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I chew on my lip, suddenly wishing I understood more about cyber security. “Me neither.”
“Well, simplest question first. Did anyone else have your phone on Thursday?”
“No, it was with me the whole day. When were the texts sent?”
“Right after four during your psych study. I thought it was weird that you were texting me then.”
I rub my temples, trying to remember back to that day. “No, I never even took it out of my bag. I—” I freeze, recalling what happened. “Wait.”
He steps in closer, concerned. “What is it?”
“At the end of the study, I was looking for my phone. I couldn’t find it anywhere, even though I knew it was in my bag. And Joel found it under the desk.”
Austin’s brows raise. “Joelfound it? The guy who hates me?”
My jaw drops as my mind races to connect the dots. “He’d come in before the study started and asked me to get something from the Stress Lab’s receptionist. I didn’t think anything of leaving my bag in the room. He must have taken my phone while I was gone.”
“Then texted me, told me to never mention it again to you in person, and deleted the evidence from your phone.”
“And brought it back after and pretended to find it. Oh my God, I can’t believe this.”
His lips twist wryly. “Well, that makes a lot of fucking sense now. He cornered me after the study on Tuesday. Tried to tell me he didn’t want you getting mixed up with me. I—” He pauses, scrubbing a hand down his face. “Shit. This is my fault.”
“It’s not your fault he thinks that way.”
“No, I…” He presses his lips together tightly for a moment. “I goaded him. He was trying to piss me off and I told him you and I were sharing a bed.”
Yeah, with the way he’s been acting lately, that might have put him over the edge. Even so, our relationship isn’t any of his business. “I don’t see why he cares so much.”
Austin sighs, his head cocking to the side. “Tessa, he likes you. It’s really obvious.”
“No, we’re friends. I’ve never thought about Joel like that.”
“Well, he’s thought about you like that. I guarantee it. And it seems like he was trying to get me out of the picture. Maybe he thinks I stole you or something.”
I throw my hands up, tired of all this needless drama. “It was never a competition.” Even if he does like me… which I guess sort of makes sense now that I think about it. “I told him there was nothing going on between you and me because he kept being so ridiculous about it. And, you know…” I glance down, suddenly shy. “At the time, I was sure you didn’t feel the same way about me.”
“Tessa…” His finger slips under my chin, tilting my head up to look at him. “I never thought you’d go for a guy like me. When I kissed you at Element and you didn’t respond—”
“I’m sorry. I was in shock. I couldn’t believe you were actually kissing me. But then you said it was a mistake.”
His lips tip up at the corners. “I guess we could have been together sooner if we’d just confessed what we were feeling.”
A weak chuckle escapes me. “A novel idea, right?”
His hand moves to the side of my neck and down my arm until he’s holding my hand. “I know you saw it in those texts, but I want to tell you that I—”
My phone rings, startling us in the echoey hallway, and my heart beats fast at his murmured tone. Was he going to mention the part where he said he loves me?
“Sorry, that’s probably Lexie,” I rush to say, grabbing my phone out of my back pocket. “Hello?”
“We’re at the car,” Lexie says. “Where are you?”
Crap. Has it been that long already? “I’ll be there in a minute. Thanks.”
I hang up, looking up at Austin. “Lexie’s ready to go.”
He nods somberly. “Wish I’d brought my extra helmet now so you could ride back with me.”
