On The Rebound (Steinbeck U #1) - L.A. Cotton Page 0,26
and her brother as she reached us.
“Turns out, we have the same class.”
“You do, huh?” She smirked. “What a coincidence.”
“I was telling Calli that she should let me take her out... so we can… uh, discuss the class reading. But she’s a little hesitant.”
Josie caught my eye, and I shook my head discreetly.
“Maybe you can persuade her over lunch,” he added.
“You’re not joining us?” she asked him. “We’re heading to Muds.”
“I’m meeting the guys at the gym. But I’ll see you around. Bye, Calli.” Joel flashed me a blinding smile.
“Bye, Joel.” I couldn’t help but smile back.
“Okay, spill.” Josie laced her arm through mine the second he was gone.
“There’s nothing to spill. Joel showed up in my class, we sat together, he tried to talk me into going out with him.”
“And you told him about Callum, right?”
I grimaced.
“Calli! It was the perfect opportunity.”
“I know, but I don’t want things to be weird. And if I tell him about Callum, he’ll realize I know Zach.”
“But it’s going to come out eventually.”
“I know.” The knot in my stomach tightened. “Callum obviously doesn’t want them to know I’m here or he would have told them.”
God, it wasn’t supposed to hurt this much.
I was used to being no one to my brother, so I hadn’t given much thought to what would happen when I got here. I knew it wouldn’t miraculously heal things between us, but I hadn’t anticipated that his team, his friends, wouldn’t know about me.
That was just... cruel.
“I’ll tell him,” I said. “Soon, I promise.”
“Good, because the whole thing is weird.”
“I’m glad you find my life weird.” My eyes rolled as we entered Muds. It was busy, but Josie managed to grab us a table.
“You sit, I’ll order. They do these amazing spicy chicken paninis.”
“Sounds good. Can I get an iced latte too, please?” I went to grab my purse, but she stopped me.
“I’ll get this. You can pay tomorrow.”
“Okay.” I smiled.
Meeting Josie had been a blessing in disguise. I knew her being close to the team was an added complication, but in a strange way, it was like coming full circle.
In high school, Madison had dated a basketball player. And now my only friend at SU was the sister of one. It was like no matter how much I tried to escape the damn thing, the universe seemed insistent on weaving my life inexplicably with basketball.
Repeatedly, I tried to tell myself it didn’t mean anything, but I was starting to wonder if maybe it did.
Josie joined the line and I watched students come and go. I felt more at home here, among the bookish treasures, than I had anywhere else in a long time.
The doorbell jangled, and I noticed the girl with red hair enter. I’d seen her here before with Zach. She was tall and willowy with a perfect complexion and silky auburn waves. She was everything I wasn’t. Feminine. Graceful... Beautiful.
My heart galloped in my chest, wondering if Zach was joining her. But he didn’t. Instead, she joined two friends, other girls with their perfect hair and perfect smiles and perfect manicures.
“I see you met the girlfriends.” Josie sat down, sliding a tray onto the table.
“The who now?”
“The girlfriends. That’s Victoria Penderton. Declan’s girlfriend.”
“She’s beautiful.”
“Don’t be fooled.” She snorted. “She’s a class-A bitch.”
“Josie,” I whisper-hissed, discreetly glancing over at them again.
“What? It’s true. She’s been chomping at the bit to be Queen Bee. But it was always Lo Stone and her crew.”
I frowned, and Josie let out an exasperated breath. “Sometimes I forget you know nothing. Lo Stone, Maverick Prince’s girlfriend.”
“Oh yeah.” I nodded as if I knew what she was talking about. I mean, I’d heard his name; he was big news around Steinbeck and the surrounding towns. But I didn’t know him.
Maybe if I’d ever been invited to SU to support my brother, to watch his games, and celebrate his wins, I would have known.
But I wasn’t… therefore, I didn’t.
“Lo was awesome, super down to earth and cool. She wasn’t into all that bullshit.” She flicked her head toward Victoria. “They’re all about status and power and who has the most expensive handbag.”
“She’s still with Declan?”
“I mean... I guess. I heard Joel talking to some of the guys over the summer and they said she’s clutching.”
“Clutching?”
“Yeah, to the dream of being with a pro.”
“I saw her,” I admitted. “With Zach.”
“Yeah.” Her expression hardened. “They have this weird friendship. Some of the guys are a little icked out about it.”