Slowly, his lips curved up into a smile. “They’ll all think and say whatever they want. But the only one I give a shit about is you. Although, if someone says something to you that makes you uncomfortable, I want you to tell me right away.”
“If they do say something, I’m not going to worry about it.” She looked into his deep green yes. “Not anymore. Because the only one I give a shit about is you.”
She loved hearing him laugh at her surprising potty mouth and was glad that they’d managed to break through the tension. He put her bag over his shoulder, then held his door open for her. It figured that she’d barely put one foot over the threshold when she walked into one of his frat brothers.
The guy looked at her, then around her to see Sean standing in the doorway. “Dude.” He strung out the four-letter word into one long sound.
Sean put his arm around her waist. “Zane, this is my girlfriend, Serena.”
She loved the way he said it so easily. “Hi,” she said, smiling. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Sean’s friend seemed more than a little bit stunned. “Great to meet you, too.”
“Talk to you later,” Sean said before his friend could start a conversation. His hand remained on her lower back as he directed her toward the main stairs rather than the back ones they’d come up the night before.
“’Bye,” she called over her shoulder with another smile.
One by one they met more of his frat brothers and teammates downstairs, every one of them having a similar borderline-speechless reaction. Finally, when they made it outside to the sidewalk, she couldn’t hold back her laughter any longer.
“Wow, my head is spinning at how quickly you got us through there. What exactly did you think they were going to do if we hadn’t blasted through?”
“With those guys? Who the hell knows? Trust me, they’re all losing their minds over finally seeing you and me together.”
“I know I’m not always the most socially adept person on the planet,” she admitted, “but I think I could have held my own if you’d let us stay long enough to talk with any of them.”
“Of course you can hold your own.” It warmed her how he said it, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “That’s not why I got us out of there so fast.”
“Then why?”
“Because they can be a bunch of idiots. And if any of them had said anything even remotely inappropriate to you, I would have had to tear them apart with my bare hands. Right in front of you.”
She’d known he was protective, had heard it in his voice when he spoke about his sisters and the rest of his family. And she’d seen it for herself, as well, in how he’d gone out of his way to carefully plan their Friday nights so that she wouldn’t be recognized. But this morning, it was amazing to see his protectiveness in action. First, when he’d held them back from making love because he thought they needed to take the final emotional step before they had sex. And now, when he couldn’t so much as stand the thought of anyone disrespecting her.
“People are going to say things,” she reminded him. “But,” she added with a finger to his lips before he could jump in, “I’ve learned a lot in these past few weeks about not caring what anyone else thinks. And I don’t think it’s such a bad thing if I learn what I’m actually capable of dealing with and doing.”
“Anything, Serena. Everything is what you’re capable of.”
She knew she’d never smiled wider, or been so happy as they walked together across campus, hand in hand. And for the first time since she’d started at Stanford, she kept her head uncovered and wore only a T-shirt, rather than her big sweatshirt. Not only had she and Sean started to really solidify things between them, but her routine these past few weeks couldn’t have been more boring to any paparazzi that might still have been hanging around. Surely, people’s interest in her stepping away from modeling and going to college had finally dribbled away to nothing.
Maybe she didn’t need to hide anymore.
Maybe she could finally become the person she was meant to be.
Someone who loved books and learning.
Someone who loved new experiences and trying new things.
Someone who loved an amazing guy...and was loved right back.
* * *
“Thank God,” Abi said when they walked into Serena’s dorm room a short while later. “I was hoping that’s where you were last night.” She shot Sean a quick smile, but then frowned at Serena. “Seriously, next time you could at least text me back.”
Surprised to realize that her roommate had been worried about her, Serena said, “I’m sorry, I didn’t even think to check my phone.” And wasn’t it amazing that she finally had a real friend? Someone who actually worried about her. Someone who actually cared. Serena silently vowed to do better on her end. “I’ll let you know next time when I’m not coming back for the night. I promise.”
Thankfully, her roommate was extremely forgiving. On the other hand, she was also clearly extremely interested in whatever had transpired between the two of them. “You two look happy.” Serena could feel her cheeks flushing even before Abi asked Sean point blank, “Does your twin look just like you?”
To his credit, he laughed. “Pretty much.”
Abi’s eyes lit up. “Do you know if he’s dating anyone?”
“I don’t, actually. But I could find out.”
“That would be awesome. And if he isn’t, maybe you could tell him all about your girlfriend’s great roommate.”
Sean grinned at her again. “Will do.”
With that, thankfully, Abi turned back to the book she was reading and stuck in her earbuds. Serena mouthed sorry to him. But he was still smiling.
“Speaking of my brother, how would you like to meet him?”
“Are you kidding? I’d love to.”
“Good. Because it’s my sister’s birthday tomorrow and we’re all getting together at the house in Los Altos.”
His brother had been easy, but the thought of meeting everyone immediately set her heart to racing. Fast. “Your whole family is going to be there?”
He was smiling down at her as he brushed a thumb over her lower lip. “Does the idea of meeting all of them make you nervous?”
She didn’t even need to think about it. “Yes.”
“Don’t be. They’re all going to love you.” His eyes darkened. “Drew might actually love you a little too much. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if he pulled out all the stops to convince you to dump my ass for him.”