Chapter 7
CHAPTER SEVEN
Sitting across from my mom, I sipped my tea, my mind drifting again.
Last night, I remembered something slamming into my side, knocking me to the ground.
I know I hit my head, but I was certain I didn’t black out at that point.
I’d twisted to see what had hit me. There’d been an enormous dog staring at me, growling, with monstrous teeth and its eyes flashing an unnatural color.
That was when I’d realized it wasn’t a normal dog.
It was an enormous wolf. Then Rowan arrived and fought the wolf off.
That was the point I started to get light-headed and panicked.
There’d been something strange and different about Rowan. It had been hard to see since the light was out, but it looked like Rowan’s eyes were similar to the wolf’s. They’d been too bright. And I swear Rowan had growled like the wolf had. I shivered, not certain what had happened last night.
I lifted my hand, gently touching the cut on my forehead that had almost healed. I’d always healed quickly, but this seemed excessive.
“Laney,” my mom said, “are you even listening to me?”
“Sorry,” I mumbled. “I have a lot of studying to do. I’m just thinking about everything I need to get done today.”
She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Then perhaps you should stay in at night so you can study instead of prancing around with a boy.”
“Mom, I told you I wasn’t with Rowan last night.” At least not until the attack. But I couldn’t tell my mother about that.
Reaching across the table, she grabbed my hand, squeezing it. “Laney, I love you. I just want you to succeed here.”
I wasn’t so sure about that. I couldn’t help thinking she hoped I’d fail so I’d have to come home.
“You’re smart, responsible, and ambitious. Don’t throw your life away by partying or getting in with the wrong crowd.”
This was a conversation I’d heard many times in high school. “You know I’m not like that.” I’d never done anything bad in my life. I’d always respected my curfew and parents. It had never occurred to me not to obey them. Until now.
Something about what my mom had said didn’t sit right. “You don’t think you threw away your life by getting pregnant with me in college, do you?” My heart rate picked up at the thought of her blaming me for the way her life had turned out.
She released my hand. “No, of course not.” She took a sip of her coffee.
“While you definitely weren’t planned and you changed the course of my life, I am grateful for you.
I have a wonderful life, a loving husband, the perfect house, and a good job.
” She smiled. “When I learned I was pregnant with you, it forced me to grow up. You’re so much more mature at your age than I was. ”
The waitress stopped by our table delivering my mother’s crepes and my omelet.
“I’m sorry if you feel like I hover,” Mom said. “I just worry about you because I love you so much.”
“I know.” I took a bite of my omelet, wishing her love wasn’t so stifling.
Speaking of love, my mind drifted back to Rowan.
Not because I loved him. I mean, I didn’t even know him.
But last night, how he’d saved me and then taken care of me had been unexpected.
From my other encounters with him, I thought he hated me.
Then last night, he’d been kind, gentle, and thoughtful.
I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face.
Too bad he had a girlfriend. If he didn’t, I think I could easily fall for him.
He was smart, good looking, and attentive. All the things I craved in a man.
I looked outside again, at the truck across the street.
The guy sitting inside it looked a lot like Rowan.
If I hadn’t known he was going to see Em after he’d dropped me off, I’d think he followed me here.
Which was crazy. He wouldn’t do that. I meant nothing to him.
The strange physical reaction my body had when he was near had to be a result of me not having a boyfriend and apparently needing one.
Maybe I could find a guy to have a relationship with and have it be not that serious.
Then I could maintain my grades and keep up with my studying.
Ugh. I’d only been at school for a week, and I was already obsessing over guys, something I’d sworn I wouldn’t do.
I entered my room and flopped onto my bed, letting out a sigh. I had so much fun last night line dancing with the girls. The last thing I felt like doing now was studying.
Sarah came out of the bathroom. “You’re back,” she squealed, jumping on the bed next to me so hard I bounced. “I have so much to tell you.”
I pushed myself to a sitting position and leaned against the wall. “Spill,” I said, glad to take my mind off my own problems.
“George and I have been dating on and off for the past year. We haven’t been exclusive because I live in California.
” Sarah sat next to me on my bed. “When we got back to his place, he asked me to officially be his girlfriend. He doesn’t want to date anyone else.
” She had a dreamy smile and a far off look in her eyes, like she was in love.
