“That’s really gross.”
There’s a rustling sound, and then the phone goes quiet. I vaguely hear a female voice in the background. Then Bryce says something back, muffled.
“Listen, I need to go. Nate’s going to call your parents later.”
“Who was that?” I ask.
“Just someone confirming a project we’re working on tomorrow.”
A nagging feeling slinks up my spine. I start to ask him more but decide to drop it.
“I’m whipped. Need some sleep and a hot shower.”
“Umm,” a moan slips through.
“Devon, quit,” he hisses.
“Hearing you say whipped and shower is sexy.”
“Stop now! I cannot get a hard on here. The guys will never let me live it down.”
“I’m sorry. It’s the sexual frustration coming through.”
“Sexually frustrated is an understatement. You have no idea.”
“Okay, I’ll behave. But before you go, I have to know. Are you going to disappear for another three days?”
“Not if I can help it.”
Quinn knocks lightly and comes into my room with an enormous load of stuff.
“I’d better go, too. Quinn’s here, and I haven’t even told my parents about our new deadline. Call me tonight if you can.”
We say our goodbyes and hang up as Quinn sets up a tack board, dry erase board, and her computer at my desk. I raise an eyebrow but stay quiet, knowing this is how my anal-retentive friend narrows down ideas.
“Let’s rock this shit. I have plans to see Dean in Atlanta this weekend.”
Envy turns in my stomach, wishing I was able to see Bryce. Five and a half weeks can’t get here soon enough.
Chapter 10
We spend three days going through photos, outlining ideas, and communicating with the members of our teams to gather their notes and share resources. We both finally decide on our diagrams. I’m finishing an email to Shana when my dad knocks and pokes his head through the door.
“Dev, Nate called and said you need to check your phone. Bryce is going crazy. Something about a video online.”
“Huh?”
He shrugs and walks out while Quinn looks at her messages.
“Oh no. Oh no. Oh no,” she chants.
“What?”
“Dean is livid. Left three messages and five texts.”
“Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit.” She shoves her phone in my face.
My mouth drops when I open the video from the going away celebration in Rio. A lot of us are dancing around, but the video zooms in on Quinn and me at one point. From the angle, it absolutely looks like we are dirty dancing with the guys behind us. Lucky for me, I look tame compared to Quinn. Her teammate, Hank, lowers his hand rapidly and appears he’s spanking her. I remember the whole night, and what really happened was that he almost dropped his beer and used both hands to grab it.
That is not at ALL what it looks like.
We are both tagged in the video that is now on Facebook. Bryce is probably shitting a brick.
I give her a sympathetic look and grimace.
This is not going to be good, I think as I dial and wait for Bryce to answer.
“Are you fucking crazy?” he roars in greeting. “Where have you been?”
“I didn’t think we’d talk until tonight, so my phone was on silent.”
“Did you know about the video streaming across the internet?”
“I do now, and it looks worse than it is. Really.”
“Tell me how it could be worse. That guy is practically up your ass! And don’t get me started on Quinn.”
“Bryce, listen to me. It isn’t what it seems.”
His breathing gets louder, and he growls. Quickly, I explain the night and wait for him to calm down. But my plan backfires, and instead, he gets more aggravated.
“Can you pull this shit down?”
I un-tag myself and remove from my timeline. “Done.”
“That shit’s not cool, Devon. I don’t want it to happen again.”
“Are you scolding me? I told you about the party. It was innocent.”
Quinn wipes a few tears from her cheeks, clearly upset. This pisses me off. “And, for your information, I already have one dad.”
“Dad?” he roars, heat practically coming through the phone line. “You think I’m acting like your dad? No, I’m acting like a man who doesn’t appreciate seeing his fiancée in a foreign country dirty dancing – ONLINE!”
“We weren’t dirty dancing!” I defend myself.
“Call it what you want, Devon, but I am fifteen-hundred miles away. My physical, emotional, and mental endurance is being tested every minute. Recently, I spent seventy-two hours in a form of hell. Then I’m graced with you shaking your ass on camera for everyone to see!”
His words sink in fast, and my gusto to argue deflates. He’s right. If the roles were reversed, I’d be livid. This is a battle I cannot win. He’s got a valid point.
“I’m sorry.” My voice cracks, and I try to swallow the lump in my throat. “Please believe me. I can see how it looks to you, but I’d never disrespect you like that. The last thing I want, especially with you so far away, is to have you mad at me.”
Finally, his anger subsides a little. “Promise not to put yourself in this position again?”
“Yes.”
“I’m not trying to dictate your life, Devon. You’re in social situations all the time. I’ll deal with the jealousy, but the next time you go dancing in a club, I’d prefer to be with you.”
“Okay.”
The sound of Quinn’s soft crying fills the room, and she face plants into my bed.
“Bryce, it doesn’t seem like things went well with Quinn and Dean. I need to go. Are we okay?”
“Yeah, babe. Call you tomorrow.”
We say our goodbyes, and I crawl in next to Quinn. Her body quivers when my arms snake around her.
“We broke up.”
“Because of the video?”
“Mostly.”
She doesn’t elaborate, so I stay quiet, waiting for her to calm down. After a few minutes, she starts to hiccup lightly.
