Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 52338 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 262(@200wpm)___ 209(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52338 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 262(@200wpm)___ 209(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
“Sorry. I thought maybe you wanted to go to Starbucks or something,” he says with a shrug.
“I don’t think it’s wise to leave campus with someone I don’t even know,” I muse. “Safety first and all.”
“That’s fair.” He gives me a cheeky grin as we stroll down the sidewalk toward the coffee shop. “Beautiful and smart. Deadly combination.”
I giggle, my cheeks warming under his gaze as I shyly drop my eyes to the sidewalk. Neither of us say anything else as we cross the campus. Multiple people wave at me as we pass, and even though he doesn’t say anything, I can feel his eyes on me the entire time.
“You’re pretty popular around campus,” he says as he holds the door open for me to pass.
“Thank you.” I brush past him and step into the cool coffee shop. The strong aroma of ground coffee and cinnamon fills the air as I move farther inside. Other students sit at the many tables inside, some studying while others simply talk over a cup of coffee. I turn my attention back to the man still studying me and shift uncomfortably under his gaze. “And I wouldn’t say I’m popular.”
“Lots of people seem to know you.” His eyes still hold their previous curiosity, which only makes me wonder what’s going through his mind. Instead, he gestures toward the register. “So…shall we order?”
“Oh, um, yeah,” I stammer and scurry over to the barista standing behind the counter. We each order coffee and settle at a table in the corner.
My phone buzzes in my purse again. I sigh inwardly as I retrieve my phone, fighting the urge to groan when my father’s photo appears on the screen. After a few moments of going back and forth with myself, I ignore the call before turning my phone off and putting it back into my bag.
“Boyfriend?” the guy teases with a smirk.
I shake my head. “No, just my dad,” I reply with a light sigh.
“Ah. Are you far from home?” he asks.
Before I can answer, the barista approaches the table with two coffee cups. “A hazelnut latte for you,” she says as she puts a cup before me. “And a cold brew for you.” She places a cup in front of the gentleman before prancing back off to the register. I take a sip from my cup and hum in approval.
“Oh, that’s good,” I say, nodding my head. I don’t miss the way the guy’s eyes narrow onto my mouth before he takes a sip of his own drink. “But to answer your question, my dad is local. He’s just…protective, I guess.”
“I see.” He puts his cup back on the table before he folds his arms and leans forward on the tabletop. “Do you stay on campus?”
I shake my head and take another sip of my drink. “No. I stay off campus at home. It’s just me and my dad.”
“I don’t mean to pry, but…where’s your mom?” he asks.
My fingers trace the school logo printed on the coffee cup. “She died when I was a baby,” I answer. I’m not even sure why I told him. I hardly know him—and I don’t even know his name—and here I am telling him personal things about my life that most people don’t really know. Something about him is oddly comforting, making it seem like he’s someone I can trust.
“I’m sorry to hear that.” His eyes soften a little as his head tilts a little. I wave him off.
“It’s fine. I don’t have many memories of her since I was so young. It’s just been my dad and me for as long as I can remember.”
“It’s good that you have him.” He takes a swallow of his coffee before those chocolate eyes fall on me once again. “Did you grow up around here?”
“Been here my whole life.”
“Probably explains why so many people know you,” he replies, his boyish grin returning. I giggle in response even though his statement isn’t necessarily true. I’m only popular because I’m famous on social media, but it seems this guy has no idea who I am. Honestly, it’s nice to have a normal conversation with a regular guy without having to worry about being hounded for a social media shout-out or some other clout-chasing nonsense.
“That and my father tends to be a pretty big deal around town,” I answer. “He’s pretty successful in his business ventures and does a lot in the community and such.” I meet his gaze as I toss my golden locks over my shoulder. “Enough about me, though. What about you? I’ve never seen you on campus before today.”
“Oh yeah.” He clears his throat as he straightens his posture. “I’m actually new here. Just transferred from a community college to finish the final two years of my criminal justice degree. Just started here this semester.”