Linden: Rocking Pleasure: New Adult College Romance (Coral Gables Series Book 3) (32 page)

I nod frantically. “I hope someday soon.”

“
Maybe not today or tomorrow, but you will feel better again,” he murmurs.

It’s good that he doesn’t offer me pity, the way the girls did. I don’t want my friends’ pity. Relationships fail and falter every day, and now it’s my turn once again. Self-pity is okay—hell, I may even drown in it if I want to—but when other people pity me, I end up thinking that it’s all my fault. I don’t know why my brain makes that connection, but that’s how it is.

I don’t know how long we’ve been sitting here on the floor, but it seems like a soothing eternity. We are silent, leaving it to the world to keep turning. Sadness is beautiful, but loneliness is tragic. Thanks to my friends I will never be lonely.

Chapter 14

The weeks pass incredibly slowly for me. I don’t hear anything from Linden anymore, which only cements my conviction that I was no more than a casual affair for him. I will have to live with that.

We attended our final lectures for the semester today. Cami and I are planning to drive to Austin in my car. I also received confirmation that I passed the year—hooray! I somehow passed all my classes. I haven’t felt such utter relief in a long time, and my GPA is really not that bad. I still feel awful inside from missing Linden, and I still hurt. But I’m trying to focus on other things.

Delsin is going to join us in Austin a little later, because he wants to see his mom first and also meet up with his dad. Sounds as if they have some talking to do—about the future. Well, we all need to figure out what we’re going to do, what we want for our futures. I’ve been suffering from a broken heart for more than five weeks now, and I’m sick of sulking and the despondency. I don’t want to cry every time I see a happy couple anymore. I no longer want to lie awake at night, haunted by memories of Linden and me. And if I find sleep, I’m bound to be woken up by nightmares.

Enough’s enough.

“
When are you coming to get me tomorrow?” Cami asks. I’m checking my phone for new messages after arriving at our usual meeting spot by the palm tree.

I sit down and smile at her. “Tell me when you’ll be ready and I’ll be there.”

“
Is eight too early?”

“
No, it’s fine. I’ll call you around seven. I want to get some food for the road before I pick you up.”

“
It’s good to see you smile again,” she observes.

“
There comes a point when you have to stop living in the past, or else you’ll end up a part of it.”

“
Wow … Wise words I wouldn’t expect from you,” she says with a grin.

I offer her a half smile. “Just be glad I’m my old self again.”

“
Believe me, I am,” she says, wide-eyed and chuckling.

“
Hey, you know what it’s like to be sorely disappointed.”

“
Yeah, and I’m very grateful that in my case, it was only a misunderstanding,” she says, looking up at Delsin, who comes toward us, as if on cue. “I’d be heartbroken if I didn’t have him.”

“
You really love him, don’t you?”

“
More than anything else in the world,” she admits. “I can no longer imagine a life without him.”

I lean over and kiss her on the cheek. “I’m happy for you. I really am.”

“
He asked me if I would marry him someday,” she tells me under her breath.

Now it’s my turn to give her a wide-eyed look. “What did you say?”

“
That I’m still too young for that, but we can talk about it in four or five years,” she says pensively. “Of course, I’m afraid it might not even last that long.”

“
If I’ve learned one thing, Cami, it’s the fact that you will never know what is going to last and what isn’t. There’s just no guarantee.”

“
I know, but Delsin’s like you,” she tells me. “He said, ‘I’ve already got a no, but I can still get a yes.’”

“
And you will say yes when the time is right. You guys can hardly take a breath without each other. You rarely spend any time apart, and you have something I hope to find for my own life, too,” I say in a low voice. “I envy you that kind of love, but I’m also wholeheartedly happy for you.”

Cami hugs me. “Thanks for being my friend.”

