Dirty English (English #1) - Ilsa Madden-Mills Page 0,58

to Donatello and then back to me. I set down my fork. Dammit.

“Good morning,” Elizabeth said, obviously trying to cover up the dead air as her eyes encompassed them both. “You guys coming or going for breakfast?”

Please say going.

Nadia kept her gaze on me. “Going. But if you want some company, we’d be glad to stay?” She didn’t wait for my response but flicked a strand of hair over her shoulder and glanced back at her boyfriend. “Isn’t that right, Donatello?” She laughed but it sounded off. Not her usual sparkly self. My eyes went from her to the Brazilian, noticing his tense shoulders and tight jaw.

Was she nagging him the way she’d done me?

I grunted. Hard to believe with the pedigree he obviously had, but some girls are hardwired to never be happy, and Nadia was one of them.

He mumbled something about tennis practice, but Nadia had already slid in next to Elizabeth on the booth, leaving him no option but to sit next to me.

There we sat in a weird, four-person tableau.

I ran my eyes over Nadia, my heart and head both affirming that I wasn’t in love with her anymore. I doubted I ever had been.

For the next five minutes we made small talk about the weather, classes, and what we were doing the following weekend. Nadia’s voice was slightly shrill at times as she threw question after question at us. Digging. She wanted to know if I was shagging Elizabeth. I was ready to snap, especially when the waitress came by and set down coffees for both of them.

Nadia speared Elizabeth with her gaze. “Hey, don’t you date Blake?”

Elizabeth shook her head. “We’re just friends.”

“But you do spend a lot of time with him, right?” she asked pointedly. “I see you with him everywhere on campus. It’s not surprising people assume you’re dating.” She traced her finger on the table. “Does he know you’re not dating?”

“Enough with the questions,” I snapped, yet, at the same time, I waited for her response. Blake was something we hadn’t really touched on, but I knew she had strong feelings for him as a friend. I hated the motherfucker. Okay, maybe that was a tad extreme, but if he wanted Elizabeth as his, he was going to have to go through me to get her.

Shit. I scrubbed my jaw. I sounded like a Neanderthal—or a possessive boyfriend.

Elizabeth straightened her shoulders and cleared her throat. “The truth is, I made a pact freshman year to never date while at Whitman.”

“So … there’s no one you’re seeing right now?” I asked, trying to keep my voice even.

She licked her lips, eyes darting away from me. “No. I—I don’t do serious. That’s how college should be, right?”

Everything in the restaurant zoomed out and anger sliced through me at Elizabeth’s glib attitude. I clenched my fists under the table and tried to catch her gaze, but she was poking at the food on her plate.

Did our night mean nothing to her?

Didn’t I have the answer right in front of me?

Fuck!

I exhaled and grabbed my coffee before I said something I’d regret in front of Nadia, who’d eat that up.

Nadia smiled broadly, looking smug, her eyes going back and forth between us, picking up on the obvious cues. “How fascinating and very modern of you.” She touched Elizabeth’s hands to get her attention. “And in case you didn’t know already—I mean, who doesn’t?—Declan and I dated for over six months, and even though we didn’t end up together,” she paused on a nervous laugh, “I can attest that being friends was the best thing.”

Elizabeth nodded. “Of course.”

“In fact, Declan’s the only person who understands how my mom having cancer is ripping me up inside. Isn’t that right, Declan?” Nadia insisted.

I shrugged as Ninja Turtle stiffened.

Nadia focused back on Elizabeth. “So where are you from, Elizabeth? I’m dying to know more about you.”

Elizabeth muttered something under her breath.

“I didn’t catch that,” Nadia said.

“I said Petal, North Carolina.”

She nodded, a superior look on her face. “I’m from Raleigh. My parents own the Ridgley Hotel chain. I guess we’re kind of Whitman royalty around here. But Petal, North Carolina … hmm … small town, I’m guessing, but now that I think of it, it does ring a bell. How far is it from here?”

“Give the girl a rest. You’re getting on everyone’s nerves,” Donatello snapped as he pulled out his phone and began to check it.

Elizabeth exhaled. “No, it’s fine. Petal is a small town a few hours