The Deal (Off-Campus, #1)(56)
“You passed?” I squeal.
He raises his exam booklet over his head like he’s acting out a scene from the Lion King. “A-f*cking-minus!”
I gasp. “Holy shit! Really?”
“Yup.”
Before I can blink, Garrett tugs me into his arms and hugs the breath out of my lungs. I throw my arms around his neck, then burst out laughing when he lifts me right off my feet and spins me around so many times I get dizzy.
Our exuberant display draws several curious stares, but I don’t care. Garrett’s joy is contagious. When he finally sets me down, I snatch the paper from his hand. After all those hours I invested in his tutoring, it kind of feels like this is my grade too, and my chest overflows with pride as I skim through his A-minus-worthy words.
“This is amazing,” I tell him. “Does that mean your GPA is back where it should be?”
“Damn right it is.”
“Good.” I narrow my eyes. “Now make sure it stays that way.”
“It will—if you promise to help me study for every quiz and outline every paper.”
“Hey, our arrangement is over, dude. I promise nothing. But…” As always, I capitulate in the presence of Garrett Graham. “I’ll help you maintain the grade as a token of my friendship, but only when I have the time.”
With a smile, he draws me in for another hug. “I couldn’t have done it without you, you know.” His voice has gone husky, and I feel his warm breath tickling my temple. He eases back, those magnetic gray eyes focusing on my face, and then his head dips slightly, and for one nerve-wracking second I think he might kiss me.
I abruptly step out of the embrace. “So I guess we are celebrating tonight,” I say lightly.
“You’re still coming, right?” There’s a chord of intensity in his voice now.
“Did I literally not just say that?” I grumble.
Relief flits through his expression. “Listen…I wanted to run something by you.”
I check my phone and realize there’s only three minutes before class starts again. “Can you do it later? I should go back in.”
“It’ll just take a minute.” His gaze locks with mine. “Do you trust me?”
Wariness ripples through me, but when I answer, it’s with unwavering certainty that startles me. “Of course I do.”
Gosh, I really do. Even though I’ve only known him for a short time, I trust this guy.
“I’m glad.” His voice thickens, and he clears his throat before continuing. “I want you to have a drink tonight.”
I stiffen. “What? Why?”
“Because I think it will be good for you.”
“So wait, that’s why you invited me to Dean’s thing tonight?” I say sarcastically. “To get me drunk?”
“No.” Garrett shakes his head, visibly frazzled. “To help you see that it’s okay to let down your guard sometimes. Look, I’m the DD tonight, but I’m offering to be more than just your driver. I’ll be your bodyguard, and your bartender, and most importantly, your friend. I promise to look out for you tonight, Wellsy.”
I am oddly touched by his speech. But it’s completely unwarranted.
“I’m not some alcoholic who has to drink, Garrett.”
“I don’t think that at all, dumbass. I just wanted to make sure you knew that if you decide to have a beer or two, you don’t have to worry. I’m on it.” He hesitates. “I know your friend had a bad experience with drinking in public, but I promise, I’d never let that happen to you.”
I wince when he says “your friend,” but luckily, I don’t think he notices. A part of me wishes I never fed him that old this happened to my friend excuse, but I can’t bring myself to regret it. Only my closest friends know about what happened to me, and yeah, I might trust Garrett, but I don’t feel comfortable telling him about the rape.
“So if you want to drink tonight, I promise nothing bad will happen to you.” He sounds so genuine that my heart squeezes with emotion. “Anyway, that’s all I wanted to say. Just…think about it, okay?”
My throat is so tight I can barely get a word out. “Okay.” I exhale a wobbly breath. “I’ll think about it.”
*
Garrett
Hockey players take up every inch of available space at Malone’s, a bar that doesn’t have much space to begin with. The place is so tiny that most of the time it’s standing room only.
Tonight there’s barely enough room to breathe, let alone stand.
The whole team has shown up for Dean’s birthday bash, and Mondays happen to be karaoke night at the bar, so the cramped room is loud as f*ck and jammed with bodies. On the plus side, none of us had to flash our fake IDs at the door.
I suddenly realize that in a few months, my fake ID will be useless. And once I turn twenty-one in January, I’ll be rewarded with more than just legal adult status—I’ll finally have access to the trust my grandparents left me, which means I’ll be one step closer to ridding myself of my old man.
Hannah walks in about twenty minutes after the guys and me. I didn’t pick her up because her rehearsal ran late and she insisted she was fine taking a cab. She’d also insisted on going back to her dorm first to shower and change, and when I lay eyes on her, I whole-heartedly support that decision. She looks f*cking gorgeous in her leggings, high-heeled boots and ribbed T-shirt. All black, of course, but as she gets closer, I’m on the lookout for her trademark flash of color—and I find it when she turns her head to greet Dean. A huge yellow hairclip with little blue stars holds her dark hair back. Half of it is still loose and frames her flushed face.