Page 23 of Forbidden Heart

“Are you okay, Roo Roo? Did something happen?” my Prince Charming in shining armor—in this case, LUV Academy sweatpants and a hoodie, both armor-gray—asks.

I nod, and my eyes drift to Charles, who frowns. “Don’t tell me you were waiting out here this whole time?” he asks.

I shake my head. Technically, I wasn’t out here; I was in the rose garden. Which reminds me. Silas!

“We should go,” I whisper, keeping my voice down in case the Dark Prince is nearby.

I know I’m not allowed in the dorm, but there’s no sign of Marcus the RA. If we move fast, I can sneak in with the guys before Silas finds me.

Tate nods. “Actually, class let out early, so we thought we could all go grab some coffee.”

“He’s getting a coffee. I’m getting tea,” Charles corrects. “Which one do you prefer, Roonie?”

I look between them, my heart racing. How can I even think about coffee or tea when an angry Silas could come after me at any moment? And, even worse, when Marcus the RA could pop out of nowhere and tell the guys I’m not allowed to stay.

Should I just tell them the truth and hope they’ll help me sneak back in? What if they refuse? They probably didn’t even realize they were breaking the rules, and when they find out I’m not allowed in their building, they’ll make me leave.

“Don’t tell me you want both?” Tate teases, still talking about tea and coffee, and my cheeks flush at the reminder of the day we met. The day I kissed Tate in front of Charles and Charles in front of Tate. I wish I could go back to that magical moment. To the safety of their apartment. I wish I was anywhere but here.

“I—” I swallow hard, my throat refusing to form words. If it were a choice between Tate and Charles, I’d be lost. But when it comes to coffee and tea, that decision is obvious. “Coffee.”

“Good choice.” Tate winks at me.

“I’ll grab a to-go cup from Nigel’s and meet you there,” Charles says. “Here, Roonie. Why don’t I take the laptop upstairs first?”

I nod and relinquish the box I’d been clutching to my chest. A laptop that I shouldn’t have accepted in the first place.

Charles heads inside while Tate and I turn back toward campus. We walk silently, neither one of us in the mood to talk. Tate looks lost in thought, and I’m too busy scanning our surroundings for Silas. I swear I feel like I’m being watched again, but there’s no sign of the Dark Prince anywhere.

When we reach the cafeteria, I turn... and plow right into Tate’s muscular body.

“Where are you going, Roo Roo?” He chuckles.

“Aren’t we getting coffee?” I adjust a strand of my hair that’s fallen out of place.

“We are getting coffee,” says Tate, “just not from the cafeteria.”

He gestures toward the edge of campus and the world beyond it. Curious, I follow.

Tate and I make our way down a short road. Soon, a funky little building comes into view. It looks almost out of place, considering how cool and modern it is. The building itself is essentially a black cube, with sleek white window frames and a shining white awning. Printed on the awning, and again on the door, is the shop’s name: Bean Scene.

“This is my favorite coffee shop,” Tate says. He places a hand on the small of my back and leads me toward the front door. “They make the best espresso and—”

He pulls on the door and stops short. Then he yanks on it, harder this time, but nothing happens. “I forgot they close early on Fridays,” he groans in frustration.

I look at the coffee shop hours posted in the window, and he’s right. Bean Scene is closed for the day.

My heart sinks. I wanted to go out for coffee with Tate. I wanted to spend the afternoon with him... and I wanted to get away from the dorms so I wouldn’t risk running into Silas.

I look back the way we came, and there’s still no sign of the Dark Prince. But I can’t go back there, I just can’t.

I glance across the street and see an entrance to a public park. There’s a winding path that snakes around a picnic area and cruises through a flower-speckled meadow.

“What if we went for a walk instead?” I suggest, pointing toward the path.

“Good idea, Roo Roo,” Tate says, pulling out his phone. “Let me just text Charles and tell him the change of plans... Do you want him to pick something up for you?”

“Just a regular tea?”