Cuyler? I turn and see one of my best friends standing behind me with a huge smile on his face, he’s supposed to be surfing in Hawaii with Island. I can’t say they’re on great terms, but they are screwing, that much I know, not because he told me, but he told Diesel and I happened to be in the room.
“What are you doing here?”
“Bambi, you couldn’t start your first day at university and me not be here.”
Diesel back hands him in the abs, and he laughs. “I had to come back to sign off on some business deals, and I wanted to surprise you. And I also wanted to tell you in person that I will be joining you here next year.”
My mouth falls open. “You’re coming here?” He nods, and I jump into his arms, and he spins me around.
“Have you lot decided to take a leaf out of our book?” Rebel asks joining us. Cuyler puts me down, and I squeal when I see Luna. Her, Rebel, and Wilder have been at Neverland University, which is not far from here, but Rebel's father pulled some strings and here they are. The upside to Briar is good grades are a requirement, at least for the boys, and Luna was on a scholarship. I see Lux strut her way over to us; she applied to New Hope behind the triplets' backs; she wanted out from under them for a while. Ryot and Rogue are at Briar University just as expected.
I’m glad we will all be together again, we all will be staying in the same building. Diesel has some friends who own whole buildings next to each other. It has taken him months to secure the property across the road, it’s owned by a guy named Arden and he’s renting the building to us.
Diesel says he is working on making him sell it, but the owner won’t budge, and maybe it’s a good choice since we will all probably move on after university. It’s the longest commute for Ryot and Rogue, but they say they don’t mind, and Lux says it serves them right for being assholes.
The building consists of numerous floors and apartments. I haven’t seen ours yet, since we just got in this morning, and we had to come straight here and have a meeting with someone to make sure everything was by the book. I was mildly distracted by Diesel’s head between my legs when my father called to tell me.
Speaking of my father, he left Celine, and he told me about his relationship with Mellie and Brick. I was thrown off by it at first, but if it makes him happy, then I’m happy for him and I actually love Mellie and Brick.
Diesel has Rebel in a headlock, and I shake out of my thoughts. “You’re not Alpha here fucker,” Rebel jokes.
“Thank fuck.” Diesel says.
His father’s court case was last month, the list of charges against him has him locked away for a long time. The list of people he has blackmailed was extensive, and some people spilled their guts as soon as they were questioned and threw Malcolm under the bus, saving their own asses. Marilyn filed for divorce, and her lawyer is confident that it will be over quickly and painlessly.
She called me this morning to ask me what Diesel would think if she sold all the properties. The house at Briar Academy belongs to Diesel since it was passed down by his grandfather to his father and now to him. Diesel overheard everything because he was standing at the hotel door the entire time, and he told her she can sell it all and do whatever makes her happy. She managed to find a modest-sized house in Sunset Haven and wants to start an art studio there.
“Is everyone done for the day? Because there is a wicked bar called Grumpy's not far from here, Ryot and Rogue will meet us there.” Lux asks, and everyone agrees.
“Actually, we have one more stop first, but Cyrus and I will meet you there.”
No one questions Diesel, they all leave, and he takes my hand. “What else do we have to do?”
“You’ll see.”
We walk hand in hand through the campus, and I love how it feels so damn free. We head into the building I was told to meet at and find room eight, luckily the door is marked.
Diesel knocks, opening the door, and a man stands inside with his back to us. When he turns around, I see it’s Emory, and he has a baby strapped to his chest.
Since the night of the fight, Diesel and Emory started talking. I wouldn’t say that their relationship is fixed, but they are trying to mend years of being manipulated by the same man.
“O.M.G, why didn’t either of you idiots tell me the baby was born, and where is Blaine?” Emory’s face drops at the mention of the baby's mother.
“Um, it’s complicated with Blaine right now; she’s young, and being tied down isn’t what she wants right now. We didn’t tell you because Diesel said it would be a good surprise.”
“It’s an amazing surprise. Hand her over.” I let go of Diesel’s hand, and I impatiently stand in front of Emory while he undoes the contraption strapped to his chest. “Are you bringing her to school with you?”
“No, the university has an amazing day care program for teachers and students. I’m taking some paternity leave for a while. I finished up half an hour ago, and the nanny I hired to help me for the first six weeks brought her in.”
Emory hands me the tiny doll looking baby, and I hold her to my chest. “She smells so nice.”
“Don’t get any ideas,” Diesel jokes.
“I’m not, what’s her name?”
“Willow Ivy Briar.”
“You named her after your childhood crush?” Diesel laughs.