by Lib Starling
The whole afternoon, Darien had put Roxy completely at ease, and she could scarcely remember when she’d had such a good time with a friend. Even with Brooke, Roxy occasionally felt uncomfortable and inadequate, afraid that Brooke might be silently comparing them in looks and appeal. That was just the way it was with girlfriends – there was always the smallest hint of competition, of conflict, even between the best of friends. But when it came to friendship, Roxy was learning, guys were different animals. When there was no danger of sexual tension – or of the set-up for a hurtful prank – boys were a pure delight to spend time with.
But in spite of her comfort with Darien, his question about Hanover sparked a sudden rush of nerves. Roxy fidgeted on the bench. If anybody else had asked, she would have been fine with telling them the truth: I left Hanover because it was full of awful, mean-spirited, horrible frat boys. And honestly, I couldn’t get away from those jackasses fast enough. But Darien was a frat boy himself, and the last thing Roxy wanted now was to spoil their friendship by insulting him.
“Uh….” She groped for some likely excuse that wouldn’t offend Darien. As her mind worked at a frantic pace, discarding reasons as quickly as she invented them, she reached unconsciously for her necklace and fiddled with the little coin-shaped medallion. In the dappled sun and shade of the park, the medallion caught a spark of light; its glimmer reflected in Darien’s soft brown eyes.
“What’s that?” he asked, leaning toward the necklace with a look of sudden intensity.
Saved. Roxy swallowed a sigh of relief. She held the medallion still so Darien could examine it. “It’s just a necklace my mom gave me when I was a kid. I wear it all the time now; I know it’s not very fancy, but it’s extra-special to me since she passed away.”
“Your mom died? Oh my God, Rox, I’m so sorry.”
She shrugged as if it was nothing, even though her mother had been her best, and sometimes only, friend. “It’s okay. She had a lot of health issues, so it wasn’t unexpected.”
“She must have been young.”
“She would have been forty-six this November. It was two years ago, that she… died.”
“What about your dad? Is he still in Hanover?”
Roxy blushed. “I actually don’t know my dad.”
Darien’s face went pale with chagrin. “Listen to me, asking all the most inappropriate questions. Feel free to smack me at any time.”
“I don’t mind, honestly.” She laughed. “I’ve never known my dad. I was never really curious about him while I was growing up. My mom did such a great job raising me that I never felt like anything was missing in my life, and he never sought me out, either. I was fine with that. Mom was my whole world when I was little, and she was all the world I needed.”
“That’s sweet.” He looked at the necklace again, studying its faint etching of a primitive, sharp-nosed animal face encircled by a twisting vine.
Roxy had never been able to decide whether the animal was a badger, a fox, a wolf… or something else entirely. She’d often asked her mother what sort of creature was on the necklace, but Mom had only smiled and said, “Someday you’ll know what it is, kiddo.” She’d pondered it for years, but Roxy still wasn’t sure what the animal face was supposed to represent. She often studied it during her worst times, when sadness and confusion overtook her. Its mystery distracted her from her troubles while its familiarity – and the reminder of her mother’s love – soothed her.
Darien’s eyes narrowed as he examined the medallion. His look of sudden suspicion made Roxy’s skin crawl, and she tucked the necklace back into her collar before he could ask more questions.
A howl cut across the town square, accompanied by a smattering of laughter. Roxy and Darien looked up; three guys were heading straight for them, and each one moved with a cocky swagger that identified them as Blackmeade students.
“Dari-EN,” said one. He held out a hand; Darien scowled at it a moment before giving the man a sullen low-five. He was as broad-shouldered as a bull, and his dark curls rumpled as he swung his head to regard Roxy. “Are you turning over a new leaf, buddy?”
“No,” Darien said defensively. “We’re just hanging out. What do you want, Jared?”
Curly-haired Jared loomed over Roxy. He was towering, staring down at her where she sat on the bench, and Roxy felt helpless and small. Jared’s eyes traveled over her face, then her breasts, with proprietary deliberation. Her discomfiture seemed to amuse him; he smirked as Roxy shrank against the seat’s back.
“And how did you find this, Darien?”
