Page 160 of His Reckless Freshman

I close my eyes, ignoring the voice taunting me, then snap my eyes open and glare at the TV on the wall. I drove nearly an hour to get to Shelby. It’s a little blip on the map south of Nolan. It used to be a mining town back in the late 1800s, and it’s a miracle it’s survived.

Glancing over my shoulder, I check out the clientele and wonder if it has survived. They’re a rowdy bunch tonight. Obviously locals because everyone seems to know one another, and the looks I got when I walked through the door were nothing but suspicious.

There’s a foreigner in their midst.

They probably took one look at me and assumed a whole bunch of things that aren’t true. People often do. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been spoken to loudly and slowly. They see my Asian appearance and, what… suddenly I can’t speak English?

I was born and raised in this country.

Shuffling in my seat, I pick at the label on my beer bottle. I’m not really supposed to be drinking, but the girl behind the bar looked at my driver’s license, darted her eyes to her boss, then softly murmured, “You look twenty-one to me. What can I get ya?”

I smirked at her and quietly ordered a Coors Light. It’s the only beer I know. Truth is, I actually hate alcohol, so I must be really out of it tonight, because I’m forcing this disgusting brew down my throat in the hopes of…

What? You want to get drunk?

How the hell are you expecting to get home, then?

You gonna sleep away the night in your car?

With a frown, I push the beer away. I’ve only had a third of the bottle. I’m still sober enough to get back to Basketball Base, which is exactly what I should be doing. Right now.

“Can I get you anything else?” The pretty girl behind the bar approaches me again.

My eyes flash across her name tag. Alex.

Studying her curious hazel gaze, I take her in, silently assessing her. She really is beautiful. She has one of those angular faces—strong, defined lines that make her look like she should be on a catwalk. Her hair is a really dark brown, straight and just a little untamed, framing her oval face. Her full lips are…

Smirking at me, her dark eyebrow arches higher the longer I look, and I suddenly blink and avert my gaze.

With a soft snicker, she rests her hands on the bar. “So… how far from home are you right now?”

I hitch my shoulder. “Nolan.”

“Oh.” She nods, and I dart a quick look at her. She’s starting to smile at me. “So, you a college boy, then?”

“Is it that obvious?”

“Yes.”

I cringe. “You been up there?”

“No, but I’ve heard it’s a pretty cool town. If I ever went to college, I’d probably start by looking there.”

“You want to go to college?”

She tips her head, her right shoulder hitching. “It’s never going to happen, so… what’s the point of wishing for something you can’t have?”

“They have some great scholarships.”

She lets out a soft laugh. “Not for high school dropouts, they don’t.”

My eyebrows bunch. “I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing?”

“I… I’m not. I’m sympathizing.”

“Right.” Her frown is skeptical at best, and probably rightfully so. Man, if she knew how rich my family is…