one.” We headed over to the kitchen and he handed me a cup.
“So, tell me more about where you were before coming to Kingsbrook?”
“I was in a much b igger city, south of here.” Hmm, still being cryptic , I thought, watching him continue. “I wanted to get away and just be a face in the crowd for a bit. Small town living draws attention and the city seemed to provide an escape.” What would James need an escape from? Crazy ex-girlfriend? Crazy family?
“I must be invisible then , because I’ve never had that feeling,” I was joking, but he looked sad when I said it. I tried to correct myself. “I mean, I’ve just been living in small towns my whole life. I grew up in a small town and now I’m at college in one. Cities scare me with all the people and crime. It feels safer here, like people don’t get a lot of attention in general.” It worked, and he looked fine again. Still, why would he look sad for me saying that? “Do you have family near here?”
“No, my father travels a lot and my mother is dead.” It sounded like it was a topic not open for discussion. Perhaps this was why he wanted to escape.
“Oh, I’m so sorry.”
“It was a long time ago, but thank you.”
“How old were you?” Darn my nosey behavior. I had to remind myself constantly that not everyone wants to talk about his or her p roblems to me.
“I was much younger.”
He changed the subject after that. I was surprised at how casually he’d said his mother had passed away. I don’t know if I would get over my mom dying. Maybe he was putting up a tough front. He was in college, so “when he was younger” couldn’t have been that long ago. We talked a bit more before he excused himself.
Carol ine walked over and asked, “How’d it go?”
“I can’t tell if he’s interested or not. Oh well , right? I mean, look at him. He’s going to have to fight everyone off when classes start.” I laughed at the thought of him struggling to get anywhere on campus with the girls that would surely be fawning all over him.
“Just give it time. Maybe them city boys are harder to reel in.” She went for a southern accent, but broke out giggling at her attempt.
“You’re so wei rd.” I laughed along with her. I glanced over to the kitchen and saw the trashcan was already overflowing. “I’m gonna run and take the trash out. Can you handle putting a clean bag in there?”
Caroline hated chores. She threw a fake temper-tantrum by stomping her foot , so I just shoved a clean bag into her hand. After tying up the old bag, I headed out the front door.
The dumpster was at the end of the block of our apartment buildings , at the opposite end from the entrance to the complex. I heaved the over-stuffed trash bag over my head and into the dumpster. I was brought up short when I turned to walk back to the apartment. Devon was standing in front of me, smiling. That smile stopped me dead in my tracks. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I had an odd feeling and it wasn’t good.
A tingling sensation on the back of my neck started, and my stomach knotted up. How could Devon be causing this much of a negative reaction to my body? He hadn’t given me that bad of a feeling when we first met. I had actually thought he was kind of attractive. Being here alone, though, felt dangerous. That couldn’t be right. I didn’t know the guy. How could I possibly tell if he was dangerous?
“I was going to offer to help with that , but it looks like you managed just fine.” Okay, so he wasn’t necessarily dangerous. He is just overly attentive to me. It still felt strange, him being with Ashley and all, and following me like this.
I sm iled back uneasily and shrugged. “Caroline hates taking out the trash so I usually get stuck with it. I have lots of practice. Thanks, though.”
I started to walk back towards the apartment , but he sidestepped in front of me and blocked my way. My body began feeling like I was being trapped. I was alone
“So, tell me more about where you were before coming to Kingsbrook?”
“I was in a much b igger city, south of here.” Hmm, still being cryptic , I thought, watching him continue. “I wanted to get away and just be a face in the crowd for a bit. Small town living draws attention and the city seemed to provide an escape.” What would James need an escape from? Crazy ex-girlfriend? Crazy family?
“I must be invisible then , because I’ve never had that feeling,” I was joking, but he looked sad when I said it. I tried to correct myself. “I mean, I’ve just been living in small towns my whole life. I grew up in a small town and now I’m at college in one. Cities scare me with all the people and crime. It feels safer here, like people don’t get a lot of attention in general.” It worked, and he looked fine again. Still, why would he look sad for me saying that? “Do you have family near here?”
“No, my father travels a lot and my mother is dead.” It sounded like it was a topic not open for discussion. Perhaps this was why he wanted to escape.
“Oh, I’m so sorry.”
“It was a long time ago, but thank you.”
“How old were you?” Darn my nosey behavior. I had to remind myself constantly that not everyone wants to talk about his or her p roblems to me.
“I was much younger.”
He changed the subject after that. I was surprised at how casually he’d said his mother had passed away. I don’t know if I would get over my mom dying. Maybe he was putting up a tough front. He was in college, so “when he was younger” couldn’t have been that long ago. We talked a bit more before he excused himself.
Carol ine walked over and asked, “How’d it go?”
“I can’t tell if he’s interested or not. Oh well , right? I mean, look at him. He’s going to have to fight everyone off when classes start.” I laughed at the thought of him struggling to get anywhere on campus with the girls that would surely be fawning all over him.
“Just give it time. Maybe them city boys are harder to reel in.” She went for a southern accent, but broke out giggling at her attempt.
“You’re so wei rd.” I laughed along with her. I glanced over to the kitchen and saw the trashcan was already overflowing. “I’m gonna run and take the trash out. Can you handle putting a clean bag in there?”
Caroline hated chores. She threw a fake temper-tantrum by stomping her foot , so I just shoved a clean bag into her hand. After tying up the old bag, I headed out the front door.
The dumpster was at the end of the block of our apartment buildings , at the opposite end from the entrance to the complex. I heaved the over-stuffed trash bag over my head and into the dumpster. I was brought up short when I turned to walk back to the apartment. Devon was standing in front of me, smiling. That smile stopped me dead in my tracks. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I had an odd feeling and it wasn’t good.
A tingling sensation on the back of my neck started, and my stomach knotted up. How could Devon be causing this much of a negative reaction to my body? He hadn’t given me that bad of a feeling when we first met. I had actually thought he was kind of attractive. Being here alone, though, felt dangerous. That couldn’t be right. I didn’t know the guy. How could I possibly tell if he was dangerous?
“I was going to offer to help with that , but it looks like you managed just fine.” Okay, so he wasn’t necessarily dangerous. He is just overly attentive to me. It still felt strange, him being with Ashley and all, and following me like this.
I sm iled back uneasily and shrugged. “Caroline hates taking out the trash so I usually get stuck with it. I have lots of practice. Thanks, though.”
I started to walk back towards the apartment , but he sidestepped in front of me and blocked my way. My body began feeling like I was being trapped. I was alone
Similar Books