Jared might have inspired in Roxy a series of stomach-turning Hanover flashbacks, but she wouldn’t stand for anybody treating her like an object, no matter how nervous she was. “I can speak for myself, asshole,” she said, glaring straight into Jared’s rather small, black eyes.
Jared’s two companions oohed like a couple of middle-schoolers itching for a good schoolyard rumble.
“We met at the Alpha House party two nights ago,” Roxy went on, “not that it’s any of your business.”
“Alpha House, huh?” Jared’s smile was mocking and slow. “I bet the Snow Queen claimed you already, didn’t he?”
“Who?”
“Alexander Kane.”
Roxy snorted in derision. “I’m not interested in Alexander.”
That wasn’t exactly true – Alexander was undeniably a beautiful man, and Roxy was, after all, only human. Anybody would find his looks entrancing, and Roxy still remembered the hot shiver that had raced along her veins when Alexander had spoken her name. But after the way he had acted at the party…
“Oh, really,” Jared said. He moved a little closer; by now his legs were almost touching Roxy’s knees. She couldn’t have stood up without bumping into him, even if her legs hadn’t gone as weak as water. “Smart move. Alexander doesn’t have much to offer a girl like you, anyway.”
“And I suppose you do?”
Jared grabbed his crotch, which by now was practically in Roxy’s face. “I can show you, if you want.”
Darien was on his feet in a heartbeat, pushing Jared away. “That’s enough.”
“Darien’s jealous,” one of the others called, his words drawing out into crude laughter. “He wants Jared’s co-haaah-haaaahck!”
“Get out of here,” Darien warned, “and take your dipshit friends with you.”
“Why should I?”
“Because I’m bigger than you, for one thing. And for another, she might not want Alexander, but he certainly wants her. And you remember what happened the last time you Sigma pricks tangled with Alpha House.”
Jared stared hard at Darien a moment longer. Then he turned a dark gaze, full of bitter promise, on Roxy. It was all she could do to stop herself from shivering.
Then, as Roxy released a tiny sigh of relief, Jared and his two friends were gone, striding away across the town square, never once looking back.
Darien settled back onto the bench with a disgusted sound. “I’m sorry about that.”
“It’s okay… I think. Thanks for sticking up for me. Again.”
“Of course. That’s what friends are for.”
“Who were those assholes?”
“Just a few dirtbags from Sigma Zeta.”
“Another Blackmeade fraternity, I take it.”
“Yep.” Darien compressed his lips a moment, staring after the Sigmas’ retreating backs. “They’ve had a nasty rivalry with Alpha House for years.”
“That would explain why I don’t remember those three from the party. Not invited, I take it.”
“No way. Alexander hates Jared – he’s the frat leader – and the Sigmas have made it their mission to torment Alexander any way they can. Mostly he doesn’t rise to the bait – he’s too suave to get riled by that sort of thing. But they just keep on trying. You can count on morons to keep up the same behavior even when it’s not getting any results.”
Roxy wrapped her arms around herself. Now that Jared and his friends ha
d gone, the rush of adrenaline that had given her the guts to defend herself was wearing off, and she felt quivery and cold.
Darien eyed her a moment, then stood abruptly. “Let’s get you home.”
“I don’t live too far – just a few blocks down that street.”
“I’ll walk you to your door.”
She wanted to tell him no – he’d already done so much for her, and she didn’t want to inconvenience him. But she glanced again toward the antler arch where Jared and his friends had disappeared. “Okay,” Roxy said.
She felt better as they put more distance between themselves and the town square. Soon she and Darien were chatting again, the confrontation with Jared mostly forgotten.
“So is it true,” Darien prompted with a teasing grin, “that you wouldn’t hook up with Alexander?”
Roxy laughed. She walked on a few paces without answering, considering the question. Finally she said, “I think so.”
“You think so?”
“I mean… he’s hot. Really hot.”
Darien nodded his agreement.
“But I really don’t like the way he acted at the party. Going after Jack that way – it was just too much, you know?”
“Alexander has this air of… power,” Darien said.
“I noticed.”
“That doesn’t intrigue you? Even a little?”
“Well, sure… I guess. But I think, since I’m really not your type…” they both smiled at that, “I think Chase is more my kind of guy.” I can’t believe I just admitted that, she thought in utter mortification. Her face burned with shock at her own forwardness.
