Linden: Rocking Pleasure: New Adult College Romance (Coral Gables Series Book 3)

by Taylor, Drucie Anne

  “I guess, but if he has a girlfriend, he’s off limits. I have principles. Plus, apparently he’s some kind of rock star, even though I never heard of his band before yesterday.”

  She smirks. “That’s because Downstair Alley is more of a boy band. They don’t play real rock, but stuff more like the Backstreet Boys, or Natural.”

  “No wonder I hadn’t heard of them.”

  “Of course not! So if you go out to dinner with him, nobody can say you’re just a groupie. There’s nothing wrong with it, if he really just wants to thank you for your help.”

  We keep walking through the store. “I guess not. But I don’t want his girlfriend to think he’s cheating on her. People like him are chased by paparazzi, and I don’t think they ever get a break. What do you think will happen when they see him with a woman who’s not his girlfriend? They would jump at the chance to be the first to publish a juicy story.”

  Hailey stops and stands in front of me. “What happened to the Thalia Leroux that called college a hotbed of sin and intended to finish it with as many misdemeanors as possible?”

  “Oh, her? She lay down on the highway a few months ago and let a Mack truck run over her.” I giggle.

  “Don’t quote The Simpsons to me, I want an honest answer.” She grins back at me.

  “Oh, I don’t know,” I answer, after I’ve stopped giggling. “I feel like a little bitch these days, because you’re all so happy now, while I’m still leading the party life. To be honest, I’ve been acting pretty slutty since we started college, and now I think I want to change that.”

  “You’re not acting slutty,” Hailey protests.

  “I’m not?”

  “No. Because if you were, then I was as well, and I don’t like to talk about myself as a slut. It’s that simple.” She laughs.

  “Now if that isn’t flawed logic…” I join her laughter.

  “No, I’m merely creative regarding our adventures,” she counters. “You want to get a cup of coffee?”

  “I gotta run after this,” I answer, feeling calmer now. “Have something I have to do.”

  “Oh, and what would that be?”

  “Linden wants me to come see him again because his brother and his fiancée want to meet me, too, you know, since I sort of saved his life.”

  “But Cami said he wasn’t injured that badly, was he?”

  “No. She’s right. And I don’t know why these people are making such a big deal out of it.” I paused. “You know what? I’m going to cancel via text, and then you and I can spend the rest of the day having fun. Okay?”

  “No! You going and you’re taking me.” Hailey grins.

  “Hailey,” I whine.

  “What? I want to see this guy, too, and then you won’t be on your own,” she says reasonably. “And then I could back you if you still want to reject him.”

  “Okay. Let me pay first, and then we can do it if you really want to.”

  “Did you drive?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Great. Logan dropped me off earlier, so I need to let him know he doesn’t have to pick me up.” She smiles.

  “You do that. I’ll pay for my stuff.” I’ll try the clothes on at home, and if they don’t fit, I’ll return them tomorrow. After a young woman checks me out and I’ve signed the receipt, I find Hailey again. “Did you reach Logan?” I ask her.

  “I did,” she says. “He’s going to meet Delsin and the others now, to enjoy some sunshine on the beach.”

  “I’d rather be there now, too,” I complain.

  “No, no, no. We’re going to the hospital, and I want to see you turn down Linden’s invitation again.” She giggles.

  We leave the store and head back to my car. “I shouldn’t even mention the invitation in front of his fiancée. I don’t want to be the cause of a fight or something.”

  “Well, I would want to know if Logan invited another woman to dinner, and maybe she knows already,” Hailey says with conviction.

  “Possible, but I wouldn’t want to risk it.”

  “Do you think he has his memory back?” she asks suddenly.

  My head spins from her sudden change of subject. “Uh, no idea. But frankly, I don’t give a damn.”

  When we reach my car and Hailey sinks into the passenger seat, she grabs the CDs that are lying on her side of the dashboard. I managed to find a spot in the shade, so I didn’t bother putting them away. After I throwing the bag with my new clothes in the trunk, I slide in behind the wheel.

  “Do you have a hair band with you that I could borrow?” I ask.

