A Mermaid's Kiss (Bay State University #1) - Katie Holland Page 0,48
I wasn’t sure what I was looking for until I read his name, Leonard Major Evan Davenport.
“I lied to you about my last name,” he told me.
“Why? What’s wrong with Davenport. I don’t understand,” I told him.
“So when I say Davenport nothing comes to mind?”
It seemed important, so I really thought about it for a minute. “No, I can’t think of anything.”
“Have you heard of Davenport Media?”
“Yeah, who hasn’t.” Then I finally got what he was saying to me. “Your family is Davenport Media?”
“Yes,” he said quietly.
“No wonder you’re bored in computers,” I said with a smile. “Why didn’t you tell me the truth?”
“It’s been my experience that when people find out who I am they change. I was enjoying being just Major to you, not Major Davenport, heir to Davenport Media.”
“Why can’t you still be just Major?” I asked him.
“I guess that’s up to you,” he said seriously. “Can you handle who my family is?”
“Are they mass murderers?”
“No.”
“Are they into animal sacrifice?”
“No.”
“Do they dance naked under the full moon?”
“Not that I’m aware of,” he said, with a hint of a smile.
“Then I don’t see a problem,” I said. “Just don’t lie to me, ever. Our friendship might not survive something like that, again. And I think it goes without saying that what we text stays between us from now on.”
“Amen to that. I won’t make that mistake again,” he said with a smile. “Thank you for giving me another chance, Kayleigh. I’ve never met anyone like you and I’m really glad you were on the beach that day.”
“Me too,” I told him.
“So, are we going to continue with our texting lessons?” he asked.
“Do you want to?”
“Yes. They’re typically the best part of my day.”
“Then yes, I want to keep doing it as well. By the way, thank you for the donation you made. Nana always made sure I was kept in swimming, but sometimes it was a struggle. Knowing that money is there to help kids that can’t afford it, means the world to me.”
“It was the least I could do, really, I mean the very least, after what happened.”
“I have to ask, you seemed like you had no clue so how did you figure out what upset me?”
“I called Bodie’s sister,” he said sheepishly. “I don’t have a sister and I really didn’t want to go to my mom with this, so I made Bodie give me her number. She called me an idiot but helped me anyway.”
I was trying to suppress a laugh, but eventually failed and let it out. “It really was an idiotic thing to do but now at least it’s helping a lot of kids so I can’t be mad about it anymore. I’ve had a question ever since dinner though. Why Mermaid?”
“It was the first thing I thought of. I remembered you telling me that your Nana called you her little mermaid. I’ve also seen you swim in the ocean and I’d imagine you’d give any mermaid a run for her money.”
He grinned at me and I had to smile back. I was glad things seemed to be back to normal and hoped they were going to stay that way.
Chapter 36
Major
After walking Kayleigh to her dorm, I headed to mine. I was so relieved that she’d given me another chance. She’d made it seem like my money didn’t matter, but it was still there in the back of my mind that it was going to change how she acted. Bodie was studying when I walked in.
“Hey man, what’ve you been up to?” he asked me.
“Coffee with Kayleigh,” I said, without thinking.
His eyes lit up.
“Like I told you before, it’s nothing, we’re just friends.”
“You’ve never been friends with a woman before man, so you know, I have to ask.”
“I know, but that’s all it is.”
“Fine, but let me know when that changes,” he said, with a wink.
“Whatever fucker. What are you doing later?” I asked.
“More studying. What did you have in mind?”
“Thought about hitting the waves for a bit before the weather changes.”
“Don’t you have studying to do too?”
“Yeah, but I’m just not feeling it today. Come on man, come surf with me.”
“I can’t. I’d really love to but I can’t. I have a paper due tomorrow that I haven’t even started.”
“When did you become so responsible?” I asked, with a laugh.
“When I was told that if I don’t get good grades I’ll be cut off from my money.”
“I get that. Fine. No surfing today, but Sunday we’re hitting the waves no matter the