The Vargas Cartel Trilogy (Vargas Cartel #1-3)(2)

Evan stopped walking. “Don’t tell me you forgot, because we both know you never forget anything.”

“Maybe I did forget. There’s a first time for everything,” I lied, looking down at my simple black wedges. Of course I didn’t forget. I methodically planned every hour of every day right down to the most mundane detail, like when I planned to exercise, study, and eat. I reviewed my schedule for the next day every night before I went to bed. Nothing was a surprise.

I realized planning my life with such precision likely meant I had some sort of obsessive disorder, but it gave me control over my life, something I didn’t have much of as a kid. Growing up, my mom selected my clothes, my hairstyle, my friends, and my enemies. She arranged my play dates and planned my meals and snacks so that I never exceeded my allotted caloric intake.

I lived my life as her puppet until the day I left for college. Now I ruled my life with iron control and absolute clockwork precision, so she didn’t have the chance to slide back into my life and make decisions for me.

Wrapping his hands around my upper arms, he turned my body to face him. His eyes narrowed and his mouth pressed into a thin line. “Really, Hattie? Do you expect me to believe that you forgot? Let me see your phone.”

I lifted my head, meeting the irritated stare of his chocolate brown eyes.

“I put it in my phone, but Eric called in sick with a family emergency, and I agreed to cover his office hours.” Eric was in the same graduate program as Evan and me. His mom had cancer, and it had been a rough year for him. I covered his office hours at least once a week to give him more time to help her.

“Eric always has a family emergency,” Evan snapped, folding his arms across his chest.

“I know, but his mom has a chemo treatment today. I had to help him. She can’t go by herself.” It wasn’t too late to call him and cancel. He’d find someone else or he could reschedule his hours, but I didn’t want to add to Eric’s stress. He had all he needed and more.

“Don’t be mad.” I lifted onto my toes and brushed a kiss over his lips. I didn’t have to look at his face to know he was pissed. Attending a fundraiser for Evan’s dad was a big deal, but I had been dreading it for the last month. My parents would be there, and that meant my mom wouldn’t hold back when the time came to judge my clothing choices, my hair, and my behavior. Like always, she’d go on a tirade about Evan and me having a big future in politics and I needed to dress and look the part. A chill raced through me at the thought of enduring another confrontation with her. I wished she’d back off and leave me alone for once.

At least Evan asked me to move in with him when we started graduate school, and I escaped the prison of living at home. I could’ve rented my own place after college, but I didn’t like living alone. My parents didn’t provide much companionship, but being alone would have been infinitely worse.

“I’m not mad.” He brushed his thumb over my lip. “But I have to admit the events are more tolerable when I have you on my arm.”

“Oh please.” I rolled my eyes. “You barely talk to me at those events. I could give you a cardboard cutout of myself, and it’d be just as effective.”

He chuckled, flashing his bright white smile, and one of his hands slipped to my lower back. “No. I’d notice when I ended up with a bunch of paper cuts.”

I grinned at him. “Jerk,” I joked.

“What time do office hours end?”

“It’s only two hours, so I’ll be done by nine.”

He slid my hair behind my ear. “Don’t wait up for me. I’ll be home late. I’m meeting the guys at that bar on K Street after I’ve put in enough face time to satisfy my dad. There’s a good band playing there tonight.”

My brows scrunched together. “I don’t remember you mentioning that before.” I didn’t like Evan’s friends. For the most part, they were a bunch of entitled *s with a cruel sense of humor.

“I’m sure I mentioned it.” He kneaded the back of his neck, his face utterly blank.

“What’s wrong?” Massaging the back of his neck usually meant something was amiss or he was hiding information. He didn’t realize he did it. I should’ve told him. Obvious tells weren’t beneficial in politics, but I liked being able to read him.

His eyes flickered to the side and then a huge smile flashed across his face. “Nothing. I’ll miss you tonight.” He threaded his fingers through mine and guided me toward his car. “Are you ready to go home?” He never wanted to rush back to our apartment after class. Normally, he had a million and one things to do.

“I could meet you at the bar. I’ll be done by nine, and if no one shows, I can leave early.” I squeezed his hand, pulling him closer to me as we walked to the parking lot. “We can have a few drinks and be in bed by ten-thirty.” I flashed him a naughty grin letting him know exactly what I meant. Over the last month, we’d been so busy our sex life had suffered. Not that we were ever too crazy, but now we lived like roommates instead a young couple in love. That didn’t bode well for the future, but I tried to push the thought out of my mind and mentally recite all the reasons we were perfect for each other.

“You don’t have to come. I understand.” He stopped next to his car and I tried to catch his eyes, but they roamed everywhere except to me. “I know you don’t like my friends.”