  “Sure.” She digs around in her handbag and then holds out a broad hair band.

  “Thank you.” I quickly wrap my hair into a loose bun, after putting the key in the ignition and pushing the button that opens the top.

  “Is he at the Jackson?” Hailey asks.

  “Yes. I didn’t know where else to take him, and it was on the way. Sort of, at least.” Once the top is down, and I start the engine as well as the radio. P.O.D blasts from the speakers as I leave the parking lot.

  “Oh, God. Your rock music is awful,” she complains and makes a face.

  I sigh. “We’re not going to listen to your hip-hop crap, Hailey.”

  “Mee-mee-mee,” she whines, making me smile in spite of myself.

  “If you start doing that Mozart serenade in your Muppet voice again, I swear I’m going to kick you out of the car.”

  “I dare you,” she challenges with a giggle.

  “I wouldn’t say that if I were you.” I step on the gas, wanting to put this last Linden Priest visit behind me as quickly as possible.

  “And if I were you, I would put on a little lip gloss,” Hailey says.

  “Why should I?” I ask with mounting irritation.

  “I don’t know. Maybe to show him what he can’t have?” she answers cheerfully.

  “No, thank you.” I grin and try to focus on the road ahead.

  “Whatever.”

  ***

  Ping. The doors of the elevator open, and the tiled hospital hallway stretches in front of us, smelling of disinfectant. “Go in and win,” I murmur.

  “Ding, ding, ding—round one,” Hailey jokes as we walk down the hallway.

  “That isn’t funny.” I grin.

  “Then why are you grinning?”

  “Because you’re making me,” I say, sticking my tongue out at her.

  “Oh, I see. But what’s so wrong with that?”

  “Could we maybe pull ourselves together now? This is his room.”

  “Okay. I’ll be on my best behavior. Promise,” she says, raising her fingers in a victory sign.

  I knock on the door and wait for an answer.

  “Come in,” a voice says, and we walk into the room.

  “Good afternoon,” I greet Linden, Alexis, and the young man who must be Jayden.

  “Hello, Thalia,” Linden says, showing me two rows of perfect teeth.

  “I brought a friend, we were out shopping together,” I explain. “This is Hailey Osment.”

  They all say hi and smile at her.

  “This is my brother, by the way. Jayden Priest,” Linden introduces the third guy.

  “Hello.” I nod at him.

  “You must be the lady who brought my brother here,” he says, taking a few steps toward me and pulling me into an embrace instead of just shaking my hand.

  I feel trapped, letting my arms dangle at my sides. “All right. I think that’s enough,” I groan, because he’s all but suffocating me in a bear hug.

  “Jayden, let go of her.” Linden laughs, and his brother complies.

  I rub the spot on my hip where he embraced me a little too hard, and then I look at Hailey, who’s standing against the wall with a wide grin on her face. “Okay, I guess we’ll be going.”

  She shakes her head.

  I frown at her, but she merely shrugs at me. I roll my eyes. Jesus, any more of this, and I’ll go insane.

  “Why don’t you sta
y?” Jayden suggest with a smirk. “Linden was just telling us how you rebuffed him.”

  “That was something.” Alexis chuckles.

  My eyebrows travel upward slowly. “Not really, and I already told Mr. Kingston that I can’t stay long.” I force a smile so they don’t think I’m a total bitch.

  “That’s a pity,” Linden gripes.

  “I’m sorry, Linden, but my world doesn’t revolve around you. I need to study and prepare for my exams.”

  “Oh, you’re a college student?” he asks, sounding genuinely interested.

  Hailey giggles. “You could also call her a lecture hall decoration, because she hardly ever does anything but sit around.”

  I throw her a scathing look over my shoulder before answering, “Architecture and engineering.”

  “Interesting,” Linden says, scratching his stubbly chin.

  “In any case, I really gotta go,” I declare. “I hope you’re as good as new in no time, Linden.”

  “Thalia?” he stops me, just as I turn away from him again.

  “Yes?”

  “Wouldn’t you consider having that dinner with me?”

  “Of course she would,” Hailey chirps, before I even have the chance to answer.

