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She looked up, making sure her face was blank. “I’m not.”
They gaped.
“Okay, I am. I was just being sarcastic since you were asking something obvious.” She indicated the vacant seat in front of her. “No one’s here on the table with me, so of course I’m alone. Unless you don’t know what alone means?”
They were still gaping at her.
She waited patiently, knowing it was wishful thinking on her part that the two would walk away at that. If it had been anyone else, that might have happened. But this was Valerie – the girl who had hated her guts from the very start. And the guy next to her was Blaine – the guy who loved her so much he had done everything she asked of him, and that included turning Bobby into a laughingstock.
Valerie was the first to recover. Tall, blond, and pretty, she glared at Bobby. “You think you’re so funny?”
Bobby pretended to be shocked. “I do?”
Valerie gaped.
Blaine was the smarter one this time, nudging Valerie when she remained stupefied. “She’s still being sarcastic,” he muttered under his breath.
Valerie snapped, “I knew that.” She looked at Bobby murderously. “I knew that.”
She nodded sagely. “I know you did.”
Rage caused Valerie’s face to deepen into a darker shade of red. “You’ve got a really thick skin, don’t you? After letting the whole world know you’re a slut, you can still bear to show your face in public?”
The words stung, but Bobby had enough practice to pretend it didn’t. Pride had saved her in high school, and it remained her lifeline even in college. She forced herself to shrug. “If it’s bothering you too much, then don’t look at me.”
“Don’t worry. After this, I’m going to avoid you like the outcast you’ve always been. You’re so slutty you even managed to scare big bad Leandro Christopoulos away.”
Her voice rose, and Bobby mentally prepared herself, knowing whatever Valerie was going to say, it was going tohurt.
“You’ve turned him off completely. He’s back in Greece, and he’s partying like he’s just won his freedom back.”
****
LEANDRO WAITED FORhis security and Derek’s to leave them alone, their guards blending back into obscurity as they took their seats. The maître d had wanted to give them the best table in the house, but Leandro had opted for the most private one instead.
After giving their orders, Leandro impatiently waited for the waiter to be a good distance away before he asked curtly, “How bad is it?”
Derek didn’t bother mincing words. “If she wasn’t so tough, it would have been hell. When you left without so much as a word, people began to speculate why. Valerie – the girl Bobby had a...quarrelwith in high school – she made sure that everyone drew the wrong conclusions. When pictures showed up of you partying in Greece—-”
“Those were meant to distract the public. You know that,” he said tightly. “I was in the hospital the entire two weeks. My father was fighting for his life, dammit.”
“I know that. Everyone in the family knows that, but because your father also did not want the public to know the truth, our hands here were tied. You hadn’t given me permission to let Bobby know the truth.”
And he hadn’t because he had been too proud, Leandro realized grimly. In his mind, there was still nothing between him and Bobby, and because there was none, his pride had baulked at the need to explain anything to her.
He had been ready to suffer the consequences of the decision his pride had made him take, but what Leandro had not been ready for was the fact that Bobby had also suffered the consequences.
Leandro gestured for the server and ordered a shot of whisky, which he downed in one gulp as soon as it was served. When the fiery liquid made its way down his throat, somewhat succeeding in neutralizing his rage, he asked slowly, “What else happened?”
“Almost everyone followed Valerie’s lead. I’ve managed to put the word out and stop any of the male students from harassing her in any way, but there is a limit to what I can do before I’m accused of unfair treatment. Jaike’s repeatedly invited her to hang out with us, but you know Bobby. She’s proud...” Derek grimaced. “Probably as proud as you are, if not prouder. She knows we’re trying to protect her, and she’s not letting us.”
“None of the guys in uni will touch her, but I can’t stop them from looking at her. Also, the girls have been making snide comments the moment they’re out of earshot of any faculty member.”
Every word left Leandro sick. Two kisses...just two goddamn kisses and he had practically ruined Roberta Granger’s life.
He shook his head, his face white. “She survived all that?”
Derek said simply, “She’s not an ordinary girl.”
