Page 130 of Consume Me

I breathe a sigh of relief. I can’t wait to return and get ready to be Blake’s welcome home present.

We weave through the throng of students partying. That guy Eric is still at the far end of the bar, watching Bailey. Hunter stares at him intently as we walk past and step outside. If my brother noticed him, too, I can’t be that paranoid.

“You have an admirer, Bailey,” he says low enough that the already low temperature outside decreases so drastically I expect frostbites.

“Just so you know, he likes me,” she slurs, clearly hammered. “He keeps asking me out.”

My brother grinds his teeth so hard I’m surprised they don’t break. I just want to go home—fast.

“Only you could think of dating with danger lurking around,” my brother says. That was a low blow.

I move between them, playing the referee. “No one is saying anything more.”

“Your brother is awful. What is his problem?”

“Your friend is like a damn deer, such an easy prey for predators.”

Help.

“I am not prey,” she says haughtily.

“You still can’t throw a punch to save your life.”

“Maybe it’s because of my teacher.”

They completely ignore me as they continue bickering.

Reaching the house, they keep at each other’s throats as they head upstairs. They both slam their doors in each other’s faces.

With the commotion they caused, the girls come out of their rooms.

“We have to do something about these two,” Abi says.

“It’s getting worse,” Celine adds.

“I know, but my brother is too damn blind, and she’s too damn upset. They speak different languages.”

“Maybe force them to face whatever is going on,” Abi suggests.

“Trapping Hunter with all that bottled-up emotion wouldn’t be good,” Celine says.

We move to the kitchen and sit down to eat muffins.

“I think they like each other,” Celine says low.

“Why are you whispering?” Abi says, whispering back.

A peal of laughter bursts from us, and I say, “I don’t wish unrequited love on anyone.”

“Shut up. Blake has had something for you since the beginning,” Abi says.

“I never thought it could be like this…” I rasp.

“Welcome to the other side of love. When you’re scared shitless for the other person, more than you are yourself,” Celine says, taking a small bite.

“It’s terrifying. I’m tracking his location every minute to know he hasn’t crashed.”

“I feel like I die and come back to life only when I see Dane step out of his racing car.”

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