  “No, she wouldn’t,” I whisper.

  “Uh, what? Yes or no?” Linden asks.

  I exhale loudly. “Okay, fine. Call me when they let you out of here.” Whatever. I’ll spend this one evening with him, and I can leave whenever I feel uncomfortable, or bored, or cornered. And Cami still owes me one “no questions asked” card, which I intend to use for that dinner.

  “I’m looking forward to that.” He smiles at me.

  Can’t say that I am, my brain replies. “See you then,” my mouth says.

  Hailey grins at me as I shove her out of the room. “Ouch. Watch your step.” She giggles.

  “What was that all about?” I bark at her. “You knew I didn’t want to go out to dinner with him, yet you practically forced me to say yes!”

  “Don’t make it sound like such a big deal. What’s so wrong about a nice dinner?”

  “I didn’t want this!” I march off toward the elevators. Why does my best friend think double-crossing me is fun?

  “But why? What’s the worst that can happen? Nothing!” Hailey says, annoyed now, too. “All you’re going to do is have a nice evening, that’s it.”

  “Hailey, he’s engaged. I told you!” I hit the button for the elevator with more force than necessary and then cross my arms. I’m really angry… Or maybe disappointed. I don’t know.

  “I’m sorry. I thought you were just reluctant because of his girlfriend or whatever she is. But if this didn’t mean anything to him, why would he ask a second time?” She looks at me.

  I refuse to look back at her. With a snort, I step into the elevator and push the first-floor button. “How would I know? I still think it would have been better to decline.”

  “And I’m convinced that you’re going to be thankful for this later on,” she counters.

  “Bullshit.” I’m looking forward to dropping her off now, because I don’t want to fight with her, but I can’t believe she made me accept his invitation. That was dumb. Why does everyone treat me as if I can’t decide for myself what to do and what not to do? I love Hailey and Camille like sisters, but sometimes they interfere with my life in ways that overstep the line. Maybe I need to put a little more distance between us, or at least tell them more bluntly when they go too far.

  We step out of the elevator and trudge over to where my car is parked. I grumpily get behind the wheel, buckle up, start the engine, and wait for Hailey to fasten her seatbelt, too.

  “Are you mad at me?” she asks sheepishly.

  “Not at all,” I answer sarcastically, hitting the gas as soon as I hear her buckle click.

  “That means yes,” she states.

  “Hailey, I just think you were totally out of line interfering,” I explain, more calm now that she knows I’m angry with her. “Maybe you really think you’re doing me a favor, but I told you in the mall why I don’t want to go to dinner with him.”

  “I don’t understand why you’re so upset. It’s almost as if … ” She looks at me for a long moment. “Oh. My. God. You really like him!” she squeals.

  I make a face, because her squeal is so high-pitched that it sets my teeth on edge. “I do not like him,” I grumble. “He is nice, he is good-looking, his brain is mush due to his amnesia, and he is very friendly, but I definitely do not like him beyond any of that.”

  “With the way you react to anything remotely to do with him, that’s the only logical conclusion,” she says. “Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, by the way.”

  “I shouldn’t have brought you along,” I mumble, hoping she doesn’t hear it over the loud music. Most of the time it’s nice to have an empathic friend, but I’ve never seen her so enthusiastic about matchmaking before. For fuck’s sake, Hailey and I used to be sistas, the way Barney and Ted were bros in How I Met Your Mother! But when Logan entered the picture, it all changed completely. We no longer go out together, just the two of us. He’s always there, and I feel like the fifth wheel. And yet she doesn’t understand when I get grumpy about it. Cami and Delsin are a complete item, and so are Ave and Dale. I guess I should start going out with Theo. He and I could at least go man-hunting together.

  “I’m sorry, Thally,” Hailey says meekly.

  I feel my anger evaporate slowly. I don’t want to fight with her—it’s just not worth it. “It’s okay,” I say. “The deal is done.”

  ***

  I stop in front of her apartment after telling her I intend to play my “no questions asked” card with Cami, if I really go to that dinner after all. Hailey thinks I’m exaggerating what kind of deal the whole thing is, but I see my agreement with Cami as the only chance to get out of a boring evening without making a fool of myself.