“I love him,” she whispers.
“I know.”
“He said he loved me, too.”
“When?”
“Before we left for Brazil.”
“What happened just now on the phone?”
“He said he believed me that Hank wasn’t slapping my ass.”
“So what’s the problem?”
“Even though he believed me, he was still furious. He asked me not to come tomorrow, and he wants to take a break. Said I embarrassed him.”
“So he didn’t actually use the term break-up?”
She rolls her eyes at me sarcastically. “Read between the lines, Devon.”
Her lip quivers as fresh tears stream down her cheeks. I hug her close and fight back my own emotions. This girl has been strong for me so many times. Memories of the first few weeks in Virginia flood my mind. She held me more times than I can count when I cried over Bryce. My heart was shattered, but she tried every day to put it back together.
As her tears soak my shirt, my blood starts to boil. How dare he?
Her sobs slow. She sniffs a few times and backs away. Her pink, splotchy cheeks hurt my heart. She finally catches her breath and rolls off the bed, going to the bathroom. I watch her splash water on her face and imagine what it would feel like to slap the shit out of Dean Todd.
Quinn turns back to me, and her once pink cheeks are now bright red. There’s fire in her eyes, sadness replaced with anger.
“You know what? Fuck him! Who does he think he is?”
Her change of attitude shocks me, so I nod to agree.
“There are two people in this relationship, and I’m not going to let him push me around.” Her voice grows louder. “You don’t treat someone you love like that. It’s bullshit. I apologized, told him the real story, and he wants a ‘br
eak’? That asshole made me cry. I’m not a crier! You’re the crier. I’m the badass best friend!”
I nod again, afraid to say anything to disrupt her tirade.
“He’s not getting off this easy. Get ready for a road trip.” Her hands wave through the air, distracting me.
“Wait? What?” I realize what she said.
“We’re going to Atlanta. He can tell me to my face. Then I can give him a piece of my mind. He told me he loved me, and I believed it. Now, I’m going to see for myself.”
“Umm, Quinn, that doesn’t seem like a good idea. Why not give him a day or so to calm down. I’m sure he’ll realize his mistake and beg for forgiveness.”
“Nope, we’re going.” She starts to pack her computer bag. “I’ll be back to pick you up at ten a.m.”
“Sweetie, this could turn out really bad. This could even be a bit stalker-ish.”
Her shoulders slump, and she takes a deep breath. “I know, but I have to see him. The video is hardly a reason for us to break up. So if he’s serious, he can tell me to my face, not over the phone.”
“What happens if—?”
“If he breaks my heart, more than it is now, I’ll suck it up. I’ll walk away gracefully. Then I’ll curl into your arms and cry until there are no tears left.”
She doesn’t say anything else before leaving. I fall back onto my bed and pray this is not a mistake.
Dread washes through me when we drive up to Dean’s townhouse. For the hundredth time since we left Nashville, I wish Quinn would call him instead of showing up unannounced. His garage is down, so there’s no way to tell if he’s even home. Originally, he took half a day off to spend with Quinn, but who knows if he decided to work. She practiced her speech the whole four-hour drive.
My phone dings with an incoming text, and I smile.
Bryce: For the record, I think chasing after your man is hot!
Me: I’m still hoping someone can bail us out if we get arrested for stalking.
Bryce: I had money ready, but it won’t be necessary.
Me: Why?
Bryce: Call me when you get to the hotel.
“You coming or what?” Quinn asks, opening my door.
“No, I’m the getaway driver.”
She looks at Dean’s front door then back to me, her eyes full of fear. Without words, I know what she’s saying.
“Oh, okay. But I’m warning you now, if he says something ugly, I’ll jump his ass.” I stomp to his front door and stand to the side.
Her hands visibly tremble as she runs them though her hair. All color has drained from her face. She doesn’t get a chance to ring the bell because the door flies open, and Dean hauls her into his body. His lips crash down to hers, and she whimpers weakly.
My mouth drops when his hands slide down her waist and hips, hoisting her legs to wrap around him. They disappear in the doorway, and I stand there awkwardly. My stomach clenches with a touch of envy because that was fucking hot.
I give them two minutes before walking inside the still open door. Apparently, my timing is perfect because Dean ends the kiss and rests his forehead against Quinn’s.
“Dickhead, jackass, fucking douche, tool, asshole— you name it. I never should have talked to you like that. Jesus Christ, as soon as we hung up, I knew my mistake.” He sits down with her still attached and tilts her head back, threading his fingers in her hair. “This has been the longest day of my life, waiting for you to drive up.”
From this distance, I swear his eyes look moist. He loves her—truly loves her. It’s written all over his face.
“How’d you know I was coming?” she asks hesitantly.
“I was coming to you, packed and ready to leave when I got the call. After getting my ass chewed for five minutes, Bryce finally let me explain. Then he told me to get ready because the Quinn and Devon duo were in full effect.”
Dean finally acknowledges my presence with a small smile. “It’s shitty to upset the woman I love, but it’s downright dangerous to upset the woman Bryce loves.”
