Page 7 of Ink & Stardust

“It didn’t come up until now.” She shrugs.

“What did he study?”

“Civil Engineering, same as Kai.”

“Civil Engineering... Him?” I hitch my thumb behind me at nothing in particular.

“He’s actually wicked smart. You’d never know by looking at him, but Jackson always said Kai is the smartest person he knows.” She smacks my leg lightly. “Enough about him. Soccer kicked my ass, and I need a drink. Come with me?”

“Sure.” I nod, allowing her to tug me upright once she’s on her feet.

Even though I have a million more questions I want to ask about Kai Elliot, I don’t. Mainly because it doesn’t matter. If he’s a senior, I’ll probably never see him again anyway. And if what Maisie says is true—and after what I witnessed tonight, I believe it is—I don’t think I want to. I don’t care how gorgeous he is. Ihave no desire to be nothing more than a notch in someone’s bed post, even if that someone does look like he just stepped right off the pages of the world’s sexiest men magazine.

I’d be tempted, don’t get me wrong. But if my parents instilled anything in me, it was to know my own self-worth. And I know for a fact that I’m worthy of a hell of a lot more than being someone’s meaningless hookup. Even if deep down I wish I weren’t.

Chapter Two

“Please tell me you did not actually take her to Chipotle on your first date.” I do nothing to stifle my groan of disappointment at my brother.

“What’s wrong with Chipotle?” River laughs openly.

“It’s Chipotle!” I say like it should be that obvious, weaving through a group of students on my way to Greenberry’s for a coffee. After staying up late to help Char with an assignment, I’m dragging today. It’s crazy how much schoolwork we have just two weeks into the semester. “No way you’re getting a second date. I mean, unless you took her to Mable’s for dessert.”

“Is that even a question?” I can hear theduhin his voice. “And for your information, she already agreed to a second date, thank you very much.”

“So you like this girl.” I smile to myself.

River, who just turned twenty-three last month, is the middle child between me and my oldest brother, Dalton, who’s twenty-eight, and while I’d never admit this to anyone, he has always been my favorite. Maybe it’s because we’re only five years apart, where me and Dalton are ten, or maybe it’s just that he’s the one person I know I can depend on no matter what.

“I do.”

“I mean, I have to question her sanity, given that she’s interested in you...”

“Ouch.”

I can picture him holding his hand to his chest as if he were standing right in front of me, just as I can predict his next words before he even says them.

“You wound me.”

“You’re easily wounded,” I state flatly.

“Is that your way of saying I’m sensitive?” He balks.

“Never.” I snort out a laugh.

“Whatever. Tell me about school. How’s everything going?”

“It’s going.” I shrug, even though he can’t see me.

“Oh, come on. You have to give me more than that. You still getting along with your roommates?”

“I am. It’s strange because we’re all so different, yet somehow, we just mesh.”

“That’s usually how it happens. Opposites attract and all.”

“I guess.”

“Gone to any more parties?”

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