33. Tori
33
TORI
“So, how’s the hot baseball player?” Hailey asked. The little coffee shop was empty except for Mia at the counter. “And don’t you dare answer in terms of tutoring.”
I couldn’t help smiling at that. “He’s doing really well.”
Hailey smacked me. “You’re talking about tutoring, dammit.”
“I am, but it’s true.” Now that Kyle was actually putting effort into the papers he wrote—and now that he had an awesome tutor—he was improving faster than I’d ever imagined.
“Come on, give me some details,” Hailey pleaded. “He took you on the date to that… you know, that place, and you both looked amazing.” So far, she’d done a good job of not directly referencing the secret club from the other night. I still didn’t know what the hell that place was, but it had been an amazing evening with Kyle.
I took a sip of my chai tea. I’d been here enough either by myself or with Jayden that Mia knew exactly how I liked it. “He’s a friend…but… yeah, he… wow. He knows how to treat a woman on a date.”
“He couldn’t keep his eyes off you,” Hailey said.
“Isn’t that what’s supposed to happen on a date?”
“Good ones, yes, but the women there were all dressed up in the most unbelievably gorgeous evening gowns, and he never tore his eyes away from you.”
I grinned. “You were one of those gorgeous women. You looked incredible. Did Grant buy that dress for you?” Hailey was on a scholarship just like me and had very little money to spare.
“Something like that.” Hailey looked at the partially eaten scone in front of her.
“Grant looked so damn good, too. You two look good together—in spite of the height difference. And now I finally know which one of your handsome roommates you’re dating! I thought it was Ian.”
“You—what? Ian? Why?”
“I don’t know, but when I stayed at your place, he was the one on the sofa, so I figured that he might be keeping you warm at night when you didn’t have me crashing at your place.”
Hailey giggled. “Keeping me warm at night? He’s not a heating pad. Or a cat.” She smiled. “We’re thinking of getting one, though. A cat, probably, but Theo wants a dog.”
“Can’t you just steal one of the ones you pet sit?”
“I think that’s frowned on.”
Leaning back in my chair, I took a bite of muffin. “I’m glad you’re so happy there. Especially after what happened over the summer. But—shouldn’t you and Grant be looking for your own place? I know it’s soon, but you seem so happy with him.”
Hailey’s eyes unfocused, and I wondered what memory she was recalling that made her cheeks turn pink before she snapped back to the present. “I love living in that beautiful condo.”
“Yeah, it’s really nice. But don’t you and Grant need some privacy without Theo and Ian there?”
My friend took a deep breath. “I’m not with Grant.”
“What?” The word came out louder than I’d meant it to. “You two looked so good together, and he had his hands all over you and?—”
“I’m with all three of them.”
I stopped dead, staring at my friend, wondering if I’d heard wrong. At least, I exclaimed, “Holy shit.”
“Holy shit!” a voice echoed.
We both spun around to find Mia behind the counter, her hands clamped over her mouth. “I’m so sorry!” Her sound was muffled between her fingers. “I wasn’t trying to listen!”
I’d completely forgotten about her. From the look on Hailey’s face, she had, too. It was just so quiet and private down here, or so it had felt like a moment ago.
“I should’ve gone in the back room when you started talking about that stuff,” Mia said, looking anguished. “Please don’t tell my manager.”
To my surprise, Hailey was taking this in stride. “It took me months to admit this to Tori, so there’s no danger of me telling your manager.”
Mia’s eyes were still wide. “No, that I was eavesdropping,” she said earnestly.
“I believe my friend is kidding,” I said, and Hailey nodded. “But please don’t tell anyone.”
“Of course not.” Mia still looked stricken, as if she’d broken doctor-patient confidentiality or something.
“I’m glad you told me.” I patted Haileys’ arm. “And you can trust Mia.” She was Jayden’s friend, but she was rapidly becoming mine as well.
Hailey took a deep breath, then turned to Mia, who looked worried that Hailey might throw the rest of her scone at her. “Well, come on over.”
“What?” Mia squeaked.
“You can’t hear that much and not hear the rest.”
I gaped at my friend. The version of Hailey sitting before me today was far more confident and self-assured than the one I’d first met. But was she really with all three of those hot-as-hell men?
“Come on.” Hailey waved Mia over. After a long pause, Mia grabbed a water bottle and came over to sit on the other side of me.
When she was settled, I turned to Hailey. “How long has it been like that?”
“Since before we moved in together. That’s why we moved in together.”
I was just so floored. “And… it’s working?”
“It’s incredible. I love them all.”
“Three men?” Mia finally ventured faintly. “Is that—is that something women do these days?”
Hailey shook her head. “It had never crossed my mind before I met them. But they’re all just so amazing, and they’re best friends, and it all just kind of worked out.”
It was still hard to wrap my head around—even though I’d had both Kyle and Jayden kiss me at the same time in the library. “Like… you all are in a real relationship? Like for the long haul?”
