“Oh, pardon me,” Lilah purred. “This is my brother.” She waved one bony hand at me by way of introduction.
Dart extended his hand. “It’s so nice to meet you.” His voice was happy and spirited. “Spring? That’s a cool name.”
“Thanks,” I said. “I’ve always liked it.” I wondered if I should tell him the rest of it, but rattling off Spring Elizabeth Honeycutt McNamara Shakespeare-Barnes always earned me the most peculiar looks. I kept meaning to scold my mother for changing our name to something so ridiculous.
Dart’s gaze held on me for only a second before it rolled naturally to Julia, who was pinching my arm so hard I was probably bleeding under my shirt.
“Ouch!” I winced. Julia elbowed me, and I’m sure Dart caught the gesture. “Uh, this is my roommate Julia,” I said, wondering if she’d cracked a rib.
Dart’s hand was now held out to my roommate. Her free hand slid into Dart’s as Lilah muttered some kind of apology about not noticing Julia standing right there next to me. Dart was smiling, Julia was glowing. They weren’t speaking, but their eyes were locked. Even I felt the sparks.
Lilah shifted her weight to one side impatiently, then pursed her lips. “Dart,” she said, “let’s mingle. You asked me to introduce you to the pretty girls on campus.” She narrowed her eyes at Julia.
Dart didn’t seem to hear his sister’s sneery remark. And with Julia’s hand still in his, she slowly began to pull away from me. Then Julia’s vice-grip hold on my arm was gone as the two of them broke free from the group.
“I like your hat,” Dart said to her, as they were swallowed up in the sea of other couples. When I turned back, I allowed my eyes to linger on Lilah, feeling one corner of my mouth lift. She was furious, causing the other side of my mouth to lift in response. I took one step backward, then turned on my heel. My job here was done.
“Oh, Spring, wait.” Lilah’s voice was nails on a chalkboard. I squinted in preparation before turning back. “You haven’t met my date.” Without moving her eyes from me, she reached one arm back and dragged forward the person standing behind her.
“Henry,” she said, “this is one of the girls who live across the street from you.”
A vague look of recollection crossed the guy’s face, making me wonder what catty tales Lilah had told him, and further wondering if he recognized me as the girl who’d caught him chewing out his moving man earlier today.
It did kind of stun me, though, how good-looking he was up close. He had the whole tall, dark, and handsome vibe going on. Too bad it seemed his personality was just as brooding.
Lilah grinned sardonically at Henry Knightly’s confusion. “We all call their place the Brown House,” she explained. “It’s the only house on your street not painted a decent color. Quite the eyesore, if you ask me. The city should have it condemned.”
“Be sure to write your city councilman,” I said.
“Always have to be so clever, don’t you?” she accused with another sneer. “Save any more cats lately?”
Knightly’s eyes suddenly moved to mine, but he didn’t speak.
Lilah waved in my direction. “This is Spring,” she garbled to her date. “You know…”
He looked at me for another moment then nodded. “Hello.”
I replied out of convention, mirroring his nonverbal gesture and disyllabic greeting. His eyes didn’t remain on me for long after the introduction. When they slid off my face, I took the opportunity for a more detailed physical appraisal.
I am only human.
Sure, the bone structure of his face was what may be referred to as chiseled. There was definitely a defined chest there, nice shoulders, and long legs. If I had a yen for dark, curly hair, he might have been extremely appealing. Up close, however, his brown eyes were flat, and their glazed-over expression informed that he didn’t give a flying frack about meeting me or about being at a party.
He wore a blue, gray, and black-diamond argyle sweater under an open charcoal jacket. It was a Friday night, the end of summer, and the guy was dressed in business casual.
At the same instant that I moved my gaze to his face, Knightly looked at me again. An expression of confusion paired with disapproval creased his brow. Oh, yeah, Lilah had definitely been talking crap. Why else would a complete stranger be staring at me like I was his worst enemy?
