An evil glint fills her eyes. “You have to admit you kind of liked it.”
I did. And that’s the problem. I liked every moment of telling him off. It was like the dam burst free, letting loose all the times I’d bit my tongue and buried my irritation and anger over the last few years. I not only liked it, but I’m desperate for more. I’m not sure I can control the Carol Ann begging to come out.
Even more alarming is the way he makes me feel. Even when we’re fighting, an undercurrent of desire flows beneath my skin. My reaction to him is dangerous.
But Lexi’s right. I need this for my resume, and the show is in a month. I can endure anything for a month.
Why do I think I’ll regret those words?
Chapter Six
I call Scarlett as I storm across campus to my car. “Why is a math grad student on a fashion show committee with a bunch of business and fashion degree students?”
“Slow down. What are you talking about?’
“Reed is the chairman of the fashion show committee.”
“How did that happen?”
“The chancellor.”
“Oh.”
“Here’s the even weirder part: his girlfriend? She’s really his sister. And she’s on the committee too. How did that happen?”
“I don’t know.”
I hear the distraction in her voice. I know her schedule, and she’s in the math lab, but she knows I wouldn’t call her unless it’s an emergency. While this doesn’t count as a technical emergency, I’m feeling out of control after my encounter with him.
“Perhaps he’s there as an outside mediator.”
“Not with his sister on the committee. At least I can see why she’s there. She’s a sophomore business major. Their family connection breaks down all suggestions of a nonbiased tiebreaker.”
“Huh.”
I shake my head. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I called you. You’re working. I’ll just talk to you later.”
“Caroline, wait.” She pauses for a second, and her voice isn’t as muffled. She must have moved out into the hallway. “Do you think you can work with him after what happened Friday night?”
“I don’t know.” I gnaw on a cuticle on my finger, then stop when I realize what I’m doing. I haven’t done that in years, either. “He gets under my skin and irritates the hell out of me. If he’s from Boston, why is he even here at Southern University?”
She sighs. “I don’t know much about him, but I’ve checked into him today after what he did to you. He’s from the east coast. He went to a prestigious school before he started grad school here this semester, but for the life of me, I can’t find out which one, which is really odd. Even more odd is that Southern doesn’t rank up there in the best of the best schools for mathematics degrees. Why would he go to an Ivy League school for his undergrad work then come here for his master’s?”
“So why is he here?”
“I don’t know. He keeps to himself, but he seems lonely, so that’s why I invited him to my party. Honestly, I didn’t expect him to show up. I don’t see him much. He runs the math lab this semester, but our hours usually don’t correspond. Even when he’s here, he doesn’t talk to us much.”
“Because he’s stuck up.”
Scarlett pauses. “People always have a reason for what they do.”
I’m at my car, but I lean my hip against the side door, brushing back the loose hairs that blow into my face. Don’t I know it? I’m not proud of some of the things I’ve done, but there’s always some reason for it, even if it’s misguided. “I like the person I’ve become here at Southern.” I finally say. “He brings out the old me.” It seems stupid now, that I let him affect me so. And I’m embarrassed I’m admitting this to Scarlett.
“There is no old you and new you, Caroline. There’s only you.”
Leave it to pragmatic Scarlett to say something so rational.
“So what do you want to do?” she asks. “Do you want to quit?”
“I already quit.”
“What?”
I unlock my car door and slide into the driver seat. “He walked in and took over, Scarlett. He came in with an ‘I’m better than you attitude’ and started bossing everyone around, assigning jobs and being hateful.” I grimace. “I may have compared his entrance to a Marxist takeover.”
Scarlett laughs. “You’re kidding.”
“I wish I were.”
“So that’s it? You’re just giving up on your dream? You’ve been talking about being on that committee since freshman year after you attended your first show. You’re going to let one guy take that from you?”
I’m so glad I coerced Scarlett to room with me freshman year. I truly don’t know what I would do without her. Our conversation reminds me how much I miss seeing her every day. “No. Lexi convinced me to stay on the committee. She said Reed isn’t used to people standing up to him, and she wants me to stay and help put him in his place.”
“Why would she do that? She doesn’t like him?”
“No, that’s not it. She obviously loves him. I suspect it’s a sibling rivalry thing. But I don’t want to get caught in the middle of it.”
“So don’t. Do your job and ignore him.”
“Easier said than done.”
“Caroline. You think the person you were before is slipping out, but you’ve grown. You’ve changed. She’s in there; she’s just evolved. Give yourself more credit.”
“You weren’t there, Scarlett. You don’t know what I said and did.”
“It couldn’t have been that bad if his own sister witnessed it and asked you to reconsider your resignation.”
“It was bad.”
“Okay. Then consider this a challenge to your personal growth. You’ve faced adversaries and haters in the design department. And you know you’re bound to face it in the real world when you get a job. Creative people tend to get jealous.”
While I’d love to argue with her, she’s right. “Yeah.”
“Good.” I hear the smile in her voice. “I’m proud of you. You can do this, Caroline. You are in control of your reactions.”
“Easy for you to say since you don’t work with Reed much.”
