Page 10 of Catching Feeling

“I’m going to ignore the fact that you answered the phone so fast—it was clearly already in your hand.” She sniffs, arching a dark brow. “And focus on the fact that I miss you so much. Seeing your face only makes it worse.”

I can hear Lane chuckle in the background, followed by an “oof” as Hallie elbows him in the ribs.

“I miss you too, space babe,” I tell her, leaning against the hallway wall. “How are things there?” Even if I wasn’t feeling the pressure and stress of things with my mom, I would want to be back on campus with Hallie. Being with her makes me happy. A shy smile forms on her lips, her eyes darting to the side where I know Lane is sitting off-camera. “Things are… good. Really good. You could even say great, really.” The natural pink of her cheeks deepens as she blushes harder.

The girl is getting the D on the regular, and she has no idea how to even talk about it out loud.

“I’m glad to hear it, Hal.” Lowering my voice, I say quietly, “I can’t wait to get back to campus. I have a couple more things to figure out here, and then I should be able to head back.”

Hallie groans as she runs a hand through her unruly hair. “Viv, I’m pretty sure this is the longest we’ve been apart since, like… I dunno, third grade? Will you please, pretty please with all of the majestic Bigfoot love on top, come to the NYE party at Reese’s?”

The mention of his name makes my stomach clench. No one, and I mean absolutely no one, knows about the night we spent together, and every time I’m around him, it feels like I’m waiting for a bomb to detonate. In the form of stupidly attractive, ridiculously charming, and even more annoying Reese Landry.

He’s the biggest player on campus, and the fact that he’s headed to the MLB after being Orleans U’s all-star catcher with thighs that would make any girl’s mouth water, well… that doesn’t help the girls throwing themselves at his feet. Typical rich playboy persona. Everything’s handed right to him on a shiny, silver platter.

Not that I pay attention to him or anything. Definitely not. “Hallie, I love you. You know I do, but you know I can’t stand that boy equally as much. His living purpose on this earth is to annoy me.”

She laughs. “Honestly, you might be right. He does talk about you a lot.” My heart speeds up like the silly traitor that it is. “But seriously, it’ll just be us, and Eli and Ari and, of course, Grant. A few other people from the team, Lane says. A chill, fun way to bring in the New Year, and I can’t do it without you.”

My eyes flick to Mama’s room as I chew my lip. I don’t know if she’s ready for me to leave her yet, and now there’s the entire new problem of handling her landlord, and also me not having a place to live after next week.

“I don’t know. I’ve got a lot going on here. Just… I’ll call you back, ’kay?”

Begrudgingly, she nods, but before we hang up, she stops me. “Viv? You know you can talk to me about anything, right? No matter what it is. I’ll always be here, and I love you.”

“Thanks, Hal. I love you too.” I press the End button, hanging up quickly before walking through the door to Mama’s bedroom. I want to ring in the New Year with my friends. I just have to figure out how I can make it happen.

Reese Landry is disgustingly rich.

Like having a private jet, yacht vacation, attending the Met Gala kind of rich. The luxurious lifestyles of the Real Housewives of wherever have nothing on him and his family.

Not that I wasn’t already very much aware of the fact, but walking into the front door of his ostentatiously large “cabin” that serves as only one of his family’s vacation homes, it’s impossible to ignore.

Not when the looming three-story mansion smacks you right in the face. A mansion is still a mansion even if you make it rustic. A cabin is a house made of logs. This is no cabin.

God, why am I even here?

I should’ve never let Hallie talk me into this. I got Mom situated and was able to slip away for the party at her insistence, but now I’m having major regrets before I even make it over the threshold.

A rush of warmth hits my cheeks as the front door closes behind me, the sound of the heavy door lost in a sea of bodies moving to music booming from large speakers in the corners of the room.

So much for a small, intimate party, I see. I should’ve known that these guys are incapable of doing anything less than larger than life.

Typical Reese. He’s the definition of “over-the-top.”

Mumbling excuse me’s and sorry’s, I make my way through the crowd toward the kitchen, parting the random people until I finally see a familiar face.

“Grant!”

His head whips in my direction, and an easy smile splits his lips as he opens his arms, then pulls me into them. His clean scent surrounds me, and I groan inwardly.

Dark blond hair, chiseled jaw, adorable dimples that always pop when he smiles.

Why couldn’t I be attracted to Grant? Sweet, charming, quiet Grant.

He’s hot as hell, and you’d be blind if you didn’t see it. Trust me, I see it. He just… doesn’t do it for me, I guess. Of course, I wouldn't be attracted to the nice and considerate friend of Lane’s.

“What’s up, gorgeous? I didn’t think you were gonna show tonight,” he says, bringing the red Solo cup in his hand to his lips and taking a sip.

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