“Are you going to the mixer next week?” He took a swig from his beer.
“Yeah. I’ll be there.”
“Nice. Maybe we can go to dinner first?”
“Ah, sure.”
A triumphant smile spread across his face. “Nice. Want something to drink?”
“Do you guys have fuzz tonight?”
“Yeah. I guess you’ve spent a lot of time here.”
“When your best friends are dating brothers, it happens.”
“You haven’t dated anyone here though, right?” He seemed really interested in the answer.
“I went to a date party with Ryan.”
“But it didn’t go anywhere?”
“No.”
“He’s an idiot then. I have a feeling I won’t be settling for one date with you.” His hand brushed against my ass. I wasn’t sure if it was intentional or not. “Let me get you that drink.” He walked off.
Cara laughed from behind me. “I thought you weren’t into Tanner.”
“Who says I am?”
“You did by agreeing to dinner and not slapping him when he got frisky.”
I shrugged. “We’ll see.”
Minutes later, Tanner returned. “Here you go.” He handed me a plastic cup of fuzz. The actual ingredients were a closely guarded Kappa secret, but whatever it was usually tasted really good and sweet.
“Thanks.” I took a sip.
“I’m glad you came tonight.”
I smiled, not wanting to seem too interested. You had to play those kind of things cool.
“Ow! Ow!” Cara called. I followed her gaze to where ten guys, all dressed in black t-shirts, walked down the stairs.
“Don’t drool, baby,” Aaron teased Cara.
“None of them could compare to you.”
“What about you, Mallory? Are you drooling?” Tanner’s words barely registered with me. I felt my head spinning.
“Are you okay?” Juliet grabbed my arm. “You look really pale.”
“I’ve got to go.” I absently handed Tanner my cup as I tried to maneuver to the front door.
“Mallory, wait!”
I wanted to ignore the voice, but I couldn’t.
“What are you doing here?” My chest tightened. I had to be dreaming.
“I’m a pledge. I kind of have to be here.” Colt stepped toward me warily.
“I mean here. At Harrison.”
“You really didn’t read my letter.” He put his hands in the pockets of his khaki colored cargo shorts.
“You’re supposed to be at USC.”
“I got off the wait list.”
“Oh.” That’s all I could muster.
“Do you two know each other?” Tanner caught up with me. He put an arm around my shoulder again. It normally would have bothered me that he was getting so touchy feely, but at that moment, it was keeping me vertical.
“Yes.” Colt looked Tanner in the eye. “You’ve got your arm around my girl.”
Without dropping his arm, Tanner looked me straight in the eye. “Is that true?”
I couldn’t speak. I could only shake my head.
Tanner laughed. “Ouch. Sorry, pledge.”
“Come on, Mal. Don’t be like this.”
“Like what?” I knew I sounded bitchy, but I had no choice.
Colt gritted his teeth, but then his face relaxed. By that point, we had an audience. “That’s not what you said in the hayloft the other night.”
My chest tightened, my face heated, and I wanted to be sick. I shrugged off Tanner’s arm and ran outside.
“Mallory, wait up!” Juliet called, and I already knew Cara was with her. I didn’t turn around. Instead, I kept running as fast as my three inch heels would let me back to the house.
“Mal, talk to us.” Cara touched my shoulder just as I messed up the code to the house.
“I need to transfer.”
“What?” Juliet took my hand and led me over to the porch swing. “Why? Because Colt’s here? That was Colt, wasn’t it?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
“If it makes you feel any better, he’s hot.” Cara sat down on my other side.
We rocked the swing a little. “Why would that make me feel better?”
“Because it’s completely understandable that you want him.”
“I don’t want him.” I pulled my knees up to my chin.
“You do. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t be upset.” Juliet spoke softly, a significant change from her usual louder voice.
“That has nothing to do with it. I’m humiliated.”
“Why?” Cara asked like she had no clue.
“A Kappa pledge just told his whole house we hooked up in a hayloft.”
“So?” Juliet asked with a little smile.
“So? That’s humiliating.”
Juliet leaned back against the wooden swing. “Hooking up with a hot guy from back home is embarrassing? Or where it happened?”
“He’s a pledge, a freshman.”
“Yeah?” Cara used her feet to get the swing moving more. I hoped it would hold all of us.
“You know what? Forget it. You’re both practically married to seniors. You don’t get it.” I stood up and headed to the door. Thankfully, I got the combo to the door right and made it inside on the first try.
I ran right upstairs, ignoring the questioning looks I got from two of my sisters sitting on the couch.
I flopped down on my bed without bothering to unstrap my sandals. Closing my eyes, I tried to comprehend what Colton’s presence and his jerk move meant for me.
My phone rang from where I’d left it in my purse. I ignored it. A minute later, I heard the door open.
“We love you, Mallory.” Juliet sat down at the foot of my bed.
I opened my eyes. “Love you too. It’s not your fault. I shouldn’t have flipped out on you.”
“What we don’t get is why you’re so upset.” Cara crossed her arms.
“Oh and why you never told us about your propensity for sex in barns,” Juliet smiled. I knew she was trying to lighten the mood.
“That wasn’t me. You guys know me. I don’t do farms, and certainly not barns. I don’t do farm boys.”
“I’m not going to correct you on that one…” Juliet smiled again.
I groaned. “Do you think this ruins my chance with Tanner?” Suddenly, the date with Tanner sounded even better. If I was dating an active, no one would listen or care what a pledge said about me. It was perfect.