“If you like, I can talk to him about you. Convince him you’re not so bad.”
My heart stutters. “Don’t you dare!”
“I’m joking. But I’ll try to get to know him a bit better. Maybe I can give you some insight to help you get along with him.”
“All right. But don’t be too obvious.”
She chuckles. “I’ll be discreet. Now I have to get back in the lab. But call me if you need to talk later, okay?”
“Thanks, Scar.”
I go home and take a nap then grab some dinner and head to the design studio. I haven’t the vaguest clue what to do for my project, but I need to figure it out soon. I’m not surprised to find several students already working on projects. Now that I’ve presented the dress I was working on last week, I have four weeks to come up with ten completed designs, as well as plan the show. I’m feeling the pressure of the looming deadline, but it doesn’t jog any ideas loose as I sit with my sketchbook and pencil. I end up sketching a dozen ideas, but none of them grab my interest. After I spend ten minutes staring out the window, I decide I’m not getting anything accomplished here, but I’m not ready to go home either.
Instead, I head to The Higher Ground, the campus coffee shop. It’s open until eleven and I need to study for my U.S. government test. I order a coffee but resist a muffin and find a table for two in the corner. This isn’t the best place to study. The coffee shop is usually full of socializing students in the evening, not studious ones, but I don’t feel like leaving campus and I hate the library. Thankfully, I’m good at tuning out the rest of the world, a necessary skill learned in a mobile home full of kids my mother babysat at night after her day job. I’m so zoned out that I’m startled when someone plops in the chair in front of me and drops her books on the table.
&nbs
p; “Hi.”
I jump in my seat and look up into Lexi Pendergraft’s perky face. I resist a groan. “Hi, yourself.”
“Studying?”
I glance down at the open government book and my laptop. “Yeah.”
“My brother’s not that bad, you know.”
There’s no holding in my groan this time. “I’m sure he’s not.”
She leans forward, her palms flat on the table, and her voice lowers. “He has his reasons for being how he is, but I assure you, once you get to know him, you’ll discover he’s all bark and no bite.”
“No bite?” I scoff. “I find that hard to believe. He seems like he’s used to biting a lot.” The thought of him biting me brings a surprising twist in my stomach. No, Caroline. You do not want Reed Pendergraft to bite you. Focus. But my pep talk doesn’t appease the stir of my hormones.
Lexi grimaces. “Okay, he does bite a little, but again, he has his reasons.”
Not helping.
I resist the urge to take a deep breath. “Every time I’ve seen you, Reed was close at hand. How much time do you actually spend with him?”
She looks down, squirming slightly in her seat. “A lot.”
This girl confuses me. She might be a college sophomore, but she seems to have the maturity of a high school girl. Hell, I had more maturity in high school, but then I’m not a good judge. “Lexi, you seem like a nice girl, and while this is none of my business, I feel the need to make a suggestion.” I pause. “How old are you? Nineteen? Twenty?”
She glances up, her eyes wide, and she sits back in her seat, suddenly wary. “Eighteen.”
“Eighteen? Really? Wow.” But it explains a few things.
She lifts a shoulder into a self-conscious shrug. “I graduated early.”
“That’s okay.” I look into her eyes. “The point is that you’re in college now, and perhaps it’s time you cut the apron strings to your brother.” I wonder the wisdom of this since I have to spend the next four weeks working with her, but for some bizarre reason, I feel the need to help her. Maybe it’s because I like her, and I don’t think she should let a jerk like Reed run her life, even if he is her brother. Especially since he’s her brother.
Her gaze turns to the window. “I know.” She faces me again, plastering on a forced smile. “I’m sorry to bother you. I’ll let you get back to studying.”
As she starts to get up, I reach across the table and grab her hand. “Lexi, wait.” She seems so young and lost. Some protective instinct I didn’t know I possessed kicks into gear.
She sits back down, wary again, not that I blame her. She and Reed might have some weird Flowers in the Attic type thing, but I like her in spite of myself.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I really like you. Let’s forget your brother. We’re going to be working together so let’s get to know each other.” Maybe I can find out more about Reed if I find out about Lexi. They are siblings. I feel a bit devious—okay, a lot devious—but I’m curious about Lexi too. It just happens to kill two birds with one stone.
Lexi smiles, but she’s still cautious. “Okay.”
“You said you transferred here. Where did you go to school before?” If I can find out where Lexi went, than maybe I’ll figure out Reed’s school. Why I care is beyond me.
Uncertainty flickers in her eyes. “Out East.”
Strange. That’s the same vague answer Reed gave me. “Which college?”
Flashing a smile, she looks down at my book. “U.S. Government? Isn’t that usually a lower level course?”
She’s dodging my question. My curiosity is piqued, but I let her change the subject. “I know, but I’ve always hated anything to do with government so I kept putting it off until I couldn’t put it off any longer. Not if I want to graduate.” I laugh. “Which I do. So here I am.” I wave to my book.
Her eyes widen again. “You hate government?”
She makes it sound like I’ve announced I hate chocolate. “I’m a fan of government as opposed to anarchy, but I’m not a fan of studying it.”
