Page 279 of Small Town Firsts

“That’s a complicated question,” he says, shocking me out of my musings.

“What is?”

“What I’m majoring in.” He presses the start button and checks his mirrors before smoothly reversing out of our parking spot.

“I asked that out loud?”

He chuckles under his breath. “Sure did.”

“Oh.” I duck my head. “Well, tell me.”

“I’m finishing B school right now.” At my blank stare he continues, “Getting an MBA.”

“And you’re TA-ing my psych class why?”

He shoots me a cocky grin as he expertly navigates the winding mountain roads. “Simple. I’m the best student the department ever had.”

“What?”

“Oh, yeah. Bet you didn’t know there was more to me than good looks, huh?”

I snort out a laugh. “Actually, I never realized there was more to you than sharp barbs.”

“Funny girl.”

“I think so.” I lean back against the seat and roll my head to the left to look at him. His profile is so stupidly handsome it sends a rush of flutters through me. “What are you doing with your degrees?”

He sighs. “I’ll join dear old mom and dad in the family business.”

I blanch at the mention of his parents. Rob lawyered up when I came forward against him, and Mr. Abbot ruthlessly represented him.

Thank God we never went before any kind of judge, mostly because my mom told everyone I was a liar with an overactive imagination. But I don’t doubt for a second that he would have annihilated me in a courtroom.

“Right. Why aren’t you in law school then?”

“That’s a good question,” is all he says before changing the subject. “Are you going to the football game this weekend?”

I want to poke and prod him for a truthful answer, but I let it go. “Yeah, we’re going to watch Gabe.”

He white-knuckles the steering wheel as he turns onto the twisting road that leads back to campus. “Maybe I’ll see y’all there and you can introduce me.”

Jesus, it’s like I’m in The Twilight Zone.“Maybe.”

“What? You don’t want your friends to know me?”

“I just figured you’d be with your friends.”

“Well, maybe I’d rather be with yours.”

Yep. Definitely in The Twilight Zone.He’s so convincing, it’s almost as if he actually wants to hang out with me.

“Okay, Sterling. If that’s what you want.”

“You have no idea what I want, little mouse,” he mumbles under his breath.

We fall into a semi-companionable silence after that, with only the sound of the radio between us.

Before I know it, Sterling rolls to a stop in front of my dorm, proving Gabe and Zach slightly right... because how else would he know where I live?

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