by Ruby Vincent
“I’m sorry, I—” She looked over her shoulder. “I-I have to go.” She raced off before I could get a word out.
Sofia and I struggled to our feet. I stood and gave her an arm up.
“Where did she go?” Sofia asked.
I glanced around. That was a good question. I didn’t spot Teagan anywhere among the carefree Greeks taking up the street.
“I don’t know."
“We can talk to her tomorrow at rush. What’s going on back there?”
We crept closer and the voices we had been listening for grew louder. A ten-foot-tall wooden fence also loomed larger.
We put our foreheads on the wood and peered through the gaps.
“Whoa,” Sofia said. “I’d run away too.”
“One, two, three. Count them down, ladies,” said the girl I caught the largest piece of. She stood before a group of girls doing jumping jacks. They all took up the count as ordered.
“Must be exercise time or something,” I mumbled. “Think that’s mandatory?”
“It’ll be good for us if it is.”
“Speak for yourself.”
My phone buzzed in my pocket.
“That’s the girls or my boys. Either way, we should go. Getting caught lurking won’t win us a bid.”
We scurried off the lawn and returned to the top of the street. A car horn sounded minutes after we arrived.
“Hey, Val. Sofia.”
Keily pulled up next to us and climbed out with Mai and Palmer.
“Wow,” Palmer said. “Look at this place. Can you imagine living here?”
“I can now,” Sofia replied.
EZRA
“I wanted to talk to you last night, but Brian was there. You have to ease up on Val, Mom. I got what I deserved.”
“And what about what I deserved?” she shot back. “Did I deserve to cry and worry and believe I failed to raise a good man?”
I bit back a sigh. The tough thing about having a mother who questioned murderers, terrorists, and corrupt politicians for a living was that she was the master of verbal trip-ups.
I drifted farther out of the living room, phone in hand. The guys—Ryder, Maverick, Jaxson, and Adam—were watching a movie while we waited for Val to come home.
“You didn’t deserve it, Mom, and Valentina has apologized. Brian is here and she wants to get to know my family. Can we put everything aside at least while he’s visiting?”
“I’ll think about it,” she clipped.
“That’s all I ask, my kind, wise, beautiful mother.”
“That silver tongue doesn’t work on me,” she said, sounding faintly amused. “Even when it’s true.”
The conversation shifted to an easier discussion on what she and Brian had gotten up to that day. Mom took him out to lunch, and after, they swung by a museum. Her voice was laced with excitement like a kid describing their trip to Disneyland.
“He showed me a mountain of photos of my grandbabies,” she said. “Brielle is getting so big. You should see her little buck-toothed smile.”
“I’ve seen it. I have met her before.”
“Oh, I can’t wait until you have kids of your own—but there’s no rush on that,” she added quickly.
I laughed. “I’m not in a rush. You’ve got two, maybe three decades to get ready for another baby Lennox.”
“Three decades?”
Val stepped in front of me. “I wouldn’t bet on that.”
She winked and continued on.
I gaped after her. “Mom, I have to call you back.”
“Bye, sweetie.”
I hung up before she finished her sentence. Surging forward, I snagged Val’s arm and pulled her up short.
“What the hell did that mean?” I hissed. “Are you...?” My eyes flicked down to her stomach.
“What?” She followed my gaze. “Oh, Ezra, no,” she cried. “I’m not pregnant. I’m also not waiting decades to have your baby. I want more kids, Lennox. Lots of them.”
“Lots of them?” I repeated dumbly. “Like three?”
Her lips twisted into a smirk I didn’t like. “No, not like three.”
“Two.”
“You’re going down.” She rose up and kissed me on the cheek. “Don’t look so scared. You’ll be a great dad. Look at how amazing you are with Adam.”
I tossed my head. “How did we get into this conversation?”
She shrugged. “We’re planning a future together, Ezra. We have to get into these conversations.”
