When Rivals Love (Bayshore Rivals 3)

When they move to leave, Tiffany digs her shoulder into my arm in a feeble attempt to knock me over, but my body is too rigid, and the only thing she accomplishes is making my backpack slide off my shoulder.

“Oops,” she snickers and walks off as the bag slides down my arm and on to the floor.

God, I hate her.

“Congrats on having as much self-restraint as you do. I thought you were about to fight her for sure,” Caroline tells me when they leave, and we are the only two people left in the classroom.

“Yeah, I’m surprised myself,” I say with a shrug. “Maybe I just didn’t want to be late for lunch. I’m starving. My stomach’s been growling for the last hour.”

“Girl, you’ve been all about the food lately. That wouldn’t have anything to do with you meeting the guys for each meal, would it?” Caroline giggles.

“Maybe,” I grin.

We speed walk across campus to get to the sandwich shop where we are meeting the guys. As it turns out, a walk is exactly what I need. The fresh air helps me clear my head and cools my simmering anger toward that witch. When we arrive at the shop, all three of the Bishops are standing out front, waiting for us. Banks spots us first and gives me a panty-melting smile, and my mind goes blank for a moment, forgetting all about Tiffany and her group of barbies.

“Hey, you two,” Oliver greets us when we are only a few feet away.

I have this animalistic urge to give each of them a kiss, but we haven’t been that comfortable with public affection while we are out in the open like this, and it’s not because we don’t want to be seen with each other or because we’re hiding that we are together.

It’s more because we don’t want to draw any type of attention to us, and having three boyfriends will definitely do that.

Walking into the restaurant together, Oliver spots a table in the back that will fit all of us.

“How was your class?” Sullivan asks as I take a seat and read over the menu.

Before I can answer, Caroline opens her big fat mouth, “Tiffany was being a major bitch last class, but other than that, today has been fine.” I give her a side-eye.

Why can’t she keep her mouth shut? This is just going to worry the guys further.

“What do you mean she was being a bitch? Is she bothering you again?” Sullivan asks concern etched into his handsome features. Part of me wants to sweep it under the rug and tell them it’s nothing, but if I don’t tell them and they find out later, I’ll feel bad for having not been honest.

“Well, it seems as if she is under the impression, I stole Oliver from her, so she’s trying, like always, to pick a fight. That’s all. There’s no reason to worry. Can we eat now? I’m going to eat my left arm off if I don’t get something in my belly soon.”

“I’m sorry, Harlow… This is all our fault,” Oliver huffs, looking away from me as if he is too ashamed to look at me. My eyes catch on his shiny brown hair as he runs a hand through the thick strands. When he looks back at me, I can see the regret pooling there. “I kind of pretended to like her.”

“It’s in the past, this is the present, and we are only looking ahead, and from where I’m sitting, the future is looking pretty good,” I smile. “I mean, I do see a delicious Italian sub in the near future…so…” The waitress must have heard me, because just then she walks up to the table, a tablet in her hand, ready to take our orders.

For the rest of our lunch together, we don’t talk about Tiffany or anyone else we don’t like. Everything seems to feel better when I’m with the guys. Being with them reminds me that no one here is worth risking my happiness for.

Only after I’ve finished every bite of my sub, do I realize that Sullivan seems oddly withdrawn, barely looking at me and not even finishing his sandwich. I’m about to ask him what’s going on, when he pushes his plate away and gets up from the table, his chair scraping against the floor. My eyebrows draw together in confusion.

Where is he going?

“I’m gonna head out. I want to get to my next class a little early. I’ll see you later,” he doesn’t really speak to anyone in particular and starts walking away before any of us can respond. It feels like someone has stabbed a tiny knife into the corner of my heart. It doesn’t really hurt, but it leaves a noticeable ache behind.

That’s what Sullivan has just done to me. He’s left an ache behind, and I know without even asking that something is going on with him.