Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 96933 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96933 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
Tonight, his attire is more casual. A simple black T-shirt that hugs his chest and biceps along with dark wash jeans. The glasses are conspicuously absent, and his hair is more disheveled than I’m used to seeing. Before, I’d thought he was somewhere in his late thirties. Maybe even early forties. Dressed like this, he looks to be more in his late twenties or early thirties.
My phone dings, knocking me out of my silent perusal. I blink back to the present, a little embarrassed that I’ve spent so much time examining him and dig through my small cross body purse. Once I find the slim device, I pull it out and stare at the screen.
The message is from Carson.
Where are u? U ok?
My heart skips a painful beat as my brows slam together.
You know what?
Screw him.
Not bothering to reply, I return the phone to my purse and glance at Dr. Holloway, only to find him watching me with a curious gaze.
“Was that your boyfriend?”
I shake my head before breaking eye contact. It’s much easier to have this conversation while staring out the windshield. “No, just a friend. Actually, he’s my brother’s friend.” I have no idea why I blurt out the last part, but it’s the truth, right?
At the end of the day, that’s all Carson is to me.
Brayden’s friend and teammate.
“Are you sure there’s nothing you want to talk about? You might not realize this, but I’m a really good listener if you’re in need of one.”
My shoulders droop as I force a thin smile to my lips. “Thanks, but I really don’t.”
Honestly, it’s a little surreal to be sitting in his car. We’ve never had any conversations that went beyond statistics or spoken two words to each other outside of the lecture hall. In a way, it almost feels like when you were a kid and you’d run into your teacher at the grocery store or a restaurant. It always blew my mind that they existed outside of the school building, let alone had an actual life with kids and a family.
“Just know I’m always available if you want to talk or vent, okay?”
“Yeah, thanks.” Even though I appreciate the offer, there’s no way in hell I’m taking him up on it.
The breath rushes from my lungs in relief when the sixteen-story dorm comes into view. A minute later, he’s pulling up to the curb in front of the building and shifting into park. My fingers snake around the handle, ready to leap out of the vehicle and put the entire night behind me. I don’t want to think about it ever again. And I certainly don’t want to run into Carson on campus anytime soon.
Is it possible to avoid him until he graduates in the spring?
That’s what I’m shooting for.
“Thanks again for the ride.”
His lips quirk. “It wasn’t a problem, Elle. I’ll see you in class on Monday.”
I nod and jerk the handle before slipping from what I now realize is a high-end BMW.
As I stand on the sidewalk alongside his car, our gazes stay locked. A strange energy passes between us, and I have to resist the urge to tug at my shorts before turning away and quickening my step to the building. It’s only when I’ve slipped through the glass door that he pulls away. The red taillights fade into the night before finally disappearing into the darkness.
Chapter Eight
Carson
It’s been more than forty-five minutes since Elle disappeared from the bedroom, and I’ve scoured this party at least a dozen times trying to locate her. It’s like the moment she stepped out of the room, she disappeared into thin air. Every minute that ticks by has the lump sitting at the bottom of my gut expanding in size until I feel nauseous.
I know who her friends are, but there’s no way I’ll recognize them in costumes. I keep glancing at my phone, hoping she’ll respond to my text. Even if it’s one telling me to go to hell. At least I’d know she was safe. Instead, there’s been nothing but stereo silence from her end.
It's driving me crazy.
Even though I don’t want to do it, I finally bite the bullet and ask Brayden.
“Hey, have you seen your sister around?”
He scowls, which is his usual response when discussing his sibling in a party situation. After more than a year of attending the same school, that hasn’t changed. “No, I didn’t realize she was here.” His brows slam together as he cranes his neck and searches the sea of bodies. Although, it’s still a madhouse. “I really fucking hate when we end up at the same place.”
Shifting his stance, he pulls out his phone from his back pocket and taps the screen a couple of times. A few seconds tick by before he shoots me a confused expression. “What are you talking about? She’s at the dorm.”