“Not right now.” I slid my hand down her arm and laced our fingers. “Everyone is in the living room watching a movie. Chef made snacks to tide us over till dinner.”
Val didn’t appear put out by the subject change. “Perfect, I’m starved.”
“How was Greek Row?” I asked as we headed to the others.
“What you’d expect from a street full of college students, except for the Sam and Sally houses. They’re neat, clean, quiet. And in the back, we saw the Sallys exercising together. Teagan was right about them being different. I want to support Sofia and make the most of Somerset, but I’m not interested in screwing around. Looks like the Sallys aren’t either.”
“Cool. I’m looking forward to rush.”
WHAT THE HELL AM I doing here?
“My father, Senator Worth, feels we need a bigger presence in foreign countries,” said the kid on my right. “Ours is a global economy and we need to ensure it runs smoothly. My father, the senator, was speaking to the president about this just last week.”
“Your father?” I repeated. “What does he do again?”
“He’s a senator,” the guy said for the twelfth time in an hour.
Years of practice kept the irritation off my face. I didn’t know how it happened, but at some point, I looked up and this group had attached themselves to me.
It was open house on Greek Row. New students flitted in and out of the houses, learning about their potential future frat or sorority. Sofia dragged Val away the minute we stepped out of the car, so I walked into one frat alone and came out with five guys on my tail.
I ducked inside Kappa Lambda Mu and went straight for the bathroom. When I came out, all five were hovering outside of the door.
I keep replaying it in my head, but I still don’t get how I ended up standing in a hallway with these guys.
Austin Worth, senator’s son. Luca Esposito, diplomat’s kid. Miles Beck, son of the CFO of Sunshine Food. Lincoln Iona, son of a hedge fund manager. Colton Trent, son of a pro-athlete-turned-businessman.
I knew who they were. I had to.
I plastered a smile on my face. I had to do that too.
Austin clapped me on the back. “My father would love to sit down with your mom sometime,” he said. “Discuss some foreign policy.”
“I’m sure she’d be honored,” I said smoothly. “I’ll let her know and they can set something up.”
“If Ms. Lennox is doing a segment on foreign policy, it’s my mother she wants to speak to,” said Luca.
“I’m certain she’d agree. Send me her contact information and I’ll pass it along to my mother.”
Luca inclined his head, looking smug. Although, that could have just been his face.
“We’re lucky we ran into you, Ezra,” Lincoln said. “Somerset isn’t what it once was. There're more scholarship students in now.” He said “scholarship” like a face model says “chin warts.” “Guys like us have to stick together.”
I grinned at him.
Stick it in your ass, friend.
Austin’s nose wrinkled. “Speaking of which, what are we doing here? The Kappa Lambdas have a 2.9 grade point average and their most famous alum is known for winning the Vegas beer pong tournament. Are you interested in this one?” he asked me.
I shook my head. “My top choice is Nu Alpha Theta.”
“Of course it is.” Austin shoved Colton’s shoulder. “See? What did I tell you? Ezra is a Sam all the way.”
Who gave you permiss
ion to call me by my first name?
“Let’s get out of here, then,” Colton returned. “I’ve heard the Sallys are their sister sorority. We’ll meet the ass we’ll be tapping for the next four years.”
I walked off as the fist-bumping began. Mom taught me how to fake it like the best, but I didn’t need to encourage that shit.
The guys caught up to me outside and trailed me to the Sam house. They decided I was their friend today and I’d let them think it. They weren’t the first people to think kissing up to me would get them closer to Mom. I’d make the contacts that would help her and shake off the rest. Ezra Lennox, son of the Media Maven. I played this game better than anyone.
VALENTINA
Sofia kept a firm hold on my hand. Bodies crushed in on all sides of us and more people pushed through the door.
“Welcome, ladies,” said the girl standing at the foot of the stairs. “My name is Thea, and on behalf of the Sallys, I’d like to say we’re all excited to have you here.” Thea swept out her hand. “Please, walk around, help yourself to some food, and chat with any Sally you meet.”
