The Hazards of Sex on the Beach(13)

Professor Grayson laughed. "Believe it or not, I was young once. I'm  happy to listen if you need to talk. My office hours are for more than  discussing literature."

I laughed. This was only the professor's second year on faculty. He was  in his early thirties. "All right, I'll keep it in mind."

"Good. And I am glad to see you connecting with the subject matter. Maybe you can use Zora for your term paper."

"Oh. That's a great idea. Maybe I'll come by your office hours next week to discuss it."

"All right. Have a good weekend."

I headed to the door.

"But, Cara?"

I turned back.

"Don't let boy troubles get in the way of your life. No guy's worth it at your age."

I laughed. "I'll keep that in mind."

Kyle was waiting for me outside. "What was that about?"

"Just Grayson worrying about me."

"That was quite the show today." He adjusted the straps of his backpack.

"Yeah. I guess I got my claws out."

He laughed. "How are you doing? I heard about you and Aaron."

"Oh. News spreads fast."

"A few guys in my house were pretty happy about it." He smiled lightly.

"Oh, really?" I tried to be polite, but I wasn't interested in dating  anyone else on campus. I had no idea where things were going with Chase,  but getting back into the Greek dating scene sounded horrible.

"How's Juliet doing? I haven't seen her around much." Kyle had a major  crush on Juliet growing up, but she dated his brother and it hadn't gone  well. I'd accepted that Kyle wasn't the jerk his brother was. We were  both English majors, so we inevitably had a few classes together each  semester, and we'd fallen into a loose idea of friendship.

"She's doing really well. Still with Reed, still working at Al's."

"Nice. Dylan asked about her over the holidays. I think he's starting to understand what an ass he was to her."

I rolled my eyes. "Took him long enough."

"Yeah. It did. Hopefully it won't take Aaron as long."

"Either way, I'm not dating him again."

"Yeah, I get that." He turned toward me. "Don't read this the wrong way,  but is there any chance you'd go to a party with me next weekend?"

"How would I read it the wrong way?"

"I don't want you to think I'm being a jerk trying to ask you out right  after a breakup. Even though I guess I am, but it's just as friends."

"In other words, you need a date and want to know if I'm available?"

"Yeah. Are you? I just broke up with that girl I was dating, Abby, and  she's already with one of my brothers. I'm pissed at them both, but what  can you do? Showing up with a date like you would make it a lot  easier."

"Because I completely understand how you're feeling, I'll go as friends. Is there a theme?"

"It's Country Western themed."

I laughed. "Nice. Text me all the details."

"Great. Thanks a bunch."





Chapter Seven


"Spill, now!" Juliet didn't even let me get into my seat at the student  center before starting in. "We've been going crazy waiting to hear from  you."

We'd had a standing lunch date at the student center for well over a  year, so I didn't consider skipping, but I hadn't fully prepared myself  for that welcome.

"Can't I at least eat lunch first?" I eyed my chef salad longingly. My  cereal bar had worn off hours before, and I'm convinced anger makes you  burn calories faster than usual.         

     



 

Mallory slipped into the seat next to me. "If it was one of us who  stayed out all night after leaving a cryptic message, would you let us  eat?"

"Fair enough. Jade took me to a show and it turned out Chase was the lead singer."

"How is that possible? Isn't that a really big coincidence?" Juliet asked.

"It's pretty crazy. I guess up until recently, they were an indie band,  whatever that means exactly, but they've definitely got fans and they're  on some big tour right now."

Mal laughed. "Cara dating an indie musician. Are there pigs flying too?"

"I didn't say I was dating him exactly … ." It was more like sex and conversation.

"But you spent the night with him." Mallory eyed me warily. "That has to mean something."

"It means I'm incredibly attracted to him and wish he actually lived in  Charleston." I couldn't keep stuff from my friends. It's like being  around them meant I'd flipped on the ‘way too honest' switch.

"Was it good this time?"

"Which time?" I grinned.

Juliet laughed. "Oh boy, quite a night, huh?"

