I’d sneak there if I had too, and pick up a job to pay for it myself. If I earned my own money, Jacqueline couldn’t tell me how to spend it.
In the two weeks following spring break, I made a few more attempts to hang out with Leah, but she blew me off.
I knew it was because she felt like I’d blown her off first—which I sort of had, even if I’d never meant to. But maybe it wasn’t just about me. She’d started hanging out with a guy named Trey who was good friends with Dan. Maggie and Dan were officially boyfriend/girlfriend now, and it seemed like the four of them spent a lot of time together, doing couple-y things and going on double dates.
Things between me and the Princes settled back to normal—if anything between us from the first second we’d met could ever be considered normal—and we never mentioned what’d happened at the lake house.
Adena’s fury at me hadn’t faded. If anything, it’d gotten worse. I heard from a few girls in the locker room that she’d been planning to try to get back together with Mason over spring break. She’d apparently had an elaborate multi-step plan all set up to lure him back, but my presence had derailed it, and she was livid about that.
God, I hope she’s not at the party tonight.
I knew it was wishful thinking though. Adena was almost as powerful as the Princes, and was one of the few people on campus who didn’t automatically fall in line with their orders.
I grimaced at the thought as I hiked across campus on a sunny afternoon in late March. It was a Thursday, and the monthly Clarendon Hall blowout would be starting in a few hours. I’d volunteered to help the guys set up, but Mason had just chuckled and said they had people to do that for them.
He really could be a pompous asshole sometimes.
I shook my head, brushing my hair over my shoulder as I headed toward their dorm. Having gotten a glimpse of the softer, sweeter side to each of the guys, I could never quite understand why they insisted on presenting themselves as such douches to the world. They were more than that—they could be so much better than that.
Cliff Seaborn held the door for me, allowing me into the Clarendon Hall common room. I was a familiar sight in the dorm by now, and considering how completely the Princes ruled around here, no one ever bitched about my presence.
“Thanks, Cliff.” I smiled at him.
“Yeah, sure. See you at the party later?”
“Yup, I’ll be there.”
He split off to head to his room, and I climbed the stairs to the fourth floor, using the opportunity to get in a little extra leg work. The guys’ dorms were all next to each other, and I’d decided that even though they had “people” handling the party setup, I’d stop by early.
Cole’s door was open just a crack, and I could hear their voices emanating from inside.
“That’s perfect,” Mason murmured.
“I know.” Cole’s voice had that blank, detached tone it sometimes got.
“Is it enough, though?” That was Finn.
“No,” Mason answered. “But we’ll get it.”
My stomach dipped. Shit. What were they planning now?
I hesitated for a second before knocking on the door and pushing it open. “Hey, guys?’
They were clustered around the couch in the living room, where Cole had his laptop open. They all looked up as I entered, grinning broadly.
“Hey, Legs. What are you doing here?” Finn stood as Cole flipped the laptop closed and set it on the sofa cushion beside him.
“Just thought I’d be unfashionably early. What are you guys doing?” I tried to keep the accusatory tone out of my voice, but I must’ve failed miserably, because Mason smirked, sauntering over to drape an arm across my shoulders.
“Remember Evan Baxter’s dad?”
I grimaced. “How could I forget?”
“Well, we had another situation like that. Just taking care of some family business.”
“So what are you gonna do?”
He tilted his head, leading me toward the couch. “We’re not sure yet. We’ve got ideas, but we’re still digging for more dirt.”