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“Not tonight,” she says. “I have a ton of studying to do before tomorrow, so I traded off my shift to Damon.”
“Oh, okay,” I say, biting my lip.
Fi sighs, probably sensing the anxiety in my tone. “You can’t just avoid him, especially at work.” She holds open the heavy door to the Raven Building, and I relish the sudden rush of warm air that heats my skin as we walk to the elevator.
“What if we have another fight? The last one was pretty bad,” I say as the bronze doors ding open.
“Just be cautious but open-minded.” She gives me a reassuring smile. “And don’t back down if he’s a dick. You’re a fucking badass woman, and you deserve better than to take shit from narcissistic alpha males like Lincoln Evans.”
“Right,” I say, trying to channel Fiona’s confidence.
“Oh, and tell me everything,” she says with a wink as she steps into the hallway and heads to her room.
I continue down to my dorm room.
I glance at my phone, realizing I only have about twenty minutes to get to work. I change and twist my hair into a loose braid before throwing on my coat and heading back out. The last thing I need is to be late and give Lincoln another reason to jump down my throat.
Huddled against the cold, I run back across campus and down Main Street, my eyes tearing as I skip over icy puddles on the pavement until I’m standing in front of the theater.
I shift anxiously from foot to foot as I stare into the lobby. Damon seems to be running the concession counter alone. He’s a quiet guy with dark hair and thick black glasses, and he smiles and waves when he notices me loitering on the sidewalk.
I walk inside, looking around. As always, the buttery scent of popcorn immediately assaults my senses, salty on my tongue as I inhale. “Hey, Damon. Where is everyone?”
“Trey is here somewhere,” he says with a shrug. “I think he’s cleaning one of the auditoriums. And Lincoln was here, but he left. He got a call that seemed important. I’m not sure where he went.”
“Oh,” I say, disappointment and annoyance evident in my voice.
All those stupid texts, and he’s not even here to talk to me?
“You guys must be pretty slow tonight if Link just left.”
“Yeah,” Damon says. “I think everyone is cramming for all their tests before Thanksgiving break.”
Just then, Trey strolls out of Auditorium One whistling, a broom in one hand and a dustbin in the other.
“Hey, Bennett,” he says, giving my shoulder a gentle bump as he comes to stand beside me. His tie is thrown over one shoulder, and his hair is a tousled golden mess. His warm cinnamon scent tickles my nose, and his arm brushes mine, raising goosebumps along the back of my neck.
“Where’ve you been?” he asks, placing the broom and dustbin against the wall. “Link’s been extra broody since the proverbial fireworks display on Friday.”
“Fi and I had a girls’ night in Seattle.” I cross my arms over my chest to hide my hardening nipples. Seriously. My body’s reaction to this man is ridiculous.
“Sounds fun,” he replies.
“Trey, can I ask you something?” I ask, chewing my lower lip.
“Sure thing,” he says, leaning against the concession counter and crossing his long legs. I take a breath and try to focus, looking into his autumn eyes.
“I know you’re both from Brighton, and John said he did business with my stepdad. Did you and Link know me before Icame here? I don’t ever remember seeing either of you at our investor parties.”
Trey’s hands tighten on the edge of the counter, and something akin to guilt flickers in his eyes. But he blinks, and it’s gone. “Probably. We went to a lot of parties over the years. Lincoln’s parents were always looking for their next big property.”
“Lincoln’s parents? Not yours?”
“Nah, my parents checked out when I was a kid,” he says with a shrug. “My mom is a stage actress, and she and my father travel around the UK. Link’s parents pretty much adopted me after they left.”
“I’m sorry, Trey,” My heart squeezes with empathy. “That’s sad.”
“It is, but I hide my trauma behind a façade of crude humor and sexual escapades,” he says with a wink.
