Chapter 2 – Philip Underwood
Once we load Haley’s boxes into the back of my Ford pickup, her folks come downstairs to see her off. I hear more than a few sniffles from Haley and her mom. They’re really close.
“Please check in with me daily, honey,” Chrissy says as she hugs her daughter. “Keep me posted on how things are going.”
“I will,” Haley promises as she wipes the tears from her cheeks.
“Call me if you need anything,” her stepdad says. “I mean it, kid. You need money, you call me. If you need a ride, you call me.”
Looking like she’s on the verge of tears, Haley nods. “Thanks, Dave.” Her voice cracks. “You two take care of each other and enjoy the empty nest.”
I know they’re proud as hell of her. Not only was she the valedictorian of her high school graduating class, but she was also offered full scholarships to all of the top universities in the US.
But after debating long and hard, she chose a university right here in town. The same one Layla and Jasmine attend.
I’ll admit I was relieved she chose to stay in Chicago. I was dreading the idea of her moving away, but I would have supported whatever decision she made. How could I not? I wanted the best for her even if it meant I wouldn’t be able to see her often.
She passed on a free ride to Harvard, for crying out loud, and I have no doubt it’s because of me. I just hope she doesn’t come to regret her decision one day. It would gut me to be the one holding her back.
I help Haley up into the front passenger seat of my pickup, and my chest tightens at the sight of her teary eyes. This is an emotional moment for her—leaving the safety and comfort of her parents’ home and venturing out into the brave new world on her own.
Well, she won’t actually be on her own. She’ll have me, and I’ll probably smother her like an overprotective grizzly bear.
As Haley waves goodbye to her parents, I glance in the rearview mirror to make sure the others are behind us. They’re following us to campus in Jason’s car.
I reach for Haley’s hand and bring it to rest on my thigh. I brush the back of her hand with my thumb and marvel at how incredibly soft her skin is.
“You doing okay?” I ask as I observe her staring absently out the passenger window as we pass by the houses in her neighborhood.
She turns to me and smiles. “Yes, fine.”
I know a fake smile when I see one. “Hale, be honest, please.”
Her eyes tear up once more. “I didn’t realize it would be so emotional.”
“What? Moving out?”
She nods. “I’m leaving home. And even though they try to hide it, I know Mom and Dave are struggling with this. Last night, I heard my mom crying in the kitchen. Dave did his best to console her, saying everything would be all right, and that I had a good head on my shoulders, and I’d do fine.”
“They’re only thirty minutes away, babe. You can see them anytime you want. Just say the word, and I’ll drive you back here.”
As she turns her palm over and links our fingers together, I glance down at her pretty pink fingernails. For a moment, I envision those slender fingers on my body, stroking my chest, moving down to my—nope! Stop that right now and pay attention to the damned road.
I tighten my grip on the steering wheel as I shift in my seat to find a more comfortable position for a very inconvenient erection.
My problem is, if I so much as look at Haley, I get hard.
When I hear her voice, I get hard.
When she touches me, bam!
It’s like I have absolutely no control of my body’s reaction when I’m around her.
Focus, man!
On the drive to campus, we pass through a small shopping area right outside of the university grounds.
Three blocks later, we’re surrounded by ivy-covered brick buildings, cobblestone streets, and large expanses of green space filled with towering trees and park benches.
It’s a nice-looking campus. Picture perfect, just like on TV.
It’s also packed right now with literally thousands of students moving into their dorms for the start of the term.
I glance up at the names engraved on each dormitory building we pass until I spot hers. “Bronte, Hemmingway, Milton. Is this it—Faulkner Hall?”
“That’s the one,” she says, craning her neck to look out the window at a four-story building.
The street is jampacked with cars, trailers, and pickups as students move in. The fall term starts Monday, so Haley has the weekend to settle in before classes begin.
I luck out and find an open parking space right in front of her building.
Jason continues past us to a nearby visitor lot. Fortunately, he’s familiar with the campus. He’s been coming here with Layla for the past couple of years.
The girls managed to schedule a class together this term—American History. I’m glad. It means Haley will see her friends in class at least three days a week. And I’ll get to see her in the evenings and on weekends. I have a feeling I’ll be spending a lot of time on campus.
