Free Moving Forward (Moving Neutral, Book Three) by Katy Atlas

— I’d totally forgot about it till Lauren reminded me.  Things got so crazy with exams and all…”
    “If you’ve forgotten about the biggest party of the year, the situation is clearly dire.”  He grinned at me.  “Sounds like I showed up just in time. ”
    I looked at him warily, trying to stop the smile from creeping across my face.  “Ok, Tanner.  Let’s at least get my paper turned in before you let loose the corrupting influence.”
    “I like to think of it as corrupting charm,” Tanner grinned.  “Lead the way.  You want me to proof it for you?”
    “Not a chance,” I started to walk towards the English department, still smiling. 

 
    Chapter Sixteen
     
    With my English paper safely turned in, the semester was officially over.
    “One semester down,” I smirked as we walked away from the building.  “Want to place a wager on whether I get through number two?”
    Tanner grinned at me.  “I’m not betting against you, Snow.  What do you take me for, a sucker?”
    I led Tanner in the direction of my dorm, scanning the path around us for any photographers about to pounce.  I still wasn’t sure if someone had tipped off the press after our show with Liv — it seemed suspicious that four different magazines had all coincidentally managed to get photographers to the venue almost right after we’d gone offstage.  But I didn’t know who would have done it — only a handful of people knew that Blake and I would even be there.
    “How’s Sophie?” I asked.  We’d talked on the phone once or twice since I’d gone back to New York, but I still missed her, a lot. 
    “She’s good,” Tanner said, glancing down at me.  “ She said to tell you hi.  Glad it took a drunk girl pouring beer on you to bring you two back together, I guess.”
    “It wasn’t beer,” I said, giving Tanner a wry smile.  “And if you think that’s bad, you should see what they say about me on the internet.”   
    “There’s an e asy solution for that,” he said.  “Don’t read it.”
    I looked at the ground.  “But then how do you know what they’re saying?”
    “You don’t, Snow,” he said, swinging an arm over my shoulder.  Normally I would have shrugged him off, but I was in pretty dire need of a friend at that moment.  “They’re probably saying awful stuff.  But if you don’t read it, it doesn’t stick to you.”
    “I guess…”
    “Trust me, do you think every article about me replacing Blake Parker was positive?  It’s a tough business, Snow.  You need a thick skin, or you’ll get scared off at the first challenge.”
    He pulled my body tighter to his, and looked down, gently.  “ But you won’t.  It’s been six months, you’re still here.   Casey Snow, I think you’re stronger than you think.”
    I looked up at him, and for a moment, something flickered in his eyes, dark and magnetic.  I felt his arm tighten around me, and I put a hand up to his chest, stopping him.
    “Tanner, we’re in public —”
    “And you want to go somewhere more private?  Lead the way.”
    I relaxed, giggling and rolling my eyes.  “I want to go somewhere where a lone paparazzo isn’t going to claim we were canoodling on the Columbia Quad.”
    Tanner’s voice lowered, and he leaned closer to my ear.  “So… canoodling somewhere else then?”
    I snorted a laugh, taking a step back.  “No canoodling.  I’m going to change clothes, and then you can take me out for a drink to celebrate my exam.  And I’m inviting some friends, so we’re not in any photos alone.  Got it?
    Tanner held up his hands, surrendering.  “You drive a hard bargain, Snow.  I always hated the word canoodling anyways.”
    I grinned.  “Me too.  So let’s keep it G-rated, ok?”
    Now it was his turn to snort.  “The word, Snow. I hate the word. I’m still down for the meaning.”
    “You never learn.”
    “I make a point of it.  That’s why I’m not in college.”
    It was a quick walk from