Page 86 of Wish You Were Mine
Well…that wasn’t good.
It was great she had classmates to study with. But walking home in the dark? Alone? Especially now?
I pressed my tongue to the roof of my mouth, debating.
“What days do you usually meet?”
“Monday and Wednesday,” she said. “We usually wrap up around six thirty.”
Of course—after the sun had already set this time of year.
I nodded slowly, doing the mental math. That would usually line up with the time I was still in my office, finishing up grading or prepping for the next day.
I took a breath. “Would it help if I walked you home? Imean…I’m usually working in my office until around then, anyway. It’s no trouble to meet you.”
She blinked. “You’d walk me home?”
“Only if you want,” I said. “I just—after last night—it doesn’t feel right knowing you might be out there alone.”
She hesitated, eyebrows knitting. “Wouldn’t that look…sketchy? Us walking together a couple nights a week?”
Probably.
But I shrugged. “We’d just be walking.” Then lowering my voice, I added. “It’s not like I’d be holding your hand or kissing you or anything.”
The words were out before I could stop them.
Her eyes went wide. And then pink bloomed high on her cheeks.
Which…yeah. I felt that heat slide up my neck, too.
BecauseIremembered last night. The way she’d looked in my kitchen in that oversized sweatshirt. Her hair in her signature messy bun, her mouth slightly parted.
The way I’d almost leaned in before coming to my senses.
She bit her lip, which made me wonder if she was picturing that moment, too. Then she said, “I guess that could be okay. I mean…you’re friends with Theo. If someone said something, you could just say you were looking out for your friend’s little sister.”
“Right,” I said, grasping onto that reason. “So, if you just text me when you’re leaving and where you’ll be, I can meet you.”
She looked like she was trying to decide if this was overkill.
“I don’t want to pressure you,” I added. “If you think I’m being overprotective, I get it. I just?—”
“No, it’s fine,” she said, cutting me off. “I was really scared last night. Honestly, I get scared a lot when I’m walking alone. So this…might be nice.”
“Okay. Good.” I let out a slow breath.
“So, if you’re really up to it…” she said, biting her lip, “I’m meeting with my study group in the student center lounge tonight. The one across from the dining hall. So, I can let you know when I’m done.”
“Perfect,” I said. “Just text me when you’re heading out and I’ll be there.”
25
LUCY
Owen was leaningagainst the wall just outside the dining hall, hunched over his phone when I walked up.
“Hey,” he said, smiling slightly when he saw me. “Did you already eat?”
