Tempting the Player (Campus Wallflowers Book 4)

“How are you feeling now that Grady is gone?” Violet asks as she brings the bottle of wine into the living room. Daisy and Dahlia are sitting on either side of me, forming a circle when Vi sits. The three of them stayed home tonight and their boyfriends are nowhere in sight. They’re definitely worried about me.

“Good. He needed to get back to his wife and it’ll be nice to walk around campus without it looking like my dad is following me around.” He stayed longer than he should have. Three weeks because he’s stubborn. I told him to go after one.

“But you’re not nervous about . . . everything?” Daisy asks, voice quiet.

Vi fills our half-empty glasses and sets the empty bottle in the middle of us. “They said your room was most likely a random drunk asshole, right?”

I nod. “Yeah.”

“So, there’s nothing to worry about?” Vi’s face wears a hopeful smile that I try to mirror.

“Exactly.” Which is what I told my parents. Besides, I can’t live my life afraid that something bad is going to happen at every turn.

“We’ve got your back.” Dahlia takes my hand and squeezes it. “One of us can stay with you at all times for a little longer, just to make sure.”

“Thanks.” I tilt my head to the side and rest it on her shoulder. “Not necessary, but thanks anyway.”

The four of us finish another bottle of wine while catching up. I don’t have much news that they don’t already know, but Dahlia tells us about her upcoming golf tournaments, then she and Violet talk about some of their design projects—they’re taking a production class this semester and get to put together an entire collection. It sounds both exciting and challenging. Daisy is drowning in homework and regretting being a double major. She got a second tattoo last month, another matching one with Jordan. They have his and her stick figures on their pinky fingers and now matching daisies on their ankles.

After that, the conversation turns to their boyfriends. And even though it’s been weeks since I’ve seen him, I can’t help but think of Hendrick.

It’s silly, considering I didn’t really know him that well, but I felt a spark with him. I haven’t felt that in a really long time. Maybe ever.

“I have a surprise.” Violet stands quickly and then sways. “Whoa. That last glass of wine hit me hard.”

She regains her balance and crosses the room to the front closet where she stores the beautiful gowns she creates. Throwing open the door, she turns back and smiles. “I made new dresses.”

The three of us get up and go over to the closet. One by one, she pulls out new dresses for all of us. For Daisy, a white dress with a tie in the front; she hands Dahlia a black strapless gown; for herself she keeps a cherry red dress with a deep V-cut; and for me a pale green dress with tiny straps and a square neckline.

“When did you have time to make these?” Dahlia asks, holding the dress up in front of her. She glances around at all of our dresses. “They’re all so beautiful.”

“Gavin’s been busy with basketball, and I thought we could all use a little pick me up.”

I hug her, taking her by surprise. It’s exactly what I needed. A night with my girls and an amazing new dress. “Thank you.”

She laughs it off. “You’re welcome. And it was fun. I want to make you a whole closet full of green dresses. All different shades. It’s your color.”

“I’ve never had friends like you three,” I tell them honestly. All the drama of the past month has me extra emotional and my eyes well with tears. “God, look at me. I’m a mess.”

“We love you, too.” Dahlia hugs me, then Daisy and Vi join in.

After trying on our dresses and another hour of girl talk, we head to bed. In my room, I stare at my bed. I replaced all the bedding, and the walls were painted to cover the graffiti, but it still doesn’t feel the same. My happy college bubble has officially burst.

I turn off the light and walk to Dahlia’s room. She smiles when she sees me, then tosses me a pillow.

“You’re the best,” I say as I take my spot on her floor. She built a pillow fort for me last semester because I kept crashing in her room. Then, it was because I wanted to stay up all night talking. Now I just don’t want to be alone.

“Are you kidding? I love a slumber party.”

I yawn as I settle into the blankets and pillows laid out for me. “I might be the first asleep tonight.”

She flips off the light and then climbs into bed. We’re quiet for a bit as we each get comfortable.

“Are you really okay with Grady being gone?” she asks.

“Yeah,” I say, letting some of my unease come out with the single word. “Nothing else has happened.”

“What about the stalker guy? You said your parents had a few weird packages and some threats. Do you think he’s behind any of it?”

“Outside of liking one of Ivy’s posts, no.”

“Oh right, I forgot about that. That’s really creepy that he’s still following you.”

“Super creepy,” I admit. “But I don’t think he’d come all the way to Valley to write bitch on my bedroom wall. That doesn’t fit with any of the other stuff that happened with him.”

“What did happen? You haven’t really said, other than he got clingy.” She lays on her side at the end of the bed so I can see her.

“We met at an audition. He was fun and part of the whole L.A. acting scene, which was nice. And he was older, so he knew a bunch more people.”

“How old?”

“He was twenty-two at the time. I was seventeen.”

“Did you date or hook up?”

“No. We kissed once, but mostly we just went to parties together. After a couple months I wasn’t really feeling it. To be honest, I didn’t really think he liked me that much either. He seemed totally cool with it when I told him I thought we should stop seeing each other, but then he kept popping up everywhere I went. It got creepy. He’d even drive by my parents’ house at odd hours like he was checking to see if I was there.”

“That’s super creepy,” my friend says.