I hug her back, though I feel a little overwhelmed by it all. “I’m glad we’re friends, and I miss you and Hailey in the apartment. I mean, Draven and Nate are great guys, and they’re a lot less messy than you ever were, but I miss spending evenings on the couch together, watching romantic movies and bawling our eyes out.”

“
Don’t forget the tubs of Ben & Jerry’s we used to
destroy
during those sessions.”

“
How could I ever forget our cookie-dough excesses?” I giggle.

“
They’re truly unforgettable. Just like our Puke-and-Stockings Tour,” she laughs.

Oh, yes, the Puke-and-Stockings Tour. That was Cami’s first weekend in Miami. We went out with her and showed her all the clubs we knew. By the end of the night, we were all exhausted and our feet hurt so much that we took our high heels off and walked home on stockinged feet in the pouring rain. Nobody actually puked that night, but we baptized the outing afterwards to make it sound even weirder.

“
We should really do a revival of that. Without any men,” I suggest with a grin.

“
Oh, yes. Definitely without men,” she agrees.

“
What’s so funny?” Delsin asks as he sits down between Cami and me.

“
Nothing,” we warble in unison.

“
Very believable, yeah,” he says dryly, leaning against the trunk of the palm tree.

“
You’ll never know,” I say and lean against him.

“
Uh … you know you’re leaning on
me
right now, don’t you?” he asks, sounding slightly disconcerted.

“
You’re quite cozy, didn’t you know that? And you’ve taken my space.” I smirk.

Just then a backpack lands in front of my feet, making me flinch in surprise. “Gah! Professors!” Avery snaps, plopping down across from the rest of us. He scowls darkly.

“
What happened to you, dude?” Delsin asks.

“
Professor Demiras. I could strangle him right now. He gave me a lower grade than he told me I was getting just a few weeks ago. And when I went and asked him about it, he said that my enthusiasm had flagged and that he hopes a lower grade reawakens it. Blah, blah, blah,” he grumbles.

My eyebrows shoot up. “He did exactly the same thing to me last year.”

“
What did you do?” Ave asks.

“
I complained to the dean, because I didn’t think it was justified. I mean, we’re here to study, not to please the professors.”

We talk a little more about this professor and about what Avery could do to get a better grade. Dale joins us and sits down next to him, careful not to touch him at all. Just last week, I flipped out at them for being so inconsiderate, kissing and necking in front of me all the time. Now she’s obviously attempting not to anger me again.

I smile at her. “Dale, stop being so worried about me and my feelings,” I whisper, after scooting closer to where she’s sitting. “I had a few crappy days last week and took it out on you guys. I’m sorry.”

“
I didn’t want to make you sad again,” she replies under her breath.

“
It’s okay, really. I wasn’t even angry with you in the first place. It was just … everything.”

“
Are you feeling better now?”

I nod. “It’s time to let go. I’m working on that. I want to forget him.”

“
Do you think you can do it?”

“
I don’t know, but I’m hopeful.

Dale puts a hand on my knee. “I’m sure you’ll manage to forget him eventually. You’re really the strongest in our circle. I’ve always thought so.”

“
Thank you.”

We talk a bit more about our plans for the summer. Dale and Avery are going to visit his parents for a week, so they can get to know Dale better. Delsin’s going to see his mom, while Hailey’s going to Austin with Logan. And Cami and I are driving home as well. And in three weeks, all of us will be in Austin again, and everyone but me is going to meet at Delsin’s father’s house. I’ll join them on the weekends, so we can spend at least some time together. Maybe Dad could waive part of my debt to give me more spare time. I’d really love to spend time with my friends while in Austin.

***

“
Beauty has returned to the castle,” Draven calls as I enter the kitchen.

I laugh softly. “What is going on here?”

“
We’re preparing a farewell dinner,” Nathaniel explains. “A grand affair before we have to say goodbye to you for a few weeks.” He’s all teary-eyed, and then I see—he’s cutting onions.

“
You guys are crazy.”

“
Nope,” Draven counters. “We just love our roommate, who also happens to be our landlady.”

