Beg You to Trust Me (Lindon U #2)(44)

I deadpan. “Sometimes I wonder why I like you.”

She flips her short bob. “Because I’m awesome, especially compared to your other choices.”

Well…she’s not wrong. The curvy, boobalicious girl in front of me is full of confidence that I wish I had even a fraction of. “I lost it a while ago,” I go with, avoiding any kind of detail. “The person doesn’t matter.”

Blond hair.

Big hands.

I swallow down the last of my chocolate before wiping my hands off on a tissue from my bag. “Anyway, you ready to study?”

The abrupt end to the conversation has Olive looking disappointed. “Yeah, sure. Are you still going to see your family this weekend? I know you wanted to try cramming as much study time as possible before you leave.”

I can’t help but make a face when I nod.

It took one bad weekend where I thought Danny was going to ghost me after he drove me home to finally agree to fly to Cali for Serenity’s event. I think everyone was shocked when I’d texted them saying I got a plane ticket for Saturday morning. But what was I supposed to do? Staying in my room as I hide from Danny and what I assumed he thought of me didn’t sound like a fun option for weekend festivities.

I open my notebook. “I won’t have a lot of time to study when I’m home, so we should probably start.”

Thankfully, she let’s go of what we were talking about in a teasing tone. “Does this mean you don’t want to know how Alex managed to get my panties off in the first place?”

I roll my eyes and fight an amused smile from forming. “Like you said, I’ve seen what he looks like. I doubt it took much.”

She hums dreamily. “So true.”



I’m halfway to the Latte Lounge when a group of guys I recognize from the bonfire start laughing as they eye a couple girls waving at them in passing. One of the guys takes notice to the extra swivel in the dark-haired girl’s hips as she walks by, but one of his friends yanks the back of his shirt to stop him from following her like he obviously wants to.

I force myself to smile as I get nearer, remembering all the times that Mom told me my resting face was a scowl that I needed to fix before I scared everyone away.

I find myself forcing a tight-lipped smile as the men pass by me. My head tips in an awkward greeting at a couple of them who give me a fleeting look. Just as I turn to face forward, a body breaks from their group and steps directly in my path.

Jerking back on my heels, I glance up at the tallish boy with broad shoulders encased in a Lindon U black T-shirt who’s giving me a smile I’ve seen far too often around here.

Cocky.

“Hey.”

I don’t allow myself to look at him as I return a nervous, “Hi.” My eyes go around him for a split second before I clear my throat. “I’m late to something, so…”

“You’ve been hanging with Bridges, right?” he asks despite my obvious discomfort. Either he’s oblivious or doesn’t care.

I move to the side, so he’s not blocking me, but he shifts his feet to mimic the movement.

My breath shutters as fear prickles the back of my neck.

From behind me, someone says, “C’mon, Wallace. We’ve got to get to class.”

The guy—Wallace—waves the person talking off while eyeing me with something glimmering in his eye. “So go without me, Rigger. I’m trying to have a polite conversation with a pretty girl. I know where the building is.”

Taking a small step back, the tight smile on my face inches higher. Don’t let him see you’re afraid of him.

Brown eyes.

Not dark or light.

Plain.

And they shine with the same kind of certainty that his smile gives off. He’s not a bad looking guy, but I want nothing to do with him.

So, I say, “Yes, I know Danny.”

Those eyes light up. “Danny, huh?”

I bite the inside of my cheek and nod.

He cocks his head, letting his hair, a lighter brown that’s a few shades darker than my natural blonde, fall into his eyes. “I’ve seen you around. Wanted to say hi a few times but you’re always with other people.”

“Oh, well…” I shrug awkwardly, not knowing what to tell him. I take another step back and grip my backpack strap even tighter in my hand from where it’s draped on my shoulder.

“I’ve heard some buddies of yours say you like to have a good time. If that’s true, maybe we could—”

“There you are,” someone new says, dropping an arm around my shoulders.

It takes everything in me not to lock up, but I manage to loosen my stance when I take in the familiar cologne belonging to the witty football player I’ve been texting on and off with.

“Thanks for finding my girl, Wallace,” Danny tells the guy in front of us in a clipped tone. “I’ve been looking for her everywhere.”

Those two words echo in my head, but I press my lips together and don’t say anything.

My girl.

My girl.

My girl.

Wallace takes a few seconds of staring at Danny before he backs up and smirks. It’s a different kind of smile he gave me. This one is challenging. Amused.

When his gaze shifts between the two of us, he chuckles. “My bad, Danny.”