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“EG means Elevator Girl, right?”
“Don’t want you to forget I nicknamed you first,” he said.
Jude pressed a kiss to my inner wrist. “All done.”
I held out my hand for everyone to see. “I’m bedazzled.”
“Fancy, fancy,” Heather said.
Nina patted Ben’s shoulder. “That was really sweet.”
He lifted his glass to his mouth. “Sometimes I get it right. I figured we’re music buddies now, so a friendship bracelet was in order.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Are you ready to take on the Balinese Gamelan?”
Ben grinned back at me. “We’re going to dominate that ensemble.”
“What’s a Balinese Gamelan?” Heather asked.
Ben tipped his chin at me. “Ask Tali. She told me to sign up, so I did.”
“It’s a percussion instrument ensemble. I have to take part in a music ensemble for my music minor, which will surely be a disaster, and I got Ben to agree to take it with me.”
“You didn’t tell me that,” Jude said to Ben.
He lifted one shoulder. “I didn’t think about it. It’s no big secret.”
“So, Benny, do you need this credit for your degree?” Tino asked.
“Nope. Sounded fun, and I have the time.”
I laid my hand on Jude’s knee under the table but addressed everyone else. “What you guys might be horrified to know is there’s a performance at the end of the semester and I expect each and every one of you to attend.”
“Will you be practicing in our dorm?” Nina asked.
“It’s possible.”
She leaned her head against Heather’s. “Looks like I’ll be hanging out in your room even more.”
Heather kissed Nina’s temple. “Like you need an excuse.”
The conversation switched gears, and I stuffed another piece of sushi in my mouth. Jude laid his hand on top my mine beneath the table.
“I have a present for you, but I need to give it to you later,” he murmured.
“Jude…” I twisted in my seat to face him. He took my breath away, each and every time. I pushed his hair away from his eye before dragging my palm down his cheek. “You definitely didn’t have to do that.”
His gaze captured mine, holding us in a bubble, separate from our friends. It was Jude and me and no one else.
“I wanted to, Stripes.”
“Okay. Then I can’t wait until later.” My pulse quickened at whatlatermight bring.
“Me either.”
