Page 113 of Choosing You

If I had the money I’d fly home. Then again, I’ve never been on an airplane and being suspended in midair really freaks me out. So the car is probably a better option.

“I don’t know my schedule for finals yet but I’ll call you as soon as I do. And don’t worry about Thanksgiving. I’ll be fine.”

“Maybe that Kensington boy would invite you to dinner. I’m sure his family wouldn’t mind having you over.”

“No, I don’t think so. They’re too formal anyway. That wouldn’t be any fun.”

The thought of me showing up at the Kensington’s Thanksgiving dinner is almost comical. If Frank only knew what was really going on. But I’d never tell him. He’d be furious if he knew how Garret’s family was treating me.

“I should let you go. I just wanted to check in.”

“Thanks for calling, Frank.”

He hangs up, probably thrilled that he made it through another phone call without me asking about my mother. I open my desk drawer and see the letter still sitting there. I’m tempted to read it again but I don’t. I know what it says. I’ve practically memorized it. I shut the desk drawer and get to work on my art history paper.

I meet Harper for lunch at noon. She’s wearing white for a change instead of her usual pink and she’s in a really good mood.

“What’s up with you?” I ask as she sits down at the table with one of her heaping bowls of salad.

“I met this great guy last night. His name is Sean. And oh my God, Jade, he’s so sweet. He even opened the car door for me. Who does that?”

Garret opens doors for me all the time, but I don’t tell her that. “Does he go to school here?”

“No. We didn’t go to one of the Moorhurst parties last night. My friend, Kerry, knew some guy and we ended up at his apartment. He had like 20 people over there. The party was really loud so Sean and I left early and went and got something to eat so we could talk.”

“So where does he go to school?”

“He doesn’t. He went to culinary school and now he’s training with a chef at some fancy hotel. You should see him, Jade. He’s really muscular and has this shaggy blond hair that is so damn cute. Oh, and he has these adorable dimples when he smiles. When I first saw him, I thought I was back in California. He’s got that surfer, beach bum look that I love.”

“You seem really excited about this guy.”

“Yeah, but I’m not going to get all crazy about him like I did with Cole. I’m going to take things slower with Sean. He’s making me dinner at his apartment tonight. He wants to show off his culinary skills.”

“Are you sure you should be going over there so soon? You just met him.”

“It’s a dinner party. It’s not just me going. Some other friends of his will be there.”

“Well, I’m glad you met someone. He already sounds way better than Cole.”

“So what happened with Garret? Did he explain why he blew you off for a week?”

“He didn’t blow me off. He tried calling. I just didn’t answer. And he talked to his dad and apparently his dad’s not going to bother us anymore.”

“Really? Then why didn’t he talk to his dad sooner?”

“I don’t know. It doesn’t matter.”

I need Harper to stop asking questions about this. I can’t tell her that Garret had to resort to blackmailing his dad.

“So you two can finally date and end this just-friends thing you’ve been doing for the past two months?”

“Um, maybe. We have our first date tonight.”

She laughs. “First date? You guys go out all the time. What makes this a date?”

“I don’t know. Garret insists on having this official first date, so that’s what we’re doing.”

“Where’s this first date taking place? Let me guess. Some super fancy restaurant? Or is he taking you somewhere in his dad’s jet? He seems like he’d do something over-the-top like that.”

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