Perfect Score (Easton U Pirates 3)

“You’ve already got the bachelor party down. Ryan made it clear he wasn’t into strip clubs, right?”

“Right.” Ryan had never been into that sort of thing, so the idea he’d come up with sounded perfect and would make him happy, which was the important thing, after all.

“I like that he’s breaking the mold. I wouldn’t be into that shit either.”

I threw Elliot an incredulous look, and he barked out a laugh. “It’s not like there’s any male strip clubs around here anyway, so what do I know?”

“I’m just glad I don’t have to watch Ryan get a lap dance,” I said. “Cringe.”

He winced. “Or Dawson?”

“Ugh, seriously.” I ran my hand over my face. “That would be torture.”

“See, I just made tonight’s fitting sound much more tolerable.”

I scrunched my face. “I guess.”

As we walked through a grassy enclosure where students were spread out at tables or on the lawn, Elliot gripped my arm. “So, hey, how about I go with you tonight?”

“What? Why?” I asked just as a foam football whizzed over our heads.

“For moral support?” We wound around a small group of sorority sisters passing out fliers about some event.

“You don’t have to. I’m a big boy.”

He side-eyed me. “Oh, you’re certainly a big boy.”

I groaned. “You can’t make jokes like that anymore.”

“Why not?”

“Because whereas before it would annoy me, now it makes me—never mind.”

“What? Say it.” Elliot nudged my shoulder. “I dare you.”

“Okay, since we’re doing the whole adult-conversation thing…it makes me think of the other night. I can’t deny that stuff we did made me hot.”

Elliot gripped my shoulder. “I’m so proud of you.”

I rolled my eyes. “Jackass.”

“Hey, wait. It made me hot too. And that’s okay. Right?” For the first time, he looked uncertain, and I totally did not want to wander into that awkward area again with him.

I readjusted my backpack. “Absolutely.”

He pulled at my arm to get me to look him in the eye. “And if it’s not, we talk about it?”

I held his gaze. “You got it.”

Elliot blew out a breath. “So let’s get back to the tuxedo fitting. I’ll come with you, and that way, we can practice for the wedding.”

“Practice what?”

“Me being there for you, obviously.”

I laughed. “Okay, ridiculous human.”

“You want me to come, just admit it,” Elliot said as we got to the building where we’d part ways. His classes were mostly in the health and education buildings, and mine were across the street with the computer and engineering geeks.

I kicked at a rock near my foot. “Okay, fine. I do.”

He grinned. “So, where do we have to meet Ryan?”

“At the mall.” That meant we had a twenty-five-minute trek by car.

“Cool. Can we go shopping afterward? For a new button-down shirt for the wedding?”

“Deal.” Relief flooded me. “Thanks.”

Damn, he was a good friend.

After class, we met back at the apartment, then took off to the mall a bit early so we could pig out on greasy burgers and fries in the food court. I was just finishing the last of my chocolate shake when I saw my brother enter the mall from across the way. I lifted my hand in a wave, and he headed in our direction.

“Hey, Morgan,” he said, looking smart in his shirtsleeves and tie. He’d obviously come from work, and from the conversations with my parents at family dinners, he loved his job. He saw Kate at the office too, so it was doubly rewarding. “What’s up, Elliot?”

“I decided to tag along since I need to buy stuff to wear for your fancy-ass wedding.” Elliot stood to throw out our food while I stacked the trays on the cart.

“And I have the bill to prove it,” Ryan said with a smirk. “You’re Morgan’s date, so to speak?”

“Yep. Could he have chosen any better?”

Ryan barked out a laugh. “You’re still humble, I see.”

We walked through the mall to the tuxedo rental store, where the other three groomsmen were waiting. Ryan reintroduced me to his friends, two of whom I’d only met once or twice over the years. My stomach churned upon seeing Dawson, who looked pretty much the same as always—tall and built, with piercing baby blues. The bastard. Though I only had a brief glimpse of his eyes as he avoided looking at me, as usual, so nothing had really changed. Except that now we were both adults.

As the groomsmen followed Ryan into the store, I looked at Elliot, who threw me a reassuring wink. He was involved in a conversation with one of Ryan’s friends about Easton U, which was the guy’s alma mater as well.

An overly friendly sales associate greeted our group, then ushered us to a back room to try on different styles of tuxedo jackets until Ryan chose which he liked best—a traditional cut, of course. We each got our measurements taken by the resident tailor while Ryan was pulled aside to confer about bow ties. When it was my turn, I had to ask the older gentleman if any of the store’s trousers had wider legs to fit over my braces. I could tell I’d flustered him as he bustled off to pull other samples.