Down to Business (Business Series) (6 page)

It looked like a cafeteria with high ceilings and lots of blue plastic chairs crowded around brown rectangular tables.

As I was trying to decide if I wanted to eat there or not, my cell phone vibrated in my backpack. I pulled it out to see Lindy’s name.

“Hello?” I answered and peered down at the buffet line of food. Steaming bins were brimming with macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, corn, green beans, and mixed vegetables.

“Hey, what are you doing?”

“I’m getting ready to eat lunch at the dining hall.”

“Why would you want to eat there?” she asked, her voice laced with disgust.

“Because I paid for a three month meal plan and I have no way to leave campus without a car.”

“Tyler and I are going to stop at The Soup Bowl for lunch before our classes start. Did you want us to pick you up?”

I scrunched my nose at the dry pot roast sitting in gravy that resembled brown sludge. “Yeah, I’ll meet you at the same spot you dropped me off.”

“We’ll be there in five.”

When I arrived at the curb, Tyler’s car was waiting for me. Lindy leaned out of the passenger window,  pulled her sunglasses down, and gave me a sassy look. “Hey there, sexy, can I take you out to lunch?”

“Shut up...” I said with a laugh and slid into the back seat.

Tyler barely waited for me to close the door before he jutted back out into traffic. He watched me in the rearview mirror with a smile, his eyes hidden behind expensive looking sunglasses. “How were your classes?”

“Boring. We just went over the syllabus the whole time,” I responded, buckling my seat belt.

“Soo…” Lindy said, turning so she could look at me over the consol. “Did you meet any hot guys?”

I wasn’t about to mention my Vinny encounter. As if on cue, a vision of half-naked Vinny popped in my head and I forced it away with a shake of my head. “No.”

“I heard you ran into my friend Vinny this morning.” Tyler called out as if he read my mind.

A burst of heat washed over my face when I heard his name. I looked out the passenger window hoping they wouldn’t notice that I was blushing. “Yeah, I did.”

“Sorry I didn’t warn you. He texted me at like five in the morning and asked if he could use our shower because the hot water was out in his dorm. I’m so glad I don’t live in the dorms. Our apartment is so much better.”

Our apartment? When did Lindy’s place become his? He doesn’t even pay rent.

“Vinny is in the mob,” Lindy said as if it was a dirty secret.

“No he isn’t.” Tyler argued. 

“Yes huh. Vivian said his family is part of the mob.”

“Who’s Vivian?” I asked.

“His ex-girlfriend,” Lindy said, twisting a piece of her long blond hair around her finger. “Vinny’s dad is doing time right now. I wonder if he killed someone. I never asked.”

Tyler laughed. “Come on Lindy, just because his father is doing time, doesn’t mean he is a mobster.”

“I know, but, I wouldn’t wanna to piss them off, ya know?” Lindy said and gave me a worried look.

“Vinny’s in my Business Management class.” I said, causing both of their heads to turn at the same time.

“Really?” Lindy asked.

“Yeah, really.”

She stared and me and suddenly looked amused. “Oh my God. You’re blushing, you think he’s hot!”

I did my best to act revolted, but that only made my face burn worse. “What? No I don’t!”

“You’re blushing, Autumn. You never blush over guys.”

“I’m not blushing—”

“So, do you want his number? Tyler has it. I think he’s single,” she teased, wiggling her slender brows. “Maybe you can ask him if you can get a sample of his hot Italian sausage. I hear it’s extra spicy.”

“Lindy! Shut up!” I yelled trying not to laugh as I imagined him with a hot Italian sausage between his legs.

Oh God! What was the matter with me?

“Gross,” Tyler groaned. “Don’t talk about Vinny’s shit like that. We’ve been friends since high school and I do know he isn’t in the mob. Don’t start rumors, Lindy.”

“He’s rich too,” Lindy bribed, ignoring Tyler. “His family owns an Italian restaurant in Manhattan.  He would take you out on nice dates and he can probably cook too. Italians are always great cooks.”

