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“Wow. A Cali beach bunny. Nice.” I grin and she snorts, shaking her head like I’ve said something ridiculous. “So, why are you in Colorado, then? Ain’t no beaches around here.”
She swallows, her lips pursing for a quick second before she murmurs, “I got into Nolan U.”
“You didn’t try for UCLA or USC?”
She looks up with a closed-mouth smile and shakes her head. “I got into Nolan U.”
I frown, wondering what she’s not saying. I’m about to ask, but she rushes ahead, opening the door for us and giving me a pointed look. “Let’s go, big guy. Coffee awaits.”
She ushers me up to the counter, and I don’t even bother checking the board before placing the order. “One Americano and one café au lait in the biggest cup you’ve got. I’m talking bowl size, you feel me?”
The guy nods with a grin while Mikayla laughs, then taps the glass case.
“Throw in one of those apple cinnamon muffins, too, please.”
I look down at her, pretending to be offended. “You didn’t buy me a muffin. Since when was food part of this payback deal?”
She grins. “Think of it as an opportunity to show me what a gentleman you are.” And with that, she spins to go look for a table.
Stopping near the window, I think she’s about to slide up onto one of the high stools, and I’m already thinking of lines I can hassle her with, like “How’s the air up here?”but then she frowns and turns toward the couch in the back corner.
I glance outside to try and figure out what she was looking at. There are a bunch of students milling around. Maybe one of them pissed her off at some point. Or maybe she just doesn’t want to be stared at through the glass, because let’s face it, if she’s hanging with me, we’re gonna get more looks than the average Joe.
I walk over to the couch with her mammoth muffin, then head back to the counter for our coffees.
Her mug is basically a bowl, and I’m feeling pretty triumphant as I place it down in front of her. The look on her face is priceless.
“Yes. Come to Mama, baby.” She wraps her fingers around the mug and takes a big gulp. I’m pretty sure she just burned her tongue by the way her eyes are watering, and I jump up to grab her a glass of water from the cooler near the counter.
She chokes out a thank-you, guzzling the water down before attempting her coffee again. It’s like it’s her drug of choice the way she closes her eyes and sighs after a few more mouthfuls.
“I didn’t get my fix this morning.” She wipes a little foam off her top lip. “That first class was basically impossible to concentrate in. My notes are probably trash thanks to total brain fog.”
“Ah, so that’s why you approached me. It wasn’t about hanging out, it was about getting your caffeine fix.”
“Of course it was.” She blinks like I’m stupid, but then her lips break into a grin.
I sip my Americano and lean back against the couch cushions, studying her as she rips off a mouthful of muffin and pops it between her glossy lips. She licks the crumbs off her polished nails, and I seriously need to stop looking at her mouth.
I shift in my seat, clearing my throat and reminding myself of the damn bet. “So, what are you studying?”
Questions about study and schoolwork should take the edge off, right? There’s nothing sexy about studying and assignments.
“Well, since it’s my first year, I’m doing a bunch of general eds, but I’m planning to major in either business or sports management.”
“Oh yeah?” I raise my eyebrows. “Where’s that gonna take you?”
She hesitates for a minute, like she’s not sure if she wants to tell me. There’s this excited gleam in her eye as she fights a grin, then blurts, “I want to be a sports agent. But for female athletes. I want to get them the best deals I can. I want to give them the chance to shine just as brightly as the men. To get paid fairly. To get the best sponsorship deals. There are so many talented women out there, and they deserve all the same shots men get.”
“Nice.” I bob my head, impressed by her fervor. She probably has no idea how fast she’s talking or how excited she sounds. “Well, you’re in the perfect place. Nolan has an excellent business school, and we’re not short on top-quality athletes.”
“True fact.” She nods, stuffing another mouthful of muffin between her lips. Her cheeks bulge out like a chipmunk as she chews. For a girl who’s so petite, she knows how to devour food like an offensive lineman.
“UCLA would have been a good school too.” I subtly dangle the statement out there, hoping she’ll elaborate a little more than she did earlier.
What? I’m curious.
She gives me a dry glare and delays by gulping down some more coffee. She’s gonna finish that whole cup. It’s kind of impressive.
