The Freshman

by Monica Murphy

  We walk inside and I glance around to see only Jackson and Eli in the living room. The TV is on, and for once in their lives, they’re not playing video games.

  Thursday Night Football is on instead.

  “Where’s Caleb?” I ask, so Gracie doesn’t have to.

  “Uh, he left.” An uneasy look flashes across Diego’s handsome face, but then it’s gone. “He went to see a friend.”

  Uh oh. I bet it’s a female friend.

  I don’t acknowledge what he just said. “And Tony?”

  “He’s in his room. Hold on.” Diego turns toward the stairwell and cups his hands around his mouth. “Tony! Get your ass down here.”

  Seconds later, I hear the bedroom door swing open and Tony’s thunderous footsteps come down the stairs. He stops midway when he spots me.

  “Hayden.”

  I smile. Wave. “Hi.”

  He doesn’t move for a few seconds, and I second-guess myself. Maybe this was a mistake, showing up unannounced.

  But then he makes his way down the rest of the stairs and comes straight for me, pulling me into his arms and pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. “I didn’t know you were coming over.”

  “Surprise.” I give him a squeeze before I pull away. “Brought Gracie with me too.”

  “Hey G.” He nods in her direction and she smiles. Then goes over to the couch and plops onto it, sitting between Eli and Jackson. Though she’s more noticeably closer to Jackson.

  Hmm.

  Tony turns to me once more, running his hand up and down my arm, making me shiver. “Just thought you’d drop by, huh?”

  I nod. “I hope you don’t mind.”

  “I don’t mind at all. Your timing is perfect, actually. There’s, uh, something I want to discuss with you.” He glances around before he returns his gaze to mine. “But not out here. I’d rather do it in private.”

  Worry immediately fills me and I shove it away. “Oh.” I look over at Gracie, who’s chattering away to Jackson. He’s watching the TV, nodding along with everything she says. “I don’t want to leave her alone with the rest of the guys just yet.”

  “We do all the time,” Tony says with a frown.

  “Because Caleb is always here.” I wave my hand around. “As you can see, he’s gone.”

  “Where’d he go?”

  “Diego mentioned a friend.”

  Tony rolls his eyes. “Great. Probably a girl. He usually tries to keep that behavior under wraps when Gracie’s around.”

  We don’t get those two, but we’re also part of the problem, since we encourage them to leave each other alone. We probably make them want to spend more time together.

  “Let’s sit and watch the game for a little bit,” I suggest with a smile. “And then maybe we can talk?”

  “Sure,” he says with a nod, his expression solemn.

  We settle into the giant overstuffed chair with matching ottoman, the two of us cozied up next to each other. I love sitting with him like this. My head on his chest, his arm wrapped around my shoulders. Usually he strokes my back or plays with my hair, but not tonight. He’s too busy watching the game, his jaw tense, his gaze fixed. He looks upset, and I refuse to be one of those chicks who constantly asks her man what’s wrong.

  But it’s like I can’t help myself.

  “Is everything okay?” I ask him quietly when there’s a commercial break.

  He nods, his gaze still on the TV. “Sure.”

  I don’t believe him.

  I think back on the last few days. Weeks, even. And I can’t recall a single thing that I did that would irritate him enough that he’d feel the need to talk to me about it. Why am I even thinking it has anything to do with me? Maybe something’s going on elsewhere in his life. Maybe his dad. Or his mom. They always stress him out.

  I know my parents always stress me out.

  Gracie flirts with Jackson throughout the game, and he’s receptive, flirting with her right back. I think of Ellie. Ava’s friend who crushes on Jackson hard. I’ve heard enough about her to know Jackson treats her like a friend and that’s it. The girl throws herself at him and he’s not interested.

  Ouch. Poor thing.

  But I know Gracie isn’t interested in him either, though he’s right up her alley. Musician. Sexy. An air of mystery about him. I watch them chat, how flirtatious he is with her. How he touches her on the arm frequently and she laughs at everything he says.

  Shit.

  The door swings open near the end of halftime, Caleb walking in with a familiar face.

  That girl from the photos. The one Gracie was jealous of.

  Baylee.

