Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 80986 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80986 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
He turned to survey the papers and laptop on his desk. “Yeah, I guess I should get back to it.”
I frowned as I looked at his desk. It wasn’t covered in the usual mix of huge medical tax and general articles. “What are you working on?”
“This application for a housing stipend next year. It’s generous–it would cover the fees here for the entire year–but man, the application process is a bitch. There are endless forms, essay questions, and they want to know everything about you starting from the day you were born.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“Yes, I do.”
And then it hit me. “Is the application process open to anyone?”
“Yeah, I think so. As long as you’ve been here for a year.”
I leaned forward, suddenly excited. “Do you mind if I tell a friend about that?”
His forehead wrinkled as he looked at me. “Is there some reason you want to add people for me to compete against?”
I sighed. “Yes. And it’s a good one.”
Though he looked curious, he didn’t question me further. He trusted me. “Then do what you’ve got to do, man.”
“Thanks.”
“You’re really not going to tell me who it is?”
“It’s not my secret to tell.” But I hoped that now that Hailey had seen how I’d reacted to her revelation, she’d maybe decide to tell the others. It seemed like she was beginning to trust Ian.
Ian smirked. “Your friend is a chump, then, because you suck at keeping secrets.”
What? “I do not.“
“Then how did Grant find out about my disastrous first date with Patti Thurman senior year of high school?”
I laughed. “Because that was a fuckup of epic proportions.”
Ian ignored that. “And because you told him”
That was true, but I was having too much fun debating my buddy. “No, I didn’t. He’s telekinetic.”
Ian blinked. “He can move things with his mind?”
“No, what’s the one that means you have ESP?”
Ian rolled his eyes. “The point is that you’re terrible at keeping secrets. Don’t you always spill the beans about what you’re getting your mother for her birthday weeks before?”
“But she likes hearing about what she’s going to be getting.”
“You know what else people like? Actual surprises.”
“Fine,” I growled, although I wasn’t really mad. “Can we talk about something else?”
“Sure.” He leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling absently. But what the hell else was there to stare at in this room? “We need to do something about Hailey.”
For a moment, it seemed like he’d been able to hear my thoughts. “Agreed.”
“And she shouldn’t be working any more parties.”
“Doubly agree.” But I didn’t know how we were going to convince Bennett of that. Why did she have to look so fucking sexy in that little dress? Now he was going to spend all his time chasing her around in that sexist French maid costume.
“I’m serious. We need to do more than just mitigate the damage our fearless leaders are doing. We need to actually help her.”
I grinned.
“What?”
“You don’t always pay attention, but once you do finally do, you’re on the case, doctor.”
“That’s my job. Or at least it will be one day.” He turned back to his desk, and I knew I’d taken up enough of his time.
I stood up. “Good luck with all of that.” I gestured toward his desk.
He nodded in acknowledgement. “I’ll send you a link to the application, but you’d better tell your friend there’s a shit ton to prepare, and there’s not a lot of time left before the deadline.”
“I’ll do that. Thanks.”
He was a good guy. Hailey was lucky to have him on her side, even if she didn’t yet know he was.
15
HAILEY
It took me the entire weekend to recover from the party. I’d never been around that many people at once. There were more people in the row, Kappa Alpha, then in my high school back home. It was unbelievably loud, wild, and crazy.
Plus, kind of fun.
Grand had warned me that I would receive an education at the party, and I did. I didn’t know my fellow students could act like that. Lose so much they didn’t care what they did or what people thought. There was a lesson to be learned there somewhere. Of course, one of those lessons was not to drink to the point where you couldn’t stand up.
I’d enjoyed spending time with Ian, too. I hadn’t done that much before the party, but I liked his style when he was behind the bar. He had a friendly word for everyone, but he knew when to step in, like when a random guy was bothering me or some other woman.
I grinned. The women of the party had been impressed with him, too. He wore a black button-down shirt that was open at the neck and tight jeans. I saw more than one leaning over the bar to check him out, which usually made their breasts spill out of their dresses, but they didn’t seem to care.