13. Theo
13
THEO
“Who’s your friend?” I asked as I handed over the leash. The dog looked up at Hailey with unapologetic eyes, not knowing the panic he had caused her.
“Sunny,” she finally managed. Her face was red, and her hair was windswept. And neither of those things detracted from how gorgeous she was.
To give her a few more seconds to gather herself, I bent down to pat the dog. “Sunny, how could you do that to Hailey? You scared her to death.”
The dog held still for all of three seconds while I petted him, but then his attention turned to the other people on the sidewalk.
“Are you going to be a good boy for Hailey?” I asked.
“She’s a girl,” Hailey said, her voice sounding calmer. “And no, she’s probably not.”
Hailey tugged at the leash, and I fell in step with her as we walked back the way she’d come.
“So is this one of your many jobs? Dog walking-slash-chasing?”
She nodded as she kept a tight grip on the leash. “Pet sitting, yes. I also take care of a few cats and even a parrot when their owners are away.”
“That’s quite the mix. And I bet they’re all easier to deal with than the men of Rho Kappa Alpha.”
She laughed, shooting me a quick smile. “You could say that again.” Then her smile faded, and a shadow crossed her face.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes.” Her answer was too quick. “I just don’t want Sunny to get away again.”
The dog was walking calmly on the leash, but I understood that Hailey had a responsibility to keep her safe. I wondered if that was all it was.
Hailey stopped in front of a three-story apartment building. Sunny bounded up two steps and turned to look at us impatiently. “This is it,” Hailey said.
“Wow. Sunny lives here?” I’d passed by this building many times, but I’d never been inside. It was classic, built in the 1950s, and it had been well maintained.
“Yes. Listen, Theo, thank you again. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t been there.” In the sunlight, her tawny eyes showed flecks of gold, and her brown hair had hints of honey.
“Someone would’ve caught her eventually.”
Hailey shuddered. “But with the cross street right there—I don’t like to think of what might have happened.”
“Then don’t.” I put my hand on her shoulder, squeezing lightly. “Because it all worked out in the end.”
She looked away for a moment.
“Can I see Sunny’s home? I’ve always wanted to see the inside of this building.”
She looked up at me, hesitating like a babysitter wondering whether to sneak her boyfriend in with her. Finally, she nodded.
I followed Hailey and the dog up the stairs. Both were beautiful, but I had to admit that I spent a little more time watching the way Hailey’s legs moved as she climbed the stairs than I did Sunny’s.
When Hailey unlocked the door and stepped inside, I was immediately diverted by the condo itself. It was stunning, a perfect mixture of old-world charm and modern updates. The high ceilings made the space feel expansive, and tall windows let in streams of natural light that bathed everything in a warm glow. I walked into the living room, temporarily ignoring my two charming companions.
The furniture was light and bright—a mix of cream upholstery, sage green accent pieces, and polished wood. Paintings lined the walls, a mix of styles from what I could see. I hope to examine them more closely later.
Hailey let the Sunny off the leash, and the dog dashed into the kitchen. Then the unmistakable sound of a thirsty dog lapping up water reached us.
“This place is incredible. They did a really good job with the renovations.”
Hailey smiled, looking around the room. “I love coming here. It always lifts my mood to be in this room.” She moved forward and put her hand on the back of the sofa. “This condo… it’s kind of like my safe space and my happy place rolled into one.”
“I can see why. Have you been taking care of Sunny for long?”
“A couple of months. The owner is a professor, and she can’t come home to let Sunny out during the day.”
“Then I’d say the professor and Sunny are very lucky to have you.”
“Yeah, when I manage to keep hold of the leash.”
Before I could address that, she went into the kitchen, and I followed, watching as she changed Sunny’s water and put out fresh food. Sunny whined and danced in little circles when Hailey opened a foil bag of treats. She plucked one out but then caught my eye. “Want to give it to her?”