“Henry!” Lilah stood right next to him, but her shrill voice was loud enough to be heard from fifty feet. “I promised you the first dance, remember?”
Knightly’s eyes remained on me, but he nodded in Lilah’s direction.
“See you later, Spring,” Lilah said, linking her skeletal arm through his. I snickered under my breath as I watched them walk away.
It startled me when Henry Knightly turned and looked at me over his shoulder, locking our gazes once more. Not until he was out of sight did I realize I hadn’t been breathing.
Chapter 3
I waved to Julia as I strolled by, but she didn’t notice. She appeared natural in the arms of Dart, and dancing to what was sure to be her new favorite song. Mel’s entire left arm waved to me, flailing over some frat guy’s head like a castaway signaling to a rescue plane. I wiggled my fingers at her as I passed, continuing my solo meander around the perimeter of the party.
A tall, red Hawaiian shirt stepped into my path, practically walking right over me. “Dude,” I growled. “If I bruise, you’re so dead.”
“Sorry.”
“Alex?”
Hawaiian Shirt spun around, looked down, and blinked, trying to place me. But I would’ve known those lazy blue eyes with pink-hooded lids and that lanky frame anywhere. “Spring?” he said at last, his face brightening. “Hey. Wow.” He actually did a double-take. “You look amazing.”
“Oh, well, thanks.” I gestured at him. “You, too. I didn’t know you were back at Stanford.”
Freshman year, Alex Parks and I had had a class together. There’d been a mild flirtation, but nothing much. Couldn’t remember why. As I looked up at his smiling, carefree face, his sun-streaked hair falling across his forehead, I kind of regretted not going out on at least one date with him.
“Took a couple semesters off,” he said, sliding his hands into the pockets of his khaki shorts. “But it’s good to be back.” His eyes kind of slid up and down my body, not a very subtle check-out. “And it’s great to see you. Really. That hair is crazy cool.”
I toyed with the end of one braid. “Thanks.”
He ran a hand through his surfer-boy hair. “So, what’s—”
His words were cut off by a thunderous clash of cymbals and a drum roll. When tropical music blared through the speakers, cheers broke out. From the ripple effect of the crowd, I knew something was happening to the left of the dance floor.
“They’re starting a limbo contest.”
“Is that where you’re headed?” I asked, trying not to sound disappointed.
“I was.” He pulled back a slow smile. “Not anymore.” Seeing all those teeth made me wonder what his breath smelled like. If it was anything like his aftershave, I was already wanting to be a little closer. He grabbed a drink and chugged half the cup. “Want one?” he asked.
“Not right now,” I said.
“Yeah, I’m done, too.” He handed his cup to some guy who was walking by.
“So, you took time off?” I asked. “Where’d you go?” Our heads naturally drew together as we moved off to the side, away from the center of revelry.
Alex was two years ahead of me in school and should have graduated last year, but he explained that he’d decided to defer his senior year to travel. As information poured out, I decided that such a decision—to just take off like that—was a pretty gutsy move. It made him intriguing, probably because I didn’t have that kind of freedom in me.
“Hi, Spring,” Julia said, appearing from behind us. Dart was at her side, their shoulders touching.
“Having fun?” I asked her.
“Yes, we are,” Dart answered for
the both of them.
Oh, brother.
Alex’s muscular arm reached out as he and Dart shook hands while I briefly introduced them. Neither Dart nor Julia seemed to hear a word I was saying after that, so the four of us settled into two comfortable yet separate conversations.
But it didn’t last, as something hard and sharp jabbed me between the shoulder blades, knocking me forward, right into Alex’s chest. It wasn’t completely unfortunate, and we both laughed as he steadied me.
“Didn’t see you standing there, dear,” Lilah’s acidy voice apologized. One of her thin arms was looped through Knightly’s as she perched herself at her brother’s side. She combed her fingers through her ashy hair and prattled on about some band she’d seen over the summer.
