All In (Cedar Mountain University #2) (6 page)

“Don’t stress it, Pix,” he says. “Like you said, everybody assumes
we’re together anyway. So we don’t disillusion them of the notion just yet. I
told you, somebody else will do something and you won’t be a blip on the
radar.”

“Unfortunately that won’t work with my brothers. Or Grant.”

“So just let this ride. No big deal to me,” he says with a wink.

Before I can say anything else the front door bangs open and
Delaney comes out. She doesn’t hesitate to lay into me. “What in the hell was
that?” She demands. “A week ago you were telling me you didn’t care how
beautiful he was you weren’t going to date him.”

I wince, “Delaney,”

“Now you’re holding his hand and he’s calling you Pixie?”

“Delaney, let me introduce you to Jacob Ross.” I mutter. “Jacob,
this is my best friend Delaney. She had a very…sheltered childhood.” I tell
him. “So her social skills are severely lacking.” I shoot her a look, “Isn’t
that right, Del?”

Her cheeks go pink as her eyes drop to Jacob. Who is currently
smiling like a lunatic. “Beautiful, huh? Is that what she said?”

“Don’t answer him.”

Her eyes are darting between the two of us and I almost physically
see the tension coursing through her body. Her muscles stiffen and she shifts
closer to me. I know it’s instinctual for her to put that distance between her
and someone she doesn’t know. Especially a male someone she doesn’t know. And I
see the faint flicker of confusion in Jacob’s eyes just seconds before he
shifts, moving in such a way that he is now even farther away from her.

His smile never falters. “It’s very nice to meet you, Delaney.”

 
“Um,” Her eyes flick to me
and then back to him again “nice to meet you as well.”

“Would you be able to give me an exact account of what she said?
Were there any other adjectives used? Gorgeous, sexy, smart? I personally think
I’m all three of those, plus the beautiful.”

I raise my brow, “Well, no self-esteem issues for you, huh?”

“Nope. Do you know how weird your roommate is, Delaney? She likes
her Cheetos stale, which I am sure has to be illegal, or at least immoral.”

Delaney is starting to relax just a little. “They actually aren’t
that bad stale.”

“See, it isn’t just me,” I smirk. “You shouldn’t knock it till
you’ve tried it.”

“Not going to happen.”

The faint sound of the party can be heard from the backyard. A soft
mix of laughing voices and music that drifts over the townhouse filling the
small stretch of silence that settles between the three of us. The sun is
starting to set, the pretty mix of colors spreading across the sky as it sinks
down out of sight. Tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, I’m still not used
to how long it’s getting, I sigh before telling Delaney, “I’m going to set them
straight. Tomorrow. Tonight I’m going to go back to the apartment and put on my
PJ’s and eat ice cream and watch a sappy love movie.”

“Because that sounds healthy.” Jacob mutters.

I glare over at him for a moment then turn back to Del. “Can you
tell everyone I left? I’m too tired to deal with going back in there tonight.”

Delaney frowns. “You don’t have to leave.”

“Yes I do. Tonight I do.”

“I like Grant. I really do,” Delaney says. “But, Grace, you’ve
basically disappeared since you guys broke up. It’s like he won your friends in
the divorce settlement. We’re your friends and family just as much as his.”

“Told you so.”

I glare at Jacob again. “Zip it.” I growl. “I just don’t want
everyone to be uncomfortable. He obviously needs his space, or whatever.”

“The Grace I know wouldn’t just roll over like this. What happened
to her?”

The professor is droning on and on, and I have no idea what he is
talking about as I absently tap my fingers on the table top in front of me.
It’s Biology, which is the worst subject I’m taking this year. I am so not a
science fan. I prop my chin on one hand, reaching the other hand out to pick up
my pencil so I can start tapping it instead of my fingers. One leg starts
bouncing up and down under the table. My gaze flicks idly to the clock on the
far wall, a frown forming when I notice I still have over half the class left
to suffer through.

All I can think about is the fact that I didn’t do what I said I
was going to. I hadn’t told anyone that Jacob and I weren’t dating, or sleeping
together, or whatever it was they all thought we were doing. Holden had some
mock trial thing on Saturday so he had been unavailable, and it wasn’t like I
was seeking Grant out to tell him anything.

And maybe on Sunday I had hid in my room.

On the plus side I had actually knocked out a paper I had due next
week, and I had read a couple chapters of my Intro to Humanities book. So technically
I hadn’t been hiding, right? I was doing school work. And thinking about how
pathetic I had become in the last few months, and how right Delaney had been. I
had shrunken into some poor resemblance of myself, because Grant had decided he
didn’t want me anymore. So now I was annoyed with myself on top of everything
else.