I really did. We’d had a golden retriever when I was a kid. He’d been a little darker blond than Sunny, but they seemed the same in temperament. “Sit,” I told the dog as I held the treat a foot over her head. “Sit…” I warned again as her butt lifted off the ground, her tail wagging so fast it was a blur. Then I relented. “Okay, here you go.”
Sunny plucked the treat out of my hand and swallowed it in two bites. Then she sat back down, and I gave into a very strong urge. I knelt down beside her, and she immediately rolled onto her back. It had been years since I’d given a dog a belly rub, but it was clear from Sunny’s contentment that I hadn’t forgotten how.
“She really likes you.” Hailey had a smile for both of us as she watched.
At long last, I straightened up, noting the blond hairs all over my clothes. That was another thing I remembered from having a golden.
Hailey walked back into the living room. “I guess we should be going.”
“Yep.” I took a long final look at the serene and airy space. “Are you headed back to the house? If so, we can go together.”
She stopped by the door. “Don’t you have class?”
“Not until this afternoon.”
“You go ahead then. You probably want to get lunch before your class.”
I gave her my most charming smile. “I can wait.”
She didn’t smile back. Her gaze flicked downward, and I spotted the tote bag on the ground. A tote bag I’d recently seen her carrying. “I have to do a few more things here, so you might as well go ahead,” she urged.
“I’ll wait,” I repeated.
A flash of frustration crossed her face, and then she nodded. With another quick glancing at the tote bag, she turned toward the door.
“Don’t forget your bag,” I said, lifting it up.
Her face paled as she looked back at me. “That’s not?—”
“It’s kind of heavy. What’s in there, a laptop? Maybe a textbook or two?”
I could practically hear her frantic thoughts as she considered what to say.
But then I cut in. I didn’t know why she’d lied to me, but I didn’t want her to do it again. “Here’s the thing.”
Her eyes widened slightly, like she was bracing for bad news.
“I saw you come out of Miller Hall before,” I said, keeping my voice even. “With a crowd of students. Very much as if a class had just let out.”
Her mouth opened, but only one word came out: “I—” She stopped and bit her bottom lip. “You followed me here?”
“I was headed in the same direction,” I corrected. “Then I stopped to get some coffee, and when I came out, much to my surprise, I saw you tearing down the street.”
Her shoulders slumped.
“Before you say anything else,” I continued, giving her a small smile to ease the tension, “please keep in mind that I’m studying architecture, and I’m fairly certain you weren’t just wandering around Miller for the aesthetics.”
“No,” she sighed, deflating a little. “I wasn’t.”
“You’re a student.”
“Yes.” She turned away, her movements restless as she paced toward the sofa. Her agitation showed that this room wasn’t currently feeling like her safe space, and I was sorry for that. But I also really wanted to know what was going on with her. She’d told us so little about herself, and it was obvious that she was facing some struggles this summer. Why else would she have moved into a frat house?
She stopped near the window, looking out as if the view might offer her clarity. “I didn’t mean to lie to you. I just didn’t want you guys to know.”
I moved to the other window, but I looked at her, not the view. “Okay, but can I ask why?”
Hailey looked up at me sharply, her expression intense. “Because I’m not supposed to be in this position.” The words tumbled out like she’d been holding them in too long. “None of the other students here work multiple jobs. Or any jobs. They don’t walk dogs or man a cash register or deliver late-night food orders.”
Her words made me feel both guilty and entitled. I’d done internships, but I certainly hadn’t needed to work while attending classes. “Have you done all of those things?”
“Yes. Until I had to sell my car.”
I studied her, trying to understand. She said she didn’t want anyone else to know, but what she was doing was admirable, not shameful. She wasn’t just hardworking—she was relentless. But there was also pain in her words, and I didn’t want to overlook that. “You did all those things during your first year here?” I assumed she’d be a sophomore in the fall.
