Fighting Fate (Granton University #1)(37)

But Paige had actually tried to make a joke. With him. Utterly boggled, he stared at her friends until the drunk one sat back on her haunches as if she was finally finished being sick.

Feeling like an ass for not checking on her before, he hurried forward and knelt beside her. “How’re you doing down here?”

Her head fell back as if she’d lost all control of her neck muscles, and she looked up at him, studying him from glassy, dazed eyes and slightly parted lips. “It’s all good,” she slurred and smiled dreamily. “I’m Tess.”

When she held out her hand, he shook it, charmed and beyond grateful she was a cheerful drunk instead of the other kind. “Logan.”

Her brow wrinkled. “I thought they called you Dave. Yeah, they pointed and said you were Designated Dave.”

Logan sighed. “That’s part of another joke I don’t get. Trust me. My name’s Logan.”

With a sigh, she swayed toward him. “Hi, Logan. You’re really pretty.”

Her friend gasped. “Tess!”

Tess glanced at the sober one. “What?” Then she smiled at Logan and pointed to the other girl. “Oh, and she’s Bailey.” Leaning closer to him, she lowered her voice. “But she doesn’t think I should call you pretty.”

Feeling a grin coming on, Logan shook his head. “You can call me whatever you want, but I’ll warn you, I tend to look better through beer goggles. Here. Let me help you up.” When he held out his hand, she took it, and together they pulled each other upright. Remembering he’d snagged a bottle of water for her, he pulled it from his pocket and passed it over.

“Oh God, I love you.” She snatched it without hesitating. “Will you marry me?”

His lips twitched once again with amusement as he watched her chug. “That depends. Do you like shoes?”

She swallowed and lowered the bottle. “Yeah. I’m a girl, aren’t I?” She looked baffled by the question.

He gave a sad sigh as he gently grasped her elbow and escorted her back to the car, where all the doors hung open as it aired out. “Well, we have a slight problem then. I live in a dinky apartment where the only closet is smaller than the trunk of this car. I’m afraid too many shoes just wouldn’t fit at my place.”

Face falling, Tess nodded as if she completely understood. “Yeah,” she mumbled. “You’re right. It’d never work out.”

“Probably not.”

Bailey, who’d gotten up when they had, was keeping pace with them. Holding onto Tess’s other arm, she pulled a fingernail she’d been chewing on from her teeth. “Do you own a cowboy hat?”

Huh? He glanced her way to find her studying him intently. “No. Why?”

With a wave of her hand, she sighed and turned away. “Yeah, I give up too.”

When he sent Tess a baffled glance, she gave his arm a sympathy pat. “She only does cowboys.”

Ah.

Busy by the trunk, Paige moved to join her friends. “I think I got it as clean as it’s going to get. I hope Mariah isn’t too upset.”

Even with a wet spot covering a good portion of her dress, she looked amazing. Logan forced his attention away as he helped Tess into the back seat.

“Yeah, well, Hooker should’ve known she might get a few stains if she lent her things out.” Bailey climbed in next, following Tess, and Logan suddenly found himself alone outside the vehicle with Paige looking up at him from her gorgeous dark eyes. With so much makeup lining her lashes, she looked different and yet exactly the same, like a more intense version of herself. It gave him a more intense reaction to her.

“Whatever the fraternity pays you to DD,” she said, “you should ask for a raise.”

His throat felt dry, burning. He didn’t understand what was happening. What had he done to deserve her kindness? The last time they’d spoken, she’d made it clear she hated him and would continue to hate him.

“I…I volunteer,” he croaked, feeling lame.

Her eyes flared with surprised. She opened her mouth as if to ask him why. But then she pressed her lips back together and glanced away. “Well…thanks for being so patient with us and pulling over for Tess. She…”

She motioned into the car but didn’t seem to know what to say about her friend. He didn’t know what to say about her gratitude. Had he just fallen down a hill and landed on his head? Paige Zukowski was not supposed to be nice to him. To tease him.

“Yeah, well…” He rubbed at the back of his neck, utterly uncomfortable, out of his element, and not sure what to do about the girl he was obsessed with actually smiling at him. He was used to her hating him. “At least she’s a happy drunk. A lot of them aren’t.”

Her gaze touched on his and something dark and knowing swam in the depths of her brown eyes. “How well I know that.”

At first, he thought she was referring to him. The last time he’d been drunk, he’d killed someone. That was about as far removed from being a happy drunk as a person could get. But then, in an unconscious gesture, she touched the side of her shoulder and rubbed one specific spot. He tracked the movement with his gaze, seeing a half-moon shaped scar embedded in her perfect skin.

“Wha—” Shocked, he lurched forward to help her, much the same way he’d done at The Squeeze when she’d cut her finger. Not that he could do anything about a scar that had healed long ago, but his body reacted before his head did. He wanted to fix anything wrong with her.