I glance out the passenger window at the red-brick building where Haley will be living for the next two years. It’s a requirement for unmarried students to live in campus housing for the first two years. Layla didn’t have to, as she was able to get a housing exemption on medical grounds.
Somehow, Jasmine also got a housing exemption for reasons only Liam’s eldest brother, and boss, Shane McIntyre knows. Shane picked up the phone, made a call, and Jasmine received a housing exemption.
But as for Haley? Despite her reservations about leaving home, I think she’s actually psyched about the idea of living on campus. She’s ready to spread her wings.
We get out of the truck, and I start unloading the boxes, stacking them on the sidewalk. The sidewalks are teeming with students pulling carts loaded with boxes and suitcases and crates. They’re mostly young, either right out of high school or in their early twenties.
When the university baseball team jogs by, I catch a few of the guys checking out Haley.
I can’t say I’m surprised. She’s—well, she’s hot.
Her dark hair is long—right now it’s up in a ponytail.
Her eyes are the color of dark chocolate.
Her lashes are long. Her face is a perfect, sweet oval.
She’s stunning. But what attracted me to her when we first met was her compassionate, gentle nature, and her brains.
The girl is smart as hell—hence the full scholarship.
I’m damn good at my job, but I’m no Einstein. Haley was literally the smartest student in her graduating class, and she’ll be headed to law school one day because she wants to be an attorney like her mom and stepdad.
I notice Haley standing on the sidewalk a few feet away talking to a guy, probably in his mid-twenties, brown hair, wearing khaki slacks and a white button-down shirt.
He’s holding a clipboard with the university’s logo on it, as well as an ID badge clipped to his collar.
He must be a university employee, probably one of the dorm monitors.
As he talks, she smiles and nods. Then she points at the building in front of us, and the guy makes a notation on his clipboard.
Haley says something to him, waves, and walks away, heading back toward me. The guy’s gaze lingers on her as she walks away.
I guess I’m going to have to get used to this—other men taking an interest in Haley. I certainly can’t blame them.
“Who was that?” I ask when she joins me at the back of the truck.
“Ryan. He’s one of the RAs for my dorm.”
“RA?”
“Resident advisor—he supervises students living in the dorm. He’s a grad student and works as an RA to cover his tuition. He asked me if I had any questions or needed help.”
“How nice of him,” I say, but I don’t think Haley picks up on my sarcasm. She’s too busy taking in the sights.
By the time I’ve got all the boxes out of the truck, the others catch up with us. The six of us carry all the boxes up to Haley’s dorm room in one trip.
Haley’s room, which she’ll be sharing with one other female, is on the third floor.
Thank goodness this old building has elevators.
I’d hate carrying all these boxes up two flights of stairs.
The hallways are crowded, and we have to wait for an available elevator, but eventually we make it to our destination.
“This is me,” Haley says as she checks her dormitory assignment using an app on her phone. “Room 317.” She grabs her keychain from her purse and unlocks the door.
We step inside and find the room currently unoccupied, but obviously, Haley’s roommate has already been here. She claimed the far side of the room.
Each side of the room is a perfect mirror image of the other.
Each roommate gets a twin bed set against the outside wall, and next to each bed is a nightstand with a reading lamp.
Between the nightstands are two very utilitarian desks, each with an office chair on wheels.
There’s one mini-fridge separating the desks, so I guess they have to share that.
Above each desk is a window that overlooks the green space.
On the opposite wall are two small walk-in closets—one for each student—and two dressers.
The room is bare bones, but it’s clean and functional. It’ll look homier once they decorate it.
“Where’s the bathroom?” I ask as I look around for another door. There isn’t one.
Haley grins. “We have to use communal facilities. There are bathrooms on each floor. The odd number floors are for the girls. The even number floors are for the guys.”
“Wait! There are guys in your dorm building? Are you serious?” I think my eyebrows have climbed into my hairline.
Haley laughs. “It’s not uncommon for universities to have co-ed dorms.”
I’m still having trouble understanding. “There are guys living in this building?”
Haley reaches for my hand. “It’s okay, Philip. It’s not a big deal.”
“Seriously?” I shake my head in disbelief. “How is that not a problem?”