She clapped and the hold on us was released. Girls streamed in every direction to do as she ordered.
Sofia, Palmer, Mai, Keily, and I followed a group headed toward the kitchen. A veritable feast opened up before us. Bread, cold cuts, salad, fruit, and a taco station covered the kitchen island.
“Nice,” said Palmer. “The other houses only had cookies and juice. If I wasn’t sold already, I am now.”
The girls descended on the food while I veered off into the dining room. It was just as neat and cozy as the other rooms I’d seen. Sisters and hopefuls milled around with champagne flutes filled with apple cider. I knew because I spotted the bottles in the kitchen.
“That’s her.”
I jumped. Keily had expertly snuck up on me.
She jerked her chin at a pair of girls by the window. “The girl who said we weren’t in Hicksville anymore. Why am I not surprised she’s here too?”
“Everyone is here,” I said. “She could just be checking out all the houses.”
“I’d believe that if she wasn’t talking to the president with that too-wide smile on her face.”
“The president? Which one?”
“The short one.”
The president of the Sallys was short. The other girl had a head on her at least, but what she lacked in height she made up for in everything else. Her reddish-gold hair fell in gentle waves around a cherubic face. The smile she gifted her companion wasn’t too wide. It shone brighter than the chandelier and drew every eye to her.
The girl who insulted Keily flipped her hair over her shoulder. I’d seen that move plenty of times in my years at Evergreen. It packed a double punch of being flirtatious and forcing people to notice the expensive bracelet and earrings you bought with Daddy’s credit card.
“Let’s go say hi.”
Keily moved off without waiting for me to agree.
Don’t see why not.
The president’s eyes slid off her face as we approached. She held up a finger. “Could you excuse me for a second, Blair? Thank you.” She walked over to meet us, hand out. “Hello. Welcome to the Sally house.”
Blair spun around, nostrils flaring at us.
“Hi,” I said. “I’m Valentina and this is Keily.”
“Nice to meet you both. I’m Leighton.” She gestured around. “What do you think of us so far?”
Blair didn’t leave. She stood at Leighton’s back, openly staring.
“I’m impressed,” I admitted. “Seems like the Sallys are about more than partying. Not that I have anything against parties, but with a son to raise, I’m all about staying focused and building a better life for him.”
Blair’s brows shot up at the word “son.”
“I completely understand, Valentina, and you’re correct. The Sallys work harder than we play. We’re about building up every sister into the best version she can be. Where are you two from?”
“I grew up close by in Wakefield.”
“I’m from New Jersey,” said Keily. “My best friends and I got into Somerset. We’re hoping to pledge your sorority.”
“And I’m from New York,” Blair announced. She planted herself next to Keily. “Blair Davenport of the New York Davenports.” Blair looked at me as she said, “I’m a legacy. My mom was a Sally.”
“Nice to meet you, Blair,” I replied. “I love your earrings.”
She blinked. “Uh, thanks.”
I turned back to Leighton. “If you’re not too busy, I wanted to ask about the requirements for becoming a sister.”
“You want to know if the Sallys will take too much time away from your child,” she said, hitting it right on the head. “It’s true our charter requires more from the sisters than other sororities, but we try to be mindful of everyone’s situation. For example, most houses ask members to do their service hours together, while we let you get them done on your own time. How old is your son?”
“Four.”
She clapped. “See? You could volunteer at his preschool to complete your hours, or something along those lines. As for the other requirements, I’m sure maintaining a solid GPA is already one of your goals and we only ask that the sisters attend at least two bonding activities a week. We hold so many of those you’re able to choose the ones that best fit your schedule.”
“My schedule is wide open,” Blair threw in. “I have no other commitments.”
“That sounds doable,” I said. “And it's cool if I can’t live in the house?”
“Of course. Some of the sisters are locals and we don’t want to force them to pay to stay in the house when they live twenty minutes away.”
