Page 20 of The Trade

I roll my eyes, suppressing a full-blown smile. “So dramatic,” I say, sliding my phone back into my bag.

His gaze flickers to Shannon, a soft smile gracing his features. “Shan, it was great to see you again.” He reaches out, giving her shoulder a light, friendly squeeze. “Jade, see you tomorrow.”

He saunters away, his presence slowly fading into the hum of the library. Impassively, I turn my attention back to my study guide, dutifully highlighting the section on intellectual property.

A few minutes pass, and now I’m squirming in my seat. I can tell that someone is staring at me, so I lift my eyes from my notes to meet Shannon’s questioning gaze.

“What?” I ask, a hint of defensiveness edging into my voice.

A mischievous glint twinkles in her eyes. “You know, West’s a good guy, Jade. But he’s definitely a player.”

I frown. “And why are you telling me this?”

With a shrug and a cryptic smile, she says, “No reason.”

Suspicion creeps in. “Shan, are you trying to imply something?”

“No, not at all. I was just observing.”

My mind whirls to catch up. “Wait, do you like him, Shan?”

“Nah, we’re just friends. He did kind of hit on me the other week, but I’m sure he does that with everyone.”

“So, you don’t want to sleep with him, then?” I ask, working to read her dubious expression.

“I don’tnotwant to,” she confesses with a slight blush. “But I’m looking for something more serious right now, and West isn’t the guy for that.”

“Yeah, I get that.”

The guy definitely seems like the hit-it-and-quit-it type, not that there’s anything inherently wrong with that. If Shannon’s not interested in a one-night stand, then she’s right—she probably shouldn’t go for a guy like West.

“So, um, doyouwant to sleep with him?”

Grinning, I echo her words. “Well, I don’t not want to.”

“Jade!” Her eyes widen comically, a playful smirk curling her lips.

“I’m joking, Shan.” I can’t help but laugh at her reaction. “I barely know him. He’syourfriend. He seems decent, but he also comes across as a bit too cocky for me.”

“Well, if you ever decided to go there, I wouldn’t mind.”

I raise a brow. “Yeah?”

She nods, her green eyes twinkling with amusement. “West is totally fair game.”

“Good to know,” I say, unable to hold back a full-on chuckle. “But remember, you still owe me that official athlete introduction. West doesn’t count.”

She rolls her eyes, gently tapping my hand in mock annoyance. “Patience, Jade.”

“Hmm,” I muse, looking back at my study guide, “I’m not really a patient person.”

Her laughter echoes in the quiet library. “Yes, I think I’m starting to see that.”

7

WEST

This essay ispure fucking nonsense. An unmitigated disaster, really.

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