Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 113923 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 570(@200wpm)___ 456(@250wpm)___ 380(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113923 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 570(@200wpm)___ 456(@250wpm)___ 380(@300wpm)
Me: Out of curiosity, are you spying on me personally or are you paying other people to keep tabs on me?
Preston: Your father called me. He thinks you’ve gone off the rails.
Me: I don’t give a shit what he thinks.
Me: I also don’t give a shit what you think.
Me: Stop texting me.
When I see him typing, I switch on Do Not Disturb mode. I can’t bring myself to block his number yet. A concession to our history, I guess. But I have a feeling I’ll need to, sooner or later.
When Bonnie returns to the dorm following her afternoon class, I’m completely done packing. The little blonde stops short in our common area and stares at the half dozen boxes lined up against the wall.
“You goin’ on the run?” She tosses down her backpack and grabs a water from the mini fridge, then stands there with the door open, cooling her legs.
“Got kicked out,” I answer with a shrug. “It was bound to happen.”
“Well, shit.” She pushes the fridge closed with her foot. “You think I’ll get to keep the place to myself now?”
I smile at her. Bonnie isn’t an especially sentimental girl, but I know she cares. “I’ll miss you too.”
“What are you going to do with all your stuff?” She nods toward the boxes. Then she gives a catty smile. “I suppose we can ask our cheatin’ ex to borrow his Porsche?”
I snicker. “I’m sure that would go over well.” Walking toward my former bedroom, I fish my phone from my pocket. “It’s fine, I know someone with a truck. Let me see if he can come get me.”
“Oooh, is it the townie with the magic dick?”
“Maybe.” Laughing, I duck into the bedroom to make my call.
“Hey babe. What’s up?” Cooper’s rough voice tickles my ear and sends a shiver up my spine. He even sounds sexy.
“Hey. So. I have a big ask.”
“Shoot.” The banging of hammers and whir of saws fade in the background, like he’s stepping away from his jobsite.
“I have to vacate my dorm. Was tossed out, basically. I guess I’m not allowed to live in student housing when I’m not a student.”
“You realize that’s a completely reasonable decision on the school’s part, right?”
“They gave me twenty-four hours’ notice,” I argue. “How reasonable is that?”
He chuckles. “Need help packing?”
“Nope, but I’m hoping you can pick me up after you’re done working so I can load some boxes in your truck? I’ll put most of it in a storage unit in town until I find an apartment.” I hesitate. “And, um, I could use a place to crash until I find something more permanent. If it’s not too much to ask.”
I mean, it is a lot to ask. We’ve barely started dating. Moving in, even on a temporary basis, is no small favor. Yes, Evan and I are on good terms now, which eases the possible tension, but they didn’t exactly sign up for a third roommate.
“No, you know what,” I interject when he starts to answer, “I’ll get a hotel. That’d make way more sense.”
Because seriously, what was I thinking? This was a stupid idea. How did I think my first option should be to force my way into Cooper’s house, as if I’ve known him for longer than a few months? That’s insane.
“There’s that motel at the north side of the beach. I bet they rent rooms weekly—”
“Mac?”
“Yeah?”
“Shut up.”
I bite back a laugh. “Rude.”
“You’re not staying at a shithole motel on the north side. You’re staying with me. The end.”
“You’re sure? I didn’t really think this through before I called, I just—”
“I’m done at six. I’ll come grab you from campus afterward.”
A lump of emotion rises in my throat. “Thanks. I, uh … damn it, Cooper, I really appreciate it.”
“I got you, princess.” Then he hangs up with a harried goodbye, leaving me to smile at the phone. Not that I expected Cooper to be a dick about it, but he’s taking the whole thing remarkably well.
“I’m sorry, do my ears deceive me?” a highly excited voice bubbles from my open doorway. “Or did I just hear you refer to our mysterious caller as Cooper?”
I meet her wide eyes. Sheepish.
“As in Cooper Hartley?”
I nod.
Bonnie gasps loud enough startle me, even though she’s right in front of me. “Oh sweet little baby Jesus! That’s who you been hidin’ from me?” She barrels into the room, blonde curls flying around her shoulders. “You are not leavin’ this dormitory till you provide me with every last detail. I need everything.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
COOPER
This chick is out of her mind.
“What is the peanut butter doing in the refrigerator?” I shout from the kitchen.
I swear to God, having three people in this house has turned the place into a circus. I used to know where Evan was by the creaks and groans the house made around him. Now there’s two of them and it’s like this old place is haunted—constant noises coming from every direction at once. Hell, at this point, you could probably convince me that Patricia exists.