U home? 6 страница

“Goodnight, Missy, ” he whispered into my hair.

Goodnight, Hunter.

*****

I woke in the morning with my face pressed into Hunter’s chest. Somehow in the night I’d turned so we were face to face. His chin was on top of my head and his arm was around my back, holding me close. One of us had kicked off the blanket, and our legs were wrapped around one another, like we’d somehow twined and become one person during the night.

I knew I should move. I knew my legs shouldn’t be wrapped around his. That his arms shouldn’t be around me and that it shouldn’t feel like I was exactly where I was supposed to be for the first time in my life.

Hunter shifted just a little so I knew he was waking up.

“Hi, ” he said.

“Hey.”

“How did that happen? ”

I gathered he was referring to our present position.

“I don’t know.”

Neither of us made a move. His hand started making lazy circles on my back.

“I like waking up with you in my arms, ” he whispered, inhaling the scent of my hair. He looked so vulnerable. So sweet. He smiled, and it felt like my heart was going to explode. This couldn’t be.

I moved away from him.

“Well, this is the first and last time. My bed is more comfortable.” I rolled as far as I could while still being in the bed. He held on for a moment, but then let me go. Bubble burst.

“But it doesn’t have me in it.”

“Exactly. Which means I sleep much better.” I hadn’t gotten the best night of sleep with Hunter, but waking up wrapped up with him had been more than worth it. If only we’d had a bigger bed.

No. I was not letting myself go there. This was not going to continue. I couldn’t let it. Kissing and such led to other things.

I climbed out of Hunter’s bed and stretched my arms, feeling like a little piece of happiness had broken off and fallen to the floor. I left it there among my clothes and books and went to the bathroom to take a shower.

Hunter and I skirted around one another for the rest of the day. He went out to play ultimate Frisbee with Dev and Sean in the afternoon, and I decided I needed a little shopping therapy and called Megan.

“Girl time? Do you even need to ask? ” she said.

I picked her up at her apartment, which had a ton of trash in the yard and empty plastic cups littering the porch.

“Guys had a blow-out last night. I’m tired of cleaning.”

“Sounds awesome.”

She glanced at my face.

“Okay, what happened? You’ve got the weirdest look on your face.”

“Hunter kissed me.”

“What?! Did you kiss him back? ”

“You could say that.”

“I knew it! ” she shrieked as I pulled onto the main street. “How was it? Was it good? I bet he knew what he was doing.”

Oh, did he ever.

“There’s more.”

“You didn’t…”

“No. But I met his family and we kind of slept together last night. Like, in the same bed. With no sex.”

She shook her head side to side. “Damn. You move quick.”

“It’s not like that, Meg.”

She rolled her eyes.

“Then what is it like? Because usually when you kiss someone, meet his parents and sleep in his bed, it means you like him.”

“I don’t like him.”

“But you don’t not like him.”

“That’s a double negative.”

“You’re deflecting.” Hunter would have said the same thing.

“You know I can’t get close with someone like that.”

“It’s not that you can’t. It’s that you won’t. Those are two different things, Taylor.”

“Not to me. I just… I just can’t. Every time I think about it, all I remember is that night and what happened.”

“You shouldn’t let that one night define the rest of your life. You’re not going to get over it; no one would. But you can’t let it dictate who you are and if you can love someone. That’s just letting him win.”

Megan didn’t understand. She hadn’t been there that night. She hadn’t seen his face. She hadn’t watched while he… She hadn’t heard him say he was going to kill me if I ever told. She didn’t have dark memories that affected every single day of her life. So who was she to tell me how to deal with them?

“He didn’t win. He’s in jail.”

“For how long? ”

“A while.” Another two years, to be exact. By the time he got out, I’d be ready for him if he came for me. I wasn’t going to be a victim twice. That reminded me, I hadn’t been to kickboxing in a few days. I’d have to make more of an effort to make it to the classes.

“What are you going to do when he gets out? ”

“Be ready. If he comes for me, then so be it. He won’t get out of it alive.”

“You wouldn’t really kill him.”

“Yeah, I would.” I could say this without fear or reservation. He didn’t deserve to live. He was never going to hurt anyone else again, if I had anything to say about it. I’d been too young when it happened, but I wasn’t a child anymore.

“That scares me, Tay.”

I shrugged. I never said I was a saint.

