“I’ll look into the profile,” I say, desperate to change the subject. “Get me a job offer in writing and if I can find out who it is, we can exchange. Deal?”
Alex extends his hand and I shake it. “Deal.”
Before I can blurt out anything else that I’m going to regret, I turn around and put my earbuds back in, clicking play on my phone. It might seem rude, but I honestly don’t care. I also can’t concentrate on what’s on my screen. My heart is racing, and my mind is a blur.
I’m almost one hundred percent certain I can find out who’s posting crap on the intranet, which means I have a job lined up after graduation. A job that I would have to spend years working up to if I chose not to work for my dad. It’s not a company I would have chosen, but it’s so big, there are lots of opportunities. Plus, I only need to do a few years there and I can find somewhere else. It’s an ideal stepping stone.
My elation deflates a little as I relive the mortification of asking whether Sol likes guys. What the hell was I thinking? I close my eyes and hold in a groan. Now I really hope he doesn’t show up for my swim meet. I could barely look him in the eye as it was. Alex said he wouldn’t say anything, but can I trust him? Maybe it’s not the worst thing in the world if Sol knows I want him. If I’m avoiding him for the rest of the year, it doesn’t make much difference.
This time, my groan is long and loud. I haven’t been this messed up over a guy since high school. Ridiculous. I clearly need to get laid. Opening my phone, I shoot a text out to a couple of friends asking whether they want to go out at the weekend.
As soon as I press send, my head feels a little clearer. That’s exactly what I need to do. Get out of the Franklin West bubble and flush Sol Brooker out of my system.
SOL
Lazy Fridays hanging around the Den are one of the top three things I’ll miss next year after graduation. I’ve seen Alex and Zak almost every day over the last three years, and the thought of only seeing each other a couple of times a year is a fact I can’t get my head around. It’s realistic, though.
I frown at my phone as I scroll through Instagram, not really seeing anything. Chances are, Alex will go to New York to his dad’s company headquarters and Zak will probably head back to Chicago. The three of us, spread across the country.
Something cracks in the fireplace, and I stare blindly at the flames as they twist and jump. Jacey texted me this morning, asking if I had any ideas for the fundraiser. I’ve asked a couple of people, and although they’ve all said it’s a good idea, no one’s willing to commit the time to help me. It’s a lot to ask on top of coursework and everything else. I guess I could ask a freshman or a sophomore. Maybe I should speak to the media and communications professor. Perhaps they could work it into an extra credit project or something.
“Hey, guys?” I turn to where Alex is draped over his favorite chair reading a textbook and Zak is sprawled, swiping at something on his phone. “Can I pick your brains again?”
Alex puts his book down, looking grateful for the excuse. “Sure. What do you need?”
“I need someone to help me plan a fundraiser,” I explain. “Like, putting a proposal together, the marketing . . . Everything.”
“That thing for Jacey?” Zak asks.
I nod. “Yeah. I asked a couple of people, but no one has the time.”
“Let me ask Jaime,” he says, lifting his phone. “She’s too busy with her internship, but she might be able to recommend someone else from her class.”
Alex and I exchange a look. Zak’s been pursuing Jaime Smith since freshman year, and now they’re on texting terms? We’ve tried several times to find out what’s going on, if anything, between them, but he always brushes it off.
“You should ask Wes,” Alex suggests.
My heart skips and, although I try to keep my face neutral, I’m sure my voice is a little higher when I ask, “Oh? How come?”
“Look at what he’s done for The Howl,” he says. “And the work he did on the intranet, too.”
“How come you’re such an expert on Wes all of a sudden?” Zak frowns.
Alex shrugs. “He’s helping me and Sasha out with something.”
Now it’s my turn to share a look with Zak. We’ve barely seen Alex since the dean made him work with Sasha, the president of the sorority, to find her diary. I open my mouth to say something, but Zak’s phone pings, and we turn to him instead.
After a second, he barks a laugh. “Jaime says you should ask Wes Bowers.”
“See!” Alex says, grinning widely.
The room feels a lot hotter all of a sudden as I smile and nod. “Sure. I’ll ask Wes.”
The matter settled, everyone returns to books and phones, but my head is buzzing. I don’t mind asking Wes, but there’s such a strange vibe between us, it’s going to be awkward for sure. I mean, would he even want to help me? He’s so intimidating, with his broad shoulders and sharp jaw. The way his dark brown eyes seem to see right through you.
“Sol?”
I look up at Alex’s strange tone. “Yeah?”