Page 8 of Too Hostile

“I’d be an excellent TA. I’m top of the class without even having to try.”

“And that’s the problem, isn’t it, Mr. Moore?” He glares at me. “You don’t try. You don’t take anything seriously enough to put any effort into anything. You take pride in absolutely nothing,” he seethes, and my smirk falls, a frown taking it’s spot. “So the answer is no. Have a good day.”

He leaves me standing there in the hall, a cold feeling going through me from his words. But then, I take a deep breath and force my feet to keep walking.

He really doesn’t like me. And that’s fine. Totally fine.

I keep telling myself that all the way to my car that’s in one of the lots near the building. Yes, I can easily walk to class, but I knew I’d feel like a drive after class and didn’t want to go back to my place first.

And good thing too.

I’m wound tight, and I’m grateful I don’t have any more classes today. But as I approach my brand-new, bright-blue Jeep Wrangler—thank you, Rhys and Blair—I stop short when I see Bree is here, leaning against the front.

I start walking again, picking up my pace as I approach her. “Bree? Are you okay? Is everyone okay?” I look around her frantically, panic setting in.

“Hey, everyone is fine,” she says and places a hand on my shoulder to steady me. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

I try to brush that off but fail pretty quickly. Bree has no problem reading me, and after my little interaction with Professor Barlowe, I’m not in the mood to even try to keep up the charade. “So, everyone is okay?”

She nods at that and then gives me a really quick hug that I return before she releases me. “Yeah, everyone is fine.”

“What brings you here then?” I ask lightly, not wanting her to think I don’t want to see her. I always want to see Bree. Not only is she now my sister, she’s been my best friend for over half my life.

“You’re coming to my graduation, right?”

I lean against the front of my Jeep, sitting my ass right next to hers. “Of course I am. Wouldn’t miss it.” She nods slowly, but I know Bree—something is up. “What’s wrong?” Is Blair driving you crazy with the planning?”

Bree grins, and I know that’s exactly what’s going on. “She means well.”

I toss my head back and laugh about that. “She does.”

“But oh my God, Fletch. She’s invited so many people. I thought I made it clear to her I don’t like people, but I guess not.”

I laugh again because I can’t help it. I think Bree might be even more antisocial than Rhett. “She knows. I swear. She’s just wanting to make it perfect.” I nudge Bree’s small shoulder with my own. “I think this is probably hard for her. You’re the last of the three leaving the nest.”

Bree looks slightly guilty about that, and I feel like an asshole. That’s not on her. And Blair is just as excited for Bree as she is sad that she’s leaving. “I know it is. But she does have Max and Ian to dote all over now.”

I grin. “She still trying to get them to wear matching outfits? Remember when she did that shit for our first family picture?”

Bree grins so big, I think it has to hurt her cheeks. “God, I love that woman.”

“Me too,” I say easily. “Guess a little out of control and way too many people in one place is worth having her in our lives.”

“Oh, 100 percent,” she laughs in agreement.

“So you drove an hour just to ask me that? There are these pretty cool things called phones. They send a message like magic. Don’t even have to get in the car.”

She shoves my shoulder. “Shut. Up. I’m actually meeting a friend in a few minutes and thought I’d stop by to see you first. Noticed your big ole blue gas sucker and decided to wait.”

“You don’t have friends.”

She cackles at that. “Asshole.” She shrugs. “Shana goes to school here too.” I smile because Shana was the one friend besides Rhett and me she allowed around her in high school. And Shana was in Rhett’s and my grade, so she graduated with us.

I eye her car, parked a few spots away from mine, and shake my head. Bree is very big on the environment. When I got the bigass Jeep, she asked for an electric car. “Admit it, you had to charge that little metal box you call a car, and that’s really why you came to campus.”

She flips me off and pushes off my bumper. “I’m glad you’ll be at my party. You know she even invited Josh?” She pretends to gag, but I straight up tense at the name.

Josh was the closest thing Grayson had to a best friend in high school, and he totally made out with Bree at a party where they both had way too much to drink, and Bree accidentally drunkenly outed Grayson, right then and there.

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