"The best." I opened the plastic lid to my salad.

"How did you leave it? Please tell me you exchanged numbers." Mallory sipped her water.

"He said he'd call tonight to let me know he made it to Charlotte."

"Aww." They both made identical sounds.

"When's he coming back? We have to meet him." Juliet unwrapped her sandwich.

"In March. At least that's what he said."

"This is awesome. See, things do work out." Mallory grinned.

"But I did have a run in this morning."

"Oh no. What did Aaron do?" Juliet pushed away her uneaten sandwich.

"He got angry at me for skipping the mixer and staying out. He told me I'd be back because I needed him."

"That ass." Mallory shook her head. "He was sulking around the party and then just left."

"I can't believe he actually thought I'd just forget about it and go back to him."

"I can't believe he's Reed's best friend." Juliet leaned back in her chair.

"I really don't want to mess things up for you. Please, just stay out of  it." The last thing I wanted to do was destroy her relationship with  Reed.

"Like that's going to happen. I'll talk to Reed." She set her jaw, and I knew she was already planning her tirade.

"No." I looked her straight in the eye. "Don't get Reed involved. He said he wouldn't wait forever, so he'll get tired of it."

"Are you sure?" Mallory asked. "Colton's not that close to him, but he could help too."

"I appreciate it, both of you, but I want to handle this myself." There was no reason to pull anyone else into this mess.

"If you say so." Juliet didn't sound convinced.

"I do. And I have another random piece of news to share."

"Oh yeah?"

"I told Kyle Bradley I'd go as a friend to his date party next weekend."

"Wait, seriously?" Juliet asked. "He asked you?"

"He got dumped and the girl's already dating another brother. I'm single now, so I can help."

"Is it at their house?"

"Uh huh. I haven't been back there since right after Rush last year."

"At least Dylan's not around."

"Supposedly, Dylan's admitting he screwed up now." I took a bite of my salad.

"Oh yeah? I'm sure he's completely reformed." Mallory picked at her  salad. It was a Caesar and she was carefully avoiding the croutons. It  wasn't a health thing, Mallory just couldn't stand them.

"Think he's better in bed now?" I dared to ask the question.

Juliet spit out her water. "For his future wife's sake, I hope so."

"Not every guy gets married." No matter what Riley said, I was sure Chase wasn't a settle down kind of guy.

I heard my phone vibrating in my bag and pulled it out to find a text from Chase.

Would it be incredibly corny for me to say I missed you already?

I knew my friends were probably staring at the grin spreading across my face. I quickly wrote back. Not corny, just weird sexy.

"You had better not be sexting over there." Mallory laughed.

"Nope. Just making fun of him."

"Let me see." Mallory grabbed my phone just as he replied. Weird sexy is still sexy.

She raised an eyebrow. "Do I want to ask what that's about?"         

     



 

"Nope."

"Weird sexy? Is he kind of dorky or something?" she asked.

"Not at all. It's hard to explain."

"Look at that smile on her face." Juliet grinned. "I like this guy already."

"Yeah, I do too." I finished half my salad before closing it and  grabbing my tote bag. "I need to pick something up at the bookstore, so  I'll see you guys at the house."

"Okay …  but you better not be running off to have phone sex." Juliet laughed.

"Ugh. Never."

"Never say never." She leaned across the table. "I learned that the hard way this summer."

"Too much info, love." I stood and waved before heading outside. I loved  my friends, but I was going to have to make sure they didn't get too  excited about Chase. After all, who knew if they'd ever meet him?

I pushed off Chase thoughts and headed to the bookstore. My love life  may have been out of control, but I was going to make sure to keep on  top of my classes.

***



My afternoon class was far less eventful than the morning one. It was a  lecture on basic supply and demand economic principles, and I just made  sure to take good notes. I had dinner at the house and watched a movie  with some of the girls. I followed that up with something I never did. I  actually did some school work on a Friday night. I'd just finished my  reading for the night when my phone rang.