I changed the subject as quickly as I could, but I kept seeing Meg watching me. As if I was going to suggest going to a sporting goods store and purchasing a gun right then and there. Oh, I had plans for that. I was going to ask for shooting lessons for Christmas from Tawny. I had a pellet gun, but I wanted to learn how to use a proper gun. You could never be too careful.

The day wasn’t a total loss, as we flitted from store to store, looking for deals and trying on earrings and testing lotions.

“What do you think of this one? ” She held out her wrist for me to smell. It was spicy and sweet, like pumpkin pie. Yum.

“Pumpkin barf? ”

“Damn close.” She got three bottles.

“So what was the family like? ”

“Well, his parents are dead so he lives with his aunt and uncle in this huger than huge house. It makes a mansion look like a double-wide.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Wish I was. That chandelier must be a bitch to dust.”

“There was a chandelier? ”

“And a grand staircase and a den, and an apple orchard in the back. It had the works.”

“Were there maids? ”

“Not that I saw, but it could have just been their day off. I’m telling you, it was massive. I was afraid to breathe.”

“Why didn’t you take any pictures? ”

“It didn’t cross my mind, ” I said as we lined up at the smoothie stand.

“So who else was there? ”

I told her about Harper and Mase and Darah’s budding relationship. I didn’t mention Joe or the spying. For some reason, I couldn’t share that with anyone. Not even Megan.

“You should marry him. Then you can be a trophy wife and have your own reality show, ” she said as she ordered her smoothie.

“I am a trophy for no man, ” I said, ordering a mango pineapple.

“You know that’s not what I meant, ” Megan said.

“I know. I guess I’m still reeling from everything.”

“And rightfully so.”

We wandered with our smoothies a little more. I popped into the bookstore to see if they had the new book I was waiting for. They had one copy left, and I did a little happy dance in the aisle as I snatched it up, giddy.

“Thanks for the girly time. We need to do a beauty day soon, ” I said, giving her a hug. I was still on a book-buying high, so I didn’t mind a little affection.

“Call me. You know, if you need to talk. Anytime.”

“Thanks, Meg. I’ll see you later.”

“Bye.”

Darah and Renee were deep in conversation when I got back.

“You, spill, ” Renee said. “I’ve been dying to talk to you all day, but I had that stupid study session.”

Crap. I was not getting out of this. Renee had that crazed look in her eyes like when she’d been studying for ten hours straight and was hopped up on too much coffee, or she’d been paying too much Skyrim. I did not like that look.

“We kissed, ” I said, sitting down on the recliner. Oh, that recliner… I got up and sat at the end of the couch, beside Darah.

“It’s about time. You two have been dancing around each other since day one. So, how was it? ” Renee put her head in her hands, as if she was expecting a juicy play-by-play. Wasn’t going to happen.

“We didn’t.”

“You didn’t? So I slept with my earplugs for nothing? Then what was the yelling I thought I heard? ”

“That was nothing. Well, nothing sexual.”

“You didn’t do anything? ”

“No.”

“Nothing? ” Renee looked really disappointed.

Darah was studying my face in a way I didn’t like.

“You seemed like you were having a good time yesterday, ” Darah said.

“For the most part. Harper was adorable.”

“I know. She’s just the sweetest. Mase and I are thinking of taking her to Funtown before it closes. Her parents don’t want her to go, you know, because she can’t do most of the rides, but Mase already called and they can make accommodations for some of them. He’s so thoughtful.” She smiled.

“He is.” That reminded me of Hunter taking care of the drunken girls last night. I hoped they got home safe.

“So you’re telling me you didn’t have sex? ” Renee didn’t want to let it go. She was starved for romance since she didn’t have one of her own currently.

“Nope.”

“I’m sure you will soon. You can’t deny chemistry like that for long. Sooner or later. Boom.”

The kissing had been quite boom. I couldn’t imagine anything being more intense than that.

“It’s not like that.”

“Uh, yes it is.”

“I hate to say she’s right, but Renee is right, ” Darah said.

“Why do you hate to say I’m right? ”

“Because you’re usually wrong when it comes to things like this.”

“Things like what? ”

“Relationships. It’s not a bad thing. You just seem to think more with your head than your heart sometimes. It’s not a bad thing, ” she said again, trying to sound like it was a compliment instead of an insult.

