Who I Am With You (Imagination #10) - Staci Stallings Page 0,229

on the couch in the lounge area. He was working. Today was Friday after all.

But he had breaks, didn’t he?

How long did a text take?

She fought not to get angry with him, but it wasn’t working too well.

Always, he had told her time and again. He would always be there for her. Always except for Fridays and when he has something better to do apparently.

It wasn’t gracious, but it was how she felt.

“Are you back again?” Vivian asked when she arrived for shift change at six.

“Can’t stay away,” Greg said, punching the button for the X-ray.

Izzy and Viv started their transfer of power.

Going back out, Greg went through the procedure to properly X-ray a wrist. “Okay, one more and we’re all done.”

The others shuffled through the dining room and in and out of the kitchen as Taylor sat at the little table, watching Hamilton on her phone. It wasn’t the best, but she didn’t want to be too far away from the phone. She could have eaten in her room, but that seemed anti-social and bordering on becoming a hermit.

“You guys doing something tomorrow night?” Emily asked Olivia as they both came over and sat down at the table.

“Probably just hanging out here,” Olivia said, and Taylor punched at her phone. Still nothing. He was really starting to get on her nerves. “Pop some popcorn, watch a movie. Nothing big. Neither of us are really into Valentine’s Day anyway.”

Valentine’s. Great. That was tomorrow, and Taylor began then to really review the whole situation. First of all, she had nothing to wear. Her silver dress was back at home, and she couldn’t wear the same dress to two formals at Alpha Chi. She should have gone shopping today, but she hadn’t thought about it. Dang it, Greg. I’m so frustrated with you that I’m not even thinking straight anymore.

“How about you, Taylor?” Emily asked.

“Hm. How about me what?”

“Are you doing anything exciting for Valentine’s Day tomorrow?”

“Oh. Uh. Yeah. I’m going out. Alpha Chi’s doing a mixer with Kappa Delta.”

Olivia and Emily exchanged glances.

“I didn’t know you were sorority,” Olivia said, eating a bite of her yogurt.

“Yep,” Taylor said. “Alpha Chi all the way.” She put her hand up in their dumb salute. It was cheesy and silly, and her heart fell at their cool reaction to it. Slowly her hand fell as well. “Why? Is that a problem?”

“Problem?” Olivia asked as if she didn’t know why Taylor would ask. “No. I mean, the Geek Street, I mean, Greek street is cool.”

Taylor could tell, however, that wasn’t the truth.

“Hm, so who are you going with?” Emily asked as if this hadn’t become awkward in the past thirty seconds. “I’m sure the Kappa Delta guys are some kind of yummy.”

Zach’s face flashed through Taylor’s mind, and she wondered if he really would be at the dance. Probably. “Oh, just a friend of mine.” Though at that moment, their friendship status and his showing up to even take her were in serious question.

“Well, just a head’s up,” Olivia said, “Devon and I will have the couch and TV until at least one, so if you and your ‘friend’ decide to do something after the dance, either take it to his place or plan on it happening in your room, not out here.”

There was so much of that statement Taylor wanted to question, she didn’t know where to start. Greg was her friend. They were not going back to anybody’s place. And she would never even think of making out on the couch in the living room. That was disgusting in the extreme. “Yeah. Of course,” she said, stumbling through all the thoughts. “I would never do that.”

“Okay, good.”

Back home after work, Greg closed the door and very nearly collapsed.

“Wow,” Lauren said from where she sat at the table, her books opened everywhere. “You look awful.”

Greg let his head fall to the side to look at her. “Thanks.”

“Long day?”

“You could say that.”

“Well, we’ve got rice stuff on the stove if you want some.”

His eyes fell closed for a long second.

“Greg!”

“I’m awake,” he said, snapping up straight. Wow. If he didn’t get into bed and fast, he was going to literally be sprawled out on the floor. He pushed himself to moving, got a bowl and some rice, and took it to his room. At the intersection of the hallway, he heard the shower and knew Wes was in there. That made his decision for him, and he turned into his room, sat on the bed,