Me:
Yeah it was okay, couldn’t find you when I left.
Emerson:
Yeah sorry, I left with that guy. Glad you had fun.
Let me know when the frat parties start, I think I’m going to enjoy the preppy frat boys.
I groan, rolling my eyes.
Me:
Will do.
There is no way in hell I’m inviting Emerson to Saints U. I’m going to stand out like a sore, poor thumb all on my own. Having Emerson around isn’t going to help me blend in, which I’ve decided is all I want to do.
I never really thought about college properly, knowing I’d probably never be able to afford it. And, while I’m smart, my last priority the last few years were my grades—I was more worried about keeping a roof over our heads, so how Chase managed to get me a place at Saints is beyond me.
Except now I have to think about a major and classes, and I have absolutely zero idea what I want to do. I always saw my future as working some dead-end job just to keep me and Mom afloat.
My head pounds and I close my eyes again. Now is not the time for thinking. First, I need sleep. Then I can think about my future. At least I have a few days to work it out.
For now, I’m going to snuggle my stolen puppy and sleep off the rest of this tequila and hope that this entire morning was just a bad dream.
Yep, that sounds like the best idea I’ve had since I landed.
* * *
“Briar.” The soft voice pulls me from my deep sleep and my eyes flutter open. I squint against the bright light and see the geeky god that is Asher standing above me. “Briar, wake up.”
I groan and cover my eyes with my arm. “Why? Sleeping is so much better.”
“Well one, because you’re holding my dog hostage, and two, I wanted to talk to you.” The bed dips and I turn my head to find him lying beside me.
Way to be familiar there, guy.
“Talk?” I ask, wishing he wasn’t so close. Damn I forgot to brush my teeth this morning. And since I can smell his minty breath mingled with whatever heavenly cologne he has on that smells like a bonfire on a fall night, I know he can smell my gross morning breath.
He flips to his side, watching me with those green eyes of his, his hair falling into his eyes as he stares down at me. “Yes, talk. You know, that thing people usually do.”
I roll my eyes at him, but his smile is so freaking disarming that I find myself giving in. “So… talk?”
His smile widens and I fight the urge to roll my eyes again. I haven’t had enough sleep to deal with that smile. “So, you’re Travis’s new stepsister.”
“It would appear so, though I really wish someone would have pointed that outbeforethis morning.” I grimace, thinking about my new reality again.
He chuckles, stroking the sleeping puppy between us. “Pretty sure that's one of the few things you and Travis feel the same about right now.”
I run a hand down my face and groan. “I get him not exactly being chill about it, but there was some serious icy rage rolling from him earlier.”
“Yeah, Travis… well, he has issues. Lies are a big no for him, and it’s not that you knew who he was, obviously, but he feels deceived. It’s triggered him. I’m not making excuses for him, just explaining.”
Well slap me upside down if that little nugget doesn’t just make me want to ask why, exactly, it’s a problem, but even if I did, I’m fairly certain Asher isn’t going to say any more than that.
“My brother and Cole, however, clearly aren’t even a little sorry. And me, well, I missed out on all the fun, so we’re obviously good.” He winks at me and I face-plant my pillow.
“This was not how I expected my freshman year to start. Any of it. I didn’t even know my mom got married until I landed yesterday.”