Dearest Clementine (17 page)

Ryan groans again and slams the table, making everyone jump. “You threw them away? I would have killed to see last year’s BC/Notre Dame game. Do you have any idea what these tickets are worth?”

I roll my eyes.

“No, and I’m not interested.”

Ryan looks like he’s going to yank his hair out by its roots. I’ve never actually seen him so unhinged before. I watch him, curious if he’s going to yell at me some more when Gavin tosses the envelope across the table.

“Relax, man,” Gavin says, shooting him a look. “You can have the fucking tickets. Just stop freaking out at Clementine.”

I start to stand up, but Gavin tightens his hold, pulling me closer. Part of me is mortified to still be on his lap in front of a room of people, but the other part is excited as hell to finally see him.

Twenty minutes later, when I finally get around to tucking a load of laundry into the washer, a pair of hands grip me around the waist, making me scream.

“Damn, baby, you’re jumpy.” Gavin chuckles, turning me around to kiss my neck. “Your heart is racing.”

“You scared the shit out of me!” I smack his chest and he grins.

His eyebrows lift as he peeks over my shoulder. “Hmm. Delicates,” he says seductively. “I’d like to get to know your delicates.” He ducks back down to nibble on the spot just below my earlobe. He’s so delicious my legs might give out.

After a moment, he groans, stopping to press his forehead against mine. “I have to go finish up an article and babysit the freshmen. Want to join me later?”

“I’ll think about it,” I tease as his lips descend on mine.

“Good. Because Aiden misses the fuck out of Samantha,” he mumbles against my mouth, using my fictional characters to make me laugh.

I have to say the feeling is mutual.

* * *

Gavin is stroking my hair, and I’m nestled against his chest as we watch
Sons of Anarchy
on Netflix. I definitely could get used to this.

“I’m sorry Ryan was such a prick today,” he says as the credits roll.

“It’s okay. I feel bad I didn’t give him the other tickets. I’ve always thrown them away as soon as they arrived and never thought about it.”

“Still, he shouldn’t have lost his shit that way.”

“He’s a good guy. He didn’t mean anything by it.”

I’m playing with the drawstring on his hoodie when the door flies open, slamming against the wall, and the little blonde girl I met a few weeks ago runs in.

“Jesus, Carly, ever heard of knocking?” Gavin asks as we get up.

“Sorry, sorry!” She covers her eyes like she’s afraid she might see something she shouldn’t. “Marnie is having a seizure or something. Hurry!” She turns around and runs out.

I grab my phone, and Gavin and I bolt after her. When we reach her room, the first thing I see is a bowl of soup that’s been dropped in the center of the room. Marnie is sprawled next to the noodles and bits of vegetables, her legs splayed at weird angles as her body shakes. Gavin ducks next to her as I dial 911.

“She has epilepsy,” Carly says as Gavin rests Marnie’s head on a pillow.

“911. What’s your emergency?” a voice says into my ear.

“I need paramedics at 700 Commonwealth Avenue, eighteenth floor of Warren Towers, building A. We’re in room…” I pause to glance at the number on the door and relay the information before I explain Marnie’s medical condition.

Carly is starting to cry, so I put my arm on her shoulder when I get off the phone.

“Marnie’s going to be okay. You got us really fast. Does she have any medication for this?”

Carly shakes her head and sniffles. “Not that I know of.”

When the paramedics arrive, they load Marnie on to the stretcher. She looks pale and a little glassy-eyed. Gavin walks next to her, holding her hand. He looks over to me, and I wave bye. He motions that he’ll call me later. Nodding, I turn back to Carly, who is still sniffling.

* * *

Forty-five minutes later, I am definitely in the seventh circle of hell. One girl is braiding my hair while Carly and another perky brunette finish dabbing a honey-yogurt mask on my face. Jenna would be in heaven.

It can’t get any worse, though, right? Then One Direction starts blaring from the speakers, reminding me that I should never ask that question.

I’m wondering how to politely duck out of this as I turn and see Gavin leaning in the doorway.

“Clementine?” He chuckles as he soaks in the scene.

“Yeah. Don’t ask.”

Carly bobs up and down on her toes and claps her hands. “We
love
Clem. Can we keep her? She’s so beautiful!”

“Ladies, she’s not a pet. Stop pawing at her. Clementine has to get up early tomorrow. I’m going to steal her, but if you’re good, she might visit.”

They giggle. A few minutes later, I walk out of Gavin’s bathroom, wiping my face with a towel.

“Thanks for getting me out of there. They were upset, so I suggested manicures because that’s what my roommates like to do when they’re stressed, and the next thing I know I was being coated in honey and yogurt. I’m still a little sticky,” I say as I try to wipe off a bit of goo that’s on my neck.

“I’ll be the judge of that,” he says, pulling me to him and placing feather-light kisses across my face. When he reaches my jaw, I tilt my head to the side, letting him nuzzle against me.

“Mmm. Found a spot.” His soft kisses stop as he takes a small lick up my neck.
Oh, shit. That was hot.
“You taste really good,” he whispers.

His mouth migrating across my collarbone makes it difficult to think coherently. “I don’t know how I ended up as their guinea pig.” I’m starting to pant. Fuck.

“They. Wanted. A perfect specimen,” he says between kisses.

My knees are weak, and I’m about to push him onto his bed and let him touch me any way he wants when a loud knock on the door makes me jump.

“God, that scared me,” I laugh, nerves shooting through me like my parents just caught us, an idea that gives me pause because of course my parents don’t give a shit.

Gavin opens the door and an older guy is standing there with a clipboard.

“Incident report for the lucky RA,” the man says cheerfully as he hands over a stack of paperwork.

