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Du my food, I headed out the entrance we ca the side where I’d seen Erik and Debbie Thick, o, but it hadn’t started yet

A knot had crawled into my throat as I stepped onto the sidewalk Jacob hadn’t ot that, but the truth in his words still stung It was more than just the embarrassain Except he kept popping up like a damn cold sore If I could have my time with him scrubbed from my memory, I would

Maybe you’re not quite over what he did, whispered a snotty, annoying inner voice that I immediately told to shut up

"Tess"

Halfway up the hill, I stopped and turned asit did every tiood two hours with him, or the fact that my less than perfect past had just exploded all over our lunch table I was hopeless

There was a slight s my arm, he steeredcrowd Co

"You ran off quickly," he said "I didn’t get a chance to ask you so ainst my skin "What?"

Jase looked at , and like I hadn’t just run off with s Instead, he sers around ht now and saw this

"What are you doing after class tomorrow?" he asked

My eyes widened and holy moly, it was like a million run-­on sentences invaded my brain all at once Was he? Did he? Is he? I had to literally stop and force et out of class at one, but I don’t have anything planned"

"Good"

I waited for more of an explanation, but there wasn’t one "Good?"

"Yep" He stepped in, so close his shoes brushed my toes "Because you have plans now"

Chapter Six

Calla stood in the doorway, holding a Twizzler "So you have no idea what you’re doing today?"

"No" I tugged on the hem of my tank top "All Jase said was to dress to be outside This is good enough, right?"

Her gaze swept over my jeans and sneakers "It’s still a little warazed longingly at the tiny closet and the pair of lonely shorts that resided in there, but I really didn’t want to spend whatever ere doing worrying about hi at my scar Not that I should care about that, but I obviously did And it wasn’t that waro "I’ll keep the jeans"

She studied ers "It’s not that noticeable, you know Just saying Anyway," she went on before I could say a word, "where’s Debbie?"

I glanced at the empty, unslept-­in in bed "I don’t know" I hadn’t seen her since sometime yesterday, and she’d only been in the roo off

"And your suiteaze from the bed "I have yet to see the around She crept toward their door "I want to knock"

"Don’t!"

"But--­"

My phone chirped andit off the bed, I quickly read the rinned "Oh! Let’s go then"

Grabbinghie We headed out of the suite and past the open doors to rooms where ­people obviously had normal suite­mates

"So this is a date?" Calla asked as she went for the elevator, forcing ht?"

"No"

She arched a brow at me as the doors slid shut "I think he likes you"

For a ht be a date and that he le bubbled its way upI shook my head "I’ve told you I’ve known him for a while He’s best friends with--­"

"Cam," she interrupted "I know But he’s not with Ca you out on this little outing because of your brother"

I openedthis because of his friendship with ht What if that was the reason? I placed a hand against my belly I didn’t want his pity or whatever Worse yet, what if he was doing this because he thought of me as a sister?

Well, I could probably rule out the sister thing

"Ah, the look on your face is kind of scary"

I worked at relaxing hed as the elevator stopped and the doors eased open "Better"

"Really?" When she nodded, I sh my hair and then dropped my arms as we stepped out The lobby was crowded Half of the ­people were sprawled across the couches and chairs I stopped at the door, spying his Jeep idling in the no parking zone

"Can I tell you so?" she asked as we stepped outside

My heart was already pounding "Sure"

A slow grin stretched across her pretty face, di the faint line of the scar "I just have to say this, okay? That boy"

"What?" I asked, stopping a few feet froer than Jase, like s I didn’t Not that it inning to sound like a broken record

Calla sighed as she started to back away fro unbelievably hot That is all"