Following Me by Linde, K.A. (best books to read in your 20s .txt) 📗

thoughHadley had been a sophomore, they had gotten along perfectly.

The year before, Hadley had had aterrible experience with a roommate that she knew from home.  After that, shehad decided to live in the dorms again and chance fate with a stranger.  Theyhad stayed in the same room the next year as well.  It had helped that the dormhad been renovated the summer before to an apartment-style layout with smallbedrooms, a communal living room, and a kitchen with granite countertops andstainless steel appliances.

Last year, they had opted to moveinto an off-campus apartment.  When they had made the decision, Devon hadn’tthought that Hadley would be graduating early.  After Hadley had moved out,Devon had spent all her time with Reid.  Even with him there though, theapartment had felt empty without Hadley.

“Where are your cups?” Devonasked, standing during a commercial break.

Hadley pulled out her phone andimmediately started texting.  “Second cabinet on the left from therefrigerator.”

“Thanks.”

Devon walked into the kitchen andfilled a glass full of ice water.  As she took a sip, her phone beeped threeconsecutive times in her pocket.  She pulled out her phone and flipped throughthe texts.  They were all from Reid, wishing her a safe trip and telling herhow much he would miss her while she was gone.

Her heart skipped a beat as sheread the last one.

Come home to me quickly, Dev. I’m too busy to fly to Paris, but I already miss you.  I miss you so much.

She swallowed back the emotionsrushing through her as she cradled the glass of water to her chest.  She hadtold him that her family had planned a trip to Paris for the summer.  The lieswere piling on top of her, and not for the first or last time, she regrettedher decision.

At that moment, the front dooropened, causing Devon to jump out of her self-pity.

“Hey, baby!” a guy called,walking through the door.

Peering through the kitchen door,Devon watched as he lifted Hadley right off the couch and into his arms. Hadley giggled like mad as she threw her arms around his neck while her legswrapped around his waist.  He pulled back long enough to deeply and thoroughlykiss her on the mouth.  Feeling intrusive, Devon stepped back into the kitchento give them some privacy.

“Put me down.  Put me down.  Youhave to meet Devon!” Hadley cried.

Devon heard a few thuds that soundedlike Hadley was playfully hitting Garrett.

“Is she here already?” he asked.

“Yeah.  Hey, Dev.  Come meetGarrett!” Hadley called.

Devon took a deep breath,preparing herself for the utter cuteness that always came from the honeymoonstage of a new relationship.  She waved awkwardly as she entered the livingroom.  “Hey.”

“Garrett, baby, this is mybestie, Devon Sawyer,” Hadley said.  “Dev, this is my boyfriend, GarrettJones.”

“Hey, Devon.  So nice to finallymeet you,” Garrett said, striding forward with his hand extended.

Devon politely placed her hand inhis and shook.

“I’ve heard so much about you,”he said.

“I’ve heard a lot about you,too.”  Which was true.  Hadley hadn’t shut up about him at lunch, notthat Devon was complaining.  She would rather talk about anything but herself.

“Don’t believe a word she says. She thinks I’m a nice guy,” he said with a wink in Hadley’s direction.

“You are a nice guy!”Hadley said, rolling her eyes and walking over to them.

“Kiss of death, babe.  Kiss ofdeath,” he said, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her in close.

Yes, that looks like the kissof death, Devon thought.

“So, how long are you here for?”Garrett asked, directing his attention back to Devon.

“Uh…probably just a week,” shesaid, finding his wide brown eyes unnerving.

“Well, glad to have you.  Ibrought home a couple bottles of wine from the cellar,” he said, gesturing tothe side table where he had deposited a bag.

“I didn’t know you were going tosee your dad,” Hadley said, her voice strained.

“He asked to see me after work. Told me to tell you hello.  I think he wants us over for dinner sometime thisweek.”

“Oh, well that sounds nice,”Hadley responded flatly.

Devon would be sure to ask herabout that later.  She hadn’t mentioned anything about Garrett’s parents, andshe knew Hadley too well.  There was definitely something off in her voice.

“I’m going to go pop open abottle.  You ladies get back to your Millionaire Matchmaker.  I’mcooking dinner tonight since I’m actually home at a decent hour, and then we’regoing out to celebrate Devon’s arrival.”  He picked up the bag from the tableand pulled out a bottle.  “Red okay with you, Dev?”

He’s already using my nicknamelike he knows me.  How the hell does Hadley always get this lucky?  Devonwondered.

“Red is perfect,” she answered.

When he left for the kitchen,Hadley grabbed her arm, pulling her close on the couch.  “Isn’t he incredible?”Hadley swooned.

“He might be too good.  Hebrought home wine, and he’s making dinner?  Is this guy for real?” Devon asked,nudging Hadley in the ribs.

“Totally for real, and he’s beenlike this for the past five months,” she said, sighing contentedly.  “It’s likehitting a gold mine as far as boyfriends go.”

Devon couldn’t agree more.  Herfriend seemed truly, very happy with Garrett, and Garrett seemed to adore her. Any man who greeted a woman by picking her up and kissing her senseless wasalright on Devon’s list.

Plus, he waspretty easy on the eyes.  He was tall, really tall, which was nice since Hadleywas on the taller side.  He had broad shoulders, a friendly smile, and thecutest dimples.  His brown hair was short but styled professionally.  He’d hadon a black suit when he walked in, but he had since changed into dark jeans anda green button-up rolled up to his elbows to cook in.  He seemed comfortable inhis skin and in his affection toward Hadley.  Devon liked that about him.

THE TRIO SPENT the evening lost indebates about which match was going to be successful on MillionaireMatchmaker while downing glass after glass of the expensive red wineGarrett had brought back with him.  To accompany the wine, dinner consisted ofa perfectly cooked chicken marsala with spaghetti and garlic bread.  As theylaughed and joked during the meal, Devon felt the tension and anxiety of thelast semester melt away from her.

Each day had been a battle tokeep going, and in this moment, she felt lucky