“
You’re still crazy,” I decide.

“
Nope,” Draven repeats. “But we also have a surprise for you.”

I lift an eyebrow. “What kind of surprise?”

“
We’ll tell you later.” Nathaniel grins.

“
Don’t do that to me,” I protest impatiently, putting my right hand on my hip and drumming the fingers of my left on the table. “I want to know what the surprise is!”

“
Aw, but it’s so much fun to torture you like this.” Draven smirks.

“
Sadists!” I yell playfully.

They burst into laughter.

“
Should we have a heart, Nate?” Draven asks.

Nate studies me and rubs the back of his neck. “I don’t know. Should we?”

“
Yes, you should,” I chime in.

“
All right,” they say simultaneously.

“
Delsin offered to bring us along when he flies out to Austin.” Dravin grins. “When he gets back from visiting his mom. So we’re all going to spend at least part of the summer together.”

“
Oh my God!” I squeal, before eagerly jumping him. “That is so awesome!”

He laughs and twirls me around in his arms. “I knew you would like that. And the tall guy over there thought so, too,” he says conspiratorially with a sidelong glance at Nate.

“
You are insane.”

“
Hey, a minute ago we were still only crazy,” Nate protests.

I walk over to him on shaky legs, after Draven has set me down again, and then I hug him, too. “I’m so happy we’re going to spend break together, even if I have to work most of the time.”

He lifts me up as well and hugs me tightly. “I think this break just might be the best time of our college years.”

“
We’ll make it count.” I grin.

“
Yeah, we’ll make it worthwhile,” Draven agrees.

“
And you guys need to come pick me up from work every single day.”

“
I think we could take turns,” Draven negotiates.

“
I’m okay with picking you up every day,” Nate says generously.

“
You’re okay with it? Just okay? Not thrilled?” I tease.

He laughs out loud. “No, of course I’m beyond thrilled. But Draven likes to refuse any kind of chore, so I thought I’d take over from here.”

“
That is only mildly reassuring.” I giggle.

“
Whatever,” Draven interrupts us. “Let’s get back to what’s more important right now is—could you set the table, Thally?”

“
I think I could manage, yeah.” I fetch plates and cutlery and set the table. Then I add a glass for each of us and sit down expectantly.

They finish preparing the food and then serve me before sitting down as well.

We eat our pasta, talk about the possibilities of doing stuff in Austin, and enjoy the prospect of spending time together. Of course, if my dad didn’t insist on getting back all the extra money by making me work it off, I’d stay here. I mean, who wouldn’t want to spend all their time in the Sunshine State, where there’s a beach and all that?

If I had a choice, I’d stay, even though Austin is nice enough. But there’s no ocean, no beach. But my friends being there will make it better.

After dinner, Nate and I wash the dishes.

“
Are you looking forward to getting home to Texas?” he asks.

“
Yeah, but I’m not looking forward to working.”

“
Yeah, I wouldn’t be looking forward to that either.” He smirks.

“
There are worse things though.”

“
Granted. Do you have to be there for eight hours straight every day, or will you have shorter days, too?”

“
Maybe if I give my dad my best puppy dog eyes, he’ll have mercy on me,” I explain cheerfully, “but I can’t do that too often, or it won’t work anymore.”

“
Well, that’s something.” Nate cocks his head to one side and studies me. “I could come with you and Cami tomorrow, if that’s okay with you. Then you could show me a bit of Austin when you have time.”

“
I don’t think you’d enjoy being in a car with me and Cami for twenty hours,” I say thoughtfully.

“
Oh, I’m sure I’d survive.” He grins.

I smile at him. “Okay then. I’m sure you could stay at Cami’s place—my parents are a little strange when it comes to new people. I’d have to talk to them to see whether you could stay at our house. And that usually works better in person. With that settled, I suggest I finish getting this kitchen back in order, while you get to packing!”