My heart was pounding now. “Peyton. Have you ever met this man in person?”
“Well, I will, silly. We’re going to live together.”
“Peyton—”
“And you’ll get to meet him too when you get back. Isn’t that great? He’s so wonderful, Zoe. You’re going to love him.”
I was pacing now, running my free hand through my hair. “Peyton, listen to me. This is a bad idea. You need to slow down. You need to find out more information before you?—”
“Oh, I know you’re probably worried because of how things went with Travis. And with that band I joined. But this is different. This is real. Michael is the one.”
“You’ve never met him in person,” I said again, trying to keep my voice calm even though panic was rising in my throat.
“Yet. But that’s all going to change in less than two weeks. I can’t wait!”
“Peyton—”
She wasn’t listening. She never listened when she got like this—so caught up in her own excitement that nothing else could penetrate.
I sat down heavily on the edge of my bed again. “I’m going to text you the name and number of my friend Mia. If you get into town and you need anything—anything at all—she’ll help you. Because remember, I’ll be three hours away.”
“Oh, that’s great! I’d love to meet Maya.”
“It’s Mia.
“Right, Maya. That’s so sweet of you to set that up.”
I closed my eyes. “Peyton. Please. Just think about this for a minute. This is all happening so fast, and you’ve never even?—”
“I know it’s fast. But when you know, you just know, you know? I’ll see you soon, and we’ll be students together. Won’t that be fun?”
“Peyton—”
“I’ve got to go. I’m meeting Mom for lunch, and I want to tell her the news too. Love you!”
The line went dead.
Love you too, I thought. Because I did. But that didn’t change what a disaster this was going to be.
But I had my own disaster to face—an internship I had no hope of passing, thanks to Mrs. Greer.
So I took a few deep breaths and then headed out to do my job. And to try not to think about all the ways this thing with Peyton could go horribly wrong.
27
KAI
Zoe was in the lobby,looking all crisp and professional—and nothing at all like the wanton young woman who’d asked us to teach her about sex. Her smile was polite but a little strained, because there was a man trying to put his arm around her. Not Landon. Not Asher. No, that fucking old dude, the creep who wouldn’t leave her alone and always stood too close.
My blood heated as I strode over to them. She shouldn’t have to put up with this crap. But there was a little voice in the back of my head telling me not to make a scene. Not to get her in trouble. That voice sounded a lot like my own, but I knew it wasn’t. It was Landon’s—the sensible twin. Sometimes I listened when he lectured me inside my head, and sometimes not.
Zoe didn't see me approach. She was still trying tobe polite to that old pervert. I didn't slow as I neared them. I clipped his shoulder and then reached out to grab his arm as if to steady him to keep him from falling. Then I ‘accidentally’ swung him around, so that I was standing next to Zoe and he was two feet away. "So sorry," I told him. “I wasn't looking where I was going.”
The old bastard looked confused. A second ago, he’d been leaning over Zoe, likely trying to look down her blouse. Now he was still standing far too close to a staff member—but it was me, not her.
I gave him a smile that was every bit as insincere as Zoe’s, though far less strained. “You’re Mr. Hartley, right? Are you enjoying your stay?”
His face cleared, and he seemed pleased that I knew his name. He’d probably be less pleased if he knew why I knew it.