“Chase,” Darien almost shouted. “Wow.”
“What? Don’t tell me he’s gay, too.”
“And break your heart? Never, honey. It’s just that, everybody in Alpha House is so used to Alexander getting all the girls – Alexander gets everything. That feeling of power he has, you know – all the opportunities just seem to land naturally in his lap. And I can’t think of anybody in the world who’s more perfectly opposite to Alexander than Chase.”
“Really?” Roxy wasn’t so sure about that. She had sensed in Chase a potency and force nearly as great as Alexander’s own. But Chase had been so much more polite, so thoughtful… while Alexander had wielded that natural charisma like a tool. Or a weapon.
They were nearly at the little blue house Roxy rented with Scarlett and Brooke. She slowed her steps, hoping to hear more about Chase, and Darien seemed to pick up on her desire.
“Listen,” he said, “let me give you some advice about Chase. He’s not so much the frat-boy type. Get to know him outside of Alpha House if you can – then you’ll see the real Chase. He’s a very different man when he’s not around Alexander.”
“Does he ever leave the campus? Brooke said you Blackmeade boys mostly keep to yourselves.”
“Chase is pretty aloof, it’s true. But I’ll see if I can convince him to get out on his own more often. The rest will be up to you.”
They said their good-byes, and Roxy stood on the porch step, watching Darien saunter back up the block toward the town square. Darien’s words kept repeating in her head: he’s not so much the frat-boy type. Had she found a guy who was nothing like the swaggering, privileged jerks of Hanover – nothing like Jared and his friends?
If only she could find some opportunity to get to know Chase off-campus. Then she could find out for herself whether he was too good to be true.
.7.
S carlett leaned on the bar, sipping her iced green tea and watching Roxy with a steady, half-amused stare.
“So,” Scarlett said, “how was your hot date with Darien?”
“It wasn’t a date. He’s not into girls, you know. We just hung out as friends.”
Something in Scarlett’s face lightened, as if a nagging worry had been silenced. Her brown eyes gleamed with a new spark of confidence.
“What,” Roxy said, incredulous, “you weren’t jealous, were you?”
Scarlett shrugged. “No, not exactly.”
“She was, too,” Brooke said as she unwrapped a new sleeve of paper to-go cups and began stacking them beside the espresso machine. “It’s no use denying it, Scarlett – I’ve known you long enough that I can just tell.”
“I said not exactly. Maybe I was a tiny bit burned that Alexander wasn’t into me at the party, but I’d never begrudge you any happiness, Roxy. Besides, I’m all for any one of us getting in sweet with the Blackmeade boys. If you can get an ‘in’ with Alpha Delta Phi, maybe you can hook me up with Alexander.”
“Hope springs eternal,” Brooke said. “Honestly, I don’t know what you see in him, Scarlett.”
Scarlett gaped over her iced tea. “Are you kidding me? That boy is supernaturally sexy. He’s so hot he’s practically a freak of nature. You have seen him, right?”
“The guy with creepy blue eyes and cheekbones you could slice bread on, right? Uh – yeah, I have seen him. I saw him beating the hell out of another guy at that party,” Brooke said. “You saw that, right?”
“They were drunk,” Scarlett muttered. She cut a narrow glance toward Roxy. “Everybody was drunk.”
“Personally, I think a man’s hotness quotient goes down a few clicks if he can’t control his temper, even if he is drunk. If you do end up fooling around with Alexander, you’d better be careful. Very careful.”
Scarlett rolled her eyes. “I will, Mom. Thanks for the advice.” She turned to Roxy. “So: Darien. Dish.”
“There’s not much to dish on. We just walked around town and got to know each other. He’s a really nice guy – way nicer than any other frat boy I’ve met. He even stood up for me when a few creeps from Sigma Zeta showed up. One of them was coming on really strong, and…”
Scarlett crooked an eyebrow. “Coming on?” She left unsaid a heavily italicized, disbelieving to you? but Roxy heard the veiled scorn in her friend’s voice.
