Page 39 of Burn for You (Flirting with Forever 3)

Her soft brown eyes are inquisitive, and I maintain her gaze. “He actually said that?” I chew on the corner of my lip, wondering if he directly told her or if she’s just gathering information based on things he’s said.

“Sort of. He said you weren’t really happy with him. He didn’t tell me why.” She shrugs with a small smile. “He thinks his kid sister doesn’t know much of anything important.”

“I see. But you’re going to be a senior soon, and then you’ll be off to college. It goes fast. I’m sure it makes him nervous that you’ll be all grown up.”

Her voice is quiet as she murmurs, “Maybe.” She seems a little down thinking about it, but I’m not sure why.

I blow out a breath, trying to come up with something that most juniors are thinking about now. “Hey, what colleges are you applying to? Are you planning to do any visits over the summer?”

She freezes. “Oh. Um. I don’t really think so.”

My eyes dart to hers. “What do you mean? You aren’t going to visit or you aren’t going to apply at all?”

She presses her lips together, her expression grim. “I probably won’t apply. I just don’t know how we’d manage it.”

“Oh.”

Elena shrugs. “It’s okay. I’ll figure something out. I kind of thought maybe I’d take a year off and work, then maybe go? I’m not sure.”

I suck in a breath. I don’t know who I am to give Damon’s sister advice, but it seems like she could use some. “You can apply and then defer a year if you want to, you know that, right? Take a gap year.”

“Yes. I’m just not sure I’ll go at all.”

My heart sinks at her response. “Do you want to? You’re such a good student, I just—”

Quietly, she whispers, “I do want to. I just don’t think we can afford it. I feel terrible wanting to go.”

I blink a few times. “Oh.” I guess I hadn’t realized. Hmm. Well, shit. I can feel myself totally about to overstep. And here I go … “You know there are scholarships, right? You could also potentially get a grant, discuss financial aid … There are work-study programs. Um, you can do the first two years at a smaller college like Roxford. You could talk to Mr. Rivers about that. He attends there. Or, as a last resort, a student loan. Those aren’t probably the best idea, though.”

“It just seems like an awful lot to figure out.”

“Maybe it would be worth talking to Ms. Porter about it? She’s the guidance counselor for the senior class next year.”

“I guess I could talk to her. Maybe she’d be able to steer me in the right direction.” Elena tilts her head to the side, looking at me curiously. “I see why he likes you.” And before I can even allow my mouth to drop open in shock, she’s out of the seat and hurrying back to hers.

The pieces of the puzzle that is Damon Madero are beginning to fall into place.

Chapter 21

Damon

I’ve just finished with Frank and have wandered up to the front desk when the phone rings there. Not seeing our receptionist anywhere in sight, I grab the phone. “Newberry Gym.”

“Oh, hey, is this Damon?”

“Yep.”

“It’s Susan. I really hate to do this so close to class time, but I’m home with my puking daughter. My barre class is supposed to start in ten minutes, and I have to cancel. Can you tell the ladies what’s happened and offer my apologies, and tell them hopefully I’ll see them next week? I don’t want to bring our germs to class.”

Piper’s barre class. I clear my throat. “Yeah, sure. I’ll let them know.”

“Thanks so much.”

“Sure. And I hope Macy is feeling better soon.”

After I hang up with Susan, I turn around and see Madison and Quinn come in the door, followed by none other than Piper. As they approach, I give them an apologetic smile. “Sorry, ladies, barre class was just canceled.”

Madison frowns. “Oh, no. Why?”

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