Page 26 of Give In

“I’m gonna get a beer,” I interrupted when I couldn’t hold back my laughter.

There were a lot of things Professor Damien Caine was.

Gentle wasn’t one of them.

I was heading into the kitchen when the drunk kid—Tony, I was pretty sure someone had called him—moved in front of me. Based on the way he was swaying, he hadn’t slowed his drinking.

“Brooks done already? That’s disappointing for you.” The look in his eyes skeeved me out. “Wanna head up to my room, and I’ll make it up to you?”

“Ha, funny.” I forced a laugh and pretended he was joking when we both knew he wasn’t.

He offered the full cup he held. “Here, have a beer.”

“No thanks, I’m good.”

And not an idiot.

I didn’t drink unless I opened it myself or saw it come from the tap and handed directly to me.

I was saved from further conversation when Holden found me.

“There you are! And with no drink, that’s against house rules. Let’s go.” Putting his arm around me, he steered me to the kitchen and away from Tony. “Sorry about earlier.”

I didn’t share my gratitude at his perfectly timed interruption, and instead shook my head. “Don’t worry about it.”

We stood talking for a few minutes before he looked past me. He looked distracted as he muttered, “I’ll see you around, Eden.”

I turned and saw Brooks heading our way. Holden met him halfway there, stopping him to talk for a few moments.

When he made it to me, Brooks wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “Hey, having fun?”

“A lot.” My eyes narrowed on Holden scanning the packed living room. “Who’s Holden looking for?”

He shuffled us to the corner of the kitchen. “This is just between you and me, okay?” At my nod, he lowered his voice, “If I had to guess? Nixon.”

“Everything okay?”

“I think something happened between them this afternoon. Or it almost did. It’s been tense.”

“Is Nixon into guys, too?”

Even spending most of my time wrapped up in my own world, I’d heard the gossip. Nixon was into girls, as in, alwaysinone. There’d been rumors about him with professors that’d seemed detailed enough to go beyond campus lore.

“Nixon is Nixon. He’s with a different chick all the time, but it doesn’t seem forced, like he’s overcompensating or trying to prove anything. But who knows how someone feels. He’s never said anything, and until he does, it isn’t my business.”

“Everyone seems cool with Holden, so…”

“He’s been out and open since day one of college. Probably since day one of his life. No one here cares, but he likes to ‘drop the gay bomb’ on new people and see how they react.” He shrugged. “Anyway, hopefully they get it handled before it gets out of control.”

Unable to hold it in, I yawned big and loud. “Sorry! That was rude.”

“It’s been a long day.” He tilted his head. “Wanna head out?”

No, that’s where the real world lives.

“Maybe one more beer?” I stalled.

“Coming right up.”