Pretending Hearts by Topham Wood Heather

Author:Topham Wood, Heather [Topham Wood, Heather]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2014-11-09T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

“The food is disgusting here, isn’t it?” Levi complained as he stirred the gelatinous gravy pooled around a slab of mystery meat.

“Yes, but I think you’re spoiled by your mom’s cooking,” I countered.

“If you’re trying to call me a momma’s boy, I might be offended,” he said.

“I don’t like the food here either, but I’m still glad I get to see you before work.”

“It’s the uniform,” he teased, pulling at the fabric of his work shirt. He had no idea how gorgeous he looked. His good looks were effortless and he didn’t even seem to notice the appreciative stares he garnered. I liked that he wasn’t in love with himself. “I get a lot of play because of the uniform.”

“It’s simply the pleasure of your company,” I said. I lowered my voice. “I’m feeling a little lost right now and I’m glad you’ve been here for me.”

Levi was as solid as they came. If I was having an off day and felt like the world was conspiring against me, he stayed on the phone as I vented. His advice was smart. I was stubborn and had a tendency to resist his opinions, but in the end, he made me see how living in the past was ensuring a toxic future.

Levi sucked in his lower lip. “Has the press been bothering you?”

I shook my head. “No, but I still feel like everyone at this college treats me like I’m contagious. My lab partner for bio asked the professor to switch.”

“Why do you care?”

“What?”

“If someone’s an asshole, why do you care what they think of you? You’re better off not having them in your life.” He leaned against the seat of the cafe booth.

“So what if everyone’s an asshole? Am I just supposed to go through life with no friends?”

He held a hand over his heart. “I guess I don’t make the list of your friends.”

I blew out a frustrated breath through my teeth. “Of course you’re my friend. But four years of college is going to suck if I’m treated like a disease because of Autumn Dorey.” Blaming Autumn was a tired, knee-jerk reaction and the words sounded hollow to my ears when I said them aloud.

Levi tapped the table in front of him. “I think you know that’s not true.”

“Okay, maybe it’s my brother’s fault as well. And my parents'. I could keep listing names if you’d like,” I said snidely.

“If you really blamed Autumn, you wouldn’t have called her to pick you up the night we met,” he said. “I think you just need to look deeper if you want to find better friends than the set you had.”

“How so?”

“Because although you complain about your mom, I think she’s played a part in the way you deal with people.”

“No way.”

“Hear me out,” he said. “Do you think it’s a coincidence you started dating Wyatt as quickly as you did? Or worked so hard trying to impress Georgie?” He didn’t wait for a reply to the rhetorical questions. “Your mom told you to come to college not for yourself, but for a rich husband.

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