“See, hope isn’t lost.”
“It probably doesn’t matter, though. All of my friends will be at the date party, and I obviously can’t go alone.” The last thing I needed was to show up at a date party alone. I felt low enough.
“Why not?”
“Why can’t I go?” Did he really need to ask me that?
“Yeah, what’s the problem?” He leaned back against the counter.
“My friends all have dates.”
“So? You’re a big girl.”
“I’ll just be a fifth wheel or something.”
“No. You’ll be the strong, independent woman everyone wishes they were.”
“I could try to find a date at the last minute.”
“Juliet.”
I looked up. I hoped he was about to offer his services. “Yes?”
“You can go alone.”
“Oh. Yeah. You’re right.” I needed to change the subject—fast. “Do you have big plans tomorrow?”
“I’ve got a Sigma crush party.”
“Oh. Fun.” I tried to hide my disappointment. It bothered me more than I expected.
“Lots,” he said sarcastically. “But what can you do?”
He told me to go to my party alone, yet he was going to another sorority event? What a hypocrite. He wasn’t quite as much of a comfort as I’d hoped.
“I’d better go.” I started to walk out.
“How are you getting home?”
“The same way I got here.”
“What? Damn, I didn’t think about that. You walked here?”
“Yeah.”
“Don’t do that kind of stuff, Juliet. It’s dangerous. I left my car at the house, so I’ll walk you.”
I shook my head. “Don’t worry about it.”
“Do you mean to be this difficult?”
“Fine. I just know you’re tired, and it’s late.”
“I really don’t care. Help me close up, and we can go.”
I nodded and started to go through the closing motions. I wiped down the tables while Reed worked on the kitchen. Fifteen minutes later, he locked up behind us.
He matched my pace, and we headed toward campus.
“Juliet?”
Reed and I both turned when we heard my name as we passed the frat houses.
“Oh hey, Kyle.”
“What are you doing out here? Did you just get off work?”
“No. I was just talking to Reed.”
“Oh.” Kyle’s eyes shifted immediately to Reed. “I heard about you and Dylan. Are you doing okay?”
“I’m fine. I dumped him.”
“I know. It was pretty obvious from the fact that he was crying like a baby.”
I put my hands in the front pocket of my sweatshirt. “He was not.”
“Yes, he was. Of course, that was after he hooked up with Amanda…sorry about that.”
I shrugged. “It’s not my problem.”
“He hooked up with Amanda?” Reed’s eyes nearly bugged out.
“Yeah.”
“You didn’t mention that.” He stared at me.
“It wasn’t important.” In other words, I didn’t want to admit it. It made everything worse. I’d meant nothing to Dylan.
Kyle played with his ID card. “Are you heading back to your dorm? I can walk you.”
“Yeah, that would be cool. That way Reed doesn’t have to.”
Reed took a step closer to me. “I don’t mind.”
“But your house is here.” I probably sounded ruder than I wanted to. The truth was, I still stung over his quasi-rejection.
“If you’re sure.” Reed turned to Kyle. “Make sure she gets back okay.”
Kyle rolled his eyes. “I think I can handle it.”
“Thanks for listening.” I gave Reed a small smile.
“Anytime.” He took his keys out of his pocket. “Take care of yourself, and try to have fun tomorrow night.”
“I’ll try.”
Kyle and I walked off.
“What’s tomorrow night?”
“A Halloween date party.”
“Oh yeah, I heard about that.” He looked like he was going to say something but stopped himself.
“Why’d you do it?” He walked so close to me that his hand brushed against mine.
“Your brother’s an ass**le.”
“I know he is. But what did he do this time?”
I unwrapped the scarf. “That’s why I finally dumped him.”
He squinted to see. “For giving you a hickey?” Kyle eyed me incredulously.
“For giving it to me so guys would stay away. I can’t take his games anymore.”
“That’s Dylan. He got all psycho over you.”
“Yeah…”
“What are you going to dress up as?”
“The original plan was a nightclub singer.”
“Yeah? A sexy one?” He arched an eyebrow.
“That was the plan. But with this mark, I’m going to make it a vampire’s victim or something.”
He laughed. “That’s awesome.”
“Reed thought of it.”
“I’m guessing he’s going to be your vampire?”
“Nope. I’m going alone. The vampire will have skipped out after his snack.”
Kyle looked over at me. “He doesn’t have to… I may be free tomorrow night.”
“Really? You’d go with me?”
“Don’t sound so surprised. You know I like you…and getting to spend a night with you dressed all sexy… sign me up.”
If only he hadn’t added on the part about liking me. I’d have loved a friend date, but anything more than that wasn’t going to work. “Thanks so much for offering, but I’m going to go it alone.”
“But you sounded excited…”
“I’m just not ready to start something new. Especially not with my ex-boyfriend’s brother.”
“You have to see me as more than that. I’m more than Dylan’s brother.”
“Yes, which is even more of a reason not to go with you.” I’d known Kyle a long time. Stringing him along would be unforgiveable.
“What happened?” He slowed his pace. “We kissed that summer before ninth grade. We talked on the phone and online, but the next summer you didn’t even look at me anymore.”
“Do I have to answer that?”
“You liked him that much?”