticism as we walk up. Of course. Someone like him who lives in that big ass house and probably eats whatever expensive take-out he wants wouldn’t know anything about the joy of a greasy sandwich from a shitty food truck in the middle of the day.
It’s one of the city’s best kept secrets, and I guess if he’s going to be tailing me for the whole damn day and into the future, then he’s going to learn about it, because I’m not letting these assholes deprive me of good food along with everything else.
I grin at the man in the window, who’s used to seeing me by now, I’m sure. “Two steak sandwiches and fries, please,” I tell him.
Before I can fish my wallet out of my bag, Levi is passing over a credit card, and I roll my eyes but don’t argue.
“A gentleman!” the owner says, grinning and swiping the card before handing it back to Levi. “Ten minutes.”
I nearly strain my eyes trying not to roll them. If this guy only fucking knew what Levi’s real deal is, I doubt gentleman would be anywhere in the top ten descriptors he might use for my companion.
Oblivious to my thoughts, the food truck owner turns back to the griddle behind him and gets to work. A second later, the air is filled with the sounds and smells of sizzling meat and peppers.
My stomach growls, and Levi snorts under his breath, but I ignore him until we’re presented with two large sandwiches wrapped in foil, nestled in plastic baskets next to a pile of fries.
There are a few picnic style tables just down the hill in a little park area, so we go to sit there, each taking a side. I unwrap my sandwich and bite into it, making a happy noise as I chew the spicy steak and peppers and then attack the fries.
When I look up, Levi is watching me instead of eating, and I make a face at him. “What? It’s getting cold.”
He just shakes his head, but I can see a smile pulling at his lips.
Whatever. Girls eat. And not
all of them eat like ladies.
