“Hey.” Nate flashed me a grin. He pulled Marissa forward a step. “I totally forgot Marissa was coming to Cain U. Did you remember?”

“Yeah.” Marissa still wasn’t looking at me. “We ran into each other the other day, and she’s in a class with me.”

“That’s awesome.” Park moved forward too. His date was behind him, closed out because Nate had adjusted so he was slightly in front of her. It was a small circle of Nate, Park, myself, and Marissa who was looking at the wall. Park seemed eager. “Another high school friend.” His eyes fixed on her with a keen look in them. “I’ll have to get to know you better.”

Nate shared a look with me. I was fighting from rolling my eyes, and Marissa looked ready to disappear into the floor.

Nate said quickly, “Hey, so, Logan and Sam are coming tomorrow night, right?”

Marissa’s head jerked back around. Both her and Park focused on me.

I nodded. “Yeah. You going to the game?”

“Yeah, I’m going—”

Park interrupted, “A bunch of our brothers are going. Who’s Logan and Sam?”

I had no intention of telling him and started to tell him that when Nate forced out a laugh. “Uh, yeah. I guess Park and some others are going with me. I’ll send Logan a text. We can meet up at the end or something.”

I nodded. That sounded fine with me, but Park asked again, “No way. These are more friends of yours? They can sit with us. We have a private box. Lots of food and booze.” He winked at me. “If your friends are into that. I know you’re not a big drinker yourself.” He swung his head to Marissa. “How about you…”

My irritation level had been on a good, slow burn with the conversation, but seeing that Park didn’t know Marissa’s name switched the level to slightly amused. Marissa shot him a glare, and Nate seemed to be holding back his own laughter. Park forced out a small laugh. “I’m sorry. I must’ve forgotten your name.”

“We were never introduced.”

At her soft retort, Nate and I shared a grin. Some of the old Marissa was still there. She could be feisty at times.

“That’s right. We were all in such a hurry to get to the restaurant.” Unfazed, Park drew his date closer to his side, bringing her into the circle. She lifted her head and looked down her nose at Marissa, whose shoulders pinched together. Her size seemed to shrink, and she took a step backwards. Park ran his hand up and down his date’s arm. He said to me, “I don’t know how long your group will stick around, but head over to our table at the end. We’re all going to a formal banquet for the fraternity after this. This is our dinner. It’s an exclusive thing, just for the brothers and their dates, but you’re welcome to join. Just you, though.” He glanced over my shoulder. His fraternity brothers started to move around us and into the restaurant, but I knew he was focused on Matteo’s table. “We can find you a date, if you’d like. That’ll be no problem for a guy like you.”

My grin chilled.

“You can call me, if you decide to join us.” Nate lifted his eyebrows, giving me the unspoken message to hold back. I rolled my eyes and leaned back on my heels. Fine. I’d play silent for now, but the asshole needed to stop insulting me. Offering up a girl for me when I had Sam—I took that as a big fucking insult. Nate propelled Marissa forward. “Park, they have our table ready for us. We should go. Mase,” he halted, seeing the glare I had fixed on Park. He cleared his throat. “Uh, call me later.”

He moved forward, but Park held back. I turned. I wasn’t going to wait around for a private chat with the douche. As I began to follow the end of his group, waiting until I could veer off to my table, someone brushed against my arm, giving me a good graze of a breast. Glancing to the side, I saw Park’s date. She shot me a secretive smile before she turned to follow Park, who was always watching me. When he saw my look, he shot his eyebrow up in question, and I had a feeling he wouldn’t have minded if I wanted his date. He winked at me, but turned and ducked into a private room before he saw my real reaction.

When I got to Matteo and took my seat again, he asked, “What’d Park Sebasstian want?”

I grunted and took a good swig of my sake. “The guy’s going to be a pain in the ass, isn’t he?”

“He’s got a man boner for you. Big time.”

I sighed. I had hoped not to make enemies so soon, but that time was coming faster than I thought. I shrugged. I’d have to deal with him sooner than later.

CHAPTER NINE

SAMANTHA

The next morning, I headed across the street with my backpack on and a big paper cup filled with coffee. Malinda had it ready for me when I came up from the basement. She gestured to it on the counter and said, “I know your night sucked.” A wave of thanks rolled over me and I grinned at her, heading to grab the coffee, but she intercepted me. “Hold up there, honey.” She wrapped her arms around me and rocked back and forth. As she did, she murmured against my ear, “I am so sorry about last night. You must’ve felt ambushed.” Giving me another tight squeeze, she pulled back, but gazed at me as she kept her hands on my shoulders. “Your father doesn’t think and when he does, he’s got Analise still in his mind, chirping away, and he freezes sometimes. It’s not an excuse. He should’ve dealt with Garrett way before last night. I’m sorry you went through that.”

Her embrace had been warm and welcoming. As she continued to hold me, a tear came to her eye. This was going into the territory of loving motherhood. It was foreign to me. I gave her a small smile. “I’ll be fine. I have to deal.” I eased out of her hold and grabbed the coffee. Lifting it, I added, “Thanks for this.”

She nodded, heading back to the sink where she’d been doing dishes. “You go and have a good time. I know you’ve been missing Mason like crazy.”

I had turned, headed for the front door, but glanced back at her words. She gave me a small wave, looking over her shoulder at me. “Have fun, Samantha.” It was said softly, but she meant it. There was something else in her tone. Sadness? It sent alarms off in me. I was uncomfortable. She was sad for me. I nodded again at her. I felt stupid. What was I supposed to say here?

“SAM!”

Hearing Logan yell from the street, I laughed. Some of the awkwardness left me. “I’ll call you later?”