King of Campus (9 page)

I just don’t have time to dwell on a cheating ex-boyfriend or the campus demi god.

Apparently satisfied with my answer, Finn’s big shoulders slowly relax as he settles back in his chair.  His eyes probe mine before he quietly admits, “I really missed you, Ivy.”  Now that we’ve settled the whole Roan King issue, the sad puppy dog look is back in full force.

I almost snort.  All those damn photos filed away in a computer folder titled-
douchebag ex-boyfriend
tell a completely different story.  I’m not even sure why he’s bothering to go back down this road again.

Instead of responding, I merely raise a brow as I suck my straw.

His eyes fall to my lips and remain there for a long drawn out moment before swinging back up to mine.  “I know I broke things off right after you left for Paris.”  His brows draw together as he pauses. “I guess it was just too hard to think about having a long distance commitment when we’d only been together for about six months.”

I’d been plagued with the same thoughts.  But I had really liked Finn and had at least wanted to try and make things work between us.  Rather foolishly I had hoped he liked me enough to want that as well.  Instead, he’d baled within two weeks (if not sooner), leaving me to feel disconnected and depressed.

Which, in hindsight, had been just plain crazy because I’d been in Paris, for god’s sake.  Who the hell can be all sad bastard in Paris?  Well… yeah, me apparently.  After a few weeks of moping around, I’d pulled myself out of the funk I’d slid into by walking around the city and immersing myself in the rich culture.

“I was kind of hoping we could give it another shot, you know?  Pick up where we’d left off.”  Slowly he reaches across the table before laying his big hand over mine.  “I still care about you, Ivy.”  Something changes in his eyes.  There’s a look of vulnerability filling his gaze I find almost impossible to ignore.  “Do you still have feelings for me?”

For a long moment I simply stare down at our stacked hands as I contemplate the question.

Do I still have feelings for Finn?

We broke up almost fifteen months ago and were basically incommunicado for the entire time I was gone.  I had relegated Finn McKenzie to the
just a guy
I had once dated
category.  No one was more surprised than me when he started bombarding me with text messages about a week before I came home.

But after the way he’d hurt me, there was no way I was responding.  In fact, I do believe the words-
he can go screw himself
were bandied about in my conversations with Lexie more than a few times.

And yeah, part of me does still feel that way… but I can’t deny that I’m suddenly feeling torn.  I mean, we were together for six months…  Not to mention those pathetic puppy dog eyes he keeps casting my way…

I can practically feel myself caving.

Taking a deep breath, I force it out slowly before replying truthfully, “I don’t know, Finn.”  My eyes fasten onto his as I allow him a small glimpse of my heartache.  “The way you just ended things,” I begin softly, “I was away from everything, everyone I knew, trying to get acclimated to a totally different culture.  What you did felt devastating at the time.”  Even thinking about it, brings back a surge of anger and sadness within me.

Looking remorseful, he nods as if he completely understands what he did was wrong.  And maybe he really does.

Who knows…

“I just want a chance to show you that I’m not the same guy I was back then.”  Angling his big body towards me, he leans just a bit closer.  His eyes continue pleading with mine.  “I’m sure you’ve grown and changed in the fifteen months you were gone… well, so have I.  Give me a chance to prove that to you.  We were so good together, Ivy.”  His eyes search mine.  “Weren’t we?”

Hundreds of unbidden memories tumble their way through my head as we sit and talk.  Because we did have fun together.  I’d fallen really hard for Finn freshman year.  With my front teeth sinking into my lower lip, I mull over the possibility of starting something up with him again.

God… if Lexie knew I was even contemplating the idea of giving Finn another chance, she would string me up alive.  For whatever reason, she’d never liked him.  Not even in the beginning when I’d just started seeing him.  She thought he was nothing more than a cocky player who was running a game on me.

But… I’d never felt that way.  Well, not until she started sending me all those pictures.

He’d been so sweet.  Taking me out to eat.  Walking me to class.  Showing up with flowers.  Just little things like that.  Things that had burrowed easily under my skin.  And I guess, because of the situation with my dad, I’d been desperate to find someone to love.  Someone to feel connected to since I didn’t necessarily have that with my family.

When I’d first arrived at Barnett, even though Lexie and I were rooming together, I’d still felt a bit lost.  The death of my mom when I’d been fifteen had all but devastated me.  And my dad remarrying six months later had only made everything worse.

Right before the end of first semester, I’d met Finn at a party and he had literally swept me off my feet.  I mean, everyone on campus knew who Finn McKenzie was.  Superstar stud lacrosse player.  He was bright and handsome and well liked.

The fact he’d sought me out to spend time with had made me feel special during a time when I hadn’t felt special to anybody.  Not since my mother had died.  In the six months we were together, not once had I ever suspected he might be cheating on me or seeing other girls behind my back.

Not until Lexie started bombarding me with all those photos.  After a while I’d just stopped looking at them.  I kept them in a file and watched the number of pictures grow until everything I’d felt for Finn was gone.

And now here he was.  Fifteen months later.  Wanting a second chance.

Had he changed?

Had he matured?

He definitely
looked
more mature.  In the time I’d been gone, he’d lost the last of his cute boyishness.  His handsome face was all chiseled planes and angles.  His body was bigger.  Shoulders wider.  Waist tapered.  He was even more attractive than when I’d first met him two years ago.

But were his changes more than just physical in nature?  And did it even matter anymore if they were?  I couldn’t help but admit there was something easy about falling back into a relationship with a guy who had once meant something to you.  A person who knew what you liked and didn’t like.  But by the same token, that relationship already had baggage attached to it.

I needed to figure which one outweighed the other.