The girl next to me glares at me and then down at my jumping leg.
“Stop.” She mouths. I drop my foot down on the ground one final time, and stop
tapping my pencil as well since I’m sure that’s annoying as well. I have my
class with Jacob next and I’m not sure how that’s going to go. He said he was
fine with me not saying anything, but how fine was he really going to be now
that I actually hadn’t said anything?

How in the hell do I get myself in these situations?

I hear the professor say something about an upcoming test and force
myself to stop thinking about boy troubles and focus on what’s going on in
front of me. No matter how much I might hate school, flunking out because I’m too
worried about my love life is not something I want to have to explain to my
parents.

It’s hard being the only child in our family who doesn’t have a set
plan for themselves. I’m nearly halfway in to the first semester of my
sophomore year and I still haven’t come even close to deciding on a major. Not
that my parents will be disappointed in me if I only get a General Studies
degree, but I’ll be disappointed in me.

Holden’s already in his first year of law school, and Cole hasn’t
said it yet, but I know that’s the direction he’s going to take. Of course you
add in the fact that Holden is dating Ally, who graduated last year with her
degree in nursing and Cole is with Delaney who has her sights set on a degree
in history, and I look like a complete slacker.

At least when I was with Grant there was one of us who had our shit
together. Grant was studying sports science and wanted to be a physical
therapist.

The professor wraps up the lecture about ten minutes before class
is scheduled to end, which gives me time to hit the campus Starbucks and grab a
latte before heading over to my next class. A cold front was sliding through,
and as I stepped outside I pulled my maroon sweater tighter around my body to
ward off the wind.

I’m disappointed to find that I’m not the only person with the
clever idea to hit up Starbucks. The line is several people deep when I finally
get to join. The low murmur of voices is cut only by the soft music floating
out of hidden speakers.
 

“Grace!” I glance up as Kelsey comes bouncing into the coffee shop.

I’d met Kelsey the first day of classes. She’d slid in next to me
in our
Intro to Humanities
class and
started talking to me as if we’d known each other forever. Kelsey was what I
had always pictured as the epitome of the entire sorority system. She’s pretty
in an all-American wholesome way, with long naturally blonde hair and bright
blue eyes. She energetic, and gives the term ‘bubbly’ a whole new meaning.

 
“Hey, Kels, how are you?” I
ask as she shoots a smile to the people behind me. Her smile is so sweet they
don’t even look pissed that she’s effectively cut in front of them. The sad
part is, I’m not even sure she realizes the power that smile wields.

“I’m great!” I’m pretty sure Kelsey only talks in exclamation
points. “Bradley’s house is having another party this weekend. You should
come!”

I step up as the line moves forward. Kelsey bounces along with me.
“You going to get drunk and leave me on my own again?”

A little remorse dances across her face. “Sorry. Bradley and I
fought.”

“So you got drunk.”

“Totally not on purpose. My friends kept shoving shots in my hands
to make me feel better.” We move forward again with the line. “Although I hear
it worked in your favor.”

I groan inwardly. “Oh yeah? What did you hear?”

Kelsey grins. “I hear the very yummy Jacob Ross took you home the
next day.”

“It’s not what everyone thinks.” I say shaking my head. “We didn’t
sleep together.”

“Then I heard he was at one of the little shindigs at your
brother’s place.” She rolls on like I didn’t say anything. “Which you’ve never
invited me to.”

We reach the counter and Kelsey smiles at the kid behind the
counter before placing an order. The kid practically has drool sliding out the
side of his mouth as he watches Kelsey. I give him my order as well and then we
shuffle to the side to wait for our names to be called.

“Apparently there isn’t an invitation needed.” I mutter as we wait
for our coffee. “Because there were people there who I know weren’t invited.”

“Never mind that. Tell me all about Jacob.”

“There is nothing to tell. Nothing happened, nothing is happening,
and nothing will happen.”

Kelsey rolls her eyes. “Lame,” she declares. “You should totally be
using him as your rebound. I can’t think of anyone sexier to rebound with.”

“I don’t need a rebound. And if I did it wouldn’t be Jacob. He’s a
nice guy. He helped me out when you left me stranded.”

Her entire face falls. “So I’m guessing he didn’t duke it out with
Grant on the quad the other day either, huh?”

“Nope. Sorry.”

The barista calls our names and I hurriedly snag my drink and head
back outside. I’m totally going to have to put a stop to this before it gets
out of hand. Or even more out of hand. I take a long drink of my latte as we
move across campus. Kelsey is keeping up a steady stream of chatter. Thankfully
she’s moved on from my non-relationship with Jacob, and is telling me all about
why she had argued with Bradley. Apparently he mentioned that another girl had
a nice ass. And then how he made it up to her – there was some jewelry
involved.

I’m paying attention to her, or mostly paying attention to her, and
not to what’s going on around us so I nearly jump out of my skin when I feel
someone’s hand close around mine. Tiny sparks of awareness slip and slide up my
arm at the contact.

