Read Online Distraction by Angela McPherson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Angela McPherson
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know, or I guess understand, why Tristan chose
her. I decided to slice through the tension.
"So, Kellie, Tristan said you ' ve already
enrolled. What ' s your major?"
"Yeah, um, I enrolled at the end of last year. I ' m not sure what
my major is yet. I ' m taking basic courses right now." Tristan ' s shoulders
relaxed and he draped his arm around her shoulders. My stomach sank. He looked
content with her. As wrong as this may be, but in some small, undeserving way,
him choosing her felt like betrayal.
"Have y ' all unpacked yet? Sorry I wasn ' t able to help.
I ' ve been so busy
with school and my extra shifts at work."
Tristan tilted his head; his curious eyes roamed my face.
I tried to ignore Tristan ' s stare. I felt
as if he dug into my heart, peering into what I desperately fought to bury. The
longing for him to love me back the way I loved him.
Tristan cleared his throat. " Kellie won ' t be living with
me right now."
Music to my ears.
"Oh, I guess I just assumed." I looked between the
two of them.
"Well, yeah. Uh, since Kellie ' s a freshman she ' s required to
live in the dorms, and her parents won ' t allow us to live together until
we ' re married."
His eyes darted toward the table, away from mine.
I sipped my tea.
"Too bad for you. I guess there won ' t be too many
late night booty calls." I snapped my head over to Alyssa. She maneuvered
her lips into a wicked grin, and I choked on my tea.
Our food came out then. Thank God, because the livid expression
on Tristan ' s face increased my anxiety. I thanked the waitress and she
walked away giggling. We all ate in strained silence.
I overstuffed my stomach. Again. My stomach grumbled thinking
about the extra amount of food I shoved in my mouth to keep from talking or
crying. I swallowed the sick feeling down with a big gulp of tea. It helped.
Some.
We paid and when I tried to leave the tip, Tristan shoved the
money back at me. I didn ' t argue. As much as I loved the food here, I didn ' t think I ' d ever be able
to stand coming back after tonight.
Outside, we stood in a lopsided circle until Tristan moved
Kellie to him.
"It was great to meet you, Kellie. If you need any help
with your classes, let me know. I ' d be happy to help out if I can." I plastered another
fake smile on my face. I thought if I could trick myself into a fake smile then
maybe I could trick my heart from hurting too.
" Thanks. " She nestled closer into Tristan side.
"So, there ' s a party at our sorority this weekend. Do you wanna go?"
Why I blurted that out, I really didn ' t know. Kellie forwarded me an
uneasy grin, which I childishly relished.
" Thanks, Spud, " Tristan said, smiling sincerely at me. "Kellie,
you should go. You can meet some of Elle ' s other friends." He glared at
Alyssa.
"Yep, you can meet our other friends. I know Ginger will
be there, too." Alyssa met Tristan ' s wide eyes. "Yeah, she ' s the chick
Tristan coupled with last weekend since Elle and I were going together. She
said she didn ' t want him to get lost or anything. You can ' t miss her. She ' s tall, perfect
skin, and rich as hell. You know the type."
Nope, not a great idea to have invited Alyssa tonight.
"Tristan?" Kellie looked up at Tristan with sad,
pathetic, puppy dog eyes.
"It was nothing and Alyssa knows it. She ' s being a bitch.
Ignore her." Then he kissed her. Even though he'd only kissed her on the
forehead, my heart still ached from having to witness his lips on her.
"I ' m sorry this wasn ' t the greatest first introduction.
I ' d really like to
make this up to you, but I need to get home. I have to open in the morning at
work. I ' ll call Tristan tomorrow, and we can work out the details."
I watched her think over my invitation.
"Sure, that ' ll be great. I look forward to hearing from you."
We each said our goodbyes and walked away. My legs must have
had their own GPS. I didn ' t know where I was going until I found myself sitting inside
Alyssa ' s car. As soon as she drove
her. I decided to slice through the tension.
"So, Kellie, Tristan said you ' ve already
enrolled. What ' s your major?"
"Yeah, um, I enrolled at the end of last year. I ' m not sure what
my major is yet. I ' m taking basic courses right now." Tristan ' s shoulders
relaxed and he draped his arm around her shoulders. My stomach sank. He looked
content with her. As wrong as this may be, but in some small, undeserving way,
him choosing her felt like betrayal.
"Have y ' all unpacked yet? Sorry I wasn ' t able to help.
I ' ve been so busy
with school and my extra shifts at work."
Tristan tilted his head; his curious eyes roamed my face.
I tried to ignore Tristan ' s stare. I felt
as if he dug into my heart, peering into what I desperately fought to bury. The
longing for him to love me back the way I loved him.
Tristan cleared his throat. " Kellie won ' t be living with
me right now."
Music to my ears.
"Oh, I guess I just assumed." I looked between the
two of them.
"Well, yeah. Uh, since Kellie ' s a freshman she ' s required to
live in the dorms, and her parents won ' t allow us to live together until
we ' re married."
His eyes darted toward the table, away from mine.
I sipped my tea.
"Too bad for you. I guess there won ' t be too many
late night booty calls." I snapped my head over to Alyssa. She maneuvered
her lips into a wicked grin, and I choked on my tea.
Our food came out then. Thank God, because the livid expression
on Tristan ' s face increased my anxiety. I thanked the waitress and she
walked away giggling. We all ate in strained silence.
I overstuffed my stomach. Again. My stomach grumbled thinking
about the extra amount of food I shoved in my mouth to keep from talking or
crying. I swallowed the sick feeling down with a big gulp of tea. It helped.
Some.
We paid and when I tried to leave the tip, Tristan shoved the
money back at me. I didn ' t argue. As much as I loved the food here, I didn ' t think I ' d ever be able
to stand coming back after tonight.
Outside, we stood in a lopsided circle until Tristan moved
Kellie to him.
"It was great to meet you, Kellie. If you need any help
with your classes, let me know. I ' d be happy to help out if I can." I plastered another
fake smile on my face. I thought if I could trick myself into a fake smile then
maybe I could trick my heart from hurting too.
" Thanks. " She nestled closer into Tristan side.
"So, there ' s a party at our sorority this weekend. Do you wanna go?"
Why I blurted that out, I really didn ' t know. Kellie forwarded me an
uneasy grin, which I childishly relished.
" Thanks, Spud, " Tristan said, smiling sincerely at me. "Kellie,
you should go. You can meet some of Elle ' s other friends." He glared at
Alyssa.
"Yep, you can meet our other friends. I know Ginger will
be there, too." Alyssa met Tristan ' s wide eyes. "Yeah, she ' s the chick
Tristan coupled with last weekend since Elle and I were going together. She
said she didn ' t want him to get lost or anything. You can ' t miss her. She ' s tall, perfect
skin, and rich as hell. You know the type."
Nope, not a great idea to have invited Alyssa tonight.
"Tristan?" Kellie looked up at Tristan with sad,
pathetic, puppy dog eyes.
"It was nothing and Alyssa knows it. She ' s being a bitch.
Ignore her." Then he kissed her. Even though he'd only kissed her on the
forehead, my heart still ached from having to witness his lips on her.
"I ' m sorry this wasn ' t the greatest first introduction.
I ' d really like to
make this up to you, but I need to get home. I have to open in the morning at
work. I ' ll call Tristan tomorrow, and we can work out the details."
I watched her think over my invitation.
"Sure, that ' ll be great. I look forward to hearing from you."
We each said our goodbyes and walked away. My legs must have
had their own GPS. I didn ' t know where I was going until I found myself sitting inside
Alyssa ' s car. As soon as she drove
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