that I sent that?”
She swallowed, her throat working tightly. “September twenty-fourth.”
I nodded. “He showed that stupid video to all of us during poker night a few weeks ago. I sent him the email the next day, and he hasn’t been invited back to a game since.”
“What did he say? How could he possibly justify this?”
A sharp pang caught my heart. It was a damn good question. I scooted closer, wrapping my arm around Shelby and tugging her to me. Her cheek fell to my shoulder, and a breath trembled through her soft pout. “He had a lame excuse about it not being real or whatever. The bottom line is, I don’t want to be friends with someone like that.”
She nodded. “Okay. Good.”
“Shelby,” I said, my fingers circling her hip. The silky fabric twisted around my fingers, wrinkling. “I need you to stop running from me every time something happens. It terrifies me when you run away and refuse to talk to me.” I held my breath, awaiting her answer.
“Running’s my only solution,” she said. “It’s the only way I know how to cope.”
“Then we have to find a better mechanism, don’t we?”
She exhaled, pushing off my chest, and pulled her knees in, hugging them. “Look, sometimes I need space. I need to be alone.”
“Okay. And sometimes I need to talk things out. So…can we find a compromise?”
She nodded. “I’ll try.” And then, her head snapped toward me. “You run, too. You ran when you thought I was after your trust fund.”
I nodded. “I apologized for that. It was stupid.” After another moment of silence, I added, “How about, when you need space, you just check in and tell me where you are. I’ll promise not to come searching for you—to give you your space—as long as I know you’re safe, and that we’ll talk about whatever it is soon.”
She looked up at me, her caramel-colored eyes wet. “I can try that,” she whispered, licking her plump lips. “As long as you know I’ll probably slip up. I’m used to dealing with my issues alone.”
“I know. We’ll get there, though. By graduation, you’ll trust me more than Harrison, I bet.”
She snorted, rolling her eyes. “Harrison’s a brother to me. I don’t know I’ll ever trust a lover as much as a brother.”
I laughed, standing and pulling Shelby to her feet as well. Running my fingertips over her jaw, I brushed my lips to hers. “What about a husband?”
She froze, her arms stiffening around my waist. “What?” she asked, breathless.
I crouched onto one knee. Taking her hand, I looked into her eyes, my pulse jumping. “Shelby Stevens, will you do me the honor of…joining me in Paris over winter break?”
She breathed a heavy, relieved sigh, and a smile broke through as she slapped me across the shoulder. “You ass.”
I winked, grinning. “Is that a yes?”
She nodded. “Only if I get an A in French this semester.”
I hopped to my feet, scooping her into a hug. “Well, that’s clearly a yes, then.”
She groaned. “Will your parents be there?”
I shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not. Honestly? I don’t give a shit. We’re adults, and I don’t need their consent to go to another country with my girlfriend.”
She smiled. “They’re going to hate me.”
I rolled my eyes at that. “They hate everyone. Don’t worry.” I threaded my fingers into hers. “I’ll just convince my dad how much a girl like you will help in the polls, and he’ll be fine.” She shot me a look of pure daggers, nearly as deadly, too. “What about we go get some breakfast, and then you can finish that paper?”
She nodded, grinning. “Jolie? Croissants?”
I snorted as we started walking back to the car. “What else would we possibly get? And don’t worry. That little question you thought I’d ask while on one knee? I’m not asking…yet.”
She laughed, scuffing her flip-flops in the grass. “I would hope not. I haven’t even said I love you…yet.”
“Yeah,” I added quietly, tucking my other hand into my pocket. “But we both know you do.”
She smirked, giving me a sidelong glance.
“But when you do say it,” I continued, unable to help the grin stretching my face, “watch out. A diamond will be on that finger in no time,” I said, tapping her ring finger.
“A diamond?” She scrunched her nose, shaking her head.
“Um…a sapphire?”
Her smile stretched wider. “There you go.” Then with a sigh, she added, “So, I better wait to tell you those three words until I’m ready to be a wife, huh?”
I halted my steps,