“Let’s go.”
Seconds later, we run straight into her housemate and sorority sister Meghan, who is on her way in.
“Hi!” Leela says brightly.
“Leela? And you are? I’m sorry, I don’t think I caught your name.”
I wince because Meghan is putting on a show of extreme manners.
“Crosby Nash,” I say, a little too abruptly, then follow that up with a handshake that’s maybe a little too aggressive.
“Charmed,” Meghan says.
Leela’s not buying this. “Did you say ‘charmed’?”
Meghan turns to Leela. “Well, what can I say? I am quite enchanted to meet our fundraiser’s largest donor. It was such an exciting night after all.”
Leela smiles. “I only just met him yesterday myself. He’s pre-med. He grew up in Chimney Rock, not far from your family’s summer house in Lake Lure, Meghan.”
Meghan cocks her head. “How charming.”
I know what she’s doing, but I am determined to play nice. “My mom still lives there; she runs the cash register at the Ingles grocery store, five days a week.”’
Meghan’s raised eyebrows tell me I have some kind of gall to admit that, for some reason. “What a coincidence. My daddy just bought that location. That’ll be his sixteenth franchise to date. I’ll be sure to put in a good word for your mom. What a small world.”
Leela’s stomach growls. Or that’s what I assume is happening. When I turn my attention to Leela’s face, I see that the sound is not coming from her stomach. My Leela looks positive feral. Oh, shit.
She blinks several times at her friend. “Meghan. Remember the whole reason we started this sorority in the first place? We were tired of everyone at this school treating us like second-class citizens in Greek life. Beta Beta Psi is nothing if we don’t have our manners.”
Leela says all of this with the sweetest smile you ever did see, but behind her eyes, I see white-hot lava.
I look at Meghan, who swallows hard as a pink flush fills her cheeks.
“Right,” Meghan says, exhaling. “Well then.”
I rest my hand on the small of Leela’s back. “Nice to see you again, Meghan. Ladies.” I nod to the gaggle of women, who are staring at the two of us.
Mila’s eyes rake over us, and I know she’s assessing how close we’re standing together.
“Are you two—a thing?”
I am torn. I desperately want to protect Leela from embarrassment. I know she only said she wanted to consider the possibility of dating me. But now that we’re faced with this, out in the open, I feel for her. I see the heat build in her cheeks.
“I—ah—y—”
I can’t take the torture anymore. “No. We’re just friends. You know how it is.” I follow this up with a wink. All the frat friends are suddenly wildly interested and amused.
I look over at Leela, and clearly, I’ve said the wrong thing.
I don’t know what she wanted me to say, though. This is why I knew we should have taken breakfast somewhere else.
“In that case, can I call you?” Samantha eases up next to me but falters when Leela shoots her a withering glance.
Meghan then claps her hands together. “Well, if this isn’t a date or something, why don’t you two join the rest of us. We’d love to get to know you, Crosby.”
I can see Leela wants to exit this conversation as soon as possible. I know she’s having second thoughts about coming here.
Moments later, we’re seated in one of those huge corner booths; Leela squeezed in next to me. But instead of relaxing, her body is utterly stiff.