Linden: Rocking Pleasure: New Adult College Romance (Coral Gables Series Book 3) (6 page)

“
I’d appreciate that. Hey, from time to time I need a pretty man to look at, too,” he whispers conspiratorially.

I laugh out loud. “I doubt you have a chance with Ave, but I guess looking won’t hurt anyone.”

“
Exactly,” he drawls.

We return to the hairdresser’s chair, where Theo combs my hair and then starts to cut a few strands to get it straight and manageable.

I can hardly wait to see the final result.

***

Five hours, four cups of coffee, and three
Ouch
es later, I stare at myself in the mirror. “Oh my God! Is that really me?” I ask in an awestruck whisper.

Finally!
My hair is long again, I have bangs, and I’m in a very good mood.

“
Yes, honey, that’s the real you. And you’re hot,” Theo says. “Now tell me I’m awesome!”

We both laugh happily. “You’re the second best.”

“
What? Who’s first?”

“
My dad, of course. Because without his money, I couldn’t have come here today.” I grin.

“
Okay, in that case, I’m content with being second best. Or your dad can be the best
dad
, and I still get to be the best hairstylist,” he suggests.

“
Deal!”

We walk over to the front desk, where Theo enters the price. Wow, $299 is a lot of money, but I’d actually expected it to cost more. Now I still have some money for a new dress. Yay for comfort shopping! I’ll probably buy more than a dress anyway, because I rarely pick stuff that costs more than $30. That means there could be several new dresses in my closet tonight. Suddenly Theo enters a rebate, and the amount due shows as $250.

“
Theo, I think you just hit a wrong key,” I say softly.

He looks at me. “No, I didn’t. Why?”

“
The price just went down by $49,” I tell him, puzzled.

“
Let’s call it a valued customer’s discount.” He grins.

“
Wow. Thank you!” I come around the desk to hug him.

“
After your disaster with Colton and Pearl you probably want to get a new wardrobe, too, don’t you?” he whispers.

“
Of course, but 200 would have been enough for that,” I answer with a grateful smile. When I hand him my money, I try to add a generous tip, but he refuses it.

“
No tips from my best friend,” he insists.

“
Sorry, I forgot that was your rule.”

“
Yeah, yeah.” Theo hands me my change and smiles. “Send me pictures of your new outfits.”

“
Okay.” That reminds me of my daddy’s request. “Oh, could you take a picture of my new hair?” I hand him my phone, turn so my profile is facing him, and he snaps a picture.

“
Thanks, Theo.”

“
You’re welcome, honey.”

We say goodbye and I step outside, wondering where to go next. I have no plans whatsoever for this Monday afternoon. I take out my phone again, looking at my contact list. Cami? But she might still be in mama-bear mode after Saturday night.

My problem seems to vanish into thin air, because right then, my phone begins to ring in my hand.

It’s Alexis Kingston.

“
Yes?” I say when I pick up.

“
Miss Leroux?”

“
That’s me. What can I do for you, Mr. Kingston?” I ask calmly, though I feel slightly irritated, expecting him to need a tourist guide again.

“
Would you come to the hospital again?” he asks. “Linden wants to introduce his savior to his brother.”

“
Uh … In my opinion, I was done after yesterday’s visit,” I say, trying to sound determined. “Apparently people suddenly think I’m a damn hero, but I don’t feel like coming over there again. Please tell Linden I don’t want any further contact.”

“
You brought back our lead singer,” Alexis insists. “You have no idea how glad we all are that you didn’t decide to go all
Misery
on him and chain him to a bed or something.”

“
Mr. Kingston, I don’t want to, plain and simple.”

“
Please do me this one favor, and I promise you that I won’t bother you anymore,” he pleads.

I sigh and throw my decision to stay away from Linden Priest overboard. I don’t know why, though. “I was about to do some shopping, but I could come over after.”

“
Okay. Just come by any time you’re done.”

“
See you later.” I hang up without waiting for his reply, because the topic of Linden Priest is beginning to annoy me like hell. Not only did Cami bug me to go out with him after I was so busy helping him get to the ER and contact his friend and all that, but to top it all off, I had that stupid dream about him! I’m still wondering what it meant. I know the interpretation of dreams is total bullshit, but maybe I should google some key terms anyway… Or maybe not. No, definitely better not. I don’t want to know any stupid details. I discard that idea as quickly as it came.

With another sigh I get in my car, place my phone in its holder, start the engine, and turn on the radio. I decide to try Forever 21 first. They usually have some hot dresses that don’t cost me a small fortune. I laugh at the thought of $250 being a small fortune.

“
In the end, it doesn’t even matter,” I sing along with one of my favorite songs. I even rap along with Mike Shinoda, who is like my personal rock god.

I left the top closed today, even though now I’m feeling like letting the wind muss up my hair. But I didn’t bring a hair band, so I wouldn’t be able to tame it afterwards and would probably look like a cartoon character who put her finger in an outlet. No, thank you.

***

Half an hour later, after taking my time looking around Forever 21, I find a powder-pink summer dress ideal for this time of year. I pick a turquoise bolero jacket to go with it, because I love bold contrasts. I also pick two pairs of short shorts and a few tees, so I’ll have something to wear on the really hot days, even though I’ll spend most of my summer in Austin, working off my debt at my dad’s company.

“
Thally?”

I turn around. “Hey, Hailey,” I greet my friend.

“
How come you have long hair again?” she asks right after hugging me.

“
Uh … I just felt like it, to be honest. The bob had grown out, and I was already sick of having short hair,” I explain.

“
Well, you look really great.”

“
Thanks.”

“
And now you’re spending all your money?” she asks, amusement in her voice.

