He sits up, giving his eyes a rub before looking up to me. “Did you see Dad?”
I move to the side chair by the window, drop-down, and lay back. “I heard him in the office but thought better than to go in? You?
“No, when he came home he just went right to his office, and he’s been in there ever since.”
I let out a sigh. “Sounds about right, but that still doesn’t explain why you’re in my room.”
“Oh, I wanted to hear how things went with Velyn, but I must have fallen asleep waiting for you. Did you spend the night?” Chase asks with a little surprise in his voice.
“Yes, but relax, I slept on the couch,” I reply. “Apparently, even I can’t charm the pants off of Velyn Adler.”
Chase frowns. “If that’s the only reason you went there, I could’ve told you that it was a waste of time.”
Taking off one of my socks, I whip it at his head. “Calm down. I honestly did go there to talk to her. And how did you even know what I was up to? She mentioned a little birdie told her I might show up.”
“I overheard you talking to Garrin. I wasn’t going to try and stop you, but I figured I at least owed her a heads up,” he explains.
“Nice to know whose team you’re on—traitor.”
“So, I’m guessing since you slept on her couch, you didn’t piss her off enough to send you packing. Did everything work out like you wanted?” he asks.
I pull off the rest of my clothes, leaving myself only in boxers. “Chase, I’m exhausted. I promise I’ll fill you in on everything in the morning, and if I don’t, I’m sure your little bestie will.”
I could just kick him out of my room so that I could sleep in my bed, but I know to send him out there would be like sending him out into the wild. Who knows what he may encounter in the twenty feet he has to his room? Either way, as soon as I start to nod off, she’s there. Her bright eyes and beautiful smile causing sweet chaos in my head. Then I remember that she friend-zoned me—
Yeah, we’re most definitely going to have to rethink that whole situation, because Dylan Dandridge does not get friend-zoned.
Chapter 16 Velyn
When Chase sees me entering class, I can tell he’s ready to burst at the seams. I make my way over to him and before even letting me take a seat, he starts with the questions.
“Tell me everything. Did Dylan apologize? Did you make him grovel? Was he nice about it? Are you two going to be friends now—or more?”
I let out a chuckle. “Give me a minute to settle in and then I’ll tell you everything?” Chase waits patiently while I pull out my books then sit back. “Okay, so if you must know, there’s not much to tell. It went well and we came to a truce.”
“Nothing more?”
“Nope?”
Chase turns in his chair to face me. “Does that upset you?”
I pinch my brow in confusion. “What do you mean?”
Chase smiles softly. “Velyn, it’s okay to be open here. Hello, it’s me Chase, you know, your bestie…that’s what I’m here for. I see how he affects you. He only needs to be in the same room, and I don’t know…I guess the best way to describe it is that you almost seem like the weight of the world has been lifted off your shoulders. It’s magical, Velyn.”
I let out a slight titter. “You’re an amazing human being; you know that, right?”
“I’m guessing that means I’m on point with this then?” he asks.
“It means that once again, I’m in a place where everything’s out of my control. Chase, he may make me feel those things, but the reality is Dylan’s just not what I need right now. I have too many other things in my life to worry about, and he’d just be a distraction I can’t afford.”
Chase grabs hold of my hand, looking into my eyes. “You can’t afford not to welcome this distraction. Vel, when I said that I notice a change in you when he’s around, that same change, I see in him. Look, I don’t know if it’s a forever thing with you two, but it’s definitely a right-now thing. The chemistry or whatever they call it is there. Take it while you can, because who knows how long it will be before it happens again, or if you’ll ever get another chance.
“Chase, are you suggesting I date your brother?”
He shrugs and sits back in his chair just as the prof enters the room. “More like advising. Consider me the angel on your shoulder.”
“If you’re the angel, who’s the devil?”
Chase looks back to me, a smile on his face. “That’s something you’ll have to find out when you finally decide to start living life again.” The prof begins with the lecture, and Chase’s attention is now on her.
Start living life again—he’s got me there. Who knows, maybe he’s onto something.
After saying our goodbyes and promising to chat later, Chase heads to his next class, and I head to mine.
Walking through the quad, I don’t see Dylan at first, but when I do, he’s alone and almost seems out of place. My next class is on the other side of campus and takes me some time to get there, so I really don’t have time to stop and chat, but there’s something in the way he’s looking around that I just need to know.
I make my way over, standing just a foot away by the time he notices me.
“Velyn, hey.” The greeting sounds genuine and almost like he’s relieved.
I offer him a smile. “Hey, I
