“Blair, what is all this? Your bag weighs a ton.” Vanessa struggles to move my backpack from the small table at the library so she can sit.

I barely look up from my laptop. “I have a paper due in econ, reading for American literature, and about a million other things before my shift at the café this afternoon.”

“You stay at Wes’s last night?”

“How do you know? Did you go back to the house?” Screw my paper, if Vanessa knows I wasn’t at our place, it means she wasn’t with Mario.

“Yeah, I just needed a night off from Mario.” She says it flippantly, but the perfectly curled hair and extra makeup speaks volumes.

She’s overcompensating.

“Oh no, why? I like Mario.” I’ve done my best to keep my opinions about Vanessa’s boyfriend to myself because nothing scares her more than approval, but Mario seems great. I’ve never seen Vanessa happier.

“It’s just too much. He’s too much. I keep waiting for all his scary flaws to appear. I mean, no man can possibly be as perfect as he is. Seeing David last night reminded me that perfect on the outside hides a whole bunch of crazy on the inside.”

Great. The aftermath of Hurricane David continues to unveil more damage. “Mario is nothing like David.”

“Or maybe Mario is just good at hiding his crazy like David is.”

“What’s this really about? David and I have been broken up for months, you’ve dated other guys since my break up.”

“I . . .” She pauses and twists the gold ring she wears on her thumb. “I like him,” she says quietly.

I hide my glee that she’s finally admitted it. “Then, please, for the love of God, don’t let David be the reason you don’t trust Mario.”

“I was worried you were going to fall back under his spell when I saw you two together. What did he have to say at the bar last night?”

I consider telling her the truth, but if she knew just how calculating and horrible David really is, then she might see that as a sign to steer clear of men, and I don’t want that for her. David is an asshole, but he doesn’t represent every guy. I sure hope not, anyway.

“Not much. Wes walked over, and David took off.”

“I saw that! I was so freaking glad when Wes got between you two. I only wish he’d punched him.”

I laugh, mostly because I’d wished that too.

“You aren’t thinking of getting back with David then? Because you’re finally starting to seem like the old you.”

I’m starting to feel like the old me as well. “No, I’m absolutely not getting back together with him. What’s more important is when you’re going to tell Mario how you feel.”

She stands, clearly the interrogation has gone beyond her comfort level because we’re talking about her feelings, and V doesn’t do feelings. “Why would I do that?”

After she leaves, I spend the next three hours in the library and then hustle over to the café to relieve Katrina. She’s beyond frazzled and knee-deep in supplies as she restocks everything.

“Everything okay?”

“My sitter just bailed, and I have to pick up Christian at daycare in ten minutes.”

“Go. I have this.”

She looks around at the mess, hesitating. I know she’d do the same for me in a heartbeat, so I place my hands on my hips and smile. “Seriously, go. It’s no big deal.”

“I owe you,” Katrina says, hopping over the box and untying her apron.

Monday afternoons are slow after the lunch rush, but Monday evenings are not, so I enjoy a bit of down time stocking shelves and singing along to the cheesy nineties’ music playing over the university station.

My mood is high until David walks through the door. His demeanor makes it clear he’s here to see me and knew he could catch me alone. I hate the way my body responds like it’s a fight or flight moment. I desperately want to be emotionally detached enough for his presence not to send me into panic mode.

“What do you want, David? I’m at work.”

“Tall house blend.” Black like his soul. “And put one of those inspirational quotes on there for me, would you?” He has the audacity to wink.

I remind myself that killing him would only get me thrown in jail while I get his coffee and write “Choose kindness” onto the cup. “Here ya go.”

He looks down at the quote and smiles.

“You’re banging the basketball team now, huh?”

Arizona has the death penalty.

Arizona has the death penalty.

“My life isn’t your business anymore, David.”

“Oh, but it is. Especially if it interferes with our arrangement.”

“I’ve done everything you’ve asked.”

“That bullshit paper you wrote on Chopin got me a B. You’re distracted, and it’s fucking up my GPA.”

“I’m distracted because I’m doing two people’s homework.”

“I need this one on Friday.” He slides me a piece of paper with the details. David’s been careful to leave no electronic paper trail. Only paper copies that we both know would easily be dismissed if I ever went to anyone and tried to tell them what was going on. “It better be an A paper, Blair. I’d hate to have to embarrass you in front of your new boyfriend.”

The thought of Wes knowing about any of this makes the muffin I ate fifteen minutes ago feel like a brick in my stomach. Trapped and angry, I watch him walk out of the café and vow to end this somehow, someway.