Free Be with Me by J. Lynn Page B

as he leaned back, tangling his fingers in Avery’s hair. I was beginning to believe it was impossible for him to not be touching some part of her at any given time. “What up?”
    “Most likely not your IQ.” Jase sat across from the seat I was heading to, flashing my brother a quick grin.
    He rolled his eyes. “That was clever.”
    “I like to think it was,” Jase replied.
    Grinning, I sat beside Avery and gave a little wave at Brit and Jacob. I didn’t know those two well. They were usually at the table when I was here, and Brit’s penchant for mayo and fries turned my stomach. Today, thank God, the blonde was eating pizza. Beside her, Jacob was poring over a thick textbook, his face scrunched up in confusion.
    “Has it started raining yet?” Avery asked.
    I shook my head as I unwrapped my plastic fork. “Looks like it’s going to happen soon.”
    She sighed as she glanced over at Brit. “It’s going to pour the moment we have to walk over to west campus.”
    “That’s our luck.” Brit elbowed Jacob. “Are you going to let me borrow your hat if it starts raining?”
    He lifted his chin as he touched the top of his bowler hat. To me, he sort of looked like Bruno Mars. “Yeah, I cannot let my hair get wet. Sorry for your luck.”
    Brit shoved a finger into his narrow side. “That is not gentlemanly at all.”
    “Good thing I don’t profess to be one, huh?” His dark eyes glinted with humor as he turned his attention to me. “Honey, I really hope you pick better friends than this one beside me.”
    “Hey!” Brit’s mouth dropped open. “What the hell? I am prime pickings for friendship. Just ask Avery.”
    She nodded as her right hand disappeared under the table. “It’s true.”
    I smiled as I stabbed a crispy slice of chicken. “I think Brit is good people.”
    “Thank you,” she said, smiling quite evilly at Jacob.
    As I finished off the chicken in my salad, the conversation floated around the table, changing from Cam’s training for the spring soccer tryouts with United to the upcoming party this weekend.
    “I don’t know if it’s going to be a huge thing.” Jase had devoured the hamburger and now had moved on to the fries. “I know Erik and Brandon are supposed to be running it. You’re going, right?” he asked Cam.
    Cam glanced at Avery first. Too cute. “Are we?”
    She bit her lip and nodded. “I think so.”
    I didn’t know a whole ton about Avery, but I knew going to a party was a big deal. She didn’t seem to be into those kinds of things.
    Brit and Jacob planned on going, and I turned my attention to the salad, digging out the cucumbers. In high school, I didn’t get to go to a lot of parties because of dance, so I really had no idea what to expect from a college one. Not that it looked like I was going to find out anytime soon.
    “You’re coming, right?” Jase asked, and I wondered who he was talking to. Then I felt his foot tap mine under the table, and I looked up. His brows rose. “Tess, you’re coming?”
    I blinked tightly as surprise washed over me. “Yeah,” I croaked, and then cleared my throat. “Yes. I can go.”
    “Wait. What?” Cam dropped his arm from Avery. Holy shit. Hold the presses. He wasn’t touching her. He leaned forward, eyeing me with identical blue eyes. “You are eighteen—”
    “I’m almost nineteen,” I interrupted, deciding that made a big difference. After all, my birthday was November the second, and we were less than a month away.
    “Yeah, still, you’re not legal.” Cam glanced over at Jase. “You seriously just invited her to a frat party?”
    Oh my God, I was going to kill my brother.
    “Awkward,” Jacob murmured, closing his textbook.
    Jase popped a fry in his mouth. “You’re taking your girlfriend to a frat party.”
    “That’s different,” he replied.
    I sighed. “Cam, can you shut—”
    “I don’t like the idea of you hanging out at a frat house. Those guys there—”
    “Like me,” Jase