Chapter Twenty
Kade drove me to the University the next day. Chase didn’t come home, and I had no idea where he was. I didn’t ask Kade or James either, although I was dying to know. Kade walked me to my class.
“Meet me by my car when you’re done.”
“Okay, thanks for the ride.” He kisses my head and leaves. I could have driven myself but Kade insisted, because he was coming here anyway. However I have a feeling Chase told him to keep an eye on me.
Class dragged on, and I couldn’t stop thinking about Chase. Afterwards I was walking and texting Nikki at the same time, when I came face first with a wall. Or what felt like a wall, it was actually a hard bodied male. I almost go flying but he steadies me. I look into brown eyes and apologize. I do a double take when I recognize Derek, James and Kade’s friend.
“Layla, right?”
“Derek, hi! How are you, I haven’t seen you since my first night in the house.”
“Yeah, I was there at the party last weekend, but the boys told me you were out of town.” He looks like he was disappointed by that news.
“Well I kind of made an appearance last minute, I had no idea they were going to throw a party.”
Derek chuckles, “The Steele boys always throw parties, so you better get used to it.”
Steele? Oh yeah, James and Kade have a different father to Chase. Kade and James Steele, hot name!
“So are you dating anyone right now?” He asks me confidently. Oh wow. I had no idea he was interested.
“Well, not exactly. It’s complicated; I’m not really interested in dating anyone right now.” It’s the truth. This thing with Chase has me consumed. “I could seriously use a friend though, if you want the position?”
Derek gives me a full blown smile, he’s a handsome guy. “I’ll take any position you offer me.”
I laugh. “No, but seriously. I can do friends. Come on, I’ll walk to you your next class.”
The rest of the day is uneventful, and I walk to Kade’s car and wait for him:
L: I’m ready when you are.
K: On my way.
He arrives a few minutes later. “How was your day?” he asks.
“It was good. I ran into your friend Derek.”
Kade raises his eyebrow and mutters “I bet he loved that.”
“We are officially friends. Trust me; I could use all of those I can get.”
“I was told to keep an eye on you, and you come back, best friends with the campus playboy. Chase is going to love this,” he grumbles.
“Chase and I are over, so Chase doesn’t have to love anything,” I say tonelessly.
Kade sighs, and tenses his hands on the steering wheel. I quickly change the subject.
“Hey! Derek is your friend. Besides, I thought you or James would have the title of campus playboy.”
Kade laughs, “Well, we are friends with him for a reason,” he glances at me and waggles his eyebrows, “Similar interests and what not.”
I laugh. “Trying to seduce women is an interest?”
Kade laughs, “No princess, maybe it’s more like a sport. Or a hobby.”
We both laugh. “Apparently you don’t mind sharing though, do you?”
Kade smartly doesn’t reply. But for me, that is answer enough.
“We should hook up Nikki and Derek. Or better yet, Ryder and Nikki, he’s always had a bit of a thing for her.” I say, gouging his reaction. He purses his lips, but that’s his only outward reaction.
“What?” I ask innocently, even though he didn’t say anything. “She was saying she wanted to get laid.”
Kade tightens his hands on the steering wheel, but still says nothing.
“Kade, did you know Nikki...”
“Layla..”
“Yeah?”
“Shut up.”
I pout. “Okay.”
That earns me a trademark grin.
When I get home, the first thing I do is look for Chase’s car, but nothing. After a hot shower and an hour of studying, I can’t take it anymore. I dial Chase’s number.
“Hello?” A female answers. I hang up. Screw this. Chase had the upper hand, but he just lost it. My phone beeps with a text.
Derek: Hey. Lunch tomorrow after your class? Friends do lunch right?
L: LOL, yes they do. Sounds good, see you tomorrow.
I can hear the boys come home during the night. I check my phone and its four am. Party animals. I can hear them stumbling over things, and laughing. They are definitely drunk. I walk out into the kitchen in my night dress, and see James pawing through the fridge, Kade in the pantry.
“Hungry?” I ask, giggling.
“Layla!!!!!!” James wails, coming up to me and hugging me.
“Where have you guys been?”
“A party.”
“And you didn’t even invite me?” I sulk.
“Yeah, we didn’t want big bro to kill us, so we left you at home.”
“I doubt that. Sit down, I’ll make you something to eat.”
I make them a quick sandwich, which they both devour.
“You are the best, Layla.” Kade talks around a mouth full of food.
James stumbles and almost drops his plate.
“I’ll clean up, you guys go to bed. Before you break something.” I see Kade taking a photo of me with his phone.
“You look hot in this photo, in your pink dress thingy.” He laughs to himself, and then hands me over his phone. He has sent the picture of me to Chase’s phone and has written: Wifey materiall. Material spelt with two L’s. If only he knew Chase is with some other woman right now, most probably, Aubrey.
I’m cleaning up the kitchen when Kade’s phone rings.
“Hello!” he answers merrily.
“Big bro! How are you? Yes, we may have had a few drinks. No Layla is fine. Such a good woman, that’s why I call her princess, you know” He frowns; I think Chase is yelling at him. “No, she didn’t come to the party. Although she’s made friends with Derek. Yeah I know he wants her. Too bad you’re not here.” He laughs. Oh boy. “Bye bro!”
He looks at me and grins. “Goodnight, princess.”
“Night, Kade.” I wonder why James has been so quiet. I look over and see he is already asleep, with his head on the table.
“James?” I shake him. He gets up and walks like a zombie into his room.
My phone rings and I answer half distracted. “Yeah?”
“What did I tell you about walking around the house practically naked?” he growls.
“Who is this?” Ha!
“Don’t fuck around, Layla.”
“What do you want Chase? Already done with your new toy that answered this morning? Looks like I made the right choice breaking up with you.” I hang up.
The phone rings again, once, twice, thrice. I put it on silent and go back to bed.