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“Come on, I’ll walk you to class.” And then he gives me a pointed look that saysget lost.
Layla looks to me, a mix of wariness and indecision written on her face.
Reluctantly, I nod. “It’s okay. I’ll be right behind you.”
Reese motions for Layla to proceed him, and when she does, he moves between us in an attempt to block me from following. Behind her back, he shoots me a glare. “I’ll take it from here, pal.”
Over my dead body.
I follow them, never more than a few feet behind.
“How about dinner tonight?” he asks her. “I’d like to take you someplace really nice.”
I can’t hear her response, but when he puts his arm around her and pulls her close, I can guess.
She said yes.
My stomach drops like a stone.
Once we’re in the classroom, Reese leaves her to go sit at the back of the room with his buddies, in their assigned seats. I sit on Layla’s right, and Charlene sits on her left. I listen in on the girls chatting before the professor starts lecturing.
“He’s taking me to Tavern on Rush,” Layla tells her friend.
At least he has good taste in food.
When class is over, Reese waits for Layla outside the door. “What’s your address, babe? I’ll pick you up at seven.”
“Actually, no,” I say, only too happy to butt in. “She’ll meet you at the restaurant.”
He scowls at me. “I wasn’t asking you.”
“Sorry, but no one comes to her house.”
Reese shrugs. “Fine, whatever.” Then he smiles at Layla. “I’ll see you tonight.” Before parting, he gives her a peck on the cheek.
As I watch Reese walk away, I wonder how the hell I’m going to make it through the evening.
Chapter 29
Layla Alexander
I’m a nervous wreck by the time we get home from campus. I can’t stop thinking about my dinner date this evening. I’m nervous and excited, but also more than a little scared. I’m not sure I’m ready for this. Reese doesn’t know anything about my health issues, and I’m not ready to share that information with someone I’ve just met.
When we get home, my sugar level is pretty low, so Jason makes me eat a snack to tide me over until dinner. After that, to kill time, I go up to my room and work on homework.
I’m finding it hard to concentrate when I’m so nervous about tonight. But that’s not the only thing occupying my mind. All day I’ve been remembering what it felt like to wake up in the middle of the night to the feel of a warm male body pressed against my back. At first, I nearly screamed in panic, but I quickly realized it was Jason.
I don’t remember much of the nightmare I had last night, but I sure do remember Jason coming into my room and comforting me. He must have fallen asleep in my bed. With his arm wrapped around me, I felt safer than I have in ages. I was able to fall back to sleep. But when my alarm woke me in the morning, he was gone. I know I didn’t dream him up. He was really there in my bed.
I don’t know why I said yes to having dinner with Reese. Honestly, I’d rather just stay home and have dinner with Jason and my parents. But I already said yes, and it’s just dinner. It’s too late to back out without things getting awkward. How long can one dinner take, anyway? An hour? Two hours max? And then I’ll be home again. Maybe I’ll be able to talk Jason into watching another movie with me tonight.
“Hello, sweetheart,” Mom says as she walks into the sunroom. She’s obviously just arrived home from work, because she’s dressed in a dark teal suit with a cream tailored blouse. “Margaret tells me you have a dinner date tonight with a boy from school.”
I laugh. “He’s a senior, Mom, which means he’s probably twenty-two. He’s hardly a boy.”
She smiles as she takes the seat across from mine. “I’m sorry. You’re right. Where are you and your gentleman friend going for dinner?”
“To Tavern on Rush.”
