Page 18 of Most Valuable Players
“Sort of. Sorority sisters. The sophomores take turns being sober drivers during the week.”
“Smart idea.”
“You guys don’t have some sort of similar set up?”
“Nah. We can usually walk.”
“Must be nice to be a guy sometimes and not have to worry about walking home alone in the dark.”
He glances down at his body, pulls his hands from his pockets and runs one from his chest to his abs, which is where he lets it rest before pulling up the hem of his shirt just enough to tease me with the hard lines and a promise of a six pack. “I totally understand. I swear that every time I walk home, old ladies are honking and yelling out the window for me to take my shirt off or get in the car.”
My mouth waters as I openly check him out. He’s joking, but I have zero doubt that what he says is true.
He lets his shirt fall back into place. “Why don’t you make the freshman do the sober driving?”
I shake my head and force my eyes back up to his face. “Excuse me?”
“Well, it makes more sense that you’d put that sort of crap job on the newest girls—sort of a rite of passage. I thought it was freshman who got hazed.”
“Our freshman girls get the red carpet laid out for them. You don’t gain loyalty and sisterhood by hazing.”
“No?”
“People are more loyal when they respect and trust you. Respect and trust come from treating people well. A positive first year makes loyal sisters.”
“Yeah, but if you put them through hell right away, then you know who will really be there when times get tough.”
I consider this. “Fair point, I guess, but we aren’t marching to war. Sisterhood is supposed to be fun.”
“F-U-N,” he says dryly.
The sober driver pulls up to the curb, and we say goodbye. As I walk away, I bite back the temptation to turn and ask him to reconsider being my tutor. I need to figure out what it is he wants or needs, and then I need to strike a deal.
7
BLAIR
Istop by the café before statistics Monday morning and then navigate to class carefully with a drink carrier full of coffees and a bag filled with muffins in my backpack. I’m running late thanks to the long line, but it works to my advantage when I spot Wes and crew already in their seats at the back of the auditorium.
“Good morning,” I chirp.
“Stat girl,” Joel calls out, giving me an easy smile.
Zeke nods, and Wes adjusts his hat just enough to reveal his eyes.
“Coffee?”
Joel and Zeke lunge for the drink carrier. Several girls sitting nearby flash me dirty looks, obviously thinking I’ve resorted to caffeine bribery to win them over, which is only partly true. They don’t even look mad. They look more jealous that they didn’t think of it first.
I pull my own drink free and then nudge the last coffee toward Wes. “Coffee?”
He eyes me warily but takes the drink.
“I have muffins too,” I say conspiratorially as I take the seat in front of Wes and pull the brown paper bag from my backpack before handing it to an eager Joel. He and Zeke make quick work of the pastries. They don’t offer any to Wes, and he doesn’t even glance in their direction. He’s laser focused on me.
“What are you up to, Blair?” he asks just as Professor O’Sean starts in on the lecture.
Shooting a playful smile, I swivel in my seat.