Knightly stood silent, his dark eyes staring down at his cell. For ignoring Lilah, I gave him two points. With no one willing to add anything to Lilah’s line of conversation, she flung herself toward my guy, asking him about ten questions in a row.
“Yep, LA’s my home,” Alex answered, after she’d asked where he was from. “The sun, the beach, the babes. Home sweet home.”
“Well, isn’t this so cozy,” Lilah said over the music, applying another layer of red lipstick. “We should hang out together like this all night.”
No one replied.
“Right?” She turned her chin over her shoulder. “Henry?”
From the slight jerk in his jaw, I could tell her date heard but didn’t reply, his eyes still stuck on his phone. I mentally gave him another two points.
“Henry?” Jeez. Lilah would not give up.
Upon hearing his name repeated, he lowered his phone and took a step in our direction, then he froze. “Parks,” he muttered, although his parted lips had barely moved.
I looked from him to Alex, who was mid-way through asking Lilah to dance. They were gone before I had the chance to take another breath.
Knightly remained frozen right where he was, watching them leave. Behind him, Julia and Dart had missed the subtle yet tense exchange between he and Alex.
When I shifted my weight, Knightly’s eyes shot in my direction. A mixture of shock and indignity stared back at me, like he’d caught me listening in on a private conversation. The way his deep brown eyes weighed me down made my knees feel like they might buckle.
A moment later, his eyes snapped shut, and a little notch of stress appeared between them. When they opened again, they were right on me, as steady as before. He took a step toward me, his mouth opening.
“We’re going out again,” Dart called in our direction, cutting off whatever Knightly was about to say.
I turned to see Julia and Dart heading toward the other dancers. Alex and Lilah were along the outskirts. I could even make out the back of Mel’s head, her brown curls bobbing as she boogied. By the time I turned back, I was alone.
Chapter 4
“I’ll be…” I pointed off to the far side of the street.
After getting the A-Okay overhead wave from Mel, I headed through the crowd toward the curb. I weaved around a row of portable tables set off to the side where various card games and chess matches were going on under large lamps. Despite the dozen or so people gathered around those tables, it was the only semi-quiet corner of the street party. I slid between two tables, sat on the curb, and pulled out my cell to check messages.
There were two emails and one voicemail. I checked the emails first. They were both from econ majors blowing me off. Crap. Before playing the voicemail, I braced myself for more bad news. A couple hours ago, I’d emailed Professor Masen a few pages of notes, figuring that would tide him over while I kept searching for a source. I took in a deep breath, then pressed my hand over my free ear, listening to the voicemail. It was some guy from Statistics wanting to form a study group. I saved the message and exhaled in relief.
Not ready to return to the center of the action, I stayed where I was, practically hidden under the last card table where three guys were playing poker. Between their heads, I could make out the top halves of party-goers as they walked by. This view was temporarily obscured when a couple stopped directly over me to make out.
“Hello!” I yelped when the guy stepped on my foot.
Without bothering to remove his tongue from his partner’s throat, he leered at me in acknowledgement, then they stumbled away.
Maybe my location was a little too secluded. If there was a mass evacuation, would I be trampled and left for dead under a table surrounded by chess pieces? Just as I was about to stand up and find Mel, a glimpse of some tousled light hair came into view.
“You can take off, but I’m not ready.”
Through the poker players, I watched Dart Charleston reach into a red tub and pull out an icy can. I could see him pretty well. I could hear him perfectly.
“That’s obvious.”
The guy dealing cards blocked my view of who Dart was with. Whoever it was waved off the drink Dart offered.
“She’s amazing, man.” Dart’s back was to me now, his words less audible. “We’re hanging out tomorrow.”
“She’s clearly into you.” Henry Knightly’s head came into view. He leaned against the card table. I looked to my right where two girls suddenly appeared, watching something on an iPad. To my left was a line of five or six guys wearing nothing but towels around their waists. I was pretty much trapped in place for the time being. Eavesdropping by default.
“Convenient that she lives across the street,” Knightly continued.