“Yeah. Then I started getting random texts and DMs from weird spammy accounts. I couldn’t prove it was him, but I think it had to be.”

“Super, super creepy,” she reiterates. “How’d you get him to stop?”

“I filed a restraining order.”

“No shit?”

I nod. “I ended up withdrawing it before we went to court. All I really wanted was for him to leave me alone.”

“Wow. I had no idea it got that bad.” She yawns. “Is he still big in the L.A. scene?”

“Yeah. His career took off a couple years ago.”

“Would I have heard of him?”

My teeth sink into my lower lip. The articles about it never named him or gave enough details for people to piece together what had really happened. The only reason anyone had any information is because I cancelled some appearances and my agent thought if my fans knew why, they’d be more forgiving. “Yeah.”

“Who is it?” Dahlia’s eyes widen in the dark room.

“Clint Abrams.”

“No way!” She sits up in bed. “He’s dating Penelope Hart now and he’s in that new Marvel movie coming out.”

“What?” I sit up so fast I get lightheaded. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah. They were spotted making out at some after-party last week.” She pulls out her phone and finds the pictures before handing it to me.

My stomach clenches at the sight, and I quickly hand it back. “I can’t believe it.”

Penelope has always seemed so smart. I’m surprised she didn’t see right through him. Then again, I hadn’t.

“Maybe he’s changed.” Dahlia yawns again. “I can’t imagine Penelope dating him if he’s all creepy stalker.”

I lay back down, head spinning with this new information. “Maybe so.”

My head is pounding when I wake up.

“Morning,” Dahlia says, voice groggy as she shuts off her alarm.

“Uhhh. I was overserved.”

She laughs. “Violet doesn’t let anyone’s glass get empty, that’s for sure.”

She gets up and flips on the light. “What’s your schedule like today?”

“You don’t have to check up on me all day, really. I’m going to be fine.”

A sheepish look crosses her face as she finger combs her blonde hair into a low ponytail. “I know, but I still want to keep tabs on my bestie.”

I sigh and get up from my cozy pillow fort. “I have two classes this morning, and then a break until my two o’clock class this afternoon.”

“We can walk to campus together this morning. Do you want to come to breakfast with me and Felix?”

“And half the football team?”

She grins wide. “Not half the team, just like a handful of them.”

“Sure. What better way to recover from a hangover than being around a bunch of loud, cocky guys?”

She snorts.

“Do I have time to shower?”

“If you’re quick. We need to leave in thirty minutes. Hustle, hustle.”

I leave her to shower and get ready, and then we make the short walk to campus. The skies are gray today and the wind makes me wish I’d worn something more than a sweatshirt.

By the time we get to the dining hall, my fingers are red and frozen. I sit down at the table across from Felix while Dahlia sits beside him.

He kisses his girlfriend, then smiles at me. “Hey, Hannah Montana.”

“I’m too hungover to deal with you today, Walters.”

He laughs as he tosses a hunk of muffin into his mouth. “I heard you four got into some fun last night. And my bed was real lonely.” He kisses Dahlia again. They make out long enough that people all around are looking at them. My friend is blushing when they break apart.

“You two are gross and adorable.” I shove a big spoonful of cereal into my mouth.

“Weird combination,” he says back, not at all fazed by me.

Lucas and Teddy, plus Felix’s sister, Holly, are all already at the table. A few minutes later we’re joined by Brogan and Archer. As soon as I see the latter, my heart squeezes.

“Hey, Jane,” he says and offers me a smile that’s both apologetic and pitying.

“Hey,” I parrot back and smile in a way I hope communicates that there’s no need for his apology or his pity. I’m fine. Better than fine. I’m also a liar.

I stay mostly quiet during breakfast. The guys are talking football and parties, and probably other things I tune out. My head still feels like a marching band has taken up residence inside it.

As the time inches closer to eight o’clock, the dining hall starts to empty. Teddy and Holly are the first to leave, followed by Lucas. Dahlia and Felix are in their own little world.

“How’ve you been?” Brogan asks. “Haven’t seen you around lately.”

“I’m good. Busy with school and stuff.”

“That’s cool.” He bobs his head. His phone vibrates on the table in front of him and he picks it up and concentrates hard on whatever text or notification came in.

I glance up and meet Archer’s eyes for the first time since he sat down. I smile again at him, then quickly look down and pretend like all the food on my plate is extra interesting.

I’m thankful when it’s time to go. I like Archer but it’s still too weird being around him. He catches up to me as I’m dropping off my tray.

“I’ll see you around,” I say brightly.

“Yeah. I’ll see you around.” He hesitates, then says, “He’s still here. In case you were wondering.”

“Who?” I ask, and I’m genuinely confused at first because I never even considered that Hendrick was still in Valley.

“My brother. Hendrick hasn’t left town yet.”

“Why not?” A little bite works its way into my tone.

Archer shrugs one shoulder. “He keeps saying he’s going soon, but . . .”

For some stupid reason I feel like crying again. Stupid wine that gave me this stupid hangover. Stupid drama that has me all emotional and hypersensitive. Stupid, stupid, stupid. “I wasn’t wondering. I mean, he can be wherever he wants. It doesn’t matter to me.”