Redesigned (11 page)

“We don’t have to announce that they receive help from the organization. No one has to know.

They could be children from the rich side of town.”

“I never thought….”

“No.” I swallow my disappointment. One hot kiss and some lustful looks, and for some reason, I forgot he was the arrogant ass who thinks the worst of me. “It’s obvious you didn’t.” I walk around him. “Now if you’ll excuse me.”

I’ve left five little girls in the room who want me to make them pretty clothes. Now I need to see what I have to do to make that happen.

Evelyn is delighted by my plan, but Lexi is even more so.

When we leave the office and head out to the car, Lexi loops her arm around mine. “I knew bringing you would be a good idea! I hoped it would spur your creativity, seeing firsthand the organization you were helping raise money for. I just never imagined it would be so literal.”

Reed is waiting outside, his backside to the car as he watches the street. He’s wearing a scowl, as usual, but damned if he doesn’t look good wearing that too. I stuff my wanton feelings down. What the hell is wrong with me? Lusting after a jerk. I’ve never been one of
those
girls, and I don’t intend to start.

“Well, nothing’s for sure yet.” I need to focus on my project now that I have inspiration. “Evelyn has to get the parents’ permission.”

“But that was a fantastic idea for you to use the children as models for the other designers too.”

I shrug. “They need child models, so I figure why not?”

“Have you got a style or color to tie your collection together?”

“Not really. I want to sit down with my sketchbook and play around with some ideas first.”

As we approach the car, Reed opens the passenger door and stands next to it. I have no intention of sitting in front next to Reed, but Lexi sneaks around to the driver’s side and climbs in the back.

Reed’s eyes flash with alarm, and I’m not sure if I should be happy he’s as freaked out as I am by the idea of sitting next to me. But to protest and sit in the back would not only be rude, it would look like I can’t handle sitting next to him. I have no intention of letting him know he’s gotten under my skin.

I give him a tight smile. “Why, thank you, Reed. You really can be a gentleman when you want to.” I slide into the seat and he shuts the door without a retort.

We drive back to campus in tense silence. Reed keeps both hands on the wheel. I don’t know whether it’s because he feels the need to strangle something or whether he’s trying to keep from touching me. Or both. Neither is good.

“Reed.” Lexi’s voice interrupts my thoughts. “I need you to drop me off at the bank.”

His head jerks up. “The bank is a good ten minutes from where we are now. The opposite direction from the campus.”

She leans forward, her hand resting on the seat next to his shoulder. “I forgot to mention I had an appointment with one of the investment bankers at five-thirty.”

“It’s five-fifteen now. There’s no time to take Caroline back and drop you off at the bank.”

“Then drop me off and take Caroline back to campus.”

Reed hesitates.

“For heaven’s sake, Reed.” She groans. “I know you don’t have any more classes today. What’s the big deal?”

“Reschedule your appointment.”

“I can’t. It’s for a class project and I have to bring my notes to class tomorrow.”

I suspect she’s lying. For all her cheeriness and fluff, Lexi doesn’t seem the flighty type, especially after seeing her in action today. If she really had a meeting, she would have already made prior arrangements for me to get back to campus. She’s either lying about her appointment or she’s purposely set it up for Reed and I to be alone.

Lexi’s matchmaking, and I don’t like it one bit.

And neither does Reed. He shoots an anxious look in my direction then up to the mirror to look at her. “Lexi, you live by your Google calendar. You’re telling me that you just now remembered your appointment?”

She shrugs with a smug grin. “What can I say? Everyone makes mistakes sometimes. Even
you,
big brother.”

I can see Reed wants to call her on it.
I
want him to call her on it. But he grumbles under his breath and turns at the next intersection—away from campus.

“Wait.” I say before I come up with a reason why this won’t work. I could say I have a class but both Reed and Lexi have a copy of my schedule. We all shared them the day of our first meeting.

Reed turns to me and lifts an eyebrow.