“I think so. It sure feels that way to me. We’re already talking about what we’re going to do after graduation.”
Wow. “You’re making plans together?” I asked.
“Yep. I know it sounds strange, but it works for us. It’s… I never expected anything like this, but it’s wonderful.”
“I’m glad you’re happy. And that you told me.”
“Me too,” Mia said, and then she blushed. “I mean, I’m glad you’re happy too, even though you didn’t mean to tell me.” She paused, shaking her head. “I still can’t believe that this is a thing that women our age do. Not judging! I’d just never heard of it before.”
“I hadn’t either, but maybe it’s a little more common than we know?” Hailey pondered.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
Hailey shot me a look as if I was being obtuse. “Well, you live with three men, too.”
“That’s totally different,” I said over Mia’s gasp. “It was just because I needed a place to stay.”
“Yeah, and now there are four of you in a two-bedroom house, if I’m not mistaken. Is Kyle the only one you’ve been on a date with?”
My mouth shut as Mia stared at me. “I thought maybe you were with Jayden. I mean, he sure talks about you a lot.”
“We’re friends,” I said. At least friends who sometimes slept next to each other or had long, intimate conversations while pressed against each other on a hammock.
“And are you… friends with the other two guys?” Mia asked, her eyes wide.
“Yes.” I held up a hand before either of them could say anything. “But it’s not the same. We’re just roommates. And even if I wanted them to be more, it’s not like your guys, Hailey. Two of them hate each other.”
“Oh. That sucks,” Hailey said. “And it must make things uncomfortable at their house.”
I nodded. I hated the way Lucas and Kyle argued, but other than that, I really liked spending time with all three of them.
Hailey turned to Mia. “So, what’s your story? Are you by any chance living with a bunch of hot guys?”
Mia laughed. “Definitely not. I share a room with my sister, Sara. Although that’s only for two more weeks. I don’t know much about what happens after that.”
That was such an odd statement that I had to know more. Maybe that was okay, though, since she already knew some very private things about Hailey and me. “What do you mean?”
“Ever heard of the Stepping Stones program they have here?” Mia asked.
Hailey scrunched her nose as she thought. “I think I’ve heard of it. It’s for new students, right?”
“Yes. It’s a six-week program, and they provide extra support, like workshops, special advisors, and extra academic help. Sara and I are part of it because we grew up in the foster care system, so, you know, we moved around a lot and couldn’t always put school first.” She sighed. “That’s why I went to a community college last year—both to save up money and also try to strengthen my academic skills.”
I wasn’t quite sure what to say to that. Mia had mentioned before that she’d had five different foster moms. I didn’t know about the rest of her family. “That’s great that you and your sister are in it together. I didn’t really make any friends here until I met Hailey last year.”
“Yeah, it’s been wonderful.” Mia’s eyes lost their focus, and I could sense a ‘but’ coming. “But… well, it’s been a while since I lived with Sara. We were placed with the same family for three years, starting when I was twelve and she was eleven. But then they adopted a pair of younger kids, and we got split up.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Hailey murmured, and I nodded.
“We were so excited when we both got into Langley and into the program. And it’s great being her roommate, but… well, it’s been about four years since we last lived together, and things feel a little different now.”
“How so?” I asked.
Mia shrugged it off. “It’s probably normal. I mean, we’re at college now, we’re adults. I can’t expect it to be like when we were younger and swapped makeup tips. Or stayed up all night talking about boys.”
Hailey grinned. “Well, now you can talk about boys with us, too.”
Mia’s smile lit her face up. “That’s right, I can. Although I really want to see pictures of all of your roommates. They sound hot.”
“They are.” I grinned.
“I mean, I already know Jayden is,” Mia said. “Not that I’m interested in him! It’s just, you know, I have eyes.”
“I understand.”
“Wait, you said that Stepping Stones program is for six weeks. So what happens when it’s over?” Hailey asked.
“Depends on each participant’s circumstances, actually. But Sara and I already have a place to stay. There’s a rich alumnus who was in foster care for a while when he was a child, and he purchased a house and lets six to eight former foster kids live there for free each year.”
“Oh wow, that’s great,” I said. “So maybe you will have a bunch of hot guys as roommates. And your sister, of course.”
Mia shrugged, but a smile played across her face. “I guess it’s possible? I have no idea, actually.”
“But haven’t you met your future roommates through this program you’re doing?” Hailey asked.
“No, Sara and I are the only ones who are going to live there after the program ends. Then we’ll meet the others, I guess.”
“Well, I hope you and Sara get along great with your new roommates, whether they’re hot guys or not,” Hailey said. Now that she was living out her own personal happily ever after, she seemed interested in everyone else’s love lives.
And Mia definitely deserved happiness, too. “I’ll drink to that.” I raised my cup.
Mia smiled. “Yeah. Me too.”