AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Hells yes,” Ryan said, and I quickly wrote the note for Rory to find later.
When I was done, Ryan stood to shrug on his shirt, stare going to the pool where Rush was swimming. “That guy’s head is so big if we all started to drown, we could use it as a life raft,” he deadpanned.
“So he’s a dick bag,” I noted. I’d yet to officially meet the new swimmer. I’d only seen him around the pool all week.
Ryan shrugged. “He’s a good enough swimmer. Came from Pembrook.”
I felt my eyebrows rise. Pembrook was an elite university just like Westbrook. “But,” I said, hearing what Ryan wasn’t saying.
The dark-haired swimmer pursed his lips, folding his arms over his chest. “Between you and me?”
I nodded.
“Something about him doesn’t sit right with me. He’s cocky, has a chip on his shoulder, and acts like he’s the best.”
“So he acts like the rest of Elite?” I mused. “Except for Wes, of course.”And Lars.
Ryan grunted but didn’t laugh. “I don’t trust him. I think he got tossed out of Pembrook.”
I frowned. “Then how the hell did he get in here?”
“That’s what I’d like to know,” Ryan murmured, gazing back toward the pool.
“I don’t know if I want him around—”
“I already told Wes to stay away from him.”
Right. Wes. I was totally going to say Wes. “You did?” I asked.
Ryan nodded. “Rush seems to have an issue with me.”
“And you think Wes will get involved.” This was exactly the kind of shit my little brother did not need. I was going to have to give Max a heads-up. Quietly, of course. I didn’t need Wes snarling at me for it.
“I won’t let it come to that,” Ryan said, sure of himself. “But it wouldn’t hurt to keep an eye on him, you know? At least until we know what he’s about.”
And this was why I liked Wes’s friends. Because they looked out for him. “Thanks for the heads-up,” I said.
Some of the team was already leaving the locker room on their way to classes for the day.
“One more!” Coach yelled at the water.
“Thanks for the tape,” Ryan said. “I got something to do.”
He jogged off, and I gathered up my stuff. The coffee I’d brought with me had gone cold, so I tossed it in the garbage on my way out of the office.
Wes, Jamie, and Lars were coming out of the locker room, and my footsteps slowed a bit, hanging back. Too late, though, because Wes saw me and smiled. He and Jamie started in my direction, but Lars hung back.
“I’ll see you guys later,” he said.
“You aren’t coming to eat with us, bro?” Jamie asked. “If you’re worried about Shirley’s, we can go somewhere else.”
Lars shook his head. “No, it’s okay, but thanks for the offer.”
Wes glared at me, totally blaming me for this. I couldn’t even defend myself because he was right.
Ignoring his dagger eyes, I looked at Lars, reveling in the fact I didn’t have to pretend not to look at him for once. “You can go to Shirley’s,” I told him. “The last time I was there, I talked to the staff. They said just to let them know about your allergy when you’re ordering. They can clean off the grill and make you some eggs, bacon, and potatoes right there. Just don’t order any of the waffles or shit with flour because they can’t guarantee it doesn’t have traces of nuts in it.”
His crystal eyes widened, mouth going slack. “You talked to the staff?”
