Consolation Prize (Forbidden Men 9)

I opened my mouth, but no words came. Realizing both he and Bob hadn’t seen me there, I blurted, “No, I didn’t,” wondering the entire time why I was lying to my boss. There was no reason to lie, and yet I kept going. “I bet it was nice, though.”

Again, his head moved up and down with a polite nod. “Yes, it was. You missed seeing my kiddos trying the chicken dance at the reception.”

I froze, gaping at him while he continued to stare at me as if he wasn’t searching for information at all.

But maybe he was. Maybe he was trying to tell me he’d seen me dance with Colton. Had he seen us sitting at the table after that, talking and drinking? Had he seen us leave together? I had no freaking clue. Pick Ryan was one of the hardest people on the planet to read.

So I just said, “I bet they were adorable,” all the while hoping he’d stop fishing for more information if that was what he was even doing.

He smiled. “They were. It’s always fun to watch the young ones dance.” Then he knocked his knuckles against the countertop and pointed toward me. “Let me know if you need anything. I’ll probably hang around for

another hour or so before I head home.” And he started back toward his office without another word.

I stared after him, pressing a hand to my stomach and wondering what the heck had just happened. Had that been his way of telling me what he suspected about Colton and me? Or was he just making idle chatter? Maybe he’d been so busy watching his children he hadn’t seen me on the dance floor with Colton and Colton’s nephew. But something told me he knew.

My heart raced and stomach churned as I returned my attention to work. I felt guiltier and worse than ever for what I’d done to Colton.

I couldn’t believe he’d completely ignored me, and yet I really could. It was what I deserved. But that didn’t make me feel any better. One thing was brutally clear, though. This was going to be one very long semester before I could escape Ellamore, Illinois.

And it hadn’t even started yet.

JULIANNA’S CHAPTER | 8

A week and a half later on a Wednesday, the first day of my last semester of college began, and it did not start well. Both Sasha’s and Tyla’s boyfriends had stayed the night, meaning that left one bathroom to share between the five of us this morning, and who do you think got last dibs on it? Yep. This girl.

Then, those bastards had finished off all the coffee by the time I had showered and dressed and was ready for the day. There was no time to make another batch or even to stop by a Starbucks on the way to campus. I rolled into my first class nearly ten minutes late as it was. What was worse, I forgot my pen and my laptop, so I had no way to take notes. I sat there all hour, stewing and frustrated, wishing I had my shit together.

That other stupid person must’ve invaded my body again and fucked me all up because this was not me. I was never late, I never forgot my things, and I never let myself get distracted in class.

But I couldn’t concentrate on a single word the professor said. The fact that Colton had to be somewhere on campus right now kept pestering me. What if I passed him on the lawn or ran into him in the cafeteria?

Would he still ignore me?

He was a freshman now; this would be his second semester. I wondered what his field of study was and how he paid attention in class. I couldn’t picture him as the type who diligently took notes all hour. So not his style. No, he was the slacker in the back who sat slouched in his seat with his feet propped up on the chair in front of his as he doodled the entire time, or slept…take your pick.

I knew he’d been the salutatorian of his high school class, so he had to be pretty damn smart, but the idea of him being a model student didn’t even seem possible.

And why was I sitting here pondering what kind of fucking student Colton Gamble was?

I definitely had issues.

Steeling my resolve, I refocused my energies on the professor and was able to listen and soak in a couple sentences before I began to wonder if Colton had met some other girl since the wedding. He hadn’t come back to the bar in the eight days since he’d last ignored me.

Eight days. A guy like him—cocky, suave, and too gorgeous for his own good—he could’ve landed a couple women in that time.

It made me feel suddenly very nauseous.

By the time we were let out of class five minutes early, I was a sweaty, worried mess. Deciding lack of coffee had demented my brain, I stopped by the campus coffee shop on the way to my second class of the day. The line was short, thank goodness, so I had a steaming cup in my hand within minutes.

Sipping and reenergized, I started toward the history building where I had a Philosophy 101 class. It was a general ed credit I should’ve taken my freshman year. But I’d kept pushing it off. If I could’ve gotten out of it completely, I would have, except my advisor had finally noticed I needed to take something and said I couldn’t graduate until I did, so…here I was.

Since it had such a large enrollment, it was held in the history building’s lecture hall where the seats went up a step the further back they went. Just as I entered the domed room, I felt my phone buzz from my bag. I slipped it from the front pocket of my backpack only to find a group message from Tyla, sent to me and Sasha.

Along with her message, she’d attached a picture of a guy she’d dated her sophomore year. He was asleep, obviously in class, slumped over his desk with his face mashed to his textbook. And someone—I’m guessing Tyla—had stuck a sign to his forehead that read, I have crabs.

It was so Tyla that I laughed and turned to head up the steps without really watching where I was going, navigating completely from the corner of my eye.

But then suddenly, someone was right there, also trying to go up the steps to find a seat. I skidded to a stop to avoid running into her…or him.