“Whatever, ” Renee said, waving off the thinly veiled insult. “So have you guys talked about it yet? ”

“No. I’m going to avoid talking as much as humanly possible. I can’t get involved with him. If we did, and then it ended, one of us would have to move out.”

“Isn’t that what you want? ”

Was it? I’d been so sure that the solution to my problems was Hunter moving out. If he wasn’t here, I wouldn’t see him all the time. I wouldn’t think about him all the time. I wouldn’t want him all the time.

“Honey, if he moves out, that’s not going to change your feelings. You’re still going to want to jump his bones if he lives here, or in Istanbul, ” Renee said.

“What about Istanbul? ” Hunter said as he opened the door.

“We were just talking about how awesome it would be to visit, ” Renee said, not missing a beat. “I’ve always wanted to go there.”

“Uh huh, ” Hunter said. I saw that he had grocery bags on his arms.

“You get your car fixed? ” I asked.

“Yeah, it was a belt issue. I got taco stuff if anyone wants some.”

“But we don’t have sombreros or margaritas, ” Renee said.

“Uh, no, ” I said.

“We can’t have taco night without those things. They are essential.” Renee got up and grabbed her purse.

“Who’s coming with me on a hat and marg mission? ” She gave a pointed look at Darah, who also got to her feet.

“I’m in, ” Darah said.

Renee was trying to give me a subtle look, but it didn’t really work. She just looked like she was in pain.

“I’ll help you with the tacos, ” I said, sighing and getting up from the couch. I guess Hunter and I were going to have to talk sooner rather than later thanks to my roommates’ interference.

“I got that fake meat stuff for you, ” he said, pulling it out of the shopping bag.

“Thanks.” He’d also gotten me some bottles of cranberry-lime seltzer water, which I was addicted to.

We both were silent as we unpacked the bags, setting the stuff out on the counter. I took the initiative and started working on the vegetables while Hunter got two pans going with the meat and the fake stuff cooking.

“So are we going to talk about last night? ” he said as he stirred each pan with two different wooden spoons. He was so considerate about keeping my food separate.

“I don’t know, ” I said, washing a pepper in the sink. We were standing so close I bumped into him a few times. “Do you want to? ”

“How about we talk about the fact that you say you don’t like me, but you kiss me and then you sleep with me? ”

“First of all, ” I said, wiping the pepper off vigorously with a paper towel and moving on to a second, “you were going to kiss me. I just made it happen faster. And second, you asked me to sleep with you. I was worried if you had another nightmare you were going to fall out of bed. I was looking out for your safety.” I moved to the cutting board and started chopping.

He snorted as he stirred the meat and non-meat.

“Yeah, that was why I woke up with your legs and arms and body wrapped around mine like an octopus.”

“You didn’t seem to mind.”

He didn’t answer for a second so I looked up.

“I didn’t, ” he said quietly.

“Me neither.” We both thought about that for a second.

“So what now? ” he said.

“What do you mean? ”

“What do we do now? We can’t just be roommates.”

“You said you didn’t like me.”

“I don’t like you. I don’t like how your hair smells, and how I can’t stop thinking about waking up and seeing your face. I hate how my bed felt empty when you left. I don’t like how good you were with my family, especially Harper, and how I wanted to see you with them again, but not just as a guest. As a member. You’re right. I don’t like you at all.”

“When did you change your mind? ”

“My mind never changed. I’ve wanted you since the moment you opened the door and had that stunned look on your face. It just took me a while to admit it. Why deny it now? It is what it is and it’s not going to change.”

“Oh.”

“This doesn’t mean I’m going to be nice. I’m still going to be an ass. I’ll just be an ass who apologizes and brings you flowers to say he’s been a dick.”

“Chocolate, ” I said.

“What? ”

“I’d rather have chocolate when you apologize.”

“Chocolate it is.” He smiled. “So does that mean what I think it means? ”

“No. It just means that you get to bring me chocolate when you’ve been an ass. I’m going to weigh three hundred pounds.” I focused my attention back on the peppers. I couldn’t think about Hunter’s declaration of… whatever it was.

Footsteps didn’t make me look up.

“Taylor, look at me. Please.” Damn. If only he didn’t say please.

“I can’t promise not to make you mad. I can’t promise that I won’t hurt you. All I can promise is that I want you in my life, and I’ll do anything to keep you there.”

