to shoot up my spine. Then he stomps off toward the windowless entrance doors to the club.
Once he’s gone, the stranger turns to me. “Are you okay?”
I nod with a tremulous breath. “Yeah, I think so.”
“You really shouldn’t walk out to your car alone. It’s not safe. You should have one of the other girls walk out with you.”
“I will from now on,” I assure him. “And thanks for doing that. Most people wouldn’t have intervened.”
“It wasn’t that big of a deal. The guy was just a rich punk who needed to be put in his place.” His forehead creases as a pair of headlights sweep across us, giving me a better view of his face. “Hey, I think I know you from somewhere.”
“I don’t think so,” I say, inching away from him.
He points a finger at me. “I think we have chemistry together. Professor Bralifington on Fridays, right?”
My insides fizzle as I become painfully aware that we go to the same university.
His name is Everette. We have a couple of classes together. While I don’t know him very well, he could easily tell the wrong person my dirty, little work secret. People around the university do love to gossip. What if word gets back to my friends? What if word gets back to Beck?
Why have I never thought about this before?
“I have to go.” I whirl around and jog for my car.
“Wait,” he calls out.
I don’t stop, hopping into the torn seat and peeling out of the parking lot. Anxiety chokes me as I drive away from the club, wishing I never had to return.
Find a way to fix this, Willow. You’re good at solving problems. It’s time for you to start figuring it out.
Chapter Ten
Willow
Instead of driving home, I go to Luna and Wynter’s place to get ready. As I dig through Wynter’s closet with Luna, searching for a dress to wear, I contemplate telling her about my job, confessing everything before this Everette guy blabs my dirty secret and word spreads like a wildfire.
Could I do that? Would she understand?
“Is everything okay?” Luna asks, sifting through Wynter’s trendy designer shirts, dresses, and skirts. Her brown hair is pulled into a messy bun, and she’s wearing yoga pants and a tank top. Like me, she doesn’t own many dresses, so we’re both looking for an outfit to wear tonight.
I open my mouth to spill the truth to her, but the words get caught in my throat. How can I tell her? Luna, who’s never gotten into trouble? She’s sweet and kind and innocent and thinks I am, too.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I chicken out. “I’m just stuck in my own head today.”
“A couple of shots of tequila and a hell of a lot of dancing should cure that.” Her boyfriend, Grey, appears in the doorway, wearing a long-sleeved black shirt with the sleeves rolled up, jeans, and sneakers.
“You’re breaking the dress code,” I tease. “Where’s your pretty, little dress?”
“Guys are supposed to wear a black shirt,” Grey explains, checking out Luna’s ass as she bends over to grab a pair of strappy heels off the floor.
“Well, that’s just sexist,” I reply, pulling a face at the short, fitted dress hanging up in front of me. “Maybe I should wear a suit to protest.”
“You could.” Grey braces his hands on the doorframe. “But I think you might break poor Beck’s heart if you did.”
“I doubt Beck’s heart will get broken if I don’t wear a dress,” I say, debating whether or not to go through with my suit threat.
He rolls his eyes. “Yeah, right. Everything you do breaks his heart, and yet, he keeps coming back. He seriously is a glutton for punishment.”
Luna’s attention whips up, and she mouths, “shut up.”
“What’s going on?” I glance back and forth between the two of them. “What did you mean by that?”
Grey backs out of the closet with his hands out in front of him. “Just ignore me. I think it’s the tequila talking.” Then he bails out like a guy who’s about to get his ass handed to him by his girlfriend.
I face Luna with my hands on my hips. “Okay, spill.”
She diverts her gaze from me and focuses on a knee-length pencil skirt. “This looks nice. I think I’ll wear it.”
“Luna …” I warn.
She hightails it out of the closet, and I chase her as she races past the bed and makes a beeline for the bathroom.
“Come on; just tell me what he meant.”
She dives into the bathroom and slams the