And then he stopped.
In one smooth movement, he moved me to my proper place in the bed. He crawled over me careful y, lying directly behind me, tracing my body with his. I took a deep breath and let out a satisfied humming sound that compel ed Jared to pul me closer.
Just before I drifted off to sleep, I said the first prayer I’d uttered since I was girl. I wasn’t sure what I’d done to deserve such a wonderful gift, and I wasn’t sure if it was insolent, but I thanked God for fal en angels.
Chapter Ten
Fate
Over the next few days, we settled into a comfortable routine. Jared took me to school, returned to sit with me at lunch, and then waited outside my last class. At night, I studied while he worked out, and I became quite accustomed to fal ing asleep in his arms. Each time he dressed my wound a sense of dread came over me; the healing cut meant that our nights together were numbered.
The girls at our regular lunch table became quite taken with Jared, while the boys tried their best to ignore him. The lines were clearly drawn. Lisa even invited Jared to a tentative girls’ night out, to which Jared only replied with a raised eyebrow, causing those who were paying attention to laugh.
I noticed Ryan being careful to speak only to me, making a point to ignore anything Jared contributed to the conversation. By Thursday, the tension at the table had elevated.
“Are you coming to study group tonight or not?” Ryan asked, clearly in a bad mood.
“I’m not sure what the plans are tonight.”
Jared looked at me and began to speak, but Ryan cut him off. “What? You need permission?” he snapped.
I glared at him. “It’s cal ed being courteous. You should try it.”
Jared lightly touched my knee to keep me calm. It wasn’t working; Ryan couldn’t be more proficient at getting under my skin.
“Just because I’m not happy about how weird you’ve been, doesn’t mean I’m being a jerk,” he said, his eyes narrowing.
“You said it, not me.”
“You’ve moved in with this guy,” he motioned to Jared, “you don’t talk to your friends anymore, you’re skipping out on study group…I’m doing what friends do, Nina. I’m making sure you’re okay.”
“She cal ed me last night,” Beth said defensively. Ryan ignored her.
I could feel the heat radiating from my face. “You’re not being a friend. You’re being aggressively nosy.”
Ryan rol ed his eyes. “Are you coming to study group or not?”
“I’m coming,” I growled.
Ryan’s demeanor immediately changed. “So, you wanna grab something to eat after?”
I felt Jared’s hand tense around my knee.
“Not funny, Ryan,” Kim scolded.
Ryan continued to look at me expectantly. Everyone at the table watched for my—and Jared’s—reaction.
“Jared is picking me up afterward. We have dinner plans,” I said, glaring at him.
“I thought you said you didn’t know what your plans were,” Ryan goaded.
I leaned forward in my chair, taking in a sufficient breath to unleash my temper across the table.
Jared final y spoke, “We have dinner plans every night, Ryan. You’re welcome to join us.” I shot Jared a surprised look and noticed that his face was free of any sarcasm.
Ryan’s eyebrows furrowed, taken off guard by Jared’s sincere invitation. “I think I’l pass.”
I smiled smugly at him, turning my attention to Jared. “Are you ready?”
“I am,” he said, leaning over to kiss my forehead.
Lisa and Carrie swooned.
At the door of my classroom, Jared set my bag on the floor beside me, pul ing up the handle.
“Thank you,” I said, giving him a quick peck.
“I assume you’l be hanging around here until study group.”
“You assume correctly,” I nodded.
“Cal me when you’re finishing up, I’l pick you up at the Rock.”
I grimaced. “It’s ridiculous that you have to sit outside and wait on me. Why don’t you just come?”
“Nina, it’s what I’ve done for the last three years. You need to spend time with your friends or they’re going to start worrying about you.”
“Ryan is the only one that’s worried, and he’s just being difficult,” I said, running my hand over the sleeve of his jacket.
“He’s jealous.”
I wrinkled my nose. “We’re just friends.”
Jared smiled and kissed the top of my hair. “I’l see you later, then.”
As soon as class was over, I headed directly for Andrews. The sun was shining, and I was just beginning to enjoy my walk when Ryan appeared beside me.
“Hey,” he said.
“Hi,” I said, less than enthusiastic about his company.
“Oh. c’mon. You’re not that mad,” he teased, throwing his arm over my shoulder and squeezing.
I squirmed from his embrace. “You tried to humiliate me in front of everyone, Ryan. What was the point in that?”
“I told you what the point was. I’m worried about you.”
I breathed out a sarcastic laugh. I was never safer than when I was with Jared.
“Nina…,” he said, slowing down. Before I could get too far ahead of him, he jerked me back by my coat sleeve to where he stood. “Nina!”
“What?” I growled, trying not to trip over my bag. I jerked my arm from his grip and smoothed out my sleeve.
“You have to admit you’ve been MIA this week. What’s going on with you? You barely know this guy.”
I fidgeted as I tried to think of a believable answer. I knew it appeared that way to him—and everyone else—but I couldn’t defend myself with the truth.
“I didn’t move in with him. My hand is infected, so he’s changing the dressing every night. As soon as it heals I’l be back at Andrews.” I couldn’t help but frown at the thought.
“He could do that at Andrews,” Ryan argued.
Of course he was right, but Jared and I both knew it had been a flimsy excuse al along. I didn’t like the thought of him spending the night in his Escalade outside Andrews, and Jared was more than ready to make the present living arrangement permanent. Neither of which I could explain to Ryan.
“What is your problem?” I asked, continuing to the dorm.
Ryan shoved his hands in his pockets, fol owing close behind. “I just think you’re getting in way too deep, way too fast. You need to take a step back. Slow down. You just met this guy and you’re acting like an old married couple. You have other friends.”
Feeling slighted, my mouth flew open. “I am not! I know I have other friends. I’ve talked to Beth and Kim every night since I’ve been at Jared’s.”
“You haven’t talked to me,” he said, looking hurt.
I rol ed my eyes, glad that we had final y reached Andrews. “You want me to start cal ing you at night? Wil that make you feel better?”
“Maybe it would. Wil your husband mind?”
I rol ed my eyes, pul ing my keys from my pocket. “I don’t have time for this.”
“Mind if I come up?”
“I guess not, since you’re already fol owing me in.”
I shoved the door open and rol ed my bag into the closet. Ryan sat on Beth’s bed and watched me, seemingly amused.