“Yes.” She dropped my gaze, and I hated seeing her shrink into herself like that. Hailey was strong, but whatever she’d been through had clearly left scars.
I spoke gently. “It’s not a shameful thing, Hailey. It shows how dedicated you are to your studies if you made it through your first year while doing all that.”
She shook her head, her expression unreadable, like she didn’t believe me. I wanted to reassure her, but I also sensed that she wasn’t ready to hear it. “I didn’t want anyone else to know,” she said finally, “because it would mark me as different.”
“Is that so bad?” I didn’t want to dismiss her feelings, but I also wanted to challenge her a little. Different didn’t mean lesser.
“Yes! In a place like this, yes.” Her eyes drifted to Sunny, who was curled up in her dog bed, scratching an itch with her back paw. “The students here don’t like people who are different. And they can already tell. My clothes, my behavior, my accent—I already don’t fit in. Why give them one more reason to be sure of that?”
“There’s nothing wrong with your clothes, your behavior, and your accent,” I said, meeting her gaze directly. “In fact, I’m a fan of all three.”
She huffed out a bitter laugh. “But they mark me as different in a school where status is everything. Just look at your fraternity. It’s all about legacies and making connections with future leaders of America—and their rich families. Do you think those kinds of people are going to accept someone like me, someone with my background, as a peer? You know as well as me that they’d look down on someone who comes from a small town. Who’s the first person in their family to go to college. And who has to take a job as a maid just to have a roof over her head.”
I let her words sink in. She wasn’t wrong about some of the people at Langley—or my fraternity—but anyone who thought that way wasn’t being fair. Hailey deserved to be here just as much as anyone else, if not more. I processed her words, trying to think of the right thing to say.
“So you got a scholarship here?” I asked finally. She nodded. “One of the ones for Georgia residents?”
“Yes. But it doesn’t cover everything. Only tuition and fees. And not even those for the summer. I guess they figure most people in my position go home for the summer.” Her voice faltered, and I caught the glimmer of tears in her eyes. She blinked them away quickly, her expression hardening. She didn’t want pity, and I wasn’t about to let her see any. But I couldn’t help feeling a pang of sympathy—and admiration—for how much she’d endured.
“I’m sorry it’s been so hard for you. I can’t even imagine.” It was true. I’d never had to wonder where I’d stay the night. Never had to work multiple jobs just to keep my head above water. Though my family didn’t have quite the wealth and power of the Forsythes, we’d had everything we ever needed. And my parents had supported me every step of the way.
Hailey’s eyes were darker as she stepped out of the sunlight. “Sometimes, I wish I’d just gone to a state school.”
“Why?”
“Because then maybe I wouldn’t be that different. There have to be lots of students who work part-time and struggle to make ends meet at a state school. I wouldn’t be so different, so looked down on.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re at Langley. Why'd you choose it?”
She hesitated, then told me about the year she’d taken off after high school. How she’d worked tirelessly, saving every penny she could to make her dream a reality. And how she’d taken care of her grandfather after all those years of him taking care of her. And how he’d passed away at the beginning of the year.
“My grandpa always said that it was the best school in the country,” she said, her voice softening at the memory. “Every year, we’d drive up here, he’d treat me to lunch, and then we’d walk around the campus.”
“I bet you enjoyed that. The campus is beautiful—with the exception of Miller Hall.”
That earned me a small smile from her, and for a moment, the weight in the room seemed to lift. I got the feeling there were still some things she wasn’t saying, but I’d pried enough for one day. Catching the wayward dog had bought me some leeway, but I’d probably used it all up.
“I’m sorry about your grandfather.”
“Thank you.” We walked to the door together, and then she held out her hand for her book bag, which I still held.
But when she reached out like that, it gave me an idea. “Can I give you a hug?”
Her gaze met mine. “I don’t want your pity.”
I shook my head, taking a step toward her. “Is that the only reason a man might want to give a woman a hug? A beautiful woman who works harder than anyone I know?”