I sink back into the seat and release a heavy sigh. I’m being ridiculous. We’re adults here, albeit, barely. I can sit in a car with him for twenty-five minutes, fifteen of them alone with him. I’m mature, mostly. I can do this. “Never mind.”

Lexi sits back in her seat and begins to talk about the nonprofit and ideas that came to her for future fundraising.

I look over the back seat to glance at her. “You really love this, don’t you?”

“Yes. I feel like I’m actually accomplishing something other than….” Her voice trails off as her eyebrows knit.

“Other than what?” I prompt.

“Other than going to classes. Do you ever feel like you’ve spent your whole life in school and you’re dying to get out?”

Right now, school is the only security I feel. The big bad world scares the hell out of me, but I’m not going to tell her that. Not in front of Reed. “Yeah, sometimes I do.”

“So when I get to do something like this fundraiser, I feel like I’m making a difference. I’m helping someone.”

I can’t think of the last time I felt like I made a significant difference in anything. Perhaps I’ll find it helping the kids at the tutoring center. Still, I’m not naive enough to think one pretty dress and an afternoon on a runway are going to change these kids’ lives, but at least it’s something.

“So you’ve helped with other fundraisers before?” I ask.

“Tons.”

“How did you find so many opportunities? You’re only a sophomore in college.”

Her smile falters.

“We grew up in Boston.” Reed interjects. “All you have to do is toss a rock across the street and you’ll hit a nonprofit. Lexi was part of a high school club that worked with charities.”

“Huh.” I’m trying to decide if my brother knew anything about my high school activities, let alone hang out with me. I haven’t seen him since the summer I left. Last I heard, he took off for L.A.

with his rock band.

“So you haven’t done charity work before?” Lexi asks.

“No.” I’m fairly certain receiving charity isn’t the same thing. “Where did you go to high school?”

They both remain strangely quiet until Reed answers. “We went to a small Catholic school.”

Why is Reed answering such simple questions for his sister?

“So you’re Catholic?”

His eyebrows twitch. “Do you have anything against Catholics?”

“Well, no….”

I clamp my mouth shut. This conversation has derailed, and I don’t see the point of trying to fix it.

Reed pulls into a parking lot of a three-story building and parks at the curb. “What time is your appointment over, Lexi?”

“This is a meeting, not a therapy session. There isn’t a predetermined end time.”

A therapy appointment is an odd comparison.

He grunts in frustration. “An hour?”

She grins. “An hour should be sufficient.” She opens the car door. “Why don’t you two go get something to eat while you wait for me?” Then she jumps out and runs into the office building.

“I think we’ve been set up,” I say as I watch her disappear behind the revolving door.

“Yeah.” Reed sounds as thrilled as I feel.

“No offense, but I don’t have time to hang out with you for an hour.” Not that part of me doesn’t want to. Maybe I should just give in to temptation and get him out of my system. Isn’t that what Tina does? Has her fun with a guy and moves on. But Reed doesn’t seem like fling material, and I’m not that kind of girl. Not to mention we still have three weeks to work together. No, giving into temptation is the worst of worst ideas.

His shoulders tense.

As he drives to the parking lot exit, and I realize how rude my statement sounded. I sigh and rub my forehead. “Reed, we have to work together for several more weeks, and we both know that something happened between us.”
Something happened between us
. Talk about the understatement of the century.

Thankfully Reed doesn’t call me on it. He doesn’t say anything, just hangs onto the steering wheel for dear life.

“We can ignore that something happened and fight this … feeling we experienced.” I can’t bring myself to say attraction. “Or we can address it and meet it headlong.”

Reed smirks. “And how do you plan to face it headlong? You’re not proposing we get it out of our system, are you?”

I’m tempted. Lordy, I’m tempted. “Don’t be ridiculous. Of course, not. It’s been awhile since I’ve had a boyfriend—”

“You could have fooled me with your date last week.”

“That was one date, and we both know how well that went. And besides, when you asked me out, you said you hadn’t met many people yet. Wasn’t that your reasoning for asking me out?”

“Caroline.” He sighs. “Sometimes I’m socially inept.”

