AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My brain finally catches up to the fact that it’s odd for Jared to be here. “Jared, I thought you didn’t have morning classes on Mondays?”
He smiles sheepishly. “I didn’t do any of my homework over the weekend, and I figured I could use the study time in the library. Milo lives next door to me and it’s out of the way for Landon to pick him up, so it all works out. Plus, Painted Moose is worth getting up for.”
“Well, I appreciate it, thank you.” I take a sip, closing my eyes and making an appreciative sound as the warm liquid hits my tongue and I taste a perfect vanilla latte.
When I open my eyes, I realize all three guys are staring at me, glassy-eyed.
“What?”
They startle as if they’d been in a trance. “Nothing,” Milo says smoothly. “Is it how you like?”
“Yes, actually. I’m impressed you knew,” my eyes drift to Jared. “I don’t remember mentioning it.”
“You did, Saturday night,” he rushes to explain. “You said Milo and Landon took you to the Painted Moose and you had a caramel mocha because Milo recommended it, but you prefer vanilla lattes and wanted to try one next time. So, here you go, next time.” He recites the interaction as if he’d memorized it by heart and heat rises to my cheeks. It was clearly important to him and I don’t remember at all.
“Well, thank you again. It’s perfect. No offense, Milo, but I think yours is too sweet for me.”
“Hey, only the strong survive,” he winks. “Shall we get to class?”
With promises to meet Jared for lunch, we head to American History class, and take our seats with me in the middle, just like last week.
The day has already begun to feel routine as we make our way through classes; the guys swapping out so I’m never alone. Savannah and a few others sit with us at lunch, and she apologizes for not being at the game Saturday as if I were expecting her to be there. I tell her it’s totally fine, but she promises to sit with me for the next home game in a few weeks.
By the time classes are over for the day, I’m already dreading the pile of homework I need to complete. I’d much rather curl up with a mystery book in the library instead of taking notes on five chapters of pre-civil war American History to prepare for a test at the end of the week.
As if he read my mind, Milo asks, “Hey Lex, would you like to study together tonight?”
“That would be great, but I’d have to ask-”
“It’s no biggie, we can come up to Harridan House. I bet we can even get Susan to pull out those cookies.”
Jared gives Milo an odd look. “I’d love to, but I have practice for the next couple of hours.”
“Oh, sorry, I meant later. After dinner. Can you come then?”
Jared nods slowly. “Yeah, that would work. Landon, do you want me to pick you up? I’m assuming I’m already driving Milo, anyway.”
“Sure, sounds good to me.” Landon grins, turning his rock-star smile on me. “Any excuse to hang out with Layla some more? I’m game. Bonus if we actually get homework done.”
A kernel of panic rises in my chest. “Guys, this all sounds like fun, but I really should check with my uncle-”
“It’s already done,” Jared puts away his phone. “I texted my auntie, and she said it’s fine. I’m telling you, we’re always in and out of that house anyway, and it’s your home, too. Maybe you should talk to Dom if it makes you uncomfortable. I’m sure he’d say you’re welcome to have guests whenever you want. We’ve all been given a standing invitation to come over whenever.”
“You have?” I search their faces, each one nodding seriously. “Huh. Okay. Then I guess I’ll stop freaking out. I’m sorry, I just… am not used to this yet, I guess.” That is an understatement. At the foster home, they strictly forbid us from bringing friends over, and before that, my mom was extremely wary of guests. I could only think of a handful of times I’d seen someone other than myself or my parents in any of our apartments.
“No worries.” Milo’s signature half-smile slides into place. “We’ll text you when we’re on our way. Sound good?”
“Yeah, perfect,” I return his smile. Now I can spend the next couple hours reading whatever I want with complete ease, knowing they’d be turning up later to study.
We say our goodbyes and I meet Maxwell out front, already calculating how many chapters of my novel I can get in before dinner.
ChapterSixteen
Layla
* * *
Studying with the guys is fun, if a little distracting. Milo manages to sweet talk Susan into cookies and hot chocolate after dinner, and we post up in my suite reading quietly, with the occasional joke or exclamation as someone checks their phone and reports the latest social media drama.