“I don’t care. Can we drop it please?” I begged.

“Yeah, please?” Tyler agreed.

We finally found something to agree on.

“How am I ever going to find you a boyfriend if you won’t cooperate?”

“I guess you just won’t.”

She sighed at me and turned back around in her seat. After a few moments of peace, she started discussing what she wanted to eat for lunch. I didn’t care what she ate, as long as she stopped talking about Vinny and his sausage.

It felt like a lifetime before we pulled up to The Soup Bowl. It was a small restaurant with an even smaller parking lot. It was lunch hour and the line was out the door. Lindy started to complain and Tyler made a phone call, claiming he knew a manager.

A few minutes later, a redheaded girl came out of the building and approached us wearing a green smock that had the Soup Bowl printed on it in bright white.

“Hey Tyler!” she said rushing over between Lindy and I, giving him a hug.

“Hey Becky!” he called back and hugged her a little longer than normal.

I looked at Lindy, wondering if she noticed, but she was watching them with a neutral expression. I figured she was too hungry to care.

“How’s it going, Ty? Have you always been this buff?” Becky asked and squeezed his bicep.

“Gotta stay fit for wrestling,” Tyler said and smiled over at Lindy and me. “Becky, this is my girlfriend, Lindy, and her friend, Autumn. This is Becky Monroe. We went to high school together back in the Hamptons.”

I saw some of the excitement drain from Becky’s face when she heard Lindy was Tyler’s girlfriend, but she maintained her smile. “Oh, it’s nice to meet you.”

“Yeah, nice to meet you too,” Lindy said, tucking her hands into her back pockets to avoid a handshake.

“Hey, I’ll get you guys a table. You don’t have to wait in this line.”

“Let’s go, I’m starved,” Tyler said and rested his hand on Lindy’s shoulder.

I could feel the envious glares on us as we bypassed the long line and followed Becky inside the crowded restaurant.

Inside, the walls were a variation of bright and dark greens mixed with some yellow and orange accents. Modern style tables and chairs were packed into the center of the room and the walls were lined with booths. Trendy music hummed from the speakers, but it was mostly drowned out by conversation.

Becky cleaned off a booth in the back corner for us. We took our seats and looked over the menus she gave us. I watched the workers frantically taking orders at other tables and I was glad I wasn’t one of them.

“I’ll have a bowl of the chicken tortilla soup and a tai salad,” Lindy said.

“I’ll have the same,” Tyler said.

I felt anxious as I read over menu, all three of them staring me down and waiting for my decision.

“I’ll have the half turkey sandwich on wheat, no tomatoes, and a cup of potato leek soup.” I answered, handing over my menu.

“Coming right up,” Becky said, collecting the menus and flashing Tyler a smile before she left.

I looked at Lindy again, wondering if she noticed the flirtation between Becky and Tyler, but she seemed oblivious as she stared back at me.

Tyler looked down at his phone. “I just got a text from one of my buddies. Alpha Tau is throwing the first rush kegger tonight.”

I wanted to blurt out that I knew that before he did, but I refrained.

“Oh nice, what time does it start?” Lindy asked, leaning over to see his phone.

“Seven. They are having a beer pong tournament and wet t-shirt contest.”

“Tell him we’ll be there,” Lindy said with a big grin.

My stomach curdled with disgust as I recalled the comment Jace made about easy freshmen chicks.

“You’re coming too, right Auti?” Lindy asked expectantly.

“I don’t think so,” I picked up my napkin rolled utensil set. The only reason I’d want to go was to see Vinny, but there was no guarantee he would be there.

“We are still going shopping tonight, right Auti? We need to buy you cute clothes so you don’t look like an upstate farmer.”

I scowled at her. “I don’t look like an upstate farmer.”

“Yeah, well, your outfit says different.”

“There’s nothing wrong with my outfit.” I protested, glaring down at my plaid shirt. 

“There’s nothing right with it either.”