“What about the bet? ”

“It still stands. A bet is a bet. The stakes are just a little bit higher, that’s all.”

“So if I asked you to leave, would you? ”

“No. This is my apartment just as much as it is yours. I’ll only leave under three conditions. The ball is in your court. I stick to my word. And I don’t want to leave. Leaving means I don’t get to see you all the time, and I don’t want that.”

I swallowed and tried to sort my scattered mind. Yes, I did like waking up with Hunter. Much, much more than I should. On the other hand, I couldn’t get closer to him. That would only lead to things I couldn’t deal with. I wasn’t a carefree girl who could just jump into a relationship. I had too much baggage. I couldn’t carry it myself, let alone foist it off on someone else.

I was fucked up. Much more so than he could imagine. While it was true Hunter had his own secret, it didn’t seem to burden him like mine did. He wore it like one of his tattoos, a part of him, but not a dominant part. Megan was right; that one night did define me. It had since I was twelve. It wasn’t going to change overnight.

If he got close, he was going to get burned. Or worse, he wouldn’t like what he found. I couldn’t let that happen.

“I wish you’d never moved in, ” I said, stepping back and looking at the peppers. It took all my effort not to throw myself on him, to kiss him, to tell him that I wanted him. Because to say that I didn’t was the biggest lie I’d ever tell myself.

I wanted Hunter Zaccadelli more than I’d ever wanted anything.

My hands were shaking so bad that the knife slipped.

“Shit! ”

“Here, run it under the water.” Hunter dragged me to the sink, putting my bleeding finger under the water. The cut wasn’t bad, so I ripped my hand away as quick as I could.

“Thanks, I think I can manage. I’ve somehow survived nearly twenty years of life without your help, thank you very much.”

“If that’s the way you want it.”

“Yes.”

No, no, no.

He went back to the taco meat and non-meat, and I went back to the veggies. We didn’t speak again until Darah and Renee returned with sombreros and margarita mix and Mase and Dev and Sean and a few others from around the dorm.

I was relieved Hunter and I had a buffer of people to keep us apart. I didn’t know what I was going to do tonight. In our dark, quiet room with just the two of us, I was vulnerable. I was much more likely to change my mind under the influence of large pieces of Hunter’s exposed skin and the ease of sliding under the covers and sleeping with him again.

It would have been so easy.

Hunter went to bed early, and by the time I was ready myself, he had his back turned to me and the light off. He didn’t even say goodnight.

Eighteen

He avoided me the next day, even at work. We had three carts of documents and things to reshelf on the closed stacks, which meant we were going to be alone up there for hours. Luckily, I brought the radio and turned it on as soon as we wheeled the carts, Dolly and Daisy and Dulcie, off the elevators. One of the other student workers had named all the carts and put little cow faces on them. I understood the obsession with naming inanimate objects. Exhibit A: Sassy, my car.

He took Dolly, which had the beginning of the alphabet, so I grabbed Dulcie, which was at the end. We’d have to work together when we got to Daisy, but maybe we wouldn’t get to it today, and then one of the other student workers would deal with it.

I finished my first cart faster than I would have liked. There were a lot of big books on it that were right in a row call number wise, so I sat there with the empty cart. I’d heard Hunter quietly working, but I didn’t know if he was finished. God, what a baby. Suck it up.

I reached the cart just as Hunter did. Of course.

“Come on, ” I said, dragging the cart to the right aisle. I started grabbing things and shoving them on the shelf. They were in relatively the right place. A hand reached out to stop me.

“I know you said you didn’t want this, but here’s the thing. I don’t believe you.” He held my wrist gently, but I couldn’t seem to move. He put his hand on my waist and slowly turned me around, as if we were dancing. We faced each other, and I couldn’t escape his intense gaze. His eyes were locked on mine and they weren’t going to let go. I was trapped.

“Look at me and tell me you don’t want me to kiss you. Tell me you don’t like it when I do this, ” he said, running his hand down my arm. “Tell me you don’t like it when I touch your hair…” He did so, brushing it behind my ear. “Tell me you don’t like it when I touch your face.” He brushed his hands on both of my cheeks, moving up to my forehead and then back down. He rubbed both thumbs over my lips.

“Tell me you don’t like it when I do this.” He leaned his head closer, stopping just short of my lips. “Tell me to stop and I will. You’re in charge, Missy.”