“Did you say yes?” I asked, assuming she had.
“I told him I need to think about it.” Sarah put her head on my shoulder.
“Really?” That surprised me. “Why?”
“I like him,” she said. “I really do. But I’m not sure there’s a point in us getting serious.”
“If you really like him, isn’t it worth exploring a relationship?” I asked. Although, I was probably the last one who should be giving advice given my limited experience.
She shrugged, scooting to an upright position. “I’m going back to California after I graduate. I plan on going to grad school and living there.”
“Maybe he’d go with you?” I suggested.
“It’s just too much. I’m not looking for anything serious.”
“I get that.” I really did since I was in the same boat. “What are you up to today?” I asked as I stood and stretched. I needed to connect with Adan because we had to redo that dumb-ass lab for genetics.
“Studying.” Sarah slid off my bed and headed over to her desk. “What happened to your knee?”
I glanced down at myself. My knee looked a lot better than it had last night. The cuts were almost gone, and there was barely any swelling. “When Emily dropped me off, I was sort of attacked by a dog.”
“What?” Sarah screeched, her voice loud for the small space. “Why am I only hearing about this now?” she demanded, her hands on her hips.
“I just got here.” I grabbed lounge pants and a tank top from my closet, wanting to change out of this sundress.
“You shouldn’t have let me drone on and on about George.”
I quickly changed, then gathered my hair, putting it in a ponytail.
“Your head is scratched.”
It was a good thing she hadn’t seen me last night, especially since there’d been so much blood. “I’m fine. Rowan got there in time to scare the dog off.”
“What?” She plopped her hands on my shoulders. “Explain. I want details.”
I shrugged. “There’s not much to tell. Rowan met Em at her car. I guess he saw the dog come after me. He rushed over, scared the dog away, then he took me back to his place.”
“Why’d he do that? Take you back to his place, I mean.”
“The dog knocked me over, and I hit my head. I think I blacked out. Since you weren’t here, Em wanted someone to check on me throughout the night to make sure I didn’t have a concussion.”
“But Rowan took you back to his place?”
“Yes.”
“Was Emily there too?”
“No. She had training early this morning.”
“Where did you sleep?”
I fidgeted with the bottom of my shirt, not liking these questions. I felt like I was being grilled by my mom, not talking to a friend. “I slept in Rowan’s bed. He took the floor. Nothing happened.” I wanted to be clear about that, especially since she was friends with Emily.
Sarah turned, gathering her notebooks on her desk and shoving them into her backpack. After she zipped it up, she faced me. “Do you like him?”
“He has a girlfriend.” I picked up my laptop and sat on my bed.
“If he didn’t have a girlfriend, would you be interested in him?”
“Yes,” I said honestly. “But only because he’s gorgeous. I don’t know him. We haven’t really had a chance to talk.” So far our interactions had been…odd.
“Just be careful,” Sarah said, hoisting her backpack on her shoulders.
“Thanks. I appreciate your concern, but you have nothing to worry about.” There were times when I sensed something dangerous about him.
And the entire encounter with him and the dog still freaked me out.
There was more to it than he was letting on.
He wanted me to believe I’d tripped over a dog.
I know for a fact that wasn’t what happened.
“Good. I’m off to the library to meet with my chem study group. I’ll catch you later.”
Since this week had been so cloudy, I decided to sit at a table outside near one of the coffee carts instead of studying in the library like I usually did.
With my hand resting on my keyboard, I breathed in the fresh air, the sun warming my skin.
The beautiful weather made it easier to study my notes for my molecular biology class.
It annoyed me that this was only the second week of classes, and we already had a test.
“Hey,” Adan said as he sat next to me at my table. “Are you ready for the genetics lab today?”
I was glad we only had the lab once a week, even if it was on a Friday afternoon. “I will deal with that once I take my molecular bio test.” Which was in thirty minutes. He needed to leave me alone so I could study.
He pulled out his laptop. “I’ll prep for the lab so you don’t have to worry about it.”
How magnanimous of him. While I appreciated his help, I didn’t ask for or need it. Not having the time or energy to argue, I simply ignored him and went back to focusing on my notes.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Jacob get up from a nearby table and leave. He was so big it was hard to miss him.