Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 80986 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80986 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
I was too tired to figure out what that was about. These guys were really hard to read.
“Well, have a good night, then. Thanks for dinner, Hailey.”
I nodded, not trusting myself to answer. It was still upsetting every time I thought about the things Bennett had said. The way he’d looked at me. The way they’d picked at the food.
“Hey, are you okay?” Theo looked concerned.
I was concerned, too. I didn’t know how long I’d be able to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. “I just need…”
“Wine?” he asked with the ghost of a smile. I shook my head. “A bubble bath?”
That was kind of stereotyping women, but it actually did sound good. Not that I had time for that. “Maybe later.”
His intense eyes drilled into me. “What else then. Some space?”
A sigh escaped me. “Yeah, kind of. I mean, you’ve—”
“I get it. I’m distracting you from the task at hand.”
“Well…”
He grinned. “It’s hard to do dishes when the most talented and good-looking member of the fraternity is standing right next to you.”
The corner of my mouth tilted upwards. “Well, exactly.”
“Then I’ll leave you to it.” He leaned down and planted a quick kiss on my forehead. Then he moved back before I could even process what had happened. “It’ll get better, Hailey.”
Then he said goodnight and left.
I hoped he was right, but even if he wasn’t, he’d already managed to make me feel better.
I’d be really glad when this night was a distant memory. All except that last part with the kiss. That part I wanted to remember.
After studying until 3 a.m., I could barely stay awake the next morning in class. One time, the guy next to me had to elbow me when Professor Whitmore asked me a question.
Then, ten minutes before the class ended, I got a text from Bennett.
Who was pretty much the last person I wanted to hear from. Worried he was going to fire me, I opened the message. Except it wasn’t a message, it was a summons. The grocery delivery was on its way, and I had to be there to put the food away.
But after class, I had dog walking. Bennett really didn’t get the concept of someone not working in the mornings. At least he hadn’t fired me.
After the lecture ended, I waited impatiently while a few students lingered, asking the professor about some assignments. When she turned to me, I spoke quickly. “I got called into my other job. I need to go there now, but I can come walk Sunny by one at the latest. Is that okay?”
She frowned. “She’s been alone all morning. And I can’t go home, I’ve got a lunch meeting.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know they were going to call me in. I’ll get to Sunny as soon as I possibly can.”
She didn’t look all that pleased, but she nodded. “Are you okay, Hailey? Today in class you seemed a bit unfocused.”
That was an understatement. “Sorry about that. Didn’t get much sleep.”
She frowned, her librarian-style glasses balanced on her nose. “Are you doing okay?”
No.
Except I didn’t say that. “I’m doing the best I can.”
“That’s all you can do.” She nodded and gathered up her things. I said goodbye and then dashed towards fraternity row, but I didn’t know if I believed her. Sometimes our best wasn’t enough.
Bennett and Grant were both in the kitchen when I raced in. Apparently, they had nothing better to do than to watch frozen foods melt. I ignored them the best I could as I put the perishable items away first.
I tried not to think about the fact that I didn’t know how to cook half the things that had been delivered. For a few of them, I didn’t even know what they were.
“Those don’t go in the fridge,” Bennett said sharply at one point.
“Sorry.” I wasn’t even sure what was in the small, sealed bag. Dried mushrooms, perhaps? I put them in a cabinet with other non-perishable ingredients.
At last, Bennett seemed to get tired of watching me. “I’ll expect a much better meal tomorrow night.”
“Not tonight?” If that was true, it was the best news I’d heard all day.
“It’s Friday,” Grant said, as if that answered the question. “Time to party.”
Oh. Sometimes I forgot that these were frat bros, since half the time they acted like they were royalty or something.
“Tomorrow,” Bennett said again. Something in his voice told me that he wouldn’t be giving me a third chance.
After they left, I scarfed down some leftovers from yesterday and then practically ran to Professor Whitmore’s condo. Sunny was overjoyed to see me and was quite eager to get outside. The poor dog peed three steps beyond the front door, and I felt guilty.
Then, back at the frat house, I vacuumed and cleaned the dining room even though not much eating had happened there last night. When I went in the kitchen to get some chilled water from the fridge, I stopped short.