“I would love to live in the house,” said Blair. “It’s gorgeous.”
Finally, I returned Leighton’s smile. Every word assured me that if I had to pledge a sorority, this was the one.
“What kind of bonding activities do you guys do?” Keily asked.
“We have game nights, scavenger hunts, rope courses, and things of that nature. We also exercise together. We have morning and nightly runs that we do as a group. It’s safe and a great way to keep yourself accountable.”
My mind sparked with a memory. “Oh, yeah. I saw you guys exercising yesterday when we literally ran into Teagan.” I peered through the sea of girls. “Is she around? I should apologize.”
“Who?”
“Teagan,” I repeated.
A tiny crinkle appeared in her forehead. “I’m afraid I don’t know a Teagan, but I haven’t met all of the potential sisters yet.”
“Potential sisters? No, Teagan is a Sally.”
“Yeah,” Keily spoke up. “She’s the one we spoke to at your booth. She told us all about the sorority.”
“At our booth?” She shook her head. “I know all of my sisters and we don’t have a Teagan—Wait. You must mean Reagan.” She pointed over my shoulder. “She’s right over there if you want to talk to her.”
I looked where she was pointing and landed on a girl with short brown hair and a pierced lip.
“I have to make the rounds,” Leighton said. “You keep mingling and make sure the sisters love you. I hope to give you a bid by the end of the week.”
“But—” I began.
Leighton was already walking away.
“Teagan must have been a volunteer, not a sister,” Keily said. “The five of us will be sisters.”
“Don’t bet on it,” said Blair.
Keily pulled a face. “Are you still here?”
“I’m just reminding you that this is the most popular sorority on campus,” Blair said, sounding almost nonchalant. “Every freshman girl is rushing this house and most of them have better things to say than ‘I’m from Jersey’ and ‘I got pregnant at fourteen.’”
“I don’t know about that,” I said lightly. “You haven’t seen how cute he is.”
She sniffed. “It’s friendly advice. Stop wasting your time.�
�
Keily stepped forward until they were nose to nose. “You’re the one wasting my time, Blair Bitch. Back off. No one asked for your advice.”
Blair didn’t flinch. “Blair Bitch? How original. This is what I’m talking about, Jersey. You’re not fit to play on this level.”
She whipped around and her hair slapped Keily across the face. She strode across the room to Reagan and her smile turned back on.
“Ugh,” Keily spat. “And she’s most likely going to get in for being a legacy. What do we do?”
“We curse my luck. Only I can make an enemy in ten minutes.”
EZRA
“The two fitness sessions are mandatory, but we offer them morning, afternoon, and night.”
Mandatory fitness sessions?
The brother, Easton, folded his arms and they bulged beneath his shirt. I wondered if that was on purpose.
He had been with us since we walked through the door. He peeled away from his friends and gave us a personal tour of the Sam house that ended in the backyard. There was a decent-sized pool and enough grass for the guys to toss the ball around. Overall, the house was impressive. My awe mostly stemmed from the fact it was so clean despite being filled with college guys.
“The Sallys are your sister sorority,” I said. “What does that mean? How much do we do with them?”
Easton gave me a knowing look. “Your girlfriend is rushing the Sallys, isn’t she?”
I nodded.
“No problem, man. Not everyone’s motives for joining are pure.” He gestured at the house next door. “We were formed under the same charter, so we’re about the same things. We’ll have sessions together, do joint bonding activities, and host parties. If you both get in, you’ll see each other plenty.”
“Great,” I said, “but she’s not my only reason. We’ve met before, Easton.”
He cocked his head. “Have we?”
“Two summers ago. The correspondents’ banquet.”
Recognition lit his face. “Hold on. You’re that Lennox? Good to see you, man.” He pumped my hand. “Forgive me. Of course, you’re serious. Never met anyone who has it as figured out as you, and the Sams put overachievers to shame.”