Page 19 of Puck You Not

“Nash!”I protested.

“What?”he said, all innocence.“You finished your assignment, and we weren’t making more progress on the other work.You don’t have the stats class again ‘til next week, so we can pick up on it tomorrow.”His eyes flicked over to Parrish then back to me.“Or when you’re free again.”

He smirked, knowing damn well, I wouldn’t make a scene.The glare I shot at him promised I’d deal with him later.I glanced back to the other two men.“Aren’t you two going to hang out?”

“Nah, Parrish was just picking up a book he needs.”Porter looked over at Parrish.“Give me a sec, and I’ll grab that.Then you can take Avalon to get her phone.”

Planning Nash’s murder, I gathered my books and laptop while Porter left the room.Maybe it was just me, but tension seemed to zing around the room like rogue ping-pong balls in a wind tunnel.Goosebumps lifted on my skin as Parrish studied me, my awareness of his proximity making my body tingle.

“Traitor,” I muttered at Nash while I bent near, stuffing my things into my backpack.

“You love me,” he laughed.

“Right now, that’s up for debate,” I growled.

He made a kissy noise at me.“Text me later?Once you have your phone back and all?You’re welcome.”

Parrish’s eyes narrowed on us as I straightened.His jaw clenched, his gaze flicking between Nash and me.

“What?”I asked.Didn’t he want to take me with him?“We don’t need to go get my phone.We can meet up tomorrow.You don’t have to—“

“Here’s that book,” Porter interrupted as he returned.He handed over a spiral-bound book with a depiction of a hockey game on the cover.“You can keep it.I have a spare.”

Parrish nodded then looked over at me, his gaze bouncing between Nash and me again.“Ready?”

“Yeah.Sure,” I agreed, grabbing my heavy backpack off the table.Parrish took it from me before I could sling it over my shoulder.After quick goodbyes, I followed him outside to the hallway then downstairs to the sidewalk.

My stomach growled as I walked, reminding me I hadn’t eaten any of the pizza I’d brought to Nash’s place.And since that was my meal money I’d budgeted for today, I’d have to make do with a granola bar later.I suppressed a sigh.A granola bar and crazy Sheena.Not the night I’d planned.

“My car’s the blue one over there,” he said, indicating to an older-model crossover parked four spaces from the door, beneath one of the lot lights.

“You drove?”

He shrugged.“I don’t live close, and it’s too cold to walk tonight.I take it you didn’t drive over.”

I shook my head.“Don’t have a car.I either walk or Uber everywhere.Mostly, I walk since I live near campus.Nash was going to drive me home tonight, though.”

“He your boyfriend?”Parrish asked, opening the passenger door for me.As if we were on a date…

It’s not a date.Get a grip, Av.

“Nash?”I laughed.“No.We’re just friends.He’s my best friend.”

Parrish nodded, his expression relaxing.Was that why he’d glared at Nash?He’d been worried about that?

Silently, he put my backpack on the backseat then circled to the driver’s seat.

“So…he’ll kick my ass if I’m not a gentleman?”he said, starting the car and pulling from the parking space.Warm air blew from the vents, a welcome perk on this chilly night.Nash’s car wouldn’t even have warmed up by the time we got to my place.

“You’d be lucky if that’s what he did,” I laughed.“More likely, he’d hack into your accounts and screw up your life.”

“I consider myself warned.”

We fell silent, and my stomach growled, the sound cutting through the quiet.Heat crawled up my neck in a prickle.

“I haven’t eaten dinner,” he announced.“Can I take you to grab a bite?On me, since I dragged you away from Porter and Nash’s before you had any pizza.”

Considering I’d spent my budgeted dinner money on the pizza back at Nash’s, then hadn’t eaten any of it, I’d be a fool to say no.“Sure?”

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