Page 37

Fuck. Fuck. The money.

It wasn’t like I’d forgotten I had to pay for the alcohol for next week’s party. It was just that I’d had so much other shit to focus on—and try not to focus on—this month, it hadn’t been a priority.

Now, it felt like a fucking sword hanging over my head.

“No,” I cut in. The girls swiveled their heads, watching our back-and-forth with undisguised interest. “I said I’d have it. It’s fine.”

I did not have it. Not with law school application fees wiping me out.

And it was not fucking fine.

Before Garrett could respond, Marcus came over with a scowl on his face.

“Bro, Arden’s drunk off her ass and crying in my room. Can you get her the fuck out of there so Marlee and me can use it?”

I ground my teeth together. “Whatever Arden’s doing is none of my business. We broke up. I’m the last person she’d wanna talk to. Find someone else to take her home.”

Several people who overheard gave me judgmental expressions. Even Lisa seemed disappointed in my response.

I bit back a groan. “Fuck. Fine.” I turned to Lisa. “Be back in a few.”

When I got to Marcus’s room, I found my ex wearing sweats, including one of my old Blues hoodies I hadn’t realized she’d swiped. Her eyes were puffy, and she didn’t have her usual face of makeup on.

“Arden, what are you doing here?”

“I fucked up,” she wailed. “I’m so sorry. I came to find you. You weren’t at your dorm. And then someone said you were here with Lisa, and… how the fuck did you ask someone out that fast? I thought you ‘weren’t in a good place for a relationship.’”

I blew out a breath. “Arden, it’s not fast. It’s been weeks. And Lisa and I aren’t dating. We ran into each other and walked over together, that’s all.”

Not that it was any of her business, but I didn’t want her to think I’d jumped into anything serious.

No, just mutually masturbating with my roommate.

I blinked the image away before it could take hold of me again.

It wasn’t the same. The bullshit I’d gotten up to with Vaughn a month ago was stupid. It was a mistake. And it sure as shit wasn’t romantic.

It was also never happening again.

“Arden, you need to go home⁠—”

“You won’t answer my calls or texts, and you keep avoiding me,” she said, face shiny with snot and tears. “I don’t want you to hate me.”

“I don’t hate you.” I blew out a breath. “Why would I?”

“Because I was so stupid. I should never have…” She broke off with a sob, shaking her head wildly. “I didn’t mean for it to… But you broke up with me!” she wailed.

I wasn’t following this, and my head was starting to pound. “Just because I don’t think we should date anymore doesn’t mean I hate you,” I said, drawing on my last reserves of patience.

I thought about all the reasons I’d wanted to date Arden in the first place. She was gorgeous and fun, socially confident in a way that drew me in like catnip. And she was smart and driven like I was, even if her drive leaned more toward the kind of political ambition my father had and less toward actually helping others.

And there’d always been moments of vulnerability in her that made me wonder if sometimes she felt a little bit like me. Caught up in shit she had no control over.

“I don’t hate you,” I said again. “I promise.”

She reached for my hand and held it, her own fingers slender and clammy. “Then can we please get back together? I miss you, Bett.” She sniffed. “I need you to keep me from doing stupid things.”

I let out a puff of air and couldn’t hold back a smile. “Please. We both know I can’t keep myself from doing stupid things. Besides, that’s not a good reason to get back together, and you know it.”