Page 34 of The Nicest Thing
I was about to dive back into my paperback, our next book club read, when my roommate crashed into the room.
"Finn," he said, sounding out of breath, "you need to get downstairs.Stat."
"Arnold," I said, "you okay?"
He nodded."Yeah, but you really should go down."
Closing my book, I stood."Why?What's happening?Did someone flood the washing machine again?"
"No man.Your girl's down there."
"My girl?"
"The one that looks like a curvy pin-up model."
My eyes narrowed."You mean, Rose?"
"Yeah, the brunette.The guys are all over her, so I thought you'd want to know."
He thought right.
As I ran out, he called, "You're welcome," and I shouted back a belated, "Thanks."
When I got downstairs, I pulled up short.My eyes locked on her immediately.Rose was standing in the middle of Omega Beta, looking like a dream in a teal top with a deep V and tight fitted jeans.Was I an ass for noticing how they gripped her in all the right places?
Possibly.
Arnold was right though.
She was surrounded.Three of my frat brothers were hanging on her every word.Who knew what they were saying?But watching her laugh at whatever Wyatt Wasserman said made my chest tight.Striding into the room, I stopped in front of her.
"Hey," I said, and she looked at me with those eyes that could make me forget my own name."What are you doing here?"
"Finn," she said, "hey.I know we weren't supposed to meet until tonight.I hope it's okay that I came early."
"Better than okay."
Pink tinted Rose's cheeks, and I smiled.
"Smooth, O'Brien," Wyatt said, and the grin died on my lips.
"So, what were you guys talking about?" I asked.
"Trying to get your girl to give it up."
"The fuck'd you just say?"
"Whoa"—Parker Graves stepped between us with a laugh—"he didn't mean it like that, O'Brien.Chill."
Wyatt held up his hands.
Reyes nodded then said, "We just wanted some food."
"Food," I repeated.
"Yeah, man, it smells amazing."
I noticed the container in Rose's hands and breathed a mental sigh of relief.
