Page 81 of To Love or to Lose
I cut her off. “What the hellare you talking about?”
“Oh, come on!” Valerie throws her head back. “From what I’ve heard, the tension between you two could be cut with a knife. My bet is that you guys will at least fuck once or twice before you graduate.”
“We don’t like each other, Val.”
She points a finger at me in a way that says “Aha!“You didn’t deny it!”
“Deny what?” I almost laugh. “I can’t even deny your treacherous statement when the logistics of it don’t make sense!”
“Are you forgetting that you are within his proximity all the time?” She wiggles her eyebrows in faux lust. “Including right now. We should see if we can figure out what room he’s in, I bet we could bribe the front desk.”
Valerie is a complex person with the brains beyond any I have ever seen outside of myself, but she is also more fantastical than I could ever be.
“I don’t even like him as afriend, Val. Let alone as anything more venereal.”
“I think you’re in the stage of denial.”
“What grief am I experiencing?” I counter, leaning back against the firm hotel pillows.
She grins like the town idiot. “The loss ofThe Jameson Beaumont Experience.”
“You sound like you’re speaking from a certain type of experience,” I tease, pulling on her arm so she’s forced to lie on her back next to me.
“God, I wish.” She groans, flopping backward. “I’ve seen the homecoming pictures. He’s quite the looker.”
I give her a timid look. “Obviously, I wouldn’t recommend Jameson Beaumont to be your Mr. Dreamboat, but if you want to go for it, go right ahead. No one’s stopping you.”
The hair I’ve been twirling between my fingers to no end slowly starts to fray and split at the ends.
Valerie turns over to punch me in the arm. I wince in response, dropping the strands of hair to rub at the sore spot. “Ow!” I’m being dramatic, and she knows it. “What was that for?”
“Don’t sit here and tell me I should go for Jameson when it’s clear I wantyouto. I don’t have a thing for him—not that he isn’t super hot or anything. I wanted to see if you would take the jealousy bait, which you clearly didn’t.”
“That’s because I have nothing to be jealous about. You want him? He’s yours, lover girl.”
Valerie seems to give up on her failed attempts. “Smartass.” She breaks out in a smile. I’m grinning too.
“Nerd.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
142 days until graduation
“Do you know how to ski?” Logan asks as we leave the snow-shack, our arms full of gear.
Most of the people in our class own their ski gear since it seems to be a popular hobby among Fairwood students. However, I have never been skiing before, and had to rent gear at the slopes.
“Do I look like I know how to ski?” I counter as I try to snap the ski boots onto the skis.
“Nope.” He smiles, leaning down to help me. “Here.” He holds the ski still, grabbing my foot and snapping it on.“I couldteach you how to ski, but if youreallywant to learn, I would ask Gen.” He grabs my arm and pulls me toward the ski lift. “She’s the best out of all of us.”
I snort. “Why am I not surprised?”
Genevieve Alderidge being the best at something for her own gratification is nothing new.
“You shouldn’t be,” Genevieve says from behind me. “I’m not helping you unless you want me to send you down the hill without teaching you how to stop.”
She’s already on her skis, pushing herself along next to us. Her snowsuit is all black and her skis are silver. I can tell that her gear is not rented; it's stuff she picked out herself.
