Tutoring the Player (Campus Wallflowers #1)(20)

I look at my cousin for another dose of encouragement. Instead, her gaze is stuck behind me, eyes wide. “You might have to face him a little sooner than that.”

“What?”

I swivel around and spot him as he reaches the top of the stairs. He’s alone, backpack over one shoulder, hat backward, Powerade in hand. He scans the second floor until he spots whoever he’s looking for and juts his chin.

I follow his trek to a table with three other guys, including Liam.

“Did you know Liam was here?” she asks.

“No.” My Liam senses are all out of whack. Stupid emails. Oh my god, did Liam see the pictures? I don’t know why it didn’t occur to me until now, but of course, Jordan would show him. I bet they had a good laugh. Oh man, I’m going to have to drop out of physics. Maybe out of Valley U completely.

“We should go.” I close my laptop and shove it into my bag.

“No. Running away is admitting you’re embarrassed.”

“I am.”

She doesn’t budge. “Plus, there’s a better chance of them seeing you if you get up and walk around.”

That keeps me planted in my seat. I take one last covert glance at their table. Liam sits forward, smiling and nodding. Jordan leans back with a pencil behind one ear, staring at his phone. His phone. Double groan.

I have never concentrated harder on being invisible. I hunch over my laptop and focus on American literature. Every noise, every shadow behind me, sets me on edge, but I don’t turn back around.

“Okay, they’re leaving,” Violet says sometime later.

I slink down farther in the chair.

“And they’re walking, walking, almost to the stairs,” Violet provides the play-by-play. “Oh, they’re stopping to talk to someone.”

“Guy or girl.”

“Girl. Pretty. Really pretty.”

Of course, she is.

“Okay. I think she’s moving along. They’re walking again.”

My heart is racing, and I want to look so bad.

“Oh.” Violet’s voice squeaks, and she looks down at the table. “I think you’ve been spotted.”

“What?!”

“Oh my god. Uhh… act natural.”

“Violet.” My blood turns to ice. “Please tell me they’re not coming over here.”

She keeps her lips closed as she mumbles, “Sorry. Can’t.”

“Daisy?” Liam’s voice comes from behind me.

I turn slowly, shooting Violet a panicked look before I do.

“Hi!” I fake surprise as I look from Liam to Jordan, then back at Liam. “What are you guys doing here?”

“Studying,” Liam responds for the both of them.

“Right.” Duh.

“We have a killer Geotech test this week.” His gaze moves past me to Violet.

I wave in her direction. “This is my cousin, Violet.”

Liam takes two steps forward and extends a hand. “Liam. Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.”

Her ability to play it cool is impressive. Then again, a year ago, she was partying with guys like Liam and Jordan.

“Liam and Jordan are my lab partners in physics.”

Jordan smiles and tips his head in greeting. “You must be the design major.”

“Yeah. That’s right.”

Oh, the mortification. My ears burn, and I’m certain my face is bright red.

“I saw some of your stuff. It’s good.” Jordan wears a smile that’s neither mocking nor fake.

“Fashion design, huh?” Liam asks. “What kind of stuff do you design?”

Jordan holds my gaze until I can’t take it anymore. He didn’t tell Liam. I’m both relieved and surprised.

“All kinds of stuff,” Violet says. “But dresses are my favorite.”

Liam’s phone lights up in his hand.

“That’s my mom,” he says, backing away. He looks at Jordan. “I’ll catch you back at the dorm.”

Jordan nods, and Liam waves at Violet and me. “Good to see you both.”

“Bye,” Violet and I say at the same time.

He hurries off, putting the phone to his ear as he reaches the stairs.

Jordan lingers, and when I turn my gaze back to him, he’s watching me.

“Looks like he’s in a better mood,” I say.

“The wins were good for him.”

“Yeah, it seems like it.”

Violet leans forward and points to an empty chair.

Shaking my head, I can’t get the words, I’m sure he has places to be, out of my mouth before he’s pulling out the chair and dropping his big, intimidating frame into it.

“Which was your favorite?” she asks.

“Uh…” He looks between us.

“She means the dresses,” I explain.

“Oh.” He grins. “They were all pretty awesome.”

Violet would never give up that easily. She keeps staring at him expectantly.

“The red one was my favorite.” He glances at me as he says it.

My stomach does a thousand somersaults. Rationally I tell myself it’s probably the only one he remembers, or he’s just guessing, but there’s something about the way he’s looking at me that makes my heart race.