She looked torn. When she took the bag out of my hand, I thought she was rejecting my offer. But then she set it down and stepped into my embrace.
It was all too easy to wrap my arms around her slender body. To stroke her hair. To press her against my chest and hold her tightly. “Now does it feel like I’m pitying you?”
Her voice was muffled by my shirt. “I don’t know.”
How could I get through to her? When speaking plainly didn’t work, sometimes humor did. “Honestly, Hailey, if I were going to hug anyone out of pity, it would be Nelson. And then my clothes would smell like weed.”
She leaned back to look up at me as she gave a little laugh. Her smile seemed genuine as she traced a finger along the sleeve of my shirt. “And they’re really nice clothes.”
I grinned, glad she thought so, but I wasn’t wearing anything special today. Just a short-sleeve button down shirt and black faded jeans. “Thank you.” Her finger was now trailing along my bicep, making my skin sizzle from her touch.
Burying my fingers in her hair, I angled her face up. Her lips were so full. So warm-looking. I wondered what they’d taste like. I wanted so badly to dip my head down and find out. But her eyes—her eyes were still troubled.
She seemed content to stay where she was, pressed up against me. Her body was so warm. Her pink lips parted, and her voice was husky. “Theo, I—” She trailed off. Then she looked away. “I pity him, too.”
“Who?”
“Nelson. He’s always in his room—that can’t be much of a life for him.”
Why were we still on this topic? But I knew why… she was nervous. Nervous in a different way than when I’d revealed that I knew she was a student.
I smoothed her hair away from her face and put my finger under her chin, lifting until our eyes met again. “I'm definitely not thinking about Nelson right now.”
Her voice was low and rumbly. “Me either,” she whispered, and her eyes closed.
That was my cue. I pulled her in closer and noticed the faint freckles on her soft cheeks as I tilted my head down. Her hair smelled faintly of something sweet, maybe vanilla or coconut—I wasn’t sure, but it was her, and it was perfect. I slid a hand up to the back of her neck, my thumb brushing lightly against her skin there, and I felt her body shiver against mine.
When I met her lips, she stilled, and I could practically feel her hesitation. Though gorgeous, she struck me as a very inexperienced young woman. That wasn’t too surprising, given the hard knocks she’d had in her life.
Her warm little body was motionless for a long moment, but then she relaxed, leaning into me as some of the tension faded away. She slid her hands up my arms and then linked them behind me, drawing us closer. I angled my head slightly, deepening the kiss without rushing her, my hand in her hair. She tasted sweet.
She moaned, and the throaty sound made my cock jump in my pants. I teased her lips open with my tongue, letting my body take over and my mind still. Kissing her seemed like the most natural thing in the world.
After another long moment of bliss, Hailey nipped lightly at my bottom lip, and then I felt her lips twist into a smile. I pulled back, not because I wanted to, but because I didn’t want to overwhelm her. When I opened my eyes, hers were still closed, and I drank in the sight of her, with her cheeks flushed and her lips slightly swollen.
She was so fucking beautiful, and she didn’t even know it. I would’ve bet anything, with the hard life she’d lived, that no man had ever worshiped her body the way it deserved. The way I would if the circumstances were different.
Her dazed eyes opened, and she smiled up at me. Reluctantly, I let go of her, letting her take a step back. But I reached up and traced her lower lip with my finger.
She held my gaze, but she took a step back, catching her foot on her book bag. I grabbed her arms, steadying her. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.” Her voice was low and slightly hoarse. Then she smiled. “My day started off badly, but it’s getting better.”
That made me grin. “My day started off just fine, but then it got even better, too.” I picked up her bag and handed it to her. “Can I walk you back to the house?”
“Yes, please.” She sounded like a little girl accepting ice cream, and I wrapped my arm around her shoulder as we headed out.
The building still interested me, but now I had something much more fascinating to think about.