  “Well, anyway. How about we meet before classes on Wednesday?” she suggests, finally dropping the subject of Linden Priest.

  “Sure. Around nine, with a coffee, by our palm tree,” I instruct. “It’s your turn to bring the coffee.”

  “I know. I’ll get it, don’t worry.” She smiles and hugs me goodbye. “See you on Wednesday.”

  “See you, Hailey.”

  She gets out, and I watch her walk along the driveway and into the house. Then I step on the gas again. My phone starts ringing a few moments later. A glance at the display tells me it’s Alexis Kingston again. I reject the call, because I’m really not in the mood for speaking to anyone that wants to lure me back into Linden’s presence.

  Come to think of it, he is getting annoying anyway. Who am I, the local tour guide? My ringtone ceases, only to start up again only two minutes later. With a deep sigh, I take the call this time.

  “Yes?” I snap.

  “Oh … Is this a bad time?” I hear Avery’s voice.

  Another sigh. “No. I’m sorry. I thought you were somebody else. My phone is annoying me right now.”

  “Is someone stalking you?” he asks, sounding a little alarmed.

  “I guess you could say that. What’s up?”

  “I wanted to ask what you’re doing this weekend. You know, that’s when they set up the real party,” he explains in a conspiratorial whisper, “and I’m supposed to make you come here without you knowing what you’re in for.”

  I smile to myself. “I have no plans for the weekend, but please tell me this party is going to be better than the last.”

  “I sure hope so. Cami and Dale are in charge of the planning. Delsin rented The Heat on behalf of your dad, since you’re now officially allowed in a club. And they also already invited a bunch of guests.”

  “Friday or Saturday?”

  “Saturday. Some of us have lectures until late afternoon on Friday, including myself.”

  “That sounds promising.” I’m happy they’re throwing a second party for me, but I don’t understand why. Everyone else
got their one surprise party, so why would I get two? I ask Ave that very thing.

  “I don’t know,” he says. “Cami didn’t manage to get enough people together last weekend, she said. She didn’t want you to remember your twenty-first birthday like that, because it was lame.”

  “Sounds a little fishy,” I voice my thoughts.

  “Honestly, I have no idea what’s behind this,” he says earnestly.

  “Okay, I won’t probe any further. One more thing though. It’s supposed to be a surprise?”

  “Yes, it is, so please pretend to be surprised when you enter the house,” Ave pleads.

  “OH MY GOD, YOU’RE TOTALLY INSANE!” I squeal loudly into the phone. “Like that?” I then ask in my normal voice.

  Ave lets out a gasp. “Perfect, because my ears are ringing. Where did you learn such acting skills?”

  “My dear friends in Austin were never any good at hiding stuff from me either, but I learned not to disappoint them by pretending I didn’t expect their surprises AT ALL!” At the end of my sentence, I break into that high-pitched enthusiasm again.

  “Wonderful, but also awful,” Ave says.

  “I know. I also don’t want to wake the slumbering monster in Cami.” I giggle. “The way she’s acting right now, you’d think she’s suffering from permanent PMS, don’t you think?”

  “I said something similar the other day, but don’t let her hear that.” Ave laughs.

  “Anything else you wanted to talk about besides the surprise party?”

  “Nope. That’s all for today. Wednesday morning by the palm tree?” he asks.

  “Yep. It’s your turn to bring muffins,” I remind him.

  We all take turns bringing coffee and breakfast because most of us like to sleep in and don’t have enough time to have breakfast at home. I’m one of the late sleepers, and so are Hailey, Ave, and Dahlia. Only, recently, my reasons for sleeping in have had nothing to do with late-night sex.

  “All right. See you on Wednesday,” Ave says.

  “See you.”

  Ave hangs up as I reach my apartment, and I park, close the top, and take my phone from the dashboard holder. It starts ringing again. A glance at the display tells me that this time it’s Colton.

  My cheerful mood, restored by Avery’s call just a minute ago, is immediately shattered and crushed.