Lucy

The next day Lucy woke up to the sound of her phone chiming. She picked it up to see a message from Jaxon. Sketch artist can meet with us today at the station at 5 pm. Want me to pick you up?

Lucy felt a twinge in her bruised cheek as she smiled at the text message. She tried to tell herself that she was only excited because she was going to help the police get one step closer to finding the driver who caused her accident, but deep down she knew that the prospect of seeing Jaxon again was partly responsible for the grin she couldn’t seem to wipe off her face.

“Why are you smiling at your phone?” Brooke asked, startling Lucy.

“Geez! Creep much?”

Brooke stood in Lucy’s doorway. “I was just coming in to tell you to get your lazy butt outta bed. It’s time for a pain pill and I made breakfast.”

“You did?” There was definite surprise in Lucy’s voice.

She and Brooke weren’t particularly skilled in the kitchen. They pretty much ate all their meals at the student café on campus or ordered take out. The only thing in their dorm room kitchen that Lucy actually knew how to operate with confidence was their coffee maker.

“Okay, I grabbed coffee and muffins from Starbucks, but I put it on a really cute ‘get well soon’ tray, so that counts, right?”

Lucy smiled. “Totally counts.”

Brooke handed Lucy her crutches and she slowly made her way to the couch in their shared living room. She propped up her broken leg and clapped excitedly when Brooke set a breakfast tray of coffee and muffins in front of her.

“Take it easy, it’s not birthday cake,” Brooke teased.

“It’s better! It’s vanilla lattes and chocolate-chip muffins!”

The girls giggled and dug into their breakfast. Halfway through her meal, Lucy caught Brooke staring at her over the rim of her Starbucks cup.

“What?” Lucy asked.

“So . . . Jaxon, huh?”

“What about him?”

“He’s pretty great.”

“Yeah, it’s hard to find fault with a guy who pulls you out of a burning car.”

“Or a guy who makes you smile like that,” Brooke added slyly.

“He doesn’t make me smile.”

Brooke arched a pale eyebrow. “Oh really? He wasn’t the reason you were grinning at your cell phone this morning like it was a cuddly kitten?”

“Shut up!”

“I knew it! You totally like him.”

“I like him the appropriate amount to like someone who saves your life,” Lucy replied.

Brooke snorted. “Says every girl in a romance novel right before she falls for the hero . . .”

Lucy wadded up her napkin and threw it at Brooke. “You read too much.”

“Not possible, and stop trying to change the subject.”

“Brooke, I have a boyfriend.”

“Yeah and he’s a nut-waffle. Jaxon is the kind of guy you should be with. He showed up at the hospital when Alex didn’t. Jaxon spent all night helping rig up a shower for you. Alex didn’t even bother to stop by. And Jaxon texted me this morning to check on you and remind me you can’t take your pain meds on an empty stomach, hence the trip to Starbucks,” Brooke said, gesturing to Lucy’s half eaten muffin.

“He did?”

“Yes.” Brooke’s clear blue eyes locked with Lucy’s. “Has Alex even checked on you once yet?”

Tears started to well in Lucy’s eyes. Brooke was right; Alex was a sucky boyfriend. And in a perfect world of course Lucy would want to be with a guy like Jaxon. But this was the real world. “Brooke, can we not do this right now?”

“Look, I know I joke a lot, but I’m serious about this. That boy is the real deal. Jaxon is the kind of guy you should be dating. Not Alex.”

“I know, okay! But it’s not that simple.”

“Why not?”

“Because Alex and I have history.”

“History means in the past, Luce. Maybe that’s where you should leave Alex. You just got a second chance at life. What better time than now to start focusing on the future?”

Lucy let her head fall back against the couch. She shut her eyes. Suddenly, her appetite was gone. Why did Brooke have to be so irritatingly persistent? But she wasn’t wrong. Lucy wished more than ever that she could just tell Brooke the real reason why she was still with Alex. Lucy hated the fact that her best friend probably thought she was some weak, spineless girl who clung to Alex for his fame and fortune.

But that wasn’t it at all. Lucy didn’t have a choice. Her father had tied her to Alex and his family for the foreseeable future. And if she wanted any chance at finding out if they had something to do with his arrest she had to stay on good terms with them.

“Lucy, you know you can talk to me,” Brooke said softly.

“I know. And I appreciate that so much, but right now I’m just trying to get used to the fact that the next few months of my life are going to be police reports and physical therapy. I can’t really think about my romantic future.”

Brooke sighed. “I get it. But I care about you too much to let you screw up something that could be really good.”

Lucy groaned. “Broo-ooke . . .”

“I promise I’ll drop it if you can tell me that last time Alex made you feel the same kind of safe that Jaxon does.”

Lucy’s eyes snapped open and she stared at her insightful friend. “How do you know Jaxon makes me feel safe?”

“Oh please, I saw the way you were curled up in his arms yesterday. You were practically sporting a safety boner for the guy.” Brooke laughed at her own joke. “But seriously, Luce, I think I know you pretty well and you always have your guard up. Even with me. I spent a few hours with you two last night and I’ve never seen you so relaxed.”

“I’m on painkillers, Brooke. Of course I’m relaxed.”

“Nope. Don’t try to blame the drugs. That was all Jaxon. You trust him.”

“Stop reading into this, Brooke. The guy saved me from a car accident, it’s nothing more than that.”

Brooke crossed her arms defiantly. “I don’t believe you.”

“Fine, let’s put it to the ultimate test.”

Brooke’s pale eyes lit up. “Are you requesting the divine powers of my Magic 8 Ball?”

“I am,” Lucy said with confidence.

