Page 64 of Guarded Love

WILLOW

My eyes open to a stripe of sunlight slicing my face in half, and for one moment, I don’t remember where I am. The bed is too firm and the air conditioner is on in January. This ceiling fan spins in slow, hypnotic circles above me. I’m in Puerto Rico. Right.

I groan and roll over, burying my face in the pillow. My brain is already firing in seventeen different directions, thoughts colliding and tangling like Christmas lights pulled from storage.

"Shit," I mutter, forcing myself to sit up. Madison's bed is empty and neatly made. Of course she's already up and functioning. Probably went for a jog on the beach or something equally horrifying for this hour.

I fight with my covers to get my phone and finally win. 7:42 A.M. Group breakfast starts at 8:00, which means I have exactly eighteen minutes to transform from swamp creature to presentable human.

The shower helps somewhat, and I make sure to avoid wetting my hair because the last thing I want to deal with right now is drenched hair. When I’m done, I throw on a sports bra, tank top, and athletic shorts. I figure that’s practical forwhatever volunteer activity Professor Wallace has planned. I throw my hair into a messy bun and grab my biggest pair of sunglasses from my bag. Last step: the oversized gray hoodie that's seen better days but it’s my favorite so that’s a win.

The door clicks open just as I'm shoving my feet into my sneakers.

"Oh good, you're up!" Madison chirps, looking infuriatingly fresh in a bright blue tank top and black shorts. Her hair is pulled back in a perfect ponytail, not a strand out of place. "I grabbed you a coffee from the lobby. Black, right?"

She holds out a paper cup like she's offering the Holy Grail. The smell hits me first, and for a second I consider getting down on the ground and kissing her feet.

"You're officially my favorite person on this trip," I say, accepting the cup with both hands. "Where have you been this morning?"

"Just exploring a bit. The sunrise was incredible!" She sets a small paper bag on the dresser. "Also snagged you a banana. Figured I would grab it just in case you missed breakfast."

My first instinct is to say something sarcastic about morning people, but I hold it back. "Thanks. That's...really thoughtful." It’s weird cause we just met and I hate that my mind immediately goes to wondering if this is a ploy that will end up leading to me being backstabbed somewhere down the line. It wouldn’t be the first time, and Madison's kindness is throwing me off. My brain can't process this much cheerfulness before coffee, so I just take a sip and let the bitter warmth shock my system.

She walks over to our curtains and opens them. The sunlight hits me like I just got smacked. "Professor Wallace said we're heading to some community garden today.”

"Okay," I mumble, pulling my hoodie tighter around me. "I just need to get more coffee and food in me or I’m not going to be a pleasant person to be around."

"Not a morning person?" Madison asks. Her tone is somehow both sympathetic and amused.

"What gave it away?" I gesture at my entire existence. "The sunglasses indoors or the fact that I look like I just crawled out of a dumpster?"

She laughs, not offended by my morning personality. "My brother Cal is the same way. We used to have to throw ice water on him to get him up for school."

I take another long sip of coffee, feeling it slowly reboot my system. "Your family sounds...interesting. First Tate and now Cal."

"That's one word for it," Madison says, checking her phone. "We should probably head down. It's 7:52."

I nod, grabbing my phone, room key, and some other small essentials before tossing it into a small drawstring bag I planned on taking with me. The coffee is helping, but my brain still feels like there are some cobwebs that need to be cleared. Everything is too bright, too loud, too much. I swear I can hear the hallway lights buzzing overhead as we make our way to the elevator, and I wince behind my sunglasses. To make matters worse, I’m not even hung over.

"You okay?" Madison asks as we step inside the elevator.

"Yeah. Just..." I wave my hand vaguely. "My brain's loud today."

She nods like this makes perfect sense. "Let me know if you need anything."

The elevator announces that we’ve reached the lobby level, and I brace myself for what I’m about to hear. Sure enough, most of our group is already gathered near the breakfast area,their voices bouncing off the walls and ceiling. Professor Wallace stands at the front, clipboard in hand, looking far too energetic.

"Just need to grab actual food," I mutter to Madison. "Then find the quietest corner possible."

I make my way to the breakfast buffet, loading a plate with scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast. Maybe I’ll do another round after I inhale this food. As I'm reaching for a napkin, a voice behind me says, "You look like you need more coffee."

I freeze. I know that voice without having to turn around. Of course. Of. Fucking. Course.

"I'm fine," I say, doing everything in my power to not look at Blaise as I grab my napkin with more force than necessary.

"Right." There's amusement in his voice that makes me want to dump my eggs on his shoes. "That's why you're wearing sunglasses inside."

I finally turn around and immediately regret it. He's standing too close, wearing a simple navy t-shirt that shows off his stupid perfect arms. His hair is still damp, probably from a shower, and he smells like soap and something else I can't place. Something clean and warm that makes my stupid brain short-circuit.

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