Chapter 32
thirty-two
ASTRID
As dawn crept, I rolled out of Parker’s arms, having set my alarm for 5:30. While the hour was ungodly, I didn’t want to appear gone all night after last being seen with Parker. He rolled into a ball as I left. It made his long, lean body appear small.
I pulled my clothes on and snuck down the hall and stairs, scarred by my elevator experiences. I went back into my room silently and rolled into my bed for another hour before my next alarm. My roommate hadn’t caught me at this point. I woke for the last time at the din of my alarm. My roommate startled and rolled onto her side, pulling her pillow over. I went to use the loo and shower.
Parker and I had to wake early to bang on doors and get students to the university campus. The call time was 9:30, and they still needed to eat breakfast. Some would do worse than others. I tossed my panties aside, noting I bled a little. That was normal.
It was worth it—all of it.
Parker was lovely and caring. He snuggled me as if he enjoyed me. This time, he didn’t make me feel daft. It was embarrassing how much I felt right now—and the intense change in my emotions towards the boy I’d first assumed was an asshole .
Showered, quieted slightly, and ready to finish the day, I flew downstairs with my hair partially wet and pulled back in a braid. I found Parker eating. We were the first to arrive. I worried shit was about to get awkward.
“You… when did you?” Parker searched for words.
“About half five,” I answered. “Well, your half-five, not the Scandinavian half-five.”
“What?”
“You mean 5:30, as I now know. But Scandinavians mean it’s halfway to five- so 4:30.”
“How do you know that?”
“My mother was Danish. Lundhavn—where Rick is from—is the same way.”
He nodded, confused. “Are you padding for time? Because you needed worry. I’m… not expecting anything, Astrid. I just wanted to make sure I hadn’t offended you.”
“No,” I answered. “Not at all.”
“Good. And no one?—”
“No one was the wiser. My walk of shame was free and clear, and my roommate woke up as I left.”
He smiled and nodded.
“I’m going to get some food,” I said.
Breakfast options at the buffet were miserable, so I ordered a Belgian waffle and returned with a cup of coffee.
“No food?” Parker asked.
“I ordered a waffle—a la carte. I couldn’t eat anything up there.” I pulled a face. “Sorry. As you would like to remind me, I am a princess.”
He smiled slightly and shook his head. “I’ll grant you that the bacon was inedible, and the eggs were a bit soggy. I’m going to go start rounding students up.”
“I can?—”
“No, sit. Eat breakfast. Enjoy the waffle. I’ve got this.”
He left, shouting, “Don’t get stuck in a lift!”
“I will be fine in the lift! ”
Parker waved me off, giving me a chuckle. A few students trickled in over the next ten minutes, looking bright-eyed or hungover. There was no in-between. Left alone, I opened my laptop to scroll the news until my waffle arrived, slathered in butter with proper maple syrup on the side. I dug in as Parker returned.
“They’re on the move. Tomorrow will be worse. The night at the club is… tomorrow will be a rude awakening.”
“Are you going to da club ?” I joked.
“What do you think, Astrid?”
“Unlikely.”
“No, I intend to come back here and read.”
A pang of sadness hit. Part of me would have liked to go to the club even if it were a lousy disappointment, but he was right. We were the grownups. We had to behave.
“You wanted to go, Astrid?”
I shrugged.
“Did you ever get to go to clubs?”
“No, Parker. And don’t?—”
“I’m not judging you. Stop. Please don’t assume I think ill of you. In fact, after last night, I’d be the world’s greatest knob to criticise you. Well, either that or a fabulous liar. I’m not good enough at either for those designations. Do you want to go to the club?”
“Yes,” I winced. “But not alone. I cannot very well hang out with them, right? We’re the grownups.”
He let out a long groan.
“I may not stay out all that long and do not intend to get hung over, but I will attempt da club for you.”
I beamed, unable to hold back my excitement. “Thank you! Oh, we’ll have fun! I promise!”