Page 52 of The Assist
I cross my arms and study her. I’m calling bullshit, but I can’t decide if she’s playing it off because he’s an asshole or because she’s embarrassed I caught her in a dark corner with another guy. “Friend of yours?”
“We dated last year. He was just asking about classes. I’m sorry if it looked like it was anything.”
“No reason to be sorry. You looked upset, and I wanted to make sure everything was good.”
“So, that wasn’t you peeing all around me?” Her lips pull into a knowing smile, calling me out for referring to her as my girl.
I rub a hand over my jaw. “Might have been a little of that.”
“Don’t worry.” She closes the space between us and throws her arms around my neck. It’s her go-to move, and I love the way it presses our bodies together. The contact immediately sends communication down below. Red alert, hot girl is touching you. Yep, I’m fourteen years old again. “I have zero interest in David. He’s a total . . .” She waves a hand at my ear like she’s grappling for the right word. “Douche canoe.”
“You ready to get out of here?” Ex-boyfriends, reminders of parents who don’t give a fuck? Yeah, I’m ready to bounce.
She places her hand in mine and tugs. “Bless out.”
20
Blair
“Blair,what is all this? Your bag weighs a ton.” Vanessa struggles to move my backpack from the small table at the library so she can sit.
I barely look up from my laptop. “I have a paper due in econ, reading for American literature, and about a million other things before my shift at the café this afternoon.”
“You stay at Wes’s last night?”
“How do you know? Did you go back to the house?” Screw my paper, if Vanessa knows I wasn’t at our place, it means she wasn’t with Mario.
“Yeah, I just needed a night off from Mario.” She says it flippantly, but the perfectly curled hair and extra makeup speaks volumes.
She’s overcompensating.
“Oh no, why? I like Mario.” I’ve done my best to keep my opinions about Vanessa’s boyfriend to myself because nothing scares her more than approval, but Mario seems great. I’ve never seen Vanessa happier.
“It’s just too much.He’stoo much. I keep waiting for all his scary flaws to appear. I mean, no man can possibly be as perfect as he is. Seeing David last night reminded me that perfect on the outside hides a whole bunch of crazy on the inside.”
Great. The aftermath of Hurricane David continues to unveil more damage. “Mario is nothing like David.”
“Or maybe Mario is just good at hiding his crazy like David is.”
“What’s this really about? David and I have been broken up for months, you’ve dated other guys since my break up.”
“I . . .” She pauses and twists the gold ring she wears on her thumb. “I like him,” she says quietly.
I hide my glee that she’s finally admitted it. “Then, please, for the love of God, don’t let David be the reason you don’t trust Mario.”
“I was worried you were going to fall back under his spell when I saw you two together. What did he have to say at the bar last night?”
I consider telling her the truth, but if she knew just how calculating and horrible David really is, then she might see that as a sign to steer clear of men, and I don’t want that for her. David is an asshole, but he doesn’t represent every guy. I sure hope not, anyway.
“Not much. Wes walked over, and David took off.”
“I saw that! I was so freaking glad when Wes got between you two. I only wish he’d punched him.”
I laugh, mostly because I’d wished that too.
“You aren’t thinking of getting back with David then? Because you’re finally starting to seem like the old you.”
I’m starting to feel like the old me as well. “No, I’m absolutely not getting back together with him. What’s more important is when you’re going to tell Mario how you feel.”