  Double shit.

  “Look who I found,” Caleb says excitedly and the guys greet her halfheartedly, despite her enthusiastic wave and smile. It’s immediately replaced by a frown when she realizes none of the guys care.

  Double ouch.

  “Hey. I’m Hayden,” I tell her with a wave, ignoring Gracie as she glares at me. I don’t have it in me to be rude toward this girl. I also don’t bother saying I’m with Tony. With the way we’re snuggled up together, it’s fairly obvious.

  “I’m Baylee,” she says, her smile grateful. I’m sure she appreciates the acknowledgment. Why are the guys being such asshats?

  She’s pretty. Brown hair that’s curled to perfection, sparkling brown eyes. She’s got a cute style, her long legs clad in faded mom jeans and a cropped white tank with an oversized black zippered hoodie covering her, though it hangs open. Very on-trend.

  Gracie sends me daggers with her eyes before she rises to her feet, making her way to Caleb and Baylee. He’s frozen in place when he spots her, his expression saying, uh oh, busted. I almost feel sorry for him.

  Almost.

  “Hi,” Gracie says, her attention for Baylee and no one else. “It’s so nice to meet you. I’m Gracie.”

  “Hi,” Baylee says cheerily, “Baylee.”

  They shake hands.

  Caleb looks ready to hurl.

  “Is this your latest conquest?” Gracie asks him.

  His cheeks turn blazing red.

  “We’re old friends,” Baylee explains, her smile fading. Probably thanks to the obvious snark in Gracie’s voice.

  “Old friends who fuck on occasion?” Gracie asks her, her gaze still on Caleb.

  “G,” he warns, and she shakes her head.

  “No, fuck you, Caleb. Bringing a girl over here.” She stabs him in the chest with her index finger a couple of times before she turns and marches over to the couch. She grabs hold of Jackson’s hand and jerks him onto his feet. “Come on. We’re going out.”

  “Wait a minute, what?” Jackson asks, sounding sleepy. He runs a hand through his longish hair, sending an apologetic look in Caleb’s direction. As if he knows what’s going on. “I’m beat. Can’t we just stay here tonight?”

  “Let’s go to the spare room then,” Gracie says with determination, glancing over at Caleb to make sure he’s watching.

  Of course, he is.

  Gracie drags Jackson up the stairs, and seconds later, we hear the door slam shut.

  Not a one of us speaks for a moment, the only sound the game coming from the TV.

  “What the fuck was that?” Caleb finally says, running both hands through his hair and clutching the back of his head as he glares at the empty stairwell. “Did she really just take him up to Diego’s room so she can fuck him?”

  “I doubt—” Diego starts, but Caleb interrupts him.

  “Yeah, I think she did.” He starts pacing the living room, Baylee stepping out of his way, looking uncomfortable. I feel sorry for her. She just got dragged into the middle of this. “What the hell? Who does she think she is? And with Jackson? I should’ve known.”

  “Caleb, seriously,” Baylee says. “What’s your problem?”

  “Women,” he spits out. “That’s my problem.”

  He stalks off into the kitchen, Baylee chasing after him.

  Tony sits up, and I do as we
ll. Diego and Eli both shrug and return their attention to the game.

  I guess they don’t care about the drama unfolding right before them.

  “Should I go talk to Caleb?” Tony asks.

  “I don’t know. Would he listen? And why were you guys so cold to Baylee just now?” I ask, curious.

  “Old history. Baylee’s best friend our senior year was this girl we all can’t stand.” His voice lowers, his gaze briefly going to Diego. “Cami Lockhart. She’s a total bitch who really screwed with Diego and Jocelyn’s relationship. Got in the middle of Eli and Ava’s too.”

  “That’s not Baylee’s fault though,” I point out, feeling sorry for her.

  “I know, you’re right. It’s just—hard to forget all that, you know? Still feels fresh.” Tony sighs. “I’m loyal to my friends. I know what Cami did to Diego, and it was messed up, and I can never forgive her. Baylee’s guilty by association.”

  Reaching out, I touch his face, the stubble prickling my palm. “I love how much you care about your friends.”

  I sound like a complete sap, but screw it. I don’t care.