“I don’t know,” I finally murmur.  Not because I’m trying to be coy or play games but because I genuinely don’t know what to do. 

His hazel eyes burn into mine.  “I’m just asking for a chance, Ivy,” he finally says, “just one chance to prove that I’ve grown and really changed.”

Unable to hold his eyes any longer, my gaze falls to our still connected hands.  All of the good times we had continue swimming through my head and before I realize it, the words are tumbling out of my mouth. “Okay.  One date.”

His lips pull up at the corners as he gently squeezes my hand.  “You won’t regret it, I promise.”

I have the sudden feeling I probably will regret giving him another chance…

Especially when I tell Lexie.

Chapter Eight

I just heard that some lucky girl got partnered up with our very own legend on the football field in a business ethics class.  Damn… I knew I should have stuck it out with that major…  KingOfCampus.com

“For the next six weeks, you’re going to work with a partner on a project that will be worth sixty percent of your final grade in this class.”  She pauses as shocked gasps ripple throughout the room.  Apparently expecting just such a reaction, Professor Paulson nods her head as if to reconfirm what we’re all hoping we somehow misheard.  “Yes, that’s right. 
Sixty percent
.  It will be worth more than anything else you do in here, so keep that in mind when working on it.  Not only does the topic need to be well researched, it will have to be completely fleshed out so it supports the main idea of your project.”

Another round of groaning along with disbelieving chatter grips the class.  “I cannot emphasize enough how important this project will be to the overall grade you earn.”  Her eyes slowly encompass all of us. “The end result of your time and energy spent researching will be a thought provoking paper of about twenty pages in length.”  Holding up her hand, she cuts off all the sudden conversations that have sprung up.

“Okay, quiet down. Quiet down, please.”  She clears her throat before glancing at the clipboard she’s holding in her hand.  “I’m going to run through the class list and couple everyone up today.  We’re going to spend about ten minutes going over my expectations in more depth and then you’ll have about fifteen minutes of class time to work with your partner.”

Feeling just as stupefied as the rest of the class, I sit silently in my seat as Professor Paulson runs through the list of students enrolled in her course.  After she reads off the second set of names, it becomes apparent she’s pairing people up alphabetically.  Something in my heart clenches as she reads off my name because unless there’s someone else with a last name that falls between Kaster and King, I’m-

“Ivy Kaster and Roan King.”

-screwed.

My gaze reluctantly cuts across the room to Roan.  I’m startled to realize that he’s already angled his body towards me.  There’s just a hint of a smirk sliding its way across his impossibly handsome face.

I gulp.

No.

No.  No.  No.  No.

I can’t work with him.

This is a massive project and there’s no way in hell I’m going to get stuck doing all the work by myself.  With the eighteen credit course load I have and working ten hours a week, I don’t have the time it would take to complete a project of this scope and magnitude on my own.

Before I can work myself into a tizzy, Professor Paulson hands out a packet to each of us regarding what we’re going to be working on for the next six weeks.  My heart sinks even further when I see exactly what the expectations are.

Shit.

Sixty percent of my grade is riding on Roan King.  I almost start to laugh at such an absurd thought.  The freaking King of Campus, with his- what did Finn call them? Oh, yes, his
pussy posse,
is holding my grade for business ethics in his huge hulking hands.

Nope.  I can’t allow that to happen.  I need to work with someone who actually gives a damn about their grade and is going to do their fair share of the workload.  I need someone who is serious about this class… and school, for that matter.

And I just don’t think that’s the resident demi-god football player.

I mean, he barely takes notes in class while all I do is tap away on my laptop from the very start to the very end of class.  My guess is that he’s probably here on a football scholarship.  From what I’ve heard, he’s not even going to finish up his degree before he turns pro.  So he probably doesn’t give a crap if he passes or fails.

But I do.

I’m here on an academic scholarship and I can’t afford to lose it.

Once Dr. Paulson goes through the packet and we’re allowed to get together with our partners, I scurry up towards her desk.  Not wanting to catch Roan’s eyes, I keep my gaze trained straight ahead of me.

That unfortunately doesn’t work.

“Hey, where you going?”  He calls out the words as I hustle towards the front of the room.

Feeling somewhat guilty for what I’m about to do, I shoot him a quick look but don’t allow my eyes to linger.  “I have a few questions for Professor Paulson.  I’ll be right there.”

Once I’m besides her, I give her an apologetic look because this is only the second week of school and I don’t want her to think I’m trying to be difficult.  But on the other hand, there’s no way I’m getting stuck with dead weight either.

I really hate group work…

Sitting at a desk off to the side, she glances up at me over the black frames of her glasses.  “Question, Ms. Kaster?”

Feeling suddenly awkward about discussing this when Roan is sitting about twenty feet away from me, I clear my throat.  “Um, well, I was wondering if it’s at all possible to be reassigned to a different partner.”

If the slow blinking of her light blue eyes is any indication, then I’ve completely thrown her for a loop.  She’s probably assuming I’ve scurried up here to thank her for partnering me with him.  She couldn’t be farther from the truth.

“Do you have a problem working with Mr. King?”

At the mention of his name, I can’t help but hastily glance over my shoulder to where Roan is sitting.  My face floods with heat as my eyes catch his quizzical ones.  Turning back towards her, I lower my voice before admitting my concerns, “I, ah… this is a really huge project and I want to be paired with someone who is going to do their share of the work.”  When she doesn’t immediately respond, fresh nerves spiral through me as I shuffle from one foot to the other.

One brow slowly hikes up her forehead as she contemplates me for a long silent moment that leaves me filled with even more unease.  Her words are sharp and low when she finally asks, “And you already know that Mr. King won’t be able to contribute his fair share to the project?”