Blackbird (A Stepbrother Romance #1)(31)

“English. I want to teach. You?”

“Business,” I sighed.

“You don’t sound excited about it.”

“I’m not. I should be going now. Are you coming?”

“No,” she said, firmly. “I don’t do parties. Oh, that’s the other thing. No parties in our room, please. No drinking.”

“I’m not old enough to drink, and I don’t know anybody.”

She nodded, and seemed reassured. “Thank you.

True to her word, Jennifer climbed up on her bunk and remained in the room. Walking through that door was like passing through a brick wall. I had to force myself to take every step. I expected there to be a stream of students on the sidewalk.

There were a few, but no one seemed to be in any hurry to get to “the mixer”. There was some sort of a stage set up on the lawn in front of the college center and people appeared to be setting up a sound system. When they tested it with a burst of music, the speakers whined and popped. I felt a vibration through my feet. It turned into a sound, a throaty basso rumble that echoed off the brick buildings. As I turned to see where it was coming from, I let out a slow breath. Victor’s Pontiac came rumbling down the street. He pulled up behind me and motioned me over.

Against my better judgement, I walked over to the car. I looked around, hoping no one would see me talking to him.

“Hey” he almost shouted, his voice raised over the exhaust. “Need a ride?”

“I have to go to the freshman mixer.”

He laughed. “Are you serious? No, you don’t. Hop in. You eat dinner yet?”

“No, I thought there would be food at the mixer.”

“There’s food at McDonalds. Come on.”

I looked back over to the lawn and chewed my lip.

“You’re thinking about it. That means I’ve already won. I promise no one will even know if you’re there or not.”

“I can’t, Victor. I’m not supposed to even talk to you.”

He leaned out the window a little. “Come on.”

“Are you going to speed?”

“No way. I promise to obey all traffic controls and speed limits.” He raised his hand in an I-swear gesture.

I took a deep breath, then walked around and got in the car. True to his word, Victor rumbled gradually down the block, and took the turn slowly.

It was a bit quieter inside the car.

“What are you even doing here?”

“What? Oh, right, I’m a student here.”

“You?”

“I transferred.”

“What?”

He fished in his pocket and pulled out a student identification card just like mine, with his smiling face on it. I looked over at him and tugged on my seat belt. I noticed he wasn’t bothering to wear his.

“You should eat. You eat anything today?”

I shook my head.

“Okay, burger time, then.”

I tugged at my jeans, trying to gather the material in my hands. I ended up pitching forward with my arms folded over my chest.

He didn’t ask me any questions. I watched out the window as he drove. At the restaurant, Victor opened my door for me and took my hand to pull me to my feet. He made a show of it, flexing his muscles. I really didn’t need his help. He walked close beside me, opened the doors for me. I walked up to the counter with him.

I had no idea what to get. I’d never eaten at one of these before.

“Um,” I said. “I don’t know what to…”

Victor stepped up to the counter. “Two double quarter pounders with cheese, a quarter pounder with cheese, a large french fries, a strawberry milkshake,” he glanced at me, “and two large sodas.”

He paid, too, and carried the tray. I sat down at the table he chose and gingerly unwrapped my cheeseburger, feeling the grease on my fingers. I lifted the bun-lid and frowned at the gunk on top, took a napkin and swept it off.

“I didn’t know you like them plain. Sorry.”

“I’ve never had one.” I pointed at the pile of lettuce and tomato. “I just don’t want that.”

“Works for me,” he said, and did the same thing to his. He ate one of his sandwiches so fast it was almost unnerving to watch. I’d filled my cup with orange soda. I like oranges. It was so sweet.

He put the milk shake up in front of me. “This is for you.”

“It is?”

He gave me a look.

I shrugged and took a pull on the straw. It was too sweet, too.

The burger was better than I thought it would be. I like having a little of the… stuff on it. The milk shake wasn’t bad, either.

“You’ve seriously never eaten here before?”

“I’ve never had occasion to.”

“I mean at any of the chain stores.”

“Victor,” I said.

“Vic,” he corrected.

“Vic. What do you want from me?”

He gave me an enigmatic smile and a shrug. “You really don’t know, do you?”

Vic reached over and set his hand on mine.

I tensed.

“Oh. Oh.”

“You’re not good with signals, are you?”

I shook my head.

He sighed.