He was inwaytoo deep. “Hey, Coury, how’d it go?”
“You’re a fucking genius!” Coury said happily. “I feel like I aced it, which means I didn’t, but I’m sure I passed. Nothing looked unfamiliar.”
“Awesome.” It was. He’d spent too much time in his class worrying about Coury taking his test. “That’s great news.”
“Turn around?”
“Huh?” He spun and there across the courtyard was Coury, waving. Liam’s pulse jumped as Coury quick-walked to catch up to him, stuffing his phone in his pocket. “What are you doing here?”
Coury kept walking until he wrapped Liam in a wonderfully warm bear hug. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Liam murmured. Coury let go, and his smile sent a jolt through Liam.
“You’re amazing.” He bounced in front of Liam. “I mean it. You’re the best.”
Coury’s energy was infectious and Liam smiled through his embarrassment. “Give yourself the credit. You took the test.”
“I know, but I never felt so good after taking a test in my life.Youget to take credit for that part.” He raised his hand for a five, and Liam went with it. “And it must not have been easy because a lot of people grumbled as they left.”
“But not you?”
“Hell no. I finished with five minutes to spare and was itching to get out so I could call you.”
“And stalk me, too.”
“Whatever. There was no stalking involved. You told me you had English Lit.”
“Which is a ten-minute walk from the science hall.”
Coury looked busted. “Okay, so I might have run to get here before you left. But I’m ridiculously happy. I was stressing about this class before you agreed to help me. I owe you, Liam.”
“Nah, we’re good. I’m glad to help.”
Coury shook his head. “About tonight . . .”
Here was where he blew Liam off for something better. “What about it?”
“You weren’t that into the frat party, so how about we do something else?”
“Wait. You’d skip the party if I don’t want to go?” Liam hadn’t meant to sound so incredulous, but the idea Coury would skip a frat party for him was . . . incredible.
“Yeah, sure. I’m serious when I say I really appreciate this. Also . . .”
“Why am I scared?”
“Because you’re being silly. So there’s this thing tonight. I hadn’t even thought about going, but then you helped me pass this test and I thought . . .” He shrugged.
“What thing tonight?”
This was weird, even for Coury. What had him so rattled?
“Professor Glover, the guy who’s teaching the class this year, is giving a presentation tonight. Since I know you were bummed you didn’t get to take the class with him, I thought we could go to the lecture instead.”
He sounded so unsure Liam wanted to kiss the doubt away. He might have if he wasn’t so stunned. “You’re willing to give up your party for a lecture on paleontology?”
“Yeah, if you want to go.”
“Of course I want to go, but what about Friday Night Fun?”
