Page 28 of Beyond the Lines
It’s not exactly a lie. Em has also been texting me this morning, with increasingly filthy suggestions about what I should do with Declan. And I must admit, some ideas aren’t too bad, and they’reverycreative. But while Em is going to town with the knowledge, I can’t tell Mike about Declan yet.
Not when he’s been so protective since Chris…
“Right.” Mike doesn’t look convinced. “Well, want the campus tour before I head to practice?”
I nod, mostly because I want to make sure he’s OK for a little longer. And as we walk across campus, Mike points out various buildings and landmarks. The library with its imposing Gothic architecture. The dining halls. The other main dorms…
My phone buzzes again.
Declan.
“Seriously,” Mike says, “who are you texting?”
“Just getting to know people,” I say vaguely. “You know, making friends…”
He studies me for a moment, then nods. “Good. That’s… that’s good.”
The unspoken “after what happened with Chris” hangs in the air between us after his carefully chosen words. Mike was my rock this summer, picking up the pieces when I came home from Europe early. When our parents didn’t understand why I was so devastated over a “summer fling,” Mike got it.
He held me while I cried, brought me ice cream in all different flavors, and never once told me I was being dramatic. But he’s also been hovering ever since, like he’s afraid I’ll shatter if anyone so much as looks at me wrong, and now he’s got…whatever… going on, and it’s all a bit much.
“So,” he says, clearly desperate to get past the awkward silence. “Where did you end up last night?”
“Marie’s,” I say, keeping it vague.
His eyes light up. “Best French toast in town. Though I only found out about it last year from one of the guys on the team.”
“Well, I can vouch for it.” I smile at him. “Anyway, I should get going. I promised Em I’d have coffee with her…”
“Sure.” He shrugs. “Try not to fall asleep in art history.”
“Try not to die,” I say cheerfully.
As he laughs and walks away, I pull out my phone to check Declan’s message:
So this might sound a bit weird, but hypothetically, if I was to draw you, are there any obvious scars, tattoos or any other paraphernalia I should be aware of?
I grin and type back:
Bit too soon for that, Dec.
His response comes quickly:
I’m going to assume that means yes. I look forward to finding it. I’m headed out for dinner tonight with friends, but would you like to get a coffee later?
And just like that, I’m smiling again, warmth spreading through my chest. It’s been less than twenty-four hours since I met him, but somehow texting with Declan feels as natural as breathing. Like we’ve known each other for years instead of hours.
If only I could tell Mike about him. But I know my brother—the second I mention meeting a guy, he’ll go into full protective mode. And right now, whatever this thing with Declan is… I want to keep it to myself, just for a little while, before the rest of the world gets involved.
Well, except Em.
I bite my lip, trying and failing to suppress my smile as I type back:
It’s a date.
His response makes my heart flutter:
An official one? Cool!
