Page 21 of The Professor's Possession (Crystal River Billionaire Brothers)

But as I rev up the engine of my European sports car, I find myself asking the same question that has been plaguing my thoughts incessantly and remains unresolved, even after seeing Olivia Weldon again in the flesh.

Who the hell is this girl?

10

OLIVIA

Music is blastingfrom inside my dorm room when I get back. I’ve spent all day in town, browsing through all the stores on the main street. I probably lingered for three hours just in the bookshop alone, willingly getting lost in the rows of imaginary worlds and envisaging how I would, without a shadow of a doubt, buy every single book in this place if I were a millionaire.

I tentatively open the door to my dorm, wondering about the music. Ava’s sitting by the mirror, applying makeup to her face, while she has pop songs from the early 2000s blaring from a portable speaker by her side. She’s got it turned up incredibly loud.

“Hey, Ava.”

She jumps and nearly knocks over the mirror, surprised by my entrance. She turns down the song to speak to me.

“Wow, you nearly gave me a heart attack, Olivia!”

“Sorry,” I mutter.

Ava laughs, brushing it off with a cheeky smile. “I suppose it’s my fault for having it so loud. I was totally lost in my daydreams.”

“Icouldhear the music from downstairs,” I remark.

She’s holding lipstick in one hand. God, she looks so pretty with her perfect skin, her two different colored eyes, and her luscious blonde hair. She's rocking a mint green summer dress, and, like with anything else she wears, she is absolutely stunning in it. “So, how was Crystal River?” she asks. “Give me a rating.”

“I like it,” I reply.

Her face goes serious. “Did you go to The Oak? Did you have an almond croissant like I told you to do?”

I chuckle. “Yeah, I did.”

“So good, aren’t they?”

“It wasdivine,” I reply.

“Did you get served by a barista named Josie?” she asks me.

I think back to the girl behind the counter. The girl my age with the sadness behind her pretty brown eyes.

“Yeah, I think that’s what her name tag read.”

Ava nods. “Good to know. I’ve heard she works there now. She was in the same year as me in high school. She got married to her high school sweetheart.”

“Wow, they must’ve been young,” I say.

“Very. Their age was a bit of a thing around town. I think there’s been trouble between the two, though.”

“Like what kinda trouble?” I ask.

My roommate sighs. “I don’t know fully. Shewasin my year, but we weren’t super close or anything. I’ve only seen her around once or twice since school.”

“Gotcha,” I reply, glancing at the lipstick in Ava’s hand. There must be a reason she’s dolling herself up. “What are you getting ready for? A party?”

“Yep.”

“Oh, cool.”

“How is everything going now that you’ve been here for a week?” Ava asks, turning back to her makeup.

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