Page 12 of Stay (Stay #1)

CASSIDY

“ W here’d you disappear to last night? I thought we were going to hang out at the bar after the game.”

Even though Brooklyn looks as though she didn’t get a wink of sleep last night, her voice is chipper and brimming with curiosity.

I glance up from the bowl of oatmeal I’m trailing my spoon through as we sit in the cafeteria with its walls of floor to ceiling windows. Brilliant sunshine pours down on us. Even this early in the morning, students are bustling past with trays full of food before their days get underway.

“I decided to head home after the game instead.”

“Well, you missed an awesome time last night. We had a blast.” She grins before digging into her scrambled eggs, toast, and fruit. She waggles her perfectly plucked brows before dropping her voice. “And what happened after the bar was even more fun, if you know what I mean.”

I roll my eyes because yeah, I know exactly what she means. Instead of taking the bait, I clear my throat. “Austin seemed nice.”

“He’s a real sweetheart. Did you have fun at the game? I have to admit that I never realized how exciting hockey could be. Maybe we can check out a few more games this season,” Brooklyn adds before popping a chunk of cantaloupe into her mouth.

Actually, I had a blast at the game. The realization that I still loved hockey had been like a punch to the gut.

But seeing Cole…

It’s obvious he’s someone I need to steer clear of.

For him to cause one anxiety attack could be chalked up to coincidence.

But two?

That’s harder to dismiss.

The breathing exercises helped to calm me, but I can’t stop thinking about how pensive he’d been on the ride back to the dorms. I’d racked my brain for something to say.

A million different things had come to mind.

In the end, I’d chickened out. All of it would lead to conversations about my past, and I wasn’t ready to open that can of worms.

The moment he’d pulled in front of the dorms, I’d mumbled a quick thank you before jumping out of the car as if it had been engulfed in flames. I probably don’t need to worry about staying away from Cole, he’ll avoid me like a particularly nasty case of crabs.

Not bothered by my lack of response, Brooklyn inhales her eggs and toast as she continues to chatter about the bar. Thank goodness for Brooklyn and her obliviousness.

“The guy who gave you a ride home last night, his name is Cole, right?” she asks in between bites.

I glance up from my tepid bowl of oatmeal that has long since lost its appeal. “Yeah.”

He’s the last person I want to talk about. Especially with her. I don’t need my roommate making a big deal out of this.

And she will.

It just so happens to be her MO.

“I think he might be interested.” She grins around another bite before giving me a wink as if this is good news .

A pit settles at the bottom of my gut.

After last night, that’s probably the furthest thing from the truth. I’m sure he thinks I’m a total head case.

And…he’s not wrong.

“He was asking about you. I’d totally consider getting with that if I were you.” Brooklyn waves to a few girls from our floor as they walk past, looking for an empty table.

Ignoring the last comment, I frown before leaning forward and attempting to reclaim Brooklyn’s distracted attention. “What kind of questions?”

“Oh, I can’t really remember. Just about, you know, normal stuff.”

That’s not good.

I gulp. The small amount of oatmeal I’ve managed to force down churns dangerously in my belly.

Anxiety bubbles up inside me as I gather up my bag and shoot out of my seat.

I need to put a little distance between myself and this conversation.

“I need to speak with one of my professors before class starts.”

That’s a lie, but I can’t sit here any longer and listen to Brooklyn talk about Cole as if we’re going to get together, because it’s not happening.

Brooklyn’s dark blonde brows slide together in confusion before she grumbles, “Hold on, hold on. Jeez. I’m not even done eating yet.” Rather impressively, she shovels the rest of her breakfast into her mouth before setting her tray down by the garbage can.

As we push through the cafeteria doors, she says, “I’m seeing Austin again tonight.

” A giddy smile overtakes her face. “I like him so much.” She grabs my arm, squeezing it in a death grip as we walk along one of the cement pathways.

Even though the weather has grown cool, bright sunlight cuts through some of the early September chill.

