Thin Love (Thin Love, #1)(10)

That morning, she’d forgotten her umbrella, something she knew better than to do. No kid raised in Louisiana should ever be without their umbrella during hurricane season and she was thinking of making a dash through the torrential weather, possibly hide out in the library just across the street when she heard someone behind her whistle. It was an sloppy rendition of “Hypnotize” by The Notorious B.I.G., and the way the guy’s whistle was a beat too quick only made Keira’s already gray mood darken.

“You could probably make it across the street,” the guy behind her said, “but you’re gonna get soaked.”

She hadn’t mentally prepared to see him yet. The hours between now and their planned meeting would have given her time enough to calm her frayed nerves. But there Kona was, leaning next to her on the window, backpack thrown over one shoulder and a ridiculous smile on his face.

“What do you want?” She didn’t care that she sounded angry. She didn’t care that Kona’s smile faltered or that his eyes slipped nearly closed at her attitude.

Again he whistled, but this time it wasn’t a song. He was mocking her. “Are you always so bitchy?”

“No.” She turned back, eyes drifting up the stairs to glare at Professor Alana’s door. “That witch pissed me off.”

Kona turned, gaze shooting up in the direction of Alana’s office. “She does that.” The grin returned and he shrugged.

Keira ignored him for a moment, directing her attention back to the clouds outside, to the way sheets of water were now flooding the sidewalk. “She doesn’t like me for some ungodly reason. I can’t get her to give me an extension on my assignment.”

“She won’t do that. She isn’t into tardiness. She’s kind of a Nazi about it.”

“You had her before?”

“No, thank God.”

“Then how do you know?”

That grin was dangerous now, stretching so wide that the deep, deep dimples in his cheeks were the only things she noticed on his tan face. “She’s my mom.”

“Oh.” Keira saw the blush on her face in the window and she tried to make her voice softer, to par back her harsh tone. “I… I didn’t know. Sorry I called her a witch.”

With that, Kona laughed, two small chuckles before he followed Keira’s gaze and stared out of the window, watching the stream of rain as it slid against the glass. “Don’t be. She is a witch. She’s tough, but she’s good. And she’s always right.”

It didn’t seem logical to her. How could Alana have a son who was so flippant about his classes? She didn’t seem like the type of woman who tolerated anything but perfection. So where had she failed Kona? “You know, that doesn’t make any sense.”

“What doesn’t?”

Keira let her eyes inch to the side, then right into Kona’s gaze. “You being her son. I’d think her son wouldn’t be such a slacker.”

He exhaled, pulled his backpack further up his shoulder as though he was tired of hearing that insult. “I’m not. Not really. And you really need to let that shit go. I forgot about our meeting. I didn’t do it on purpose. Practice ran over.”

Excuses. Keira hated them and she wasn’t surprised that Kona had one readily available. “Whatever. Are you going to make it tonight?”

“I’ll be there.” She couldn’t see her own expression in the window, but she knew something in it told Kona that she didn’t believe him. When she frowned at him, he rolled his eyes. “Jesus, I’ll be there. Don’t worry.”

Keira was done listening to him. Kona Hale was an obnoxious jackass and she had no idea why he was standing next to her a little too close, smelling too good. Head against the cool glass, Keira closed her eyes. If she concentrated, wished hard enough, maybe she’d open her eyes and he’d be gone. Maybe she would. “Positive projection,” Leann had told her, would manifest whatever she wanted. Right then, with Kona Hale’s thick, distracting scent fanning down against her, Keira decided to let the day go. There were no bitchy professors being unreasonable. There were no drenching rainstorms for idiots who forgot their umbrellas. There was no slacker football player waiting for her to blush, to stick her foot in her mouth so he could leap in with an insult or a dismissive excuse why he couldn’t help with their project.

One calm breath and her gaze went to him. Disappointed that Leanna’s new age juju hadn’t worked, Keira moved through the lobby door. Outside, she leaned against the brick surface of the building just under the wide alcove, debating how quickly she’d have to run to get across the street. Kona slid next to her, his elbow bumping against her arm. She couldn’t help the frown. One seemed to always be on her face.

“What do you want?”

“God, you’re the most uptight person I’ve ever met.”

“We haven’t met, not really.” Then, she decided to be smug, see how his ego would deflate if she embarrassed him. “Oh wait. We have. I seem to recall you in the locker room getting serviced.”

For a moment, Kona looked at her as though she was speaking Klingon, but that confused low squint stilled, and then laughter bubbled from his chest. “Oh shit.” He grabbed his stomach, bending over. “Oh, man. That was you?” His humor was annoying and he still had zero shame. “Damn. I’m sorry,” he said, smile widening as she shook her head at him.