Page 26 of Bachelor

“What’s the worst that could happen?” she pressed, crossing her arms over her laptop. “You guys become friends? How miserable.”

“Don’t you dare,” I warned, but her answering mischievous smile made my lips quirk into a smile of my own. “And no, the first thing that’ll happen is I’ll do or say something stupid, like admit I’m in love with him.” I bit down on the words. “If that were true,” I amended. “Or I’ll fall into bed with him again, and we’ll get caught and kicked out.”

“The sky would have to start caving in on itself for the Gatlington administration to kick you out, Whitney. Aren’t you still the queen?”

“I was never the queen.”

“I beg to differ. I bet if you marched your ass into the dean’s office and told him you and Rhys were in love and getting married, he’d not only beg you to use Gatlington as your venue, but he’d officiate the wedding, too.”

“You know that’s not true.”

She shrugged, a playful gleam in her eyes. “Fine, then. Miss out on all the fun. Tyler and I will just have to find a temporary replacement for you in our trio.”

“Is that what we are now? A trio?”

“Yeah, for now, but you’re too wound up to go on an all-expenses-paid vacation with us. So who knows? I bet if I asked Cassandra, she’d join. If, that is, she’s willing to stop drooling over Professor Ellis long enough to do anything fun—”

My cheeks heated with sudden jealousy as I said, “Fine, I’ll go.”

“Great.” Jessica beamed, clapping her hands. “We can take Bill’s car. I don’t want to put my trust in whatever charter the lodge offers from there to Gatlington and back.”

I surrendered to the fact I was going and left it at that. The trip wasn’t for another week, so I had time to adjust to the idea of spending a whole weekend with my friends in a place where Rhys and I would be free of the restraints of campus life but still forced to pretend like nothing had happened between us.

Tyler eventually came back to the table and began to gather his things. I decided I was done for the night the night as well, packed up my laptop, and started down the stairs. I’d just made it outside when I felt the odd feeling of being watched and turned to find Christian leaning against one of the stone pillars on the porch of the library, a look of smug arrogance on his face.

When I tried to walk past him, he stepped in my way.

“What do you want this time?”

“I need the address to your shitty little graduate apartment building.”

“Why?”

“So my mom can send you a wedding invitation, you bitch.”

I smiled despite myself. “So I get an invite to your nuptials? I guess as the matchmaker, it’s only right that I’m invited.” I stepped toward him, my shoulders going rigid. “I’m afraid I’ll have to decline. I’ll be busy living a life free of you. The last thing I want to do is ever seen you again after graduation this spring.”

“You’ll be seeing a whole hell of a lot of me, Whitney. Trust me on that.”

“We’re not getting back together.”

“Wanna bet?” He stepped forward, closing the distance us. “I know what you did in Sleepy Hollow. I know you were with Professor Ellis. I know the name of the inn, and I’m willing to bet the two of you were dumb enough to sign in together, under your real names, thinking you were safe. I know you hang out with him in that cursed bookstore in town. How would the dean of your program feel about all this, Whitney? Do you want to find out? Or do you want to start behaving like the well-bred bitch I was offered in the beginning?”

“You’re a disgusting pig,” I spat, whirling away from him, but he caught my arm and pulled me back.

“I’m not done talking to you. You’ll remember your place—”

“Get off of me!” I shoved him, but he was practically three times my size and held firm.

“You’re going to go call your parents and tell them a little sob story about how you regret getting me and Nicole together. Your mom will work her magic. Nicole’s parents aren’t nearly as connected and respected as yours. I bet her mother will back out of the engagement the second your mom mentions it, maybe even offers her something in exchange for calling off the nuptials this summer. Then you and I get on with our lives.”

“No.”

“Oh, and you’re going to drop out. I’m done with this graduate school, free-woman bullshit you got going on.”

I yanked my arm from his grip. “I will never be with you again.”

“Then I tell everyone you slept with your professor.”

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