I shrug and fight back a grin. “He’s kind of protective. Doesn’t like me to be upset.”
He nods and turns his head back to Quinn, who’s biting her lip anxiously.
“If I didn’t get that phone call, I’d have been on your doorstep last night, begging for your forgiveness.”
“So you don’t want a break?” she whispers.
“That was a stupid knee-jerk reaction.”
“What about the maturity thing? Our age difference?”
“I’m the one who acted immature. The age thing was a lame excuse.”
Instantly, the heat in the room changes, and the sexual tension burns deep.
“Umm, I’m going to go now… Quinn, call me tomorrow.” I back toward the door.
“Wait.” Dean slides a paper across his coffee table toward me. “This is your reservation information.”
I review the sheet and blink a few times, confused. “This isn’t mine.”
“It is now. You’ve been upgraded.”
Quinn’s lips turn up in a knowing grin. “Bryce again?” she asks him.
“It was both our idea. This hotel has a complete restaurant and bar, full gym, and a pool. Tomorrow, you both have spa appointments, then we’ll go to dinner.”
“This seems a bit excessive,” I argue. “The other place was fine.”
“Fine is all it was. This is the best. You drove all the way here with no idea of the outcome to be with Quinn. That means a lot to me. Not to mention, Bryce suggested I repay you.”
Quinn throws back her head, laughing. “That’s putting it mildly. He’s a bull. A complete lovesick bull.”
“I see exactly where he’s coming from.” Dean nuzzles her neck, and the temperature rises again.
“I’m going to go get your bag and then leave y’all alone.” I turn quickly when they start kissing again.
My heart leaps in joy for my friend, but the bitter taste of jealousy returns. God, I miss Bryce.
Chapter 11
The drive back to Charlottesville is a typical road trip, except it seems to take forever. We’ve already gone through all our typical traditions—snacks, playlists, and games. We swapped drivers a few hours ago, and I worked on getting our project pictures cropped and inserted into our papers. There was one more week until the final versions were due, but ours were almost done.
After our trip to Atlanta, we perfected our diagrams and sent them for review. It only took two days before they were given approval. Since then, we worked a few hours each day preparing them. Tonight, they were going to Bill and Shana for last edits. This makes me more nervous than actually turning them in to Professor Grant.
“Have you spoken to Roxy?” Quinn asks, referring to the girl who stayed in our apartment this summer.
“Yes. The apartment’s clean, and my car is fine.”
“It feels like a lifetime since we left in May.”
“I know what you mean. So much has happened.”
“Have you figured out our plan yet?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re our planner, so I need to know what’s next.” She raises an eyebrow and realization hits.
It was me who relocated us to Virginia and begged for our re-admittance.
It was me who suggested we try out for cheer.
It was me who wanted an off-campus apartment.
It was me who researched the Summer Expo and insisted she apply, too.
And now, it’s me who is engaged. She’s right. We need a plan.
“Why don’t you jump in on this one? I’ve been pretty demanding.” I chuckle. “It’s your turn.”
“You’re the strategist in this relationship. I’m the better head-cracker.”
“Strategist, huh? Getting our college vocabulary ready?”
“Shut up, cadela, and plan the next step in our life. I need structure.”
“Seriously, Quinn, what do you want to do?”
“We techn
ically fall under the School of Media Studies now. The way I figure, there’s no reason to rush graduation since we can’t start the Master’s Program until next fall. That is, if we still want UVA and the traditional schooling.”
“What do you mean?”
“We worked hard to get where we are with a goal in mind. But goals can change. Priorities change.”
“Are you asking if my priorities have changed?”
Her silence is my answer.
I nibble on my bottom lip and think hard. “No. They haven’t. They just include Bryce now.”
“Good, so tell me what’s next.”
“Is there something you’re not telling me?”
She sighs and exhales loudly. “Dean asked me to consider a Master’s Program at a school closer to Atlanta.”
“What did you say?” My heart stammers wildly against my chest.
“I told him I couldn’t. In the off-chance I don’t get accepted at UVA, that’s a different story.”
We sit in silence for a few minutes as her words sink in. I stare blankly out the window, twisting the ring around my finger. Selfishly, the rejection of his idea thrills me, but realistically, she’s making a mistake.
“I think you should reconsider,” I blurt out.
“You would. But my mind’s made up. I’ve already spoken to my parents, too.”
“What happens if I marry Bryce and have to move before we get through the program?”
She reaches one hand across the seat and clamps it with mine. “You’re not the reason I made the decision. Yes, you are a big part of it, but it’s what I want. This school, this program, the opportunities… they all mean a lot to me. It’ll suck ass if you’re not here, but I’ve made other friends. The professors are some of the best in the country. I’d be an idiot to let this opportunity slip by.”
“Remember what Shana told me. Opportunity doesn’t keep you warm at night.”
“I know. That’s why Dean has agreed that we’ll make adjustments for the two years it takes to get through.”
She stays quiet, drawing out the curiosity.
“Hooch! You gonna make me ask or spill it?”
“He’s going to put in a temporary transfer for a law firm in the area. He’ll have to look into the state bar, but he can move here until I finish.”
Finding Our Course: Collision Course Duet Page 19