Oh, but I wasn’t. I’d never been so out of charge in my life. I hated being so out of control with him. This was only the second time it had happened, the first being Saturday night and the recliner incident. I closed my eyes and prayed to whoever would listen to give me some control so I could say no.

I wasn’t some horny teen girl with raging hormones. I was Taylor Caldwell, Ice Queen. That was what they had called me in high school. The boys had avoided me for fear of getting their balls frozen off. Or so they had said. I didn’t mind. It made things easier. Any boys who had wanted to try and break through my exterior had been quickly squashed like bugs.

Hunter was different. He’d seen through my exterior, seen through the wall of tangled thorns that guarded me. And here he was, asking me if I wanted to let him try to break through.

The answer was yes.

And no.

I was going to hell.

I leaned forward until our lips met. This time he waited for me. I pushed closer, and he responded, jamming me up against the shelf and devouring me once again. Were his kisses ever gentle? I hoped not.

My hands were trapped above my head so I couldn’t touch him, but he was pressed against me, so I could feel him on every inch of my body, even through our clothes. I let my worries about control fade away, like letting go of a balloon string and watching it float away. Hunter demanded my attention.

I made a little moaning noise and he laughed, slowing our kisses so they were sweeter. Also, I could breathe better. Not that breathing mattered a whole lot at the moment. It was secondary.

I pulled my head back, feeling dizzy.

“I don’t like you, ” I whispered, giving him one last soft peck.

“Sure, ” Hunter said, reaching around me. I thought he was going to assault me, but he was just reaching for a book. “You just keep telling yourself that.” He shelved the book above my head, looking down at me and smiling slowly.

“Get back to work, Miss Caldwell.”

I grabbed the nearest book and wacked him with it.

“Dark. I like dark chocolate.”

*****

That night a bar of expensive dark chocolate found its way onto my pillow. Wonder how that got there. I picked it up and found something else. A black velvet box. What. The. Fuck.

With trembling hands, I picked it up, my brain telling me it must have fallen there by mistake. Maybe Renee had left it in my room, or thought it was mine, or maybe it was a gift from Mase to Darah and he decided to hide it in a place where she wouldn’t find it or…

Just open the damn box.

Slowly, with a little creak, the box opened. Fuckity, fuck, fuck, FUCK.

There was a ring inside. For like, fingers and such. It was gorgeous, with a clear blue stone in the middle, surrounded by what I thought might be diamonds (and I prayed were cubic zirconium) and then a double row of greenish stones of alternating sizes, all wrapped with silver. It made me think of a peacock feather.

“It’s not what you think, ” Hunter said, scaring the bejeezus and daylights out of me all at once. I dropped the box.

“Must reassemble heart, ” I said, trying to remember how to breathe.

“Wow, I didn’t know it would get quite that reaction.” He picked it up and looked at it before holding it out to me.

“What? How? Why? ” I couldn’t form coherent words.

“It’s a ring. It’s for your finger. I bought it, and I thought you would like it. And it’s to say sorry for all the douche-y things I’ve ever done. Figured I’d cover my bases.”

“Ring? ”

“Yes. Ring. Hunter, ” he said, pointing to his chest. “Missy, ” he said, pointing to me.

I stared down at the sparkly thing. It was so pretty. It was the prettiest thing I’d ever seen in my life. Like someone had designed a ring just for me.

“It’s not what you think it is. It’s an apology ring. It’s an I-saw-it-and-thought-of-you ring. It’s not a commitment ring. Promise rings are lame, and you know I’m not proposing. I’m not getting married, ever. So. This is a ring. Just a ring for your pretty finger. I had it sized.”

“When? ”

“I measured your finger while you were sleeping one night.”

“What?! ”

He laughed at my still-stunned face.

“Kidding! Damn, you’re weird when you’re surprised by jewelry. I’ll have to do it more often. I stole one of the ones off your dresser I knew you wore a lot.”

“You had this made for me? ”

“Kind of. I saw the ring with the blue and the diamonds, and I just thought it could add a little more to make it something you’d love. Do you like it? ”

My ears cringed at the word diamond. Maybe I’d heard him wrong. Diamonds were expensive.

“I don’t like it. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

“I could say the same about you.” I looked up to his face to find him smiling at me.

