I Just Need You - J. Nathan Page 0,51

should’ve been pleased not to see Tristan, my heart wilted. But I pulled it together. I would not feel let down. I was so much tougher than that. So much smarter than that. I didn’t need a guy who didn’t want me. “You ready for college?” I asked Briggs as we made our way out of the building.

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” he said.

I laughed. He was young like Tristan, so he probably skipped college and went right into the security business. “Watch out for college girls. They see fresh meat and pounce.”

He snickered. “I think I can handle college girls.”

“You say that now.”

We walked the rest of the way in silence. Briggs, was a good-looking guy with a buzz cut resembling someone in the military. He was stocky, not as tall or built as Tristan, but he still had that edge needed to work security.

“Any word on Marco’s wife?” I asked him.

“She’s still being monitored, but the doctors say she’s doing okay.”

I made it to my first class and Briggs waited in the hallway. As much as I wanted to dislike him for all but telling Tristan that he and I were a bad idea, I understood he was just trying to get him to do the right thing for his business. Dating a client was a bad idea. Tristan had said so himself.

“So, you said you had a few options,” Jeff said as soon as I arrived to accounting class later. “But I didn’t realize they were ready to throw down for you.”

“Oh, God, what a nightmare. I’m so sorry about that,” I said, closing my eyes as recollections of the scene flashed through my mind.

“That dude grilled me like he thought I was some kind of pizza-carrying ninja ready to fight him.”

I cringed, hating that this was my life. “Yeah, he’s a little…intense.”

“I’d say…So, which one’s your man?” he asked, brushing it off like those kinds of things happen to him all the time.

“Neither,” I said.

“Yeah, right.”

The professor entered the room and our conversation thankfully came to an end.

***

Briggs accompanied Elodie, Alice, and me to the dining hall for dinner. Where had Tristan been? Had he asked not to see me or had it been recommended that he take a break?

“So…Chris?” Alice asked.

“We binged a Netflix show and ate some pizza,” I explained.

“Yeah, so your text said last night,” Elodie added. “But we heard a commotion in the hallway Saturday night.”

“Marco’s wife got rushed to the hospital and he needed to leave quickly.”

Their eyes widened.

“Is she okay?” Elodie asked.

“I think so. Marco sent Briggs in his place,” I explained.

“We didn’t hear Marco. We heard Briggs,” Alice clarified. “He was reaming out Mr. Hottie for being in your room.”

Elodie and Alice had certainly missed a lot. But I was too embarrassed to share that we’d slept together then he called it a mistake. “You guys know Tristan stays in my room. In a chair.”

“Sounded like Briggs knew something,” Elodie said.

“Sounded like there was something going on,” Alice added, her brows raised in question.

“Did you guys have your ears to the door?” I asked.

“No!” they said in unison.

“We had the door cracked,” Alice admitted.

We all laughed because it was so typical of them to be in my business. I seriously needed to find them guys to occupy their time. Jeff and Chris were single. I glanced over at Briggs, standing there in sunglasses even though it was evening—and we were inside. Maybe he was single.

“Are you and Chris hanging out again?” Alice asked.

The recollection of last night’s incident brought on a cringe.

“What?” Elodie asked, sensing me holding back.

“Tristan kicked him out of my room.”

“That’s awesome,” Alice said way too loud.

I covered my face, hoping my hands somehow shielded me from all the looks our table was receiving.

“You coming here has been the best thing ever!” Alice proclaimed.

“We are totally living vicariously through you,” Elodie added, like I didn’t already realize that.

I dropped my hands from my face. “You do realize I’m here because I’m supposed to be laying low, right?”

They nodded, the sense of danger no deterrent for these two.

I wished I had their bravery.

***

Once I was alone in my room again, I worked on a couple assignments on my laptop before filling in my parents on volunteering and my classes. They told me Marco should be back by the weekend which gave me a small sense of peace.

Around ten, Briggs accompanied me to the bathroom then checked my room for the night. I flipped off my light and