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“Yeah,” I said, unable to keep the smile off my face. “I did.” I could have denied it, but I didn’t want to. It was still new, but I already regretted saying goodbye to her yesterday. The last few days together after coming back to campus had beeneverything.But she’d had to go back to the sorority house, and even if I wanted her in my bed every night, I knew that wasn’t an option.
We both still had responsibilities.
And despite what I’d told my dad, I hadn't studied for the LSATs over break, too busy being wrapped up in Ella, which meant that I really needed to get serious about studying and getting into law school after graduation.
I rubbed my fingers over my forehead, trying to ignore the pressure that I felt building—the feeling in my gut was that everything was about to change.
“What?” Forest frowned. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah,” I said, forcing my face back into a neutral expression. “Everything’s fine.” Or it would be. Eventually.
“Can’t believe the two of you are off the market now,” James laughed, slinging his arm around Adam’s shoulder. “Guess that leaves you to be my wingman, Prince.”
“Fuck off, Erikson.” Adam shrugged off his arm. “I don’t need any help.”
“Sure. That’s why you’ve been with so many girls this year.”
Adam rolled his eyes. “Maybe I’m just over all of that.” He cleared his throat. “I’m gonna go get another beer. Anyone want anything?”
I shook my head, still sipping the first one James had given me when we’d arrived. I didn’t plan on drinking much, since I wanted to see Ella before I went to bed tonight—and that meant keeping a clear head. Especially if we wanted to drive anywhere. I’d take the privacy anywhere we could get it.
“How’d you deal with it?” I asked Forest, knowing he’d been dating Sutton since freshman year, when we’d all lived together. “Wanting to be around her all the time. Being apart.”
“It gets easier. We had to find time for each other, but that’s what a relationship is. Making time for each other, even when everything is crazy.”
“I don’t want to fuck this up,” I admitted. “I’m crazy about her.”
“We know,” he laughed. “It was obvious. The way you followed her at the ski house like a little puppy? Fuck, man. You’re worse than I was.”
I winced, knowing he was right. I had followed Ella everywhere. It had been hard enough to keep my hands off of her, let alone let her out of my sight. “But it gets easier?”
Forest snorted. “Fuck no. I still want Sutton all the time.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “She’s just accepted the fact that I’m greedy, and I’ll eat up every minute of time she gives me.”
I knew the feeling. Like I’d do anything just to be in her presence. It had been that way since the beginning, when I saw her across the room. “So, what’d you do?”
“Be her Prince fucking Charming, man. That’s all you can do.”
I almost laughed.
He couldn’t have known Ella’s nickname for me. I didn’t think she’d ever called me it in front of anyone else. And yet, the words rang true. If I wanted this to last, I had to prove to her how much I wanted her—no, cared about her.
Even if our schedules got too busy, that was one thing I could always do.Put her first.
“Dad?” I tightened my jacket around me, not wanting the frigid January air to seep into my bones. “What’s up?”
I’d just gotten out of class, and I was headed towards the main cafeteria to meet Ella for lunch while we both had a break in our schedules. Despite her fears, we were going to make this work.
I wouldn’t risk losing her, not when I wanted her more than I’d ever wanted anything else.
And especially not after all the progress we’d been making lately.
“What’s up?” I could practically hear him frowning into the phone, the growl clear in his tone. “I haven’t heard from you since New Year’s Eve, and all I get is awhat’s up?”
I grimaced. “I told you I was driving back to school early to get a head start?—”
“But you didn’t, did you?”
“What?” I froze. I hadn’t told my parents about Ella. Maybe I’d wanted to, and a part of me knew I should have, but I knew my dad would find some way to ruin it.