“You think?” I try to keep a straight face, but I can’t help laughing. “The high and mighty Reed Pendergraft admitting he’s imperfect. I do believe that’s the eighth wonder of the world.” I tap my chin with a finger. “Or is it a sign of the apocalypse?”

To my surprise, he actually laughs. “Are you calling me the Antichrist?”

I laugh again. “I wouldn’t go that far.”

“Then maybe you could have a chat with some of my Algebra 101 students and convince them otherwise.” He laughs. “But then again, maybe it’s better if they have the fear of God in them.”

“Or in this case, I think you mean fear of Satan.”

“True enough.” A dazzling smile spreads across his face, and I realize this is the first time I’ve seen him actually smile. Sure, I’ve seen smirks and sarcastic grins and plenty of derisive looks, but Reed actually looks happy.

Could it be that he’s so cross all the time because he’s unhappy?

Is it my business if he is?

But now that the seed has been planted in my head, it takes root like a fast-growing weed. I like this side of him, even if it’s only a glimpse. But seeing a side of Reed that I like to go with the hot chemistry we share is dangerous territory. “We’ve gotten off point.”

“Have we?” he asks, trying to look innocent.

“It’s obvious that there’s something between us, but the truth is we have nothing in common.”

“Don’t you mean I don’t have a big enough paycheck?” His cold tone is back. Damn my mouth.

“I was out of line to say that at Scarlett’s party. I didn’t mean it.” I lean toward him and the musky scent of his cologne fills my nose. I fight the urge to move closer. “You had just suggested that we go out because you were desperate. I was hot and cranky. Not a good combination for me. Throw in hungry and you have the trifecta of bitchiness. I’m not proud of it, and I’m truly sorry I said it.”

He’s silent for several seconds. “Apology accepted. I have to admit, it was probably the worst pickup line in history.”

I laugh. “I suggest you mark it out of your playbook.”

He waves his hand in the air. “Consider it gone.”

“I hope we can get along for the rest of our time working together. You’re kind of fun when you take the stick out of your ass.”

“Do you realize your accent is thicker when you curse like that?” His grin broadens.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I like your drawl.”

“You could have fooled me. I think your observation of my accent the night of Scarlett’s party was neutral, with a hint of insult.”

“Let’s just say you weren’t the only cranky one that night.”

“Why were you cranky?”

“Do you really think that’s any of your business?” His words are confrontational but he looks amused.

“I told you my reasoning.”

“Yeah, you were hot. Hot for Dylan.”

“You’re not being fair. I’d wanted to go out with Dylan for months. I’d only met you and you practically compared going out with me to folding your laundry.”

His usual seriousness returns, but he’s not confrontational. “There’s more to the Dylans of the world, Caroline. Be careful.”

I should be insulted over his lecture, but he sounds genuinely concerned. “I’m not a virginal maiden, Reed. I’ve had my share of worldly experience.”

“But not with guys like him.”

“And what exactly do you mean by guys like him?”

“Looks, money, charisma.”

“You make it sound like a bad thing.”

“Caroline, I’m serious.” And he is. A part of me hopes that it’s jealousy rearing its ugly head, but I can see that’s not it. Worry lines crinkle his forehead. “How many guys have you dated that came from old money like Dylan?”

My eyes narrow. “How do you know Dylan comes from old money?”

“How do you?” His condescending tone has returned.

I lift my chin. “It’s common knowledge on Southern’s campus.”

“Not
everything
about people is common knowledge.” We’re both quiet and then Reed grins.

“Case in point: if the fact that heat makes you irritable had been common knowledge, I never would have risked asking you out.”

“True enough.”

Reed pulls into the student parking lot. “Tell me where your car is, and I’ll drop you off.”

There’s no way in hell I’m letting Reed see my clunker car even if his isn’t that much better than mine. “Thanks, but I’m inspired to start working on my designs for the show. I think I’ll head over to the design lab for awhile. ”

He pulls up next to the curb, Andrew Jackson’s granite likeness watching over us. “What I said before.” He pauses and runs his hand over his head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it.”