I know this is going to take a while, so I grab my bag. “I’m gonna get out of your hair so you can take care of this,” I say.

Gavin smiles grimly, and I wink back before heading home. I’m not even on my street yet when he texts me.

Gavin:
Can I finally take you on a proper date? I’m warning you, though. If you say no, then Aiden is going to ask Samantha out, and she has to say yes.

My throat tightens as I think about his request.
Relax. It’s a date. He’s not asking you to elope.
I laugh at myself, at how ridiculous I’m being.

Me:
My book boyfriend is so demanding!

Gavin:
Pick you up on Friday at 7.

I laugh at his presumptuousness, that he assumes I’ll agree. But do I really want to decline? No. I want to spend time with him. In fact, I love spending time with him. I write back:
I guess I could use some more inspiration…

Glad no one can see the idiotic grin on my face, I duck into my building. When I get into my room, his incoming message buzzes my phone:
Wouldn’t want you to run into another dry spell.

Me:
So really, this is in the name of higher learning.

Gavin:
Funny you should mention that because you’re my favorite subject. I could study you all day.

His flirtatiousness makes me smile wider.

I love that about him, which is weird because for the past three years, I’ve ignored every guy who flirted with me. Every single one. But Gavin is different somehow. Sexy but sensitive. Strong but gentle. Easygoing but somehow intense. He can turn me inside out with one look, one touch, one kiss.

The second I get home, I get another text from him asking if I got home safely. God, a girl could get used to Gavin Murphy.

I’m lonely in my bed without him, which makes me wonder how far I’ll let things go on Friday night, an idea that both thrills and terrifies me.

-
14 -

This may be the worst coffee in town, but it’s fast and cheap and ready right now. I’m putting the lid on my twenty-four-ounce cup of joe when someone steps up right next to me.

“Hey, sexy.”

I whirl around to see Gavin.

He laughs at the look on my face. “Not used to guys trying to pick you up while you’re getting your coffee fix?”

“Shut up, goofball. You scared me, whispering in my ear like that.”

He smiles and wraps me in a hug in the middle of the convenience store, and I try to sniff him without looking like a total creeper. I don’t know what shower gel he uses, but it makes me want to lick him.

“Where you headed?” He keeps his hand on my waist.

“The tutoring center. Don’t worry, I’m not out trying to pass myself off as a math whiz. I edit essays.” 

My therapist suggested tutoring last year to help me be more social because, apparently, I need help in this area.

“What a relief.”

Before I can respond, he pulls me to him and kisses me on the forehead. I smile a big, toothy grin, and I’m sure I look like an idiot, so I bite my cheek to rein it in.

“I hope Marnie is feeling better. Is she back from the hospital?”

“Yeah, she’ll be okay. She hasn’t had a seizure in a while, so I think that scared her the most.” We pay for our drinks and walk out to the street. “You were pretty awesome last night. I meant to tell you.”

“What are you talking about? You’re the one who handled the whole thing. I only did facials.”

“Clementine, come on. Carly was in tears when I left, and when I returned, she was having a blast. You’re really good in a crisis.”

“No, I think that was a first.”

He walks me to the liberal arts building, but before he leaves for class, he ducks his head toward mine, leaving us practically nose to nose.

Gavin drops his voice just above a whisper. “We still on for Friday?”

My heart thump, thump, thumps in my chest. “If I say yes, does this mean you’re going to woo me with more than take-out Thai?”

“I’m going to break out my best moves. I promise.”

In this light, his eyes have golden flecks amid the green. “Honestly, I don’t know if Samantha is ready for it. She’s a little on the shy side.” I swallow and look down except he takes his thumb and lifts my chin so I have to look him in the eye.
Thump, thump, thump.

“It’s okay. Aiden can be very persuasive.” And before he turns to leave, he plants a kiss on my mouth, lingering on my lips as he says, “I’ll call you later.”

I watch him walk away, wishing I could rewind the last ten minutes of my life so I could see them play out again. In slow motion.

Floating a good twelve inches out of my shoes, I dart into the tutoring lab. The large room is ice-cold, and my Converse squeak on the tile floor, causing a few students to pop their heads up to stare at my offending shoes.

Behind the volunteer desk is Kade, shuffling through his backpack.

Shit.

I knew he tutored economics and other boring-as-hell subjects, but I’ve usually had the good luck to avoid him. His hair is a mess, and he looks like he slept in his clothes.

I clear my throat. “What happened to Gina?” She usually coordinates all the volunteers.

He glances up and rolls his eyes at me before tossing a clipboard across the desk.

“It’s nice to see you too, Kade,” I mutter before I pencil in my name on a few open slots for next month. Gone is my fluttery, Gavin-is-so-adorable giddiness.

“You shouldn’t wait until the last minute,” Kade says, not bothering to look at me. He turns to the computer and curses under his breath as he reaches over to pull out the paper tray on the printer.

“Some of us have to work for a living.” I expect some snarky comment, but instead he types something on the keyboard. “I had to wait for my schedule at the bookstore before I could sign up for October.”

After restacking some neon pink paper, he slams the tray back into the machine, making me flinch. Jesus, what’s gotten into him?

“Are… are you okay? You’re acting more assholish than usual.”

I wait for his comeback, which usually entails some kind of reference to us having sex. We’ve had this kind of relationship since sophomore year when I met him through Ryan. Kade is the kind of guy who is nice until you turn him down, and then he’s a dick-stick, looking to unleash his wrath on the poor girls who dare to think he’s not the biggest catch on the Eastern Seaboard. And since I unequivocally turned him down the first time, he’s been a raging prick to me ever since.