Page 4 of The Charade

As if reading my mind, Hunter turned and gestured to Mr. Hottie McHot-Hot behind him. "And this is Carter. He's a senior, too."

"Nice to meet you, Carter," I said, feeling all jittery with nerves.

But instead of offering his hand to shake in greeting like the other guys had, Carter simply folded his arms across his defined chest and gave us a quick nod. "Good to meet you." Then turning to look back at his friends, he said, "Ready for the next set?"

Okaaaay,I thought, rocking back on my heels at his immediate dismissal.

So maybe not all the people at this school would be as welcoming as Scarlett, Mack, and Hunter.

Mack must have noticed my discomfort because when Carter and Hunter went back to their weights and Scarlett and Elyse walked over to look at the dance studio, he put a hand on my shoulder and said, "Don't take Carter's one-track mind personally. He's just the kind of person who likes to focus on one thing at a time."

I furrowed my brow, not understanding. "What do you mean?"

Mack lifted one of his broad shoulders. "Let me just put it this way. If he's marked a workout in his planner from 3:30 to 4:15, you can bet that he will work out from exactly 3:30 to 4:15 with only thirty seconds to a minute break between each set."

"So he's very regimented and likes to stick to a specific routine?" I asked.

"Precisely," Mack said, his big lips forming into a smile. "But he makes time for socializing, too."

"As in he probably wrote, 'Work out with Mack and Hunter' into this planner of his and considered it bro-bonding time?"

Mack lifted his ball cap from his head, rubbed his hand across his short, curly hair, and said, "I mean, I didn't look at his schedule for today or anything, but yeah, knowing him, that's probably what he wrote."

"Well, maybe we'll have to teach him to add a few minutes of wiggle room into his calendar here and there so he can make a better first impression when he's meeting new strangers."

Mack looked back to where Hunter was spotting Carter as he started a rep using the bench press. "I'll make sure to tell him that one of the cute new girls says he needs to be more flexible." And when he shot me a flirtatious wink, my cheeks heated.

Had this tall, dark, and handsome hottie just said I was cute?

And then winked at me?

I was just trying to think of a witty response to his comments when Scarlett and Elyse returned.

"Ready to see the girls' dormitory?" Scarlett asked.

"Um, sure." I tucked a lock of my light-brown hair behind my ear. "That would be great."

"Great," Scarlett said before turning to head out of the door we'd come through with Elyse trailing behind her.

Before I followed them, I turned back to Mack who still hadn't returned to his friends and said, "It was great to meet you, Mack. I'm sure I'll be seeing you around."

"I'll make sure to save a spot for you and your sister at my table tonight." He winked again.

"Thanks." My cheeks flushed even deeper at his offer. "I guess I'll see you later."

Deciding to end on that high note, I made myself walk away from probably one of the most welcoming and cutest guys I'd ever met before and went to find Scarlett and Elyse.

2

Ava

"This is our common room,"Scarlett said when we walked through oak doors that led into a gorgeous room with a wall of windows framed by dark wood. A large gas fireplace was the focal point, with several couches and chairs set in groupings around the room. There was a flat-screen TV in one corner and a kitchenette in another with a fridge, microwave, and a tea-and-coffee station.

I glanced around at the traditional decor. "This is beautiful," I said. It was exactly how you'd picture a grand living area to be like at a private boarding school. Everything was so rich and vibrant. The traditional vibe made me immediately feel at home.

"It's one of my favorite places to spend my downtime," Scarlett said.

Elyse and I walked around the room, taking it in. I smoothed my hand along the back of a brown leather couch, loving the texture of it beneath my fingertips.

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