She fell silent, blinking back sudden tears, and ducked down behind the counter to fiddle with the bags of coffee beans stored on the low shelf, just so that Scarlett wouldn’t see the flood of shame pinking her face. She felt a need to apologize to Scarlett – which was absurd, she knew. Roxy hadn’t done anything wrong. It wasn’t her fault that all these men were interested in her, fighting over her. Roxy could well imagine that, even though she was a friend and surely had the best intentions, it must sting a girl as beautiful as Scarlett to be eclipsed by somebody as homely as Roxy.
But don’t I deserve to be in the spotlight once in a while? Roxy thought, frowning as she punched a bag of beans. I’ve spent my whole life being shuffled off to the sidelines because nobody thought I was pretty enough. Why should I feel sorry because men have finally noticed me?
She straightened from behind the counter and, dry-eyed, looked Scarlett straight in the face. “Yes. They were coming on to me. I don’t get it, either, but it happened.”
“Seems to be happening to you a lot lately,” Scarlett said. “Jackson Hole is your kind of place, all right.”
“I guess it is.”
Brooke stepped in before the claws could come out. “Speaking of Blackmeade boys… incoming.”
Roxy and Scarlett looked toward the Buffalo’s front windows, and a thrill ran up Roxy’s spine, sending a delightful shiver coursing through her body. A man paced down the slatted-wood sidewalk, eyes down, his strong, well-defined shoulders slouching with the rhythm of his fluid gait. His dark hair tousled in the afternoon breeze.
Chase. Had Darien talked him into leaving the campus? She had never noticed Chase in town before, and had certainly never seen him at the Browsing Buffalo. She stood frozen with disbelief as he entered the café. Not even the clanging cowbell on the door’s handle could shake her out of her trance.
Scarlett had no such difficulty. She leaned her back against the bar, resting both elbows on the countertop behind her so that her perky little breasts would be the first things to greet Chase when he looked up from the floor. “Hi,” s
he said brightly.
Chase raised his eyes, and they found Scarlett’s mark as surely as if she’d painted a couple of bull’s-eyes on her shirt. Then he lifted his eyes further and regarded her open, eager face for a moment.
“Hi,” he said with a neutral nod. Then he turned to Roxy, who stood twisting a damp towel in nerve-rattled hands. “I see you made it home safely from the party.”
“Yep, we made it.” She couldn’t think of anything else to say; the towel knotted so hard in her hands that a trickle of cold, chlorine-scented water splattered on her shoe.
“Well…” Chase studied the menu. His hand rose to scratch absent-mindedly at the stubble on his cheeks, and the sound of it sent Roxy’s heart pounding. “I’ll have an iced Americano. The biggest one you can make.”
When Roxy handed over the drink, Chase’s hand flashed out before she could set it on the counter. His fingers grazed hers, slowly and deliberately. She blushed, and Chase’s smile was as slow and deliberate as his touch.
“I was wondering,” he said, “if you’d like to go out sometime.”
Roxy couldn’t answer for the space of a few painful, thumping heartbeats. She commanded herself to say “Yes!” But all that came out was an uncomfortable laugh and one wildly ridiculous question. “Did Darien put you up to this?”
Chase chuckled. His teeth were white and straight in an appreciative grin. “He might have made one or two mild suggestions.”
Roxy was aware, with a sudden, uncomfortable stab of something that was very close to guilt, of Scarlett watching their exchange. She didn’t dare to look at Scarlett’s face – she was afraid she’d see hurt there, and the last thing Roxy wanted was to hurt her friend.
But she also wanted Chase.
“I’d love to go out sometime,” she told him. She blushed, but she wasn’t sure whether it was Chase’s victorious air that brought the heat to her face… or Scarlett’s expression of sagging defeat.
Chase didn’t get back into his car immediately. He was filled with a restless energy, half thrill of triumph, half anxiety – and he needed to walk. He needed to run, in truth – the beast within him demanded the feel of the wind in his face, his body working like a smooth, rhythmic machine, the miles falling away behind him as he outraced the tight uneasiness that wrapped around him like a huge, powerful fist. But he wanted to think clearly now. He needed his thoughts ordered and controlled, not running as wild as a wolf in the moonlight. And so he walked, hoping it would be enough to soothe his mind and his restless spirit.
