Page 120 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 1
"I'm 29."
"So you're not a student here?"
"No, I'm not."
"I am."
"I figured that." He nodded at my backpack.
"And I only just turned 20 yesterday."
"Well, happy belated birthday, Penny."
"That doesn't horrify you?"
"That you're 20? Why would that horrify me?"
I shrugged.Because it horrified him.
"I have to say though, you do look older than 20."
Maybe that was the problem. If I looked older than my age it could have led Professor Hunter astray.
"Have you had lunch?" Brendan pressed.
"No. I was actually just on my way to the dining hall. I should get going."
"Come with me." Brendan turned and started to walk down Main Street.
I stood frozen. I looked down the road toward the dining hall and then back toward Brendan. He stopped and turned around.
"You coming?"
I took a deep breath and followed him. I wasn't sure what I was doing. Brendan was a stranger. And for some reason it seemed easy to talk to him. Maybe he wasn't a therapist, but talking to him might help me work out my problems.
We walked up to a small stand outside of the Five and Dime. He ordered two hotdogs with the works and handed one to me. We walked to a nearby bench and sat down.
"This is delicious," I said after taking a bite. The only thing I really had an appetite for recently was cupcakes. It was a nice surprise to want something savory.
"It's good to know that you like meat in your mouth."
I choked on my bite. Had I imagined him saying that? I looked up at him and cleared my throat. "What did you say?"
He was smiling down at me. "You've never had one of these?" he asked, ignoring my question. "You've lived on campus for a while, how could you pass by here and not try a hotdog? What is wrong with you?"
I laughed. "I never knew hotdogs could be this good. Thanks for this."
"No problem. See, eating with me isn't so bad. I'm not sure why you turned down my dinner invitation so vehemently."
"I'm sorry. I'm kind of going through some stuff right now. I'm really not in any place to start dating someone."
"Dating? That's rather forward of you. I asked you on one date. No strings attached."
"What, do you only do one night stands or something?" Melissa's advice came back to me. The best way to get over someone is by getting under someone else. I shook my head.Ridiculous.
"No, not always."
"So you're kind of a slut." I quickly took another bite of the hotdog.Why had I just said that?