“Just in case you were wondering—yes, he’s amazing in bed and knows exactly what to do with his tongue.

Which, I’m not going to lie, is a huge plus in his favor. ”

“Ummm, I wasn’t wondering about that at all.” I laugh and shake my head. “But thanks for the overshare. ”

“Which part was over share? The sleeping together part or the inventive way he uses his tongue?”

I wince, attempting to keep the visual at bay. “All of it.”

She rolls her eyes before huffing out a breath. “Oh, come on, that’s hardly too much information.”

“It’s actually the definition of TMI.”

“It’s not like I told you about how he?—”

This time, I slap a hand over her mouth to stop her from speaking. “TMI, Brook, TMI.”

After a few seconds, I remove my hand from her pouting face.

“You’re such a buzzkill.”

“If not wanting to hear all the gory details of your sexcapades makes me a buzzkill, then so be it.”

I can’t help the slight smile that tugs at the corners of my lips.

This is one of the things I like about Brooklyn.

No, not hearing about her overactive sex life, which she is always eager to share in vivid detail, but that she’s so light, sunny, and full of energy.

I enjoy being around her even though she’s always in perpetual motion.

It can be exhausting, but it’s a good kind of exhausting.

Most of the time, it allows me to escape from myself, and that’s almost always a positive.

“He seemed nice,” I tell her. Although, I can’t exactly say I spoke with him, because Brooklyn had been sucking the life out of his face the entire time we’d been in the lobby.

She clenches my arm again. “I have an idea. Maybe we can all go out some time.” Her gaze slides to mine in excitement.

“All go out?” I repeat. All who?

I blink, and that’s when the all who hits me.

“You know—you, me, Austin, and Cole,” she says as if I’m too dense for words.

This has me stopping dead in my tracks before I swing toward her. The people walking directly behind us grumble as they weave their way around us.

“No.” My belly dips as I shake my head. “That’s not a good idea.”

In fact, after last night, it’s a terrible idea. I don’t need a pity date. I don’t need a date at all. My life had been far less complicated before Cole shoved his way into it.

“Why not?” She hooks an arm around my shoulder as we continue walking. “You need more of a social life, and I’m going to help you out with that.”

“Who says I need more of a social life?” I yank my sunglasses off the top of my head and settle them on my face.

“Umm, me. That’s who. Seriously, Cass, you can loosen up without getting completely shitfaced and dancing naked on top of the table.

It’s okay to let your guard down every once in a while and enjoy yourself.

Go out with a couple of guys, have some fun.

” She grins before waggling her brows. “Experiment. Play the field a bit.” Her expression turns devious.

“Find someone with a really great tongue.”

When Cole’s handsome face pops up in my brain, I groan and whack her arm.

Other than the whole tongue comment, maybe Brooklyn has a point about letting my guard down, but that doesn’t make it any easier to do. I have so much to prove this year. To myself. To my family. Even thinking about them makes me cringe. Their disappointment last year had been palpable.

“Okay.” I finally give in because one— maybe I do need to loosen up a tiny bit, and two—I want to end this conversation as quickly as humanly possible. And agreeing with Brooklyn is the easiest way to accomplish that objective. “Maybe you’re right.”

She beams just like I knew she would.

From the corner of my eye, I watch as a guy passing by us almost stumbles while staring at her.

My lips lift in amusement. That’s the effect Brooklyn has on the male species.

“Good. A lot of the guys on the hockey team live off campus, and there’s a party happening next weekend. You can start by loosening up there.”

Well, hell.

My shoulders collapse at that bit of news.

“You can’t just go with Austin? ”

If we go to a hockey party, Cole will probably be there and I’m not ready to see him again.

“Cassidy,” she says in a tone full of warning.

“I’ll think about it, okay?” That’s the best she’s going to get from me. Everything that happened last night is too fresh in my mind for me to consider hanging out with Cole anytime soon.