2. Bridgette #2
“Fine. But you better text me the details for the party,” one of the girls says, punctuating her words by poking Bran’s chest with her stiletto nails.
“Absolutely,” he says, nodding his head as he squints.
I better drag him out of here before he gives away all of his tells. Luckily, though, I don’t have to drag him away. One of them squeals, pointing toward the fountain. “Lanza! Is that you?”
My brother’s smile is blinding. “That’s definitely Jake Lanza,” he tells the girls. “I heard a bunch of the baseball team was moving in today.”
By the time he’s finished with his sentence, the girls are long gone.
“You know you don’t have to give me a tour of campus, right? And I don’t have much more to unpack, so if you want to join your buddy Lanza?—”
“That guy’s a douchenozzle. And of course I’m gonna give you a tour and buy you a coffee and help you unpack.
I’ll probably put everything away in the wrong place, and it’ll take you a week to find everything.
How much fun is that? It’s like a personalized scavenger hunt.
” He laughs before sobering. “I’m so damn glad you’re here, Birdie.
I was afraid she’d pull some passive-aggressive bullshit and talk you into staying.
“She tried. And, as usual, Dad ignored it and pretended things were fine. But there’s no way I was staying.
I feel bad for Brody, but they ignore him, the lucky duck.
But you still need to have a life. Don’t put your whole social calendar on hold just because I’m here.
I’m a big girl who can make my own friends.
Plus, my orientation went well today. Everyone seems nice.
I’ll make friends. You don’t have to babysit me. ”
Bran rolls his eyes as he opens the door to the coffee shop.
“Out of the two of us, I’m definitely the one who needs a babysitter.
And don’t yell at me. You never set a house on fire.
Besides, my social life is the same as it was all summer.
I hang out with JT, just like always. Well, I also hang out with Maggie and Viv, now, too. ”
I stop scanning the menu to quirk an eyebrow at Bran. “The baby’s name is Calla, not Viv.”
My brother gives me a side-eye. “Well aware. My niece is named after me, you know.”
That’s debatable, but it’s also a landmine. “Who’s Viv? Did JT and Maggie get a dog?”
His laugh rings out through the coffee shop. “Holy shit, Birdie. We are never telling Viv you thought she was a dog. Actually, she might like that. She’d be a cross between one of those floofy dogs who wear hair bows and a pit bull.”
“That’s quite the combination,” I say, my eyes wide.
“You’re telling me,” he says, a faraway look in his eyes.
It’s not a zoned-out stare, either. It’s…
wistful? Does my brother have a crush on someone?
A floofy, bow-wearing pit bull? Before I can pry further, he’s placing our order and chatting up the barista.
She’s a cute blonde with well-hydrated ends.
Hmmm… Bran’s so damn friendly it’s hard to tell when he’s flirting or just talking.
But this is a mystery for another day because it’s time for my campus tour.
Bran hands me my white chocolate cinnamon latte. “What’s your first class?” he asks.
“Psych in Crowder Hall,” I say, reading from the schedule on my phone. “Nealon is the prof. Have you heard anything about them?”
He shakes his head. “Nah, but I can ask around. Somebody on the team has probably taken that class at some point.”
I spot a sign for Crowder Hall as we approach the library entrance. “It’s up ahead, and I’ll be fine if you want to head back. Shouldn’t you be bonding with your teammates or swimming in your pool?”
“My team,” he scoffs.
The tone in his voice has me stopping in my tracks. “Yeah. The hockey team you love? Your roommates? Your friends? Did something change drastically since yesterday?” I ask, teasing him.
My usually energetic brother looks serious. “Actually, yeah. Coach recruited two transfers. They’re the second-fucking-coming, apparently. Just what we need for an epic season. The new D-man is just as big as Santos and a fuck of a lot faster. And the center’s every bit as good as Will was.”
“Okay,” I say slowly. “Those sound like good things?”
“They’d be fucking great if the new guys weren’t total assholes,” Bran grumbles.
“You just met them. How do you know they’re assholes? Besides, you like everyone,” I say, looking for the next class on my schedule.
“We know them. It’s Dickhead and Blueballs, the guys I fucking hate from Woodcock. Okay, I don’t technically hate Balls, but he’s guilty through his association with Dick.”
I nearly drop my precious latte all over the sidewalk. “Dick and Balls are your new teammates?!” I’ve known about these guys since Bran started at BU. He loathes them, especially Dick. That guy’s a complete asshole. He tries to get my brother ejected from every game.
“Yep,” Bran says. “So I’m giving you the tour, and we’re taking the long way. Then I’m helping you unpack, and then we’re hitting Wolfie’s up for wings. The less time I have to spend with those two, the better.”
Normally, I’d hate to keep my brother from his friends and his house, but if Dick and Balls live there now, it’s not just a good idea. It’s a great one.