“
Well, my dad gave me a little advance. And because I’ll have to spend the entire summer locked up in an office, I may just as well splash the cash now,” I say with a grin. “I just need this after breaking things off with Colton. I want to distract myself, I’ll admit that.”

“
And you’re sure it doesn’t have anything to do with a certain singer?” Hailey giggles as she looks around the store for something to catch her fancy.

I snort. “Did Cami tell you about that?”

“
Her and Dale and Ave, and especially Delsin, who was
still
laughing about your little bitch fight with his girlfriend.” She laughs.

I roll my eyes. “Oh, great. All my friends are making fun of me.”

“
Bullshit. We’re just excited that you met someone new.”

“
I picked him up because he was injured, and since then I’ve seen him exactly once, when I chauffeured his friend to his hospital room,” I explain. “I really don’t want anything else to do with this Linden Priest rock star guy.”

“
Famous last words of Thalia Leroux, queen of the self-deceivers,” Hailey taunts with a smirk.

“
I’m not the queen of anything, Hailey,” I hiss defensively. “I just don’t want any further contact with this man.”

“
Whoa, no need to get all worked up, sister. I am the last one to tell you what to do.”

My answer is another sigh. “It’s just that … he had me all confused,” I confide. “When I picked up his friend Alexis from the airport yesterday and brought him to the hospital, Linden asked me out, even though they mentioned a girlfriend or fiancée just a few minutes earlier. That’s not normal, right?”

“
Did he tell you why he wanted to take you out?”

“
I think he wanted to thank me again, but wouldn’t you think he’d have said he was bringing his girlfriend or that I could bring my boyfriend or something, in case I had one? You know?”

“
Well, not necessarily, but I know what you mean,” she says, looking thoughtful. “Do you like him?”

“
I guess, but if he has a girlfriend, he’s off limits. I have principles. Plus, apparently he’s some kind of rock star, even though I never heard of his band before yesterday.”

She smirks. “That’s because Downstair Alley is more of a boy band. They don’t play real rock, but stuff more like the Backstreet Boys, or Natural.”

“
No wonder I hadn’t heard of them.”

“
Of course not! So if you go out to dinner with him, nobody can say you’re just a groupie. There’s nothing wrong with it, if he really just wants to thank you for your help.”

We keep walking through the store. “I guess not. But I don’t want his girlfriend to think he’s cheating on her. People like him are chased by paparazzi, and I don’t think they ever get a break. What do you think will happen when they see him with a woman who’s not his girlfriend? They would jump at the chance to be the first to publish a juicy story.”

Hailey stops and stands in front of me. “What happened to the Thalia Leroux that called college a hotbed of sin and intended to finish it with as many misdemeanors as possible?”

“
Oh, her? She lay down on the highway a few months ago and let a Mack truck run over her.” I giggle.

“
Don’t quote
The Simpsons
to me, I want an honest answer.” She grins back at me.

“
Oh, I don’t know,” I answer, after I’ve stopped giggling. “I feel like a little bitch these days, because you’re all so happy now, while I’m still leading the party life. To be honest, I’ve been acting pretty slutty since we started college, and now I think I want to change that.”

“
You’re not acting slutty,” Hailey protests.

“
I’m not?”

“
No. Because if you were, then I was as well, and I don’t like to talk about myself as a slut. It’s that simple.” She laughs.

“
Now if that isn’t flawed logic…” I join her laughter.

“
No, I’m merely creative regarding our adventures,” she counters. “You want to get a cup of coffee?”

“
I gotta run after this,” I answer, feeling calmer now. “Have something I have to do.”

“
Oh, and what would that be?”

“
Linden wants me to come see him again because his brother and his fiancée want to meet me, too, you know, since I sort of saved his life.”

“
But Cami said he wasn’t injured that badly, was he?”

“
No. She’s right. And I don’t know why these people are making such a big deal out of it.” I paused. “You know what? I’m going to cancel via text, and then you and I can spend the rest of the day having fun. Okay?”

“
No! You going and you’re taking me.” Hailey grins.

“
Hailey,” I whine.

“
What? I want to see this guy, too, and then you won’t be on your own,” she says reasonably. “And then I could back you if you still want to reject him.”

“
Okay. Let me pay first, and then we can do it if you really want to.”

“
Did you drive?”

“
Yeah.”

“
Great. Logan dropped me off earlier, so I need to let him know he doesn’t have to pick me up.” She smiles.

“
You do that. I’ll pay for my stuff.” I’ll try the clothes on at home, and if they don’t fit, I’ll return them tomorrow. After a young woman checks me out and I’ve signed the receipt, I find Hailey again. “Did you reach Logan?” I ask her.

“
I did,” she says. “He’s going to meet Delsin and the others now, to enjoy some sunshine on the beach.”

“
I’d rather be there now, too,” I complain.

“
No, no, no. We’re going to the hospital, and I want to see you turn down Linden’s invitation again.” She giggles.

We leave the store and head back to my car. “I shouldn’t even mention the invitation in front of his fiancée. I don’t want to be the cause of a fight or something.”

“
Well, I would want to know if Logan invited another woman to dinner, and maybe she knows already,” Hailey says with conviction.

“
Possible, but I wouldn’t want to risk it.”

“
Do you think he has his memory back?” she asks suddenly.

My head spins from her sudden change of subject. “Uh, no idea. But frankly, I don’t give a damn.”

When we reach my car and Hailey sinks into the passenger seat, she grabs the CDs that are lying on her side of the dashboard. I managed to find a spot in the shade, so I didn’t bother putting them away. After I throwing the bag with my new clothes in the trunk, I slide in behind the wheel.

“
Do you have a hair band with you that I could borrow?” I ask.