Page 88 of Student Seduction

Drew was torn. His face a mask of anguish as he looked from James to me and back again.

“Okay, enough. Stop this and just tell me whatever it is. I have to give a speech tomorrow in front of hundreds of people on a disease that took my mother’s life. Nothing you could tell me know is going to stress me out more than that. Trust me.”

Drew cast one more long look at James who waved his hand in surrender before turning to me.

“We saw Aiden. At a restaurant opening downtown last night.”

He might as well have reached across the table and slapped my face.

I sat there trying to make sense of the words that had come from his mouth.

“Aiden? Singleton? Here in New York?”

Drew nodded. “Yes. Yes. And Yes.”

What were the odds?

My heart still did that thing at the sound of his name, the elevator drop in sync with my stomach turning a flip because apparently he had trained them to do so in Pavlovian fashion.

“Hm,” I said, taking a larger than necessary swallow of champagne. “That’s an interesting coincidence.”

Drew glanced back at James again. James gave another subtle discouraging shake of his head but Drew continued.

“Uh, Em. There’s more. Do you want to hear it or no?”

I shrugged. Downed a baked oyster from the plate of appetizers. Chugged more champagne.

“Sure.”

Drew eyed me warily. “He was with a group. In a private party room. With a woman who looked awfully excited to see him.”

I nodded. There it was. The other shoe dropping like a cement block.

The appetizers in my stomach turned slimy, making me feel ill.

I forced a smile. “That’s not surprising. I figured he was seeing someone by now.”

Drew hesitated then rushed his words out. “It was an engagement party, Em. I asked our server to be sure.”

His words formed fists around my lungs and squeezed.

I could not hyperventilate in this elegant crowded dining room. My mouth went dry and a faraway ringing sound began to make itself known in my ear drum.

“If you’ll excuse me, I need to run to the ladies room.” In my haste, I nearly tripped over my own two feet. I heard James mutter what sounded likeI told you so.

I made it to the restroom with my clutch gripped tightly in hand. After retrieving my cell phone, I pulled up the message Aiden had sent six months ago.

I read it over and over, scrutinizing it word for word until I could recite the entire thing from memory—looking for any indication that he’d been involved with someone. Someone he was apparently about to marry.

At the end of the message was his phone number.

Red warning lights flashed behind my eyes. I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to contact him but how could I not?

I tapped the number and the prompts appeared. I could call him or I could text him.

If you ever need me, all you have to do is say the word and I’m there.

I needed him. I needed him to explain the who, what, when, where, and why of it all.