“Oh.”
Talking to her is harder than I expected. Still, there’s a universal topic that all girls relate to. “Do you have a boyfriend?”
She gives me a sly smile. “No.”
I cock my head and grin. “But there’s someone you’re interested in. Who is he?”
Her eyes narrow, but her lips twitch as she fights her smile. “I never said there was.”
“Please. It’s all over your face.” I lean forward. “So who is he?”
Looking down at the table, she twines her fingers together. “He’s in my biology class.”
“So?”
She shakes her head and looks up at me. “It’s nothing. I need to focus on school this year. I’ll worry about boys later.”
“That sounds like something my friend Scarlett would say. Before she met the love of her life. Now she’s crazy in love, and they’re living together.”
Her lips purse. “My family would never approve.”
“I’m not telling you to move in with a boy, Lexi. I’m telling you that you never know when you’ll find love. You may not think you have time for it, but it seems to find you whether you’re looking for it or not. You’re in college. You’re supposed to have a dozen boyfriends.”
“Have you had a dozen boyfriends?”
My smile fades. “I’ve been on over a dozen dates, but only a few boyfriends.”
“Do you have a boyfriend now?”
It’s my turn to look down. “No.”
“Really,” she states matter-of-factly.
“You sound surprised.”
“It’s just that you’re just so pretty and smart. The way you handled the meeting….” I’m grateful she leaves my conflict with her brother unmentioned. “I’d think you’d have guys lined up.”
“Well, thank you.” I swivel my head looking around and laugh, hoping it sounds playful and not desperate. “I don’t see any lines.”
“So you want one? A boyfriend?” Her tone is still expressionless. I feel like I’m being interviewed.
“I’ve got a busy year before I graduate. I don’t exactly have time.” I shrug. “But you’re only a sophomore. Plenty of time to try out all the Southern University boys.”
“Oh no. I need to get settled here first. Reed would have a fit.” The line sounds rehearsed and gives off a Stepford vibe.
There’s an awkward silence, and she cringes like she regrets mentioning him. She frowns, then a soft smile covers her face. “Maybe I’ll try it anyway.”
“Good girl. You’re only young once, and dating is part of your college experience.” I feel like a college admissions advisor.
She folds her hands on the table, her posture perfectly erect. “Do you have any idea what you plan to do with your degree when you graduate?”
“Um. No. But I’m hoping to come up with a great line for the show. My advisor’s friend from New York is coming to the show and has promised to pick one student to work in her design house after we graduate.”
“Do you have your designs figured out?”
I sigh. “No.”
She studies me, and I realize the tables have been turned. Who am I kidding? The tables were turned the moment she asked me if I have a boyfriend.
“Do you have a signature look? A specialty you focus on?”
“No.” I pause. How can I be a senior and not have a focus? But I do, I just don’t use it in my classes. “Well … there is something.”
Her eyebrows lift. “Don’t stop there.”
“It’s not something I do in class. Just for myself.” I grip my coffee cup. “I repurpose thrift store finds.”
She watches me, waiting for more information.
“I buy clothes in thrift stores, but I don’t usually use them as they are.” I shrug. “Sometimes I do, like a really classic piece, but most of the time I either embellish it to make it more contemporary or I’ll use parts of several items and put
them together to create something entirely new.”
“So each piece is one of a kind.”
I hadn’t thought of it that way. “Yeah, I guess they are.”
She glances at my clothes. “What about what you’re wearing?”
“The skirt is a thrift store find.” I smooth the wrinkles from my lap. “I added a ruffled edge to the hem, but this”—I wave to my front—“is a Target t-shirt and a thrift store cardigan.”
“Do you make many of these outfits?”
“Most of my clothes are my hybrid creations.”
“Hybrid creations … I like it.” Her eyes narrow. “So why haven’t you used your hybrid creations in your classes?”
“Because they aren’t real designs, Lexi. They’re repurposed clothes.”
“There’s nothing new under the sun, Caroline. Everything has been done before. It’s just your own take on it. Your hybrid clothes aren’t any different.”
I narrow my eyes. “Why the interest in my designs?”
She gives me a mischievous grin. “I’ve read my share of Vogue magazines.”
I don’t believe her, but I won’t be the one to call her on it. Otherwise, what’s to stop her from asking why I scavenge thrift stores?
A cell phone rings and guilt washes over her face as she pulls her phone out of her purse. She looks at the screen and grimaces. “I have to go. Thanks for talking to me.”
“We should do this again.”
She silences her phone and looks at me in surprise. “Really?”
“Yeah.” And after my initial doubt about her, I realize I like her. “Maybe we can figure out something after our next committee meeting.”
“Okay.” She looks up at me and grins, but it’s tight like she’s nervous. “I’d like that a lot.”
“Sounds great.”
She waves and heads for the door as she lifts the phone to her ear. Her voice lowers and a serious expression replaces her smile.
I’m going to help Lexi break free from her brother’s hold.
While I watch her walk away, someone else sits down in her seat. I look up, surprised to see it’s Brandon, a guy from my history class last semester.
“You’re Caroline, right?” he asks.
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