Page 69 of Campus Crush
I choked on the final word, and the tears I’d been holding back spilled out like someone had flipped on the switch to a water fountain. Foster brushed them aside with his thumbs and held me tight as I finally let out the fear I’d held close to my heart. I pressed my face against his chest, my shoulders shaking as silent sobs worked their way through my body.
He didn’t judge me.
He didn’t try to shush me or tell me it would be okay.
He simply held me and offered comfort, one hand rubbing slow circles on my back while the other remained steady against my head, anchoring me to him as the storm passed through me.
It was the exact thing I needed from him.
When I pulled away again, there was a damp spot on his blue shirt where my tears had soaked through the fabric.
“I’m sorry for getting your shirt all wet,” I said, embarrassed by my outburst.
I was not a girl who fell apart in public—or in front of people at all.
“It’s just a little water. I’ll survive,” he said with a gentle smile, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. His expression grew serious again. “What do you need? How can I help?”
I looked up into his clear blue eyes, taking in the genuine concern written across his features, the way his brow furrowed slightly as he waited for my answer, the steadiness in his gaze that promised he wouldn’t look awayfrom my pain. And I was pretty sure in that moment my heart would beat for only him for the rest of my life.
“You’re already doing it,” I told him, reaching up to place my palm against his cheek. “Thank you.”
“You don’t need to thank me, Abby. I want to be here for you with whatever you need.”
And that was the very reason I was already falling so hard for him.
THIRTY-FIVE
For the last week, Abby had been distant. She’d gone to visit her Gram after Mason’s worrying call, but she’d confessed that seeing her grandma hadn’t eased any of her worries, and when she’d tried to talk to her about it, her concerns had been brushed aside. Since then, she’d been lost in her own head, clearly still worried. I knew my plan for tonight wouldn’t fix what was going on with her grandma or ease her worry over her brother, but I hoped it would give her a much-needed chance to just disconnect and relax.
When she showed up to my place, I had a handful of options ready to go—a large bowl of popcorn, a variety of candy choices, and an assortment of drinks. I wanted this night to be relaxing and low-key for her. I’d even cleaned our living room, which was saying something considering I lived with three other guys who weren’t exactly known for their tidiness.
“You’ve thought of everything,” she said, a genuine smile spreading across her face as she surveyed the coffee table laden with snacks.
“I just want you to be able to relax tonight,” I told her,pulling her into my arms and pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. “No worrying allowed.”
We got snuggled on the couch with a Marvel movie—Thor: Ragnarok, because she wanted action and a laugh. I draped my favorite blanket over our laps, and Abby nestled perfectly into the crook of my arm, her head resting against my chest. The weight of her against me felt right in a way I was getting dangerously addicted to.
The longer we were together, the greater my sense of peace when she was around.
The movie had just started when the door opened and Drew and Liam walked in.
“What are you guys doing here? I thought you had dates tonight.” My tone made it clear I wasn’t thrilled with the interruption.
“Nah,” Liam said, shrugging off his jacket and tossing it over the back of a chair. “The girls found out we’d hooked up with their other roommates and got pissed, so the dates ended early and we decided just to cut our losses and come back home.”
“Hey, is thatThor?” Drew asked, his eyes lighting up as he recognized the movie playing on the screen.
Drew and Liam started to take seats on the other couch and I sat forward. “Whoa, whoa, whoa, what are you guys doing?”
“We’re joining you,” Liam said, like it should be obvious. He flopped down on the couch to our left, immediately reaching for the bowl of popcorn. “This is one of our favorite movies.”
“I’m on adate,” I told them, gesturing to Abby who was sitting there, biting back a grin. Her eyes danced with amusement as she watched the exchange.
Liam arched a brow, his expression completely unapologetic. “Dude, you take your girloutto a movie when you’re on a date. You’re just hanging out at home, so you get what you get. We’re here now and we want to watch the movie.”
“Yeah, if you wanted privacy, you would have watched the movie in your room,” Drew added, already making himself comfortable next to Liam and grabbing a handful of my carefully prepared snacks.
“I thought you guys were going to be out for the night,” I said, not bothering to hide my frustration.
