Boyfriend Bargain (Hawthorne University #1)(81)

“No,” they say at the same time, both of their faces shuttering.

“Oh, really? Could have fooled me.”

They both ignore me, but I don’t care. There’s an edge to me lately, and I’m wired, ready to snap.

“Well, in that case, Julia, this is Eric, one of Z’s wingers. He calls everyone babe, likes to sing ‘Dick in a Box’, takes phone numbers from randoms, and eats cereal out of the box with his bare hands. Eric, this is Julia. She’s my roommate and if you hurt her, I will kill you slowly with one of your hockey sticks.”

“Oh,” he says, not even looking at me, his gaze on her. “Hi.”

Julia grimaces and stares down at the ground. “Hi.”

A few moments go by and no one says a word, and shit, I’m a little fascinated.

“So, you’re sure you don’t know each other?”

“Sure,” Julia says.

“Ab-so-fucking-lutely,” says Eric at the same time.

A slow blush rises on my roommate’s cheeks as she clears her throat and hooks her arm with mine. “I’m headed to BB’s. You want a ride?”

I won’t actually ride with her because she’ll be working later than me, but I say yes anyway and move away from Eric. I need distance from him.

“Sugar?” he says with a frown.

I look back, seeing the worry on his face, but I know I can’t go to Z. Willow is between us and I can’t…I can’t let that go. I give him a wry smile. “He knows where I am.”

His shoulders rise with a breath.

“I have to get to work, but text me, okay?” I say softly, not wanting to lose that connection, which is counterproductive, but it is what it is.

He gives me a nod, his gaze flickering over to Julia before he turns and walks away.

He gets just out of earshot and I can’t wait any longer.

“You and Eric? You slag.” I feel empty inside but I push out a grin.

“Never happened,” she says as we walk away.

“You lie, but I will get the truth out of you eventually.”

She throws an arm around me.

“This conversation isn’t over, Barbarella.”

She smirks. “I know.”





*



“What’s wrong?” Mara asks me a few days later in her office as I file some old invoices in the cabinet.

“Nothing.” I stare down at a receipt from the liquor warehouse and focus on that, ignoring the hole inside me.

“Uh-huh. I hear the Lions won their game yesterday against St. Cloud.”

I file the paperwork and slam the drawer shut. “Nice.” I guess that’s another win for us, and I’m glad. I want Z to succeed.

I feel her eagle eyes on me. “Word is your guy only played the first period.”

“Not my guy, Mara.”

“You only use my name when you’re pissed.”

“I’m not pissed,” I bite out.

She chuckles. “Listen, I know y’all are broken up, but I’ve lived here long enough to know he’s the biggest name to ever play in this state, and when he doesn’t play, something bad is going down.”

She’s prying because she cares, but I feel my defenses coming up. I plop down on the recliner and sip on the vanilla chai tea she made for me earlier.

A few minutes later, I say, “How do you know so much about hockey?”

“Just something I hear the customers say when they’re here.” She gives me a rueful look. “This town loves him. But now, I don’t know. Fans can be fickle, ya know?”

My hackles rise. If anyone bad-talks Z…

“ESPN is saying there’s a rumor he has a mental illness. One reporter claims she saw him break down at one of the away games, but of course, there are no photos to prove it.”

That must have been at Concord State. “Bitch,” I say. “What the hell is wrong with people? Can’t he ever get any peace?” I rub my temples.

“Ah, so you do care.”

I look out the window, my hand clenching my cup.

“I’m worried about you,” she says softly. “Do you want me to make you a lemon icebox pie?”

I blink rapidly. She knows the way to my heart.

“Sugar, I know you haven’t told me everything, but if you need to talk to me, I’m here. I’m not your mama and we’re not blood, but you’re mine by choice and I have no regrets. Nothing you tell me will shock me.”

I stare at her, taking in the big blonde hair and faded pink lipstick. I love her more than anything and she is my family. I don’t know why I haven’t told her what happened except that maybe part of me is embarrassed that he fooled me. I sigh. “He blames himself for his dead girlfriend’s car wreck, and I found a photo of her and…well, we look very similar…” I can’t go on. I don’t even want to think about the letter.

Mara fires up a cig and blows out smoke. “I see. A doppelg?nger situation. Sounds like a good HBO movie.”

I huff out a laugh and several moments go by. I feel her thinking, assessing the situation.

“When you were with him, how did you feel?”

“Feel? God, I would have burned the whole world down to be with him, and I thought…I thought he was right there with me.”