Loving You (The Jade Series #3) (21 page)

Thanks to Garret I now see Carson as less of a friend and more like a guy trying to sleep with me, which I still don’t think is a fair assessment.
 

“Hi, again.” Carson shows off his dimple as he reaches into his brown leather messenger bag. “You like chocolate?”

“Who doesn’t?”
 

He pulls out a handful of candy bars and sets them on my desk.
 

“My mom sent me a care package. She sent way too much, so I thought I’d share with my lab partner.”

Is giving out chocolate a sign he’s trying to sleep with me? I’m sure Garret would say it is, but I think Carson’s just being nice.

He digs in his bag again and drops more chocolate bars on my desk.

“Thanks, but you don’t have to give me so much.”
 

“I’m trying to make friends and food usually helps with that.”

See? The poor guy is just trying to be my friend. And here I am taking his chocolate knowing we’ll be nothing more than lab partners. That’s just mean.

“Did you meet anyone at dinner last night?” I ask him as I stuff the candy in the front pouch of my backpack.
 

“I sat with some guys on my floor, but they didn’t say much. Then they left and some girls came over and we talked for a few minutes.”

“You should go to one of the parties this weekend. You’ll meet a ton of people.”

“Maybe we could go together.”

That definitely sounded more date-like and less friend-like. Unless the “we” included Garret.

“I don’t do the party thing. I don’t drink.”

“Really? I mean, I think it’s good. I’m just saying that it’s probably hard to be in college and not drink. Does your boyfriend drink?”

At least Carson remembered I had a boyfriend. I was starting to think he forget all about him.

“Garret used to drink, but he cut way back when we started dating. He hardly drinks at all anymore.”

“Then what do you guys do on weekends when everyone’s partying?”

“Go out to dinner. See a movie. Hang out in his room.”

“And he’s okay with that?”

I find the question somewhat rude but answer him anyway. “If he wasn’t we probably wouldn’t be dating.”

“Hmm. Okay.” He sits back.

“What? Are you trying to tell me something, Carson?”

“It’s just that I was talking about you two last night to those girls I met and they said Garret was kind of a legend around here as far as his performance at parties. So I was surprised when you said he didn’t go to them anymore.”

“When Garret used to drink, he got a little out of control. At least that’s what I heard. But that was back in high school. He’s not like that anymore.”

“Isn’t he on some reality show with a girl who goes to school here?”

“No, the producers are just trying to get ratings and they’re using this fake story about Garret to hook viewers. It’s completely unethical. I don’t even know how they get away with it.”

“How long have you two dated?”

“A few months. We were friends first. I met him the first day I got here, and after that we just started hanging out.” I glance back at the door, wondering why our classmates aren’t showing up. “So do you have a girlfriend back home?”

“I did, but she broke up with me right before I came out here. She wouldn’t do the long distance thing.”

“Do you two still talk?”

“She called me last week just to see how school was going, but other than that we haven’t talked.” He takes his phone out and swipes the screen. “This is her.”

He shows me her photo. She’s gorgeous. Like model gorgeous with bright blue eyes and long blond hair.
 

“She’s pretty. She looks older than you.”

“She is. She’s graduating from college this May and starts law school in the fall.”

“You like older women, huh?” I kid.

“I like mature women,” he clarifies. “Not necessarily older.”

The way he’s looking at me, it almost seems like he’s indicating that I’m mature and am therefore someone he might date. But I’m sure he’s not doing that at all. It’s just my skewed view of him thanks to Garret. Seeing the hot blond on his phone, I am most definitely not Carson’s type.

He puts his phone back in his pocket. “Did you look at the syllabus for chem lab? Because I was thinking we should get together this weekend and divide up the assignments.”

“We can just do that after class. It shouldn’t take long.”

He nods and his smile disappears. “Yeah, okay.”

“Is something wrong?” I ask him.

“I was hoping we could be friends, not just lab partners. Grab a coffee sometime. Maybe go for a run. You’re the only person who’s been friendly to me since I got here. But I get the feeling you’re not interested.”

Damn. I feel really bad for this guy, but I can’t mess things up with Garret over it.
 

“I’d like us to be friends, but it doesn’t seem right for you and me to hang out when I have a boyfriend. I should be spending my free time with him, not some other guy.”

“He doesn’t let you have friends? That’s kind of possessive, isn’t it?”

“Female friends are fine, but male friends are a different story.”

“I’m not trying to date you, Jade. I just want to be friends.”

“You’ll make other friends. It just takes time. Hey, I know who you should meet. This guy, Decker. He’s really nice. He’s one of Garret’s friends. He’ll be at the parties this weekend. Just look for a short guy with light brown hair and black-rimmed glasses. Sometimes he wears a bow tie.”

“Would you and Garret mind going with me to one of these parties and introducing me to some people?”

“We could probably do that. Let me ask Garret and I’ll let you know tomorrow.”

“You really have to ask him? You can’t just make a decision?”

His question really pisses me off, but I let it slide. “Garret might have plans for us. We haven’t talked about the weekend yet.”

“So he can make plans without telling you, but you can’t do the same?”

Okay, that’s just plain rude. He knows nothing about Garret or me and yet he’s making all these assumptions about our relationship. I glance at the door. “Where is everyone? Class should be starting now.”

“We’re not having class. Didn’t you see the sign? It’s cancelled. The profs sick.”

I turn to see a piece of paper taped to the glass on the door. I saw it when I walked in, but didn’t bother reading it.
 

“If you knew class was cancelled, why did you come in here?’