  He smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “You want to go check on Gracie?”

  “What if they’re—doing something?” I wrinkle my nose.

  He chuckles. “They could be, but I don’t know. Jackson probably wouldn’t touch her, if he knows how much she means to Caleb.”

  “Does she really mean something to Caleb?” I ask, my eyebrows shooting up.

  “I think so, though he’d never admit it. Did you see the way he was just acting?” Without warning Tony jumps to his feet, holding out his hand so he can pull me up. “Let’s go to my room.”

  The nerves come back, twisting my stomach into tight knots as we walk up the stairs and head for his room. He wants to talk to me. And I have no clue what it’s about. He’s acting perfectly normal, but I can tell he’s preoccupied. Something’s bugging him.

  Looks like I’m about to find out.

  He shuts the door and locks us inside as usual, and then he’s reaching for me. Pulling me into his arms. Kissing me ferociously. We fall onto the bed, our bodies and our tongues tangled. His hands are in my hair and mine are beneath his T-shirt, touching his abs—one of my favorite parts of him.

  What am I saying? I like all parts of him.

  “We need to talk,” he pants against my lips at one point.

  I push him off me, hating how easily his kisses, his touch made me forget he wanted to discuss something with me. “What is it?”

  I also hate how breathless I sound. I clear my throat and turn away from him, righting my clothes, sitting up and smoothing my hair out of my face. I want to appear composed if he’s about to drop a bomb on me.

  Though I don’t know why I’m automatically thinking the worst. Maybe because nothing good comes from someone telling you, “We need to talk”?

  And that’s the truth.

  A sigh escapes him and he sits up as well, his thigh pressing against mine. If he wanted to break up with me, he wouldn’t be sitting so close.

  Wait a minute. We’re not together, so there’s nothing to “break up.” I’m clearly being ridiculous.

  “I got a text from my father tonight.” The words sound bitter and I frown.

  “When was the last time you two talked?” They never talk. Or at least, he never talks about his father with me.

  “God knows. He’s too busy and I don’t care.” More bitterness. “He invited me to Thanksgiving at their house. Told me to bring my girlfriend.”

  My frown deepens. “What?”

  “No name was ever mentioned. And I denied having a girlfriend.” That hurts. More than I’d ever admit. “Then he said Helena talks about my girlfriend all the time. Called her adorable.”

  “What?” I’m repeating myself; I can’t help it. “I don’t talk to Helena. Ever. How would she know about us?”

  “Like I said, your name wasn’t brought up, but I knew who she was referring to.” He takes a deep breath. “So I called Helena and confronted her about it.”

  Damn, he has balls. I like it. “What did she say?”

  “She’s pissed at me over my dad’s business and how I’m going to inherit it when she believes she deserves to.” He waves a hand, dismissing it. “But what really got me is she knows about you and I because of Lauri.”

  His words hang between us, heavy and accusing. “They’re friends.”

  “I know.”

  “I’ve never told Lauri about us. Ever.”

  “Come on, Hayden.” He blows out an irritated breath. “Just be real with me.”

  Anger stiffens my spine. “I am being real with you. Are you accusing me of lying?” If he is, that is some straight up bullshit.

  “Of course not.” He runs his fingers through his hair, shoving it out of his face. “I’m sorry. No, I don’t think you’re lying. But how the hell does she know about us?”

  “I don’t know.” I stand and start pacing the room. “What does it matter anyway? So our parents don’t approve of us together, so what? They can’t tell us what to do. We’re not some modern-day Romeo and Juliet. This is just some quick college fling, right?”

  He watches me, his dark eyes never leaving me as I walk back and forth, back and forth. “It’s more than that and you know it.”

  I come to a stop, glaring at him. “I didn’t tell Lauri about us. I rarely talk to Lauri.” Realization dawns, slowly but surely, and I touch my mouth with trembling fingers, my brain going into overdrive. “Oh no.”

  “Oh no what?”

  My gaze meets his once more. “I’ve told Palmer. Palmer knows pretty much everything about us.”

  “You’ve told your sister about us?”

