“Gabe told me about his running, how it’s a race against himself.” I blow out a breath before forcing myself to go on. “That’s along the lines of what I wrote on his bike, about how you can’t outrun your past. Ace saw the graffiti first, and he lost his shit on me. What happened in Gabe’s past? I swear I didn’t know that it would devastate him if he saw it. I was just messing around, and…”
“It’s not my place to say.”
“Rob, please.”
He just shakes his head.
“If I google him, will I be able to find out.”
Rob narrows his eyes. “Probably. It depends.”
“On…”
“He was a minor when it happened so his name might not have been released to the public, so you might not be able to find out the specifics.”
“I won’t snoop,” I say. “Maybe one day, he’ll tell me himself, but I won’t ask anyone else for details.”
“I appreciate that. I hate to deny you anything, but I wouldn’t feel right talking about Gabe without his okay first.”
“I understand.” I shrug one shoulder and cut a bite off my meatball. I hoped we could talk about the guys, but it would be gossip, so I can understand why Rob isn’t willing to dish. Shit. I don’t know what to talk to Rob about.
“I will say that Gabe is the best BSer in the world. He can bullshit his way through any class, and he has just about. He never studies, but he’ll just talk to the professors and ask if he can do an essay instead, and he won’t do any research at all and just bam! Bullshits his way through anything and everything.”
“How is that going to help him when he graduates and has to enter the real world?”
“Oh, trust me. I think most CEOs are bullshitters like him. They just bullshit their way right up the corporate ladder.”
“I’m sure that’s a great way to get through life.”
“Having everything work out for you with you doing the minimal amount of work? There are plenty who would consider that a win.”
“Does he flirt with the female professors too?”
“I doubt that, but a smile can’t hurt with anyone, male or female.” He smirks.
I point at him with my fork. “If you dare to tell me that I need to smile more…”
“I would never,” he says, dropping his fork and placing his hand over his heart. “But I do love your smile.”
I snort. “I’m sure you do.”
“Why do you have to act like that? I think you’re one of the most beautiful women in the world.”
“One of?”
“Well, I didn’t think you would believe me if I said you were the most.”
“Rob…”
“That’s right. You told me to compliment more than your appearance.” He appraises me for a long moment.
“What’s the matter? You can’t think of anything?” I ask, grinning even as I roll my eyes. “Trust me. I’m not fishing for a compliment.”
“You deserve all of the compliments,” he says.
I snort. “I don’t think so. I could’ve really hurt Gabe’s feelings based on what Ace says, and no matter how much you all pretend to act like you’re hot shit, you all have warm, gooey insides, don’t you?”
“Way too wound me.” He pretends I shot him in the chest. “Back to Gabe, though, he knows how to game just about any system.”