I grinned when I realized they were talking about Julia. It wasn’t surprising, but it made me happy that Dart was already smitten.
“What about you?” Dart said. “You’ve met a dozen women tonight and you’re ready to bolt.”
Knightly shook his head. “No one I care to see again.”
Guy-talk was so uninteresting. At least I could report back to Julia that she had a fan in Dart.
Curving myself into a crouched position, I balanced on the balls of my feet, hands gripping my knees, ready to hobble away.
“No one?” Dart said, sounding surprised. “What about Julia’s roommate?”
I froze, staring down at the sidewalk.
“What about her?”
Still concealed behind the card table, I turned to peek in their direction. The sliver of Dart’s face that I could see was grinning. “I don’t have to tell you this, but dude, she’s hot.”
I couldn’t help smiling. Despite my mindset of brains over beauty, it was nice to be thought of as hot. I approved of this Dart guy more and more.
“I don’t remember meeting anyone hot,” Knightly said.
I rolled my eyes, trying not to be insulted.
Dart chuckled good-naturedly. “Whatever, man.”
“If you’re talking about the blond,” Knightly said, crossing his arms, “she’s not my type.”
Lucky me. My legs wobbled, straining from holding a tight crouch.
“The gorgeous type?” Dart asked. “She seems fun and damn smart. You’re saying that’s not your type?”
“Someone like her is not anyone’s type.” Knightly pulled out his phone. “Obviously.”
My mouth fell open.
“I think she’s studying biology,” Dart said. “You’d like—”
“She’s a tree-hugging feminist.”
Wow. How very unoriginal. The comment barely fazed me. Over the past year, I’d been called much worse than the antiquated “tree-hugger.” Coming from someone like Henry Knightly, the slur was practically a compliment. Sure, it was a little weird squatting there, listening to a stranger pick me apart, but nothing he said should matter.
“Your sister gave me an earful the other night,” Knightly said. He stared down at his phone, so I couldn’t hear very clearly, but I swore I heard the words “liberal” and “attention,” maybe even “phony.”
I ground my teeth. What had Lilah been saying to him? And what poison was this guy passing around?
Dart shrugged and took a dr
ink. “Her hair is wicked cool. Those braids.”
Knightly muttered something about ridiculous and dirt, ending with “snakes.”
Oh, no, he didn’t. Say what you will about my politics, but leave my hair out of it.
“Hopeless,” Dart said. As he turned in the direction of the crowd, his expression brightened. “Here comes Julia. I gotta go. Sure you won’t stay?”
“I’m leaving now. See you tomorrow.”
I watched as Dart tossed his can in the trash, attempted to smooth down his unruly hair, then disappeared.
Leaving Knightly standing alone.
He leaned back against the card table, making it wobble. He probably was oblivious to the card game he was disturbing. He was definitely oblivious to the girl five feet away whom he’d managed to insult from head to toe in two minutes flat.
I couldn’t stop myself from replaying his words, his harsh, ugly words. The more they ran through my head, the angrier and more irrational I grew. Phony? Snakes? How dare he? He’s the one who drove a damn Viper.
My lungs started to squeeze, and each breath I pulled in was heavier and faster. My legs really shook now, cutting off circulation to my feet.
Almost out of obligation, I stood.
When he saw me, Henry Knightly’s expression barely changed. There was a hint of mild surprise in his eyes, but otherwise, he seemed unfazed.
A more fainthearted person would have walked away and made a beeline for the nearest keg. But I never cowered from a challenge. As I wove around the tables, nearing him, Knightly pulled his hands from his pockets and took a step back, giving me a wide berth.
“Snakes,” I said, when I was close enough that I knew he could hear.
He tilted his head like he was listening to a child. “Pardon?”
“Just so you know, referring to someone who loves the planet as a tree-hugger is just about the lamest thing I’ve ever heard. This isn’t nineteen-eighty.”
“Loves the planet,” he repeated slowly.
Definitely, Maybe in Love Page 3