Well. I don’t know how to respond to that, so what comes out of my mouth is, “Maybe I’m just a nymphomaniac.”

This car ride just went from bad to worse.

“If you were a nymphomaniac you’d have given me a blowjob fifty miles ago.”

“True,” I agree. Damn it! I just said that out loud. I bite my lip and side-eye him. He’s wearing a very satisfied smile.

Ten

Last Month

“Let’s go!” I announce as I barge into Sophie’s dorm room. Sophie is my other best friend. We met two years ago when I started working at Grind Me, a coffee bar just off campus, and we forged an instant friendship.

“Where are we going?” she asks.

She knows exactly where we’re going. You make a girl a waxing appointment and they suddenly get amnesia. “You know where we’re going, Sophie. Your pubes are not going to wax themselves.”

“Please never say the word ‘pubes’ again,” she says, but I ignore her. A good waxer is a godsend. She’ll thank me later.

We exit her dorm and catch a bus at the nearest university bus stop. It’s a beautiful afternoon in Philadelphia. The air has that crisp fresh smell that only comes with fall. We find seats on the bus and I grin at Sophie. “Are you nervous?”

“Yes! I told you I’m really not sure about this.”

“Not about the waxing, nerd. Are you nervous about tomorrow?”

“Oh.” She bites her lip and thinks. “Not really.”

Sophie is finally going to have sex tomorrow, hence our trip to the waxing salon. This girl has picked some real winners, but her current boyfriend Mike is a nice guy. I don’t think I’m wrong about him. He’s a bit of a spoiled rich kid, but he’s cute and he’s really into Sophie.

“What are you doing this weekend?” Sophie asks me as my phone beeps.

“Going home.” I frown at my screen. “My brother is getting married.”

“Oh! That sounds fun. Are you taking the train?”

“I better not be taking the train.” I hit send on a new message.

“Is someone driving down to pick you up?”

“No.” I cross my legs and rest the phone on my thigh. “Professor Camden is driving me home.”

“Really?” The doubt is written all over Sophie’s face. “Professor Camden is driving you to Connecticut?”

I open my mouth to respond as my phone rings. I glance at the screen and smirk before breaking into a huge smile. “Yes, he is.” I bring the phone to my ear and answer, “Yes, Professor Camden?” in my sweet and innocent voice. It doesn’t get used a lot.

He lectures me about scheming and threatens to tell my brother why he should not drive me home for the wedding before finally agreeing, as I knew he would. I’m feeling pretty good when I tell him I’ll be ready by eight, but then he ruins everything by asking me which dorm I live in. He should have such simple details about me memorized already. I sigh as I remind him that I live in Stroh and end the call to find Sophie looking at me with a face full of questions.

“Finn Camden is my brother’s best friend. He’s also the best man in his wedding this weekend.” I shove the cell into my pocket. “He doesn’t want to drive me home, so I texted my brother and told him I was going to take the train into New York City and then out to Connecticut. At night. By myself.” I shrug. “Obviously the train is perfectly safe, but why should I take the train when Finn is going to the same place?” I can’t believe Finn was going to let me take the train. It’s disheartening, really. “I knew I could count on Eric to tell Finn to give me a ride home and that Finn couldn’t bring himself to tell my brother that he doesn’t want to be stuck in a car alone with me due to my”—I pause and roll my eyes—“inappropriate advances.”