  “Of course I have! We’re close. We share everything.” I glance around the room, my vision hazy. “What if she’s told Lauri everything?”

  “Why would she?”

  “They’re close, I think. Lauri sucks up to her. She always wants Palmer on her good side.” I start pacing once more. “Should I call my sister?”

  “Yeah. Do it. I want to figure this out. Helena is telling me if I don’t show up for Thanksgiving and talk to my dad about her potentially taking over the business someday, she’s going to tell him that I’m sharing business secrets with you and helping your dad steal deals from mine.”

  “That doesn’t even make sense,” Hayden says, shaking her head. “You don’t even talk to your dad that much. What business secrets do you know to sabotage him?”

  “That’s what I was thinking.” He scowls. “She’s fucking with me. I shouldn’t let her threats scare me because they’re pretty weak.”

  “They totally are.” I pull my phone out of my pocket and call Palmer. She answers quickly. “Where are you?” I ask her.

  “In my room.”

  “Anyone else in there with you?”

  “No, I’m watching Euphoria for the twentieth time,” she says, sounding irritated. “What’s up?”

  “Is Lauri asking you questions about me?”

  “No, we don’t really talk about you,” she says. “Why?”

  “She knows stuff about me and Tony. And she’s telling Helena, Tony’s stepmom,” I explain. “Be honest with me, Palmer. Has she ever asked you about my relationship with Tony, or have you told her anything?”

  “No, I swear, Hay. I haven’t said anything. You told me you wanted to keep it quiet, and I have. I definitely didn’t tell Daddy,” she says.

  “Thank God,” I say dryly. “Okay, keep it that way. I’ve gotta go.”

  “Bye.”

  “I heard what she said,” Tony says when I end the call. “And I’m thinking Lauri has some sort of spyware on your sister’s phone.”

  My mouth drops open. “Why would she do that?”

  “Uh, to spy on you?” He cracks a smile, and seeing it fills me with relief. I don’t want him thinking I have anything to do with this. Because I don’t. “Or she might even have spyware on your phone.
On everyone’s phone, for all we know.” He’s scrolling on his phone, looking up spyware. “It’s pretty easy. You can monitor someone’s phone remotely, and they’d never know.”

  “But why? I don’t get it. What can she gain from this?”

  “Anything? Everything. She might monitor your dad’s phone too, and know all of his secrets,” Tony points out.

  My father cheated on my mother. I wouldn’t put it past him that he’d cheat on Lauri, and I’m pretty sure she’s sneaking around with someone else behind his back. Even though my father is her ticket to the good life. Without him, she has nothing. If I was afraid of losing it all, maybe I’d do the same thing.

  “Should I talk to Lauri?” I ask. “Confront her about it? She’d deny it.”

  “Of course she would.”

  “Get a new phone then? With a new number?” That would get rid of the problem, at least for me.

  Though I’d have to tell Palmer she can’t talk to me for a while.

  “We can check if your phone is being monitored. Let’s do that first, and see if Lauri is spying on you,” Tony suggests.

  My heart sinks as I settle on the bed beside him, leaning my head on his shoulder. “I’m so sorry this happened. It’s all my fault.”

  “No, it’s not.”

  “But it’s happening because of me. Because of Lauri.”

  “And Helena. For whatever reason, those two are working together,” Tony says as he slips his arm around my shoulders and holds me close. “It’s okay. We’ll figure this out.”

  I glance up at him to find he’s already watching me. “I never thought something like this would happen between us. Spies and espionage.”

  He chuckles. Leans in and kisses me, his lips moving against mine sweetly at first, until it turns heated. “You’re exaggerating,” he murmurs.

  “Maybe. Maybe not,” I say, circling my arms around his neck. “Let’s have sex before you unhack my phone.”

  “I guess unhacking the phone can wait,” he says.

  Right before he kisses me.

  Twenty-Three

  Tony

  Sex with Hayden is a complete distraction, but I want it. Need it. Feels like I always need it with Hayden. I crave her touch. Her taste. The way she moves and stretches beneath me. How her breath catches when I suck her nipples deep into my mouth. Or how she goes extra wild when I go down on her, my fingers inside her pussy, my lips latched around her clit.