Brooke was off the couch in a flash. She dashed to her room, bouncing back with her Magic 8 Ball in her hands. All at once, Lucy didn’t feel so confident. She always joked with Brooke about her obsession with the silly toy, but the damn thing was strangely accurate. Maybe asking it a ridiculous question about Lucy’s romantic fate wasn’t such a good idea, but she knew she couldn’t back out now. Brooke was like a dog with a bone when it came to these things.

“Okay,” Brooke said breathlessly taking up her spot on the couch. “You have to promise to ask it an honest question or it won’t work.”

“Fine,” Lucy agreed taking the black plastic ball her best friend thrust at her.

“Out loud,” Brooke ordered after watching Lucy shake the ball silently in her hands.

“Fine. Magic 8 Ball, please tell Brooke that Jaxon is not the guy for me. He’s just a nice person who saved my life.”

“That’s not a question,” Brooke objected, but Lucy was already turning the ball over, watching the answer materialize. Her heart skipped when she read the response. She suddenly couldn’t remember how to breathe.

“What does it say?” Brooke asked, anxiously.

Lucy couldn’t speak. She was too busy shivering from the goose bumps springing to life on her arms.

Brooke impatiently craned her neck to read the answer.

Magic 8 Ball says: Don’t count on it.

Brooke’s mouth dropped open. “I knew it!”

Jaxon

Jaxon knocked on Lucy’s dorm room door promptly at four o’clock. Since classes weren’t in session this week for spring midterm break, he’d arrived at campus early so he’d have a chance to talk to the Dean about an idea he’d come up with last night. Jaxon was ashamed to admit that he’d spent all night worrying about Lucy. It was her first night on her own without a staff of nurses to help her. She had Brooke, who was awesome, but still, she wasn’t a medical professional. What if Lucy fell? Or what if she needed to get somewhere on campus?

Classes started back up tomorrow. Jaxon didn’t know how the hell Lucy expected to make it from one end of campus to the other on crutches. Saint Andrews was massive and Lucy was tiny. She was going to need help.

And that’s how Jaxon had come up with his idea. He’d seen plenty of golf carts on campus for the grounds staff to use. He wondered if the Dean might have an extra one that he could give Lucy access to. Jaxon knew Lucy wouldn’t be able to drive it with her foot in a cast, but he was willing to volunteer if it would help her.

Jaxon was pretty sure the Dean would agree to it since he’d been after Jaxon to get more involved with campus life. He’d agreed to allow Jaxon to commute as a favor to his uncle, who was a generous donor to Saint Andrews, but the Dean still wanted Jaxon to get the full prep school experience, saying that he would feel more at home here if he got involved in one of the many clubs or volunteer programs Saint Andrews offered.

So when Jaxon mentioned his idea to his uncle, he called the Dean immediately and explained Lucy’s situation, volunteering Jaxon as her campus chauffeur. The Dean was more than pleased, and he asked Jaxon to come in so they could make the arrangements.

“I’m so glad to see you taking an interest in campus life, Mr. Bradburn,” Dean Wilkes said. “I knew I was right about you.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“No, thank you. Give me a moment,” the Dean said reaching for his phone. He called his secretary and made arrangements for Jaxon to pick up the golf cart right away.

Jaxon couldn’t wait to see the look on Lucy’s face. He hoped she’d be pleased. But then he mentally kicked himself for being so excited. She’s another guy’s girlfriend. Alex might be a complete ass, but still . . . Lucy was his girl. Jaxon needed to tread lightly.

He checked his watch and knocked at Lucy’s door again. The longer he stood there the more concerned he grew. He’d texted her that he was on his way. Had something happened? Did she need help? Trying to rein in his overprotective nature wasn’t easy. His instinct was to bust the door down and make sure the girls were okay. But he took a deep breath and texted Lucy again. I’m here.

No answer.

Jaxon’s unease doubled. He took another deep breath. Maybe they just went out to get food somewhere. No need to completely freak out yet. He fired off a quick text to Brooke, whose number he’d gotten before he left last night for this very reason. Hey, are you guys home? I’m supposed to be picking Lucy up but no one answers the door.

Radio silence.

That was it. Jaxon couldn’t take it anymore. The image of Lucy’s tiny body crumbled on the shower floor popped into his mind and he decided he’d break down the damn door if he had to. He grabbed he doorknob wondering just how secure the place was, but it turned easily and the door creaked open. He was going to have to have a talk with the girls about locking their doors.

Jaxon was halfway down the foyer hall when he heard music blaring from the direction of Brooke’s bedroom. He was just stepping into the living room when Lucy’s shiny auburn head emerged from her bedroom. “Sorry,” she said instantly. “I heard you knocking but it takes me forever to get anywhere on these damn crutches.”

Just as Lucy finished cursing her crutches, Jaxon watched her catch one on them on the edge of the white, shaggy rug by the couch. The crutch stuck and Lucy pitched forward, shrieking. Jaxon lunged, catching her around the middle and pulling her body against his to stop her forward motion.

She collided with his chest with a hollow thunk, and awkwardly clung to him. It took a second for Jaxon to recover from having Lucy suddenly pressed against him. His heart was beating double time and he suddenly realized one of his hands was buried in the silky strands of her hair at the base of her neck. The skin there was so soft and flawless. He had a sudden desire to caress the gentle slope of her slender neck.

The thought made him straighten up and snap out of it. Lucy looked up at him with her hazel eyes wide. He was so close he could see his reflection mirrored in her eyes. And he didn’t like what he saw. Another guy’s girl, he reminded himself.

He gathered his wits and quickly covered up his longing with humor. “We’ve gotta stop meeting this way,” he teased, letting a genuine smile play across his lips.

Lucy laughed, grinning back at him and his heart did a backflip.

Goddamn. It wasn’t gonna be easy being just friends with this girl.