“To say hello and share my chocolate. You want any more?”

“No, thanks. I have plenty.” I shove my book in my backpack and get up to put my coat on.
 

“Since we don’t have class, do you want to show me around town? I haven’t even been off campus yet.”

“I don’t have a car.” I start walking out. “I’ll see you later.”
 

Carson catches up to me. “I have a car. We can take mine.”

Okay, maybe Carson
is
trying to date me, given his repeated insistence that we spend time together.
 

“That’s probably not a good idea,” I say as we leave the building.

“Why? Because your boyfriend would get mad?”
 

“It’s just not a good idea. Besides, this is a really small town. It’s easy to find your way around.”

He walks with me across the open quad toward the dorms. He’s quiet now and I’m sure he’s thinking Garret is a controlling jerk. But if it were the other way around, I wouldn’t want Garret showing some girl around town.
 

“Jade.”
 

I turn back and see Garret walking up to me, with Carson standing right beside me. Great.
 

“Why aren’t you in class?” Garret asks me.

“The professor was sick so it’s cancelled.”

“Hey, Garret,” Carson says. “Good to see you again.”

“Yeah.” Garret nods at him, then focuses back on me. “Are you two headed somewhere?”
 

Before I can answer, Carson does. “Jade’s going to show me around town.”
 

Garret looks at me, waiting for me to deny it, but I’m too stunned to say anything. I can’t believe Carson just lied like that!

“Then I guess I’ll see you later.” Garret takes off across the quad.

“Garret, wait.” I race after him. “He’s kidding. I’m not showing him around town. I don’t even have a car.”

“We’re taking my Jeep.” Carson is next to me again. This guy is really pissing me off. “You want to come with us, Garret?”

“Nope. I’m busy.” Garret stares straight ahead, walking so fast it’s practically a run.

When we get to the dorms, I follow Garret to ours while Carson goes to the building next to us.
 

“We’ll just do the tour another time,” Carson calls out to me. “See you guys later.”

I follow Garret up to his room and try to explain. “I swear I was not going anywhere with him. The guy is crazy. He made all of that up. I told him I couldn’t show him around.”

Garret sets his backpack down. “Couldn’t or wouldn’t?”

“What’s the difference?”

“Couldn’t implies you won’t go with him because I won’t let you. Wouldn’t implies it’s your choice. That you didn’t
want
to go with him.”

“I
didn’t
want to go with him, so stop making this into something it’s not. I had a talk with him and told him how my free time should be spent with you, not some other guy.”

“And what did he say?”

“He thinks you’re being a possessive boyfriend. And he said that he’s not trying to date me. He just wants to be friends.”

“I really don’t like that guy.” Garret strips his jeans and t-shirt off and starts sifting through his drawers.

“He’s not that bad. I think he’s just lonely. His girlfriend dumped him. He’s at a new school. He’s really far from home.” I go over and stand behind Garret while he tries to find whatever he’s looking for in his dresser. “I was thinking we could introduce him to some people. That way he’d make new friends and leave me alone.”

“What are you suggesting?” He turns back, wearing only his tight, black boxer briefs. He’s so damn hot. Broad shoulders. Strong arms. Ripped muscles running the length of his v-shaped torso. How could he even think I’d be interested in someone else?
 

I rub my hands along his abs. I can’t help it. They’re begging to be touched. “I was thinking we could go to a party on Friday night. Introduce him to some people, like Decker, and some of the other guys you know.”

Garret takes my hands off his abs and holds them in front of him. “You hate parties.”

“I was thinking about that and I think we should go to a few this semester. I mean, it’s part of the whole college experience, right? And you like parties. You used to go to them all the time. It’s not fair you don’t go anymore because of me.”

“I don’t need to go. I’ve been to plenty of parties in my life. They’re pretty much all the same. It gets boring after a while. Plus, you hate being around all that alcohol.”

“I’m better with it now that I know what really happened to my mom. I’m not saying I’ll drink, but I’m not afraid to have it around me, especially if you’re with me.”

He lets go of my hands and sighs. “So you’re making us go to a party because of Carson. A guy who’s trying to date you. A guy I can’t stand.”

“You don’t even know him. And it’s just one party. We’ll introduce him to people and then we’ll leave.” Garret looks so freaking good I just have to touch him again. I wrap my arms around him and kiss his bare chest. He smells good, too. “Plus once Carson sees us together and realizes how in love we are, he won’t even consider trying to date me.”

“Yeah, right.”

“So will you go?” I look up at him and smile.

“You seem to really want to do this, so yes, I’ll go.”

“Do you know where the parties are this weekend?”

“Decker’s been texting me asking me to go to the one on Beech Street. I’ll text him back and tell him we’re going. But that guy, Carson, is driving himself. We’re not taking him.”

“That’s fine. I’ll tell him. Thanks for doing this.” I reach up and kiss him. “By the way, why are you undressed?”

“I’m going to the gym to work out. I was trying to change clothes, but someone’s making it very difficult.” He kisses me. “It’s like that someone doesn’t want me to get dressed.”

“I think you’re right.” I tug his boxers down. “I have to get ready for my next class, so can we do this in 10 minutes?”

“Ten minutes, huh? That’s not much time.”

“Then I guess I’ll see you later.” I turn and start to walk off.
 

He grabs my wrist, laughing. “Get back here. Ten minutes is more than enough time.”

The next few days go by with far less Carson drama. When I see him at class I consider confronting him over that stunt he pulled with Garret but decide to let it go. He’s been walking around campus with some blond girl, so maybe he’s found someone to date.