Diamonds, стр. 30

Gates closed his eyes and ran a hand back through his hair. “We should go. I should take you back to campus.”

“But I’m having so much fun!”

He moved her to a lounge chair and sat her down. “I’m going to let Eric know we’re leaving. Don’t move your crazy ass out of this seat.”

“Or you’ll spank it?” she asked, giggling.

“Just don’t move it, okay?”

As soon as he walked away, she pulled out her phone and dialed Jude’s number.

He answered groggily, “Bri?”

“Jude! Oh my God, I miss you.”

“Are you drunk?” he asked.

“No. Okay, maybe.”

He sighed. “Where are you?”

“Las Vegas,” she told him. “I fucking love this city.”

“Are you safe? Is everything okay? Do I need to come out there and get you?” He was gradually growing more fearful.

“No, don’t worry. I’m with Gates. He’s taking care of me,” she said completely nonchalant.

“Who the hell is Gates?” Jude asked. His voice shifted to something dark that she didn’t recognize in her state.

“My ex-boyfriend, but don’t worry. We’re just friends now.”

“You are in Las Vegas with your ex-boyfriend…instead of in Los Angeles with me?”

“Yeah. But I’m visiting LV State, and Eric Wilkins is here!”

“Bri, what the fuck is going on with you? You’re with your ex and a college football player? Do you even know what those guys are like?”

“It’s not like that,” she insisted. “We’re just having a good time.”

“I know guys like him and their idea of a good time,” he said menacingly.

Gates walked back over right then. “Bri, what the fuck are you doing? Get off the goddamn phone.”

“Who is that?” Jude asked.

“That’s Gates. Here, talk to him!” She handed the phone off to Gates and flopped back on the lounge chair.

Gates took the phone out of her hand and stared at it before answering, “Hey, man. I’m sure this sounds really bad, but I’m just taking your girl back to her room, so she can sleep.”

After a few seconds, Gates responded again through gritted teeth, “Yeah. I understand you perfectly.” He hung up the phone and tossed it back into Bryna’s purse. “Let’s go.”

“Is Jude coming?”

“No,” he said, putting his arm under her shoulders and helping her up.

“Can Eric come?”

“You’re not his type.”

“But why? I thought I was everyone’s type.” She squinted up at him, and then her eyes went wide. “Oh my God, is he gay? Is that why he never made a move?”

“Yeah. Sure.” Gates shrugged. “Let’s get you back to campus. Now, Bri.”

“Will you stay with me?” she asked, leaning her head against his shoulder.

He closed his eyes and sighed, clearly restraining himself. “Yes.”

“You’re the best,” she told him before blacking out.

Bryna woke up with a headache from hell.

She sat up in bed and felt her stomach roll. “Oh God,” she groaned, covering her mouth. She stood up as quickly as she could, tripped over something on the floor, and stumbled into the wall.

“Jesus, Bri,” Gates grumbled from where he lay on the floor.

She didn’t even respond. She rushed to the bathroom and emptied her stomach. After a few minutes of retching, she stood on uneasy feet, brushed her teeth, and wandered back into the room. She felt like absolute shit.

“What are you doing on the floor?” she groaned. She collapsed back into bed.

“Because I’m a gentleman,” he joked. He scooted her over and climbed into bed next to her. “How much of last night do you remember?”

She looked up at him uncertainly. “We went to Posse. I was drinking martinis.”

He ran a hand over his eyes and then filled her in on the rest of the night. If she hadn’t already been sick, then she was pretty sure she would have been again. Her face paled, and she clutched the comforter in her hands.

“Oh my God,” she murmured. “I need to go home and see Jude.”

“What about your meeting today?”

She shook her head. “I’ll tell them I’m sick. I can’t believe I said those things to Jude. I can’t believe you talked to him. I can’t believe Eric is gay.”

“All a rather shocking night,” Gates agreed. He looked so concerned about her, but she couldn’t even function right now.

“Hey,” she said, turning to face him. “Thank you for taking care of me. I know this wasn’t easy.”

Gates smiled wearily and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. “Anything for you, B.” His hand lingered a second too long. “Well, let’s get you back to L.A. before you do anything else stupid.”

After a quick shower and a call to the administration, Bryna and Gates were on their way back to Los Angeles. Bryna tried to reach Jude on the drive, but he didn’t pick up. She was disappointed but not surprised. It seemed to be his MO to hole up whenever he was pissed off. She didn’t really blame him for being angry this time. She had a good excuse for being in Vegas, which she would explain to him when they finally spoke. She honestly didn’t think she needed an excuse for being there with Gates since they were just friends and nothing had happened besides her drunken ridiculousness. However, she did need to apologize for how she had acted on the phone. What the hell was I thinking?

She had completely blacked out, so she really didn’t even know. Her best guess was, she hadn’t been thinking at all.

As soon as Bryna returned from Las Vegas, she hopped in her car and drove over to Jude’s apartment. She couldn’t let him sit there and obsess over what had happened. If New Year’s were any indication, she wouldn’t hear from him for over a week…not until he cooled off. But they had too much to discuss to wait that long.

She parked her car and then walked up to his apartment. Her stomach was in knots as she knocked on the front door. When nothing happened, she knocked again.

Still nothing.

She pulled out her phone and tried calling him. The phone went straight to voice mail. Fuck! He was ignoring her.

When pounding on the door accomplished nothing, she returned to her car and sat down in horror. She had fucked everything up. All she had wanted to do was experience college the way she was supposed to. She wouldn’t have ever been there if it weren’t for her dad, and now, her relationship was going up in flames. She choked back on the ache spreading out from her chest. I cannot lose Jude over this!

Just as she was about to pull out from the garage, a text came in.

Can’t talk right now.

She messaged back.

Please let me explain.

I’m not free again for two weeks.

Bryna checked her calendar and cursed. Of course he would pick her busiest weekend of the year. Gates’s premiere and the Pink Charity Benefit.

I can meet you late Friday night. It’s Valentine’s Day.

Fine.

She ground her teeth. She had so much she wanted to say in that moment.

Call me when you can. I would really like to apologize.

She waited for him to respond, but when he didn’t, she pulled out of the parking lot and started driving. She was halfway home when she received his last message.

I can’t call. I’m with my wife.

Her heart plummeted.

“GATES, OVER HERE!” a reporter yelled.

“Mr. Hartman, please a word.”

“He’s so hot!” someone screamed from the crowd.

“A picture, please.”

“Right this way!”

Bryna smiled through the blinding white flashes of light. Reporters with camera crew littered the red carpet on Hollywood Boulevard for the Broken Road premiere. A crowd had started forming behind the police barricades hours before the stars were expected to show.