“Would you put it on? For me? ”

He plucked the ring out of the box and held it out to me. I slid it on my right ring finger. Too much symbolism with the left, at least in the United States. It fit as if it had been made for me. It was so shiny I could barely look away from it.

“How does it fit? ” Hunter said, taking my hand and turning so the ring glimmered.

“Perfect.” I still didn’t comprehend the fact that Hunter had bought me a ring with diamonds and God -knew what else in it, as if it was nothing.

“How much? ” I said.

“Price doesn’t matter.”

“I thought you didn’t accept money from your family.”

“I didn’t. I bought it myself.”

“With what money? ” It had to be crazy expensive. He wouldn’t meet my eyes when I looked up.

“Don’t worry about it. Money is meaningless.”

“No, it’s not. Tell me how much it was.”

“If I do, you’re going to freak out like you did about the house, and then I’ll be forced to kiss you again. Do you want me to kiss you again? ”

“It’s not my fault you keep trying to kiss me. How much did the ring cost? ”

He grabbed my hands and tried to plant one on me, but I ducked away.

“Are you asking for me to kick your nuts again? Because I totally will.”

“Why can’t you react like a normal girl? Anyone else would be a puddle of goo at my feet.”

“You didn’t give this ring to another girl, you gave it to me. So deal with it.”

“Do you want me to take it back? I’m sure they can cut it apart and use the stones for another ring.”

“No! ” It would be a crime to destroy such a lovely thing. Not that I was much for jewelry but this was something different. This wasn’t a ring. This was a work of art.

“Okay then. So I guess you like it.”

“I love it.”

“I have reservations about you wearing a peacock feather on your finger, but that’s just a representation of one, so I guess it’s okay. Just… be careful.”

“Peacocks aren’t bad luck for me, ” I said. He had no idea what they meant to me. Or maybe he did. “How much, Hunter? ”

“It’s not important, Miss. You’re more important than money. Bottom line.” I wanted to ask him again if he was bipolar. How could he say things like that and then make a comment about my ass the next? He was a conundrum.

“So the only thing you have left to do is thank me. I know a really special way you could thank me, but it’s really up to you.” And there he was again.

“Okay, ” I said, having an idea.

I crooked my finger for him to come closer. I tipped my head up like I was going to give him a steamy kiss. I bit my lip and his face went blank for a second. Ha.

I went for his mouth slowly, but moved at the last second, catching him on the cheek for a lightning- fast peck.

“Thanks, ” I said brightly before stepping away from him. I needed some space so I could breathe.

“Tease. You’re a tease, Missy girl.”

“You know you love me.”

He shook his head.

“Nope, still don’t like you, ” he said with a sigh.

“Liar, ” I countered.

“Hypocrite.” He stepped closer to me.

“Douche.”

He smiled slowly. “Gorgeous.”

“Ass.”

“Sexy.” He was coming for me, and I couldn’t stop him. Somehow I’d have to.

“Stop.”

“Go.”

“Red light.”

“Green light.”

“No.”

“Yes, ” he whispered, reaching out to hold my shoulders. “Just say yes. Say you’ll be with me.”

“I can’t.”

“Why not? ”

“I can’t, Hunter. Don’t ask me again.”

“Aw, Missy. Why do you do this to me? ”

“I’m sorry.” My voice broke and I was afraid I was going to cry. No, I was not going to cry. I promised myself no boy, no man, would ever make me cry again. And that was why.

“I’m sorry, ” I said before I ran out of the room.

“What’s wrong? ” Renee said from the couch where she was ensconced with her nursing books.

“Nothing. I’m going for a walk.”

“But it’s raining.”

“So? I have an umbrella.” I grabbed it from where I’d hung it by the door.

“Don’t open it inside, ” Hunter said from the hallway. “It’s bad luck.”

I didn’t respond as I got out of there as quickly as I could.

I walked around campus for two hours, just thinking and looking at the ring. It was still on my finger. He’d said it was just a ring, an apology ring, but it was so much more than that. Rings were symbolic. Rings were in circles. Circles never ended, which was why they were symbols of eternity. No beginning and no end.

God, it was so beautiful. How had he known? Granted, I did have a crap ton of peacock stuff, but the way he’d had it put together was just perfection. He’d been planning this for a while. How long? Yet another question I’d thought to ask him while out on my stroll. Campus was deserted, seeing as how it was too late for most classes and it was raining.