With Grant there had always been a glowing warmth that had seeped
through my skin when he touched me. It had felt familiar and safe, sort of like
coming home. It had been a comfortable and pleasant feeling, and one that I
hadn’t at all been unhappy with.

Jacob was a different story altogether.

My body seems to come alive at the mere brush of his skin against
mine. Awareness hummed just under the surface even when he was standing next to
me with no contact between us whatsoever.

I wasn’t entirely sure what to do with that.

Nor was I entirely sure what to do with the knowing look that Kelsey
shoots me right before she says, “Hello, Jacob.”

He nods his head in her direction, acknowledging her, but his eyes
are locked straight on me. “Kelsey. Can I steal Grace for a moment?”

“Of course. I’ll see you in class, Grace.”

I try to tug my hand out of Jacob’s because I seriously need to get
my freaking hormones under control and I obviously can’t do that while I’m
touching him. Or breathing in the heady woodsy scent that I’ve already come to
associate with him.

Jesus, I need help.

But Jacob doesn’t let my hand go, and instead tugs me slightly
closer against him.

So not helping my situation.

I arch a brow as I look up to him, doing my best to pretend
indifference to the entire situation. Tugging on my hand again he says, “So
I’ve been thinking.”

“That always gets me in trouble.” That damn dimple flashes along
with a low laugh that escapes his lips. “Oh yeah?” He questions around the
laugh. “What kind of things have you been thinking, Pix?”

I’m pretty freaking sure this is the first time I’ve ever blushed
in my entire life.
 
I have two older
brothers so innocence is not something I’ve ever really had an abundance of,
but holy hell the way he phrases that question lets me know exactly what he thinks
I’ve been thinking about.

And damn if I’m not suddenly thinking it.

Jacob Ross should come with a freaking warning label.

“Never mind,” I mutter. “What were you thinking?”

He smirks, “I’m thinking that this is a conversation that we are
going to get back to another day.”

I tug on my hand again, trying to get him to let go. I need to put
some distance between the two of us or my resolve to not utilize Jacob as a
rebound is going to be shot. But he won’t let go, instead his fingers tighten
around mine and that smile kicks up another notch.

“I think we should go on a date.”

I’m still trying to figure out a way to stop picturing him naked
when he makes this announcement. I’m pretty sure I make some kind of weird
noise in my throat. A feeble attempt to try and formulate a coherent thought.

Yeah, pretty sure that isn’t happening now.

“You all right there, Grace?”

“Why?” I lick my suddenly dry lips. “Why would we go on a date?”

“Well,” Thankfully he drops my hand and I’m starting to think I
might be able to piece together a couple of coherent thoughts, and then his
hand reaches up and brushes back my hair, the tips of his fingers ghost softly
against my cheek before he tucks my hair back behind my ear and I’m pretty sure
I’ve forgotten how to talk all together. “It would keep you from having to set
everyone straight.”

“You don’t have to do that, Jacob.”

“I know I don’t have to do it, Grace.”

Shaking my head, I say “I told you I’d set them straight, and I
will. I’ll text Holden right now.” I reach into my pocket and pull out my
phone. He snatches the phone out of my hands before I can even unlock the
screen. “Hey,” I cry out, looking up at him. “Give it back.”

“Jesus, Grace, is it always this difficult to ask you out on a
date?”

“I don’t know. It’s only ever been Grant.” That brings him up
short. I can see the surprise on his face. Before he can say anything else I
add, “I don’t want a pity date.”

“Who said anything about a pity date?”

Shooting him a look I reach out to try and snag my phone back, but
he pulls it out of my reach. I frown as I cross my arms over my chest, rolling
back on my heels so I can look up at him. “You’re offering to take me on a
date, so I don’t have to admit I was lying that we’re dating. What would you
call it?”

“Has it ever occurred to you that maybe I actually want to go on a
date with you?”

I just barely manage to keep my jaw from dropping. Because he sure
as shit looks serious, and those were not the words I was expecting to come out
of his mouth. “Um, no.”

“Well it should, because I do.”

I must look like a total idiot. That’s all I can think as I stand
there staring at him. Because no, it had never occurred to me that Jacob would
want to go out on a date with me. Not a real date. Lord knows I wasn’t one of
those girls who lacked self-esteem or self-confidence. I knew that, while I
more than likely would never be walking down a runway in Milan, I wasn’t
exactly sending small children running screaming in the opposite direction.

But I wasn’t kidding when I said it had only ever been Grant. From
the moment I’d realized that boys were different then girls, and what that
difference could mean, I had set my sights on Grant. There had been no room for
other boys, and they had all seemed to recognize this, and had never tried.

Or they might have been terrified of my older brothers.

Regardless, I had never been asked on a date before Grant.

“You’re giving this way too much thought. It’s just a date, Pixie,
not a marriage proposal.”