I rolled my eyes and lined my silverware up just as Becky brought our tray of food. We all dug in and the sound of clanking spoons and chatter filled in for the lack of conversation.  My sandwich tasted really fresh and the soup was nice and hot. It certainly beat the dried pot-roast in the dining hall.

After lunch was over, we paid the bill and left the restaurant. Once we were back in Tyler’s car, heading to Adelphi, Lindy turned sideways in her seat and looked at me.

“Well?” she asked.

“Well what?”

“Are you coming with us to the party?”

I sighed. “I told you no.”

“Why not?”

“I’m not going, okay? Stop bugging me about it.” I snapped.

“I’m not—” Lindy’s sentence was cut short when Tyler slammed on the breaks.

“What an asshole!” he yelled and laid on the horn.  Apparently, a guy on a scooter in front of us cut him off.

“I could’ve killed you, you idiot!” he yelled out the window.

The guy on the scooter gave him the finger and zipped off down a side street.

“What a dumb ass! People can’t drive, I swear!” Tyler yelled. “And Lindy, if Autumn doesn’t want to come to the party she doesn’t have to. Who cares? We will have more fun on our own anyway. It’s like you said earlier she’s just going to be a hassle.”

I felt the cold stab of his words and Lindy’s face melted into shock.

“Tyler, that’s not true, I never said that!” She defended, looking over at me. “I didn’t say that.”

“Yeah you did.” he said as he pulled into the campus parking lot.

“Tyler, you’re not helping.” She growled through her teeth.

Heaviness descended on my chest and made it hard to swallow. I glared at Lindy and wanted to tell her the truth about how I felt about everything, especially Tyler. How every moment since I arrived, I have been miserable and I would have been better off staying in Hamilton.

The moment we parked, I unbuckled my belt and leaned forward, unable to contain my anger another second. “You know what, Lindy? I think I will go to the party tonight. It’s about time I get out there and get laid, don’t you think? And don’t worry about babysitting me, I don’t need you hold my hand while some guy forces himself on me again.”

I deflected her shocked stare with a sneer and slid out of the car, slamming the door. I marched across the campus while I fought to control the tears prickling at the back of my eyes.

“Autumn! Wait!” Lindy yelled after me, but I didn’t turn around.

Instead, I picked up my pace, until I was jogging across the campus lawn. I stopped by the ladies room to check myself in the mirror and realized my lashes were damp with tears. I wiped them away and swallowed the lump in my throat.

I was a hassle? She was the one who lied to me. I was the one who had to deal with her stupid boyfriend living with us. Colgate University was looking better and better.

I ripped a few paper towels out of the dispenser and blew my nose in them, ignoring the crude stares from the other girls around me. My nose was a red contrast against the sprinkling of brown freckles on my face, and my hair looked about as good as it did earlier that morning when I greeted Vinny.

I stepped into the stall closest to me, letting out a little sob. Crushing the snotty paper towels in my hands, I let myself cry silently. At that moment I wanted to call my mother, tell her that I was giving up on the whole college idea, and have her come pick me up. I knew she would come get me and I could be home before midnight. I took a few deep breaths to calm myself and concluded that I was not going to call my mother. I didn’t come all this way to give up. I blew my nose again, shoved the paper towels into the trash, and left the bathroom.

When I stepped out of the bathroom, I was surprised to find Lindy waiting for me. The worried look on her face caused my anger to flare up again and I just walked past her.

“Auti…” she whined.

“Leave me alone.”

I headed down the hall, with no particular destination. I heard the soft slaps of her sandals as she chased me down the corridor. It wasn’t until her manicured nails dug into the tender skin of my upper arm that I responded.

I ripped my arm out of her grasp. “Get off me, Lindy!” I shouted in her face. “Just go party with your idiot boyfriend and have a good time, that’s all you care about anyway.”

“I swear to God, Autumn! I never said you were a hassle!” She cried. “You’re more important to me than him or that dumb party!”

Yeah right.

“Just like I was more important at the last party we went to, when you were giving some guy a blow job instead of answering your phone when I needed you,” I snapped back, fighting my tears.