Free Promise Me by Monica Alexander Page A

alright,” I told him. “Thanks for asking.”
    “I had no idea you were in this class. How crazy is that?”
    “It’s pretty crazy,” I said, trying to bite back my sarcasm as I made the slow climb to the top of the auditorium.
    “So crazy,” he agreed. “Hey Jack!”
    “Yeah, man?” I heard his roommate say.
    “This is our neighbor – the one Cullen likes. I’m kind of into her roommate,” Micah blurted out, and I was sure if Cullen knew he’d said that, he probably wouldn’t be too happy.
    I heard Jack clap Micah on the shoulder. “And I’m sure he’ll be thrilled that you just told her. Hi Kate. I’m Jack, and I’m nowhere near as blunt as my roommate.”
    I smiled to myself, doubting seriously that what he’d just said was the truth. But at least he seemed friendly.
    I looked over my shoulder at him. “It’s nice to meet you.”
    “Likewise,” Jack said to me. “Welcome to the complex.”
    “Thanks,” I muttered, wishing the people in front of us would move a little faster.
    “She already knew Cullen was into her,” Micah defended.
    I shook my head in annoyance. He just didn’t know when to stop talking.
    “I’m not so sure she did know, Micah,” Jack teased him. “Did you know, Kate?”
    “Um, I don’t really – I don’t know.”
    “See, she did know,” Micah told him as we reached the door and filed out. “If she didn’t, though, Cullen’s going to be pissed at me. Please don’t tell him.”
    “No promises, man,” I heard Jack say nonchalantly as Micah groaned.
    “Damn, man. He’s totally going to kick my ass – again.”
    “Then you might want to think before you speak from now on,” I heard Jack tell him and smiled to myself. It was exactly what I’d been thinking.
    I turned to Micah once we’d stepped away from the door, fighting the urge to bolt without saying a word to him. I might not have cared much for him, but I didn’t want to cause a fight between friends. And he kind of reminded me of an eager puppy. He had good intentions, and he didn’t always know that what he was doing was wrong. I guess I had a soft spot for that.
    “Sara mentioned that Cullen might be interested in me,” I told him. “I guess I sort of already knew. I won’t tell him you said anything to me.”
    Micah grinned at me, his demeanor completely changing. “Sweet. Thanks,” he said, clapping me on the shoulder. “I knew you were a cool girl.” He turned back to Jack. “See, I told you she was a cool girl. She’s not going to say anything to Cullen, so you won’t either, right?”
    Jack wasn’t paying attention to him. He was looking down at his girlfriend who was showing him something on her phone.
    “Jack?” Micah prompted impatiently when he didn’t look up.
    “What’s that?” Jack asked, looking at Micah and then at me. “What did I miss?”
    It was the first time I’d looked at him head-on, and I realized that I’d been wrong before. He wasn’t just hot, he was gorgeous. Not only was he tall – probably 6’2” if I had to guess – but his skin was a warm golden tan, his cheekbones and jaw were angular in a way that I’d only ever seen on models in magazines, and he had these intense hazel eyes that completely focused on the person he was talking to – in this case, me – and it was kind of hard to look away from him.
    I watched him take his hat off of his head as he looked between Micah and me once more. He ran his hand through hair that any girl would kill to have. It was dark brown but streaked with natural highlights, as if he’d spent the summer outdoors, and there was the subtlest wave to it that gave it body. I had the sudden urge to run my fingers through it, just to see if it was as soft as it looked. I imagined it was, but I didn’t dare try to figure it out for myself.
    “I was just saying what a cool girl Kate is,” Micah told his roommate.
    “That’s great,” Jack said casually as his girlfriend threaded her fingers with his.