Misjudged (18 page)

Treasure Hunt.

Okay. There’s no reason to jump to conclusions. I did that last time and then found out that he was still here. He has probably just gone to use the bathroom or something.

I wait for a few more minutes, but he still hasn’t come back in. Glancing around my room, I look for his leather jacket, cell phone, and watch. Nope. They’re not here either. There’s
no sign that he’s been in here at all. Maybe he went to make coffee.

Oh, this is ridiculous.
I inwardly curse myself for overthinking things. He told me that we’re going to try and I believe him.

I have to admit that
when I woke up and he wasn’t beside me, I was really disappointed, so much in fact, that my stomach rolled and a nauseous feeling swept over me. Climbing out of bed, I realize it’s nine o’clock and so grab my robe from the back of my door and head into the living area.

“Alex, what are you looking for?” Alyssa calls out from her spot over on the couch. She looks a little rough this morning
so I’m guessing she wasn’t the one who came back just as Brandon and I were getting …
close.
It takes a long night of drinking for Alyssa to look this bad. She probably didn’t come home until at least four o’clock in the morning, if past night outs are anything to go by.

I shake my head and give her a half smile, before heading ove
r to the coffee pot. Thankfully the carafe is half full, or half empty, depending on which way you want to look at it. Leaning myself against the countertop, I try to think positively. Maybe he went home to grab a shower, or he had to feed his squirrel?
He doesn’t have a freaking squirrel, Alex, you loser.

All right. He didn’t kiss me, but he did do amazingly wonderful things to my body last night.
I need to talk with someone and considering how personal this topic of conversation is, it will have to be Alyssa.

Grabbing us both a mug of steaming black coffee, I head over and join her in front of the TV. 
“Here, you look like you could use some,” I offer as I pass her the drink, before taking the seat by her. “I need some advice, please?”

She snaps her head up
and gazes at me quizzically as she sits up straighter. I know I have her full attention now because what used to be unusual, me needing her advice, is becoming a regular occurrence as of late. Apparently she can tell from my slight frown I’m tentative about broaching the subject, so she prompts, “Brandon?”

“Brandon,
” I nod as my frown deepens. “We were intimate again. Not sex, but …” Fiddling with my fingers that are resting in my lap, I let out sigh and hear my voice sounding lower than normal. “He left before I woke up.”

I explain his whole situation to her
and she listens attentively. For once, she hasn’t tried to make a joke of things when it comes to talks of this nature. I tell her about Holly, the kissing issue, and that he usually has meaningless sex, although she knew that last part already. Everybody knows that he likes to bed women, but not everyone knows the reason as to why like I do.

“You want me to tell you what I honestly think?” She looks concerned as she asks. I close my eyes and nod in reply. “It could be that it meant so much more to you
, because you don’t do the whole meaningless thing. To him, it would probably have been just another night, with another girl, but having said that, you’re different, Alex. He really seems to like you.” She shrugs her shoulders while studying my face for a reaction.

“I think I’ll go and call him,
” I rub her arm gently, before heading back to my room and picking up my cell phone.

Two new messages. Okay, if he says that what we did last night was
‘nice’
then I’m going to pound on him so hard, he’ll think he’s in a wrestling match with Chris Jericho.

Treasure hunt challenge! The nxt message will hav ur 1st clue 2 find me.

What the hell? He wants me to go and find him? I can’t suppress the smile that’s threatening to take over my face and I’m feeling a little giddy. I go straight to the second message. This next one was sent just five minutes ago.

Go2 the place that makes ur favorite coffee at 11 & wear ur red scarf.

Well, that’s a relief. I thought he regretted what we did together last night, considering he wasn’t here when I woke up. I’m starting to feel a lot more positive about today already.

***

I made the call I’d been dreading to make to my father just after I’d read the messages from Brandon. I could sense the disappointment in his voice when I told him I wasn’t chosen for the annual performance. He wasn’t disappointed with me, he was upset for me. He said exactly the same as Brandon had, that my mom would be proud of me no matter what. Hearing those words from him brought me some comfort at least, and I guess yesterday didn’t turn out too badly when I think about how it had ended.

I ended the call with my father at ten o’clock and then hurried into the bathroom for a quick shower
, since I only had an hour before I needed to be over at Starbucks. His clues are way too easy, although I have no idea why he has asked me to wear my red scarf.

Alyssa noticed my gloomy mood shifting to a much dreamier one as I ran around the dorm, getting myself ready to go and meet with him. When I showed her the messages, she to
ld me that she wanted a Brandon too. I would actually be willing to fight her or anyone else for him.

Heading down the sidewalk, I see Starbucks is o
nly a couple of buildings ahead and I’m wondering if he’s going to meet me inside because as I look around, there’s no sign of him anywhere.

As I reach the door
I feel something on my arm, and when I look to my right, I see a young boy, probably around the age of twelve, looking directly up at me.

“Miss Alexis Harper?” H
e asks in a really sweet tone, but I don’t remember having seen him before. I watch him for a second with curiosity before levelling my eyes with his.

“I’m sorry, do I know you?” I ask
and it’s then when I see him bringing a single red rose from behind his back, before handing it over to me. “Is this for me?” I take it from him and let out a happy sigh. I love roses.

He
nods his head enthusiastically, “The guy paid me twenty bucks to give it to the beautiful lady wearing the red scarf, and asked me to tell you to take the far corner seat on the left, just in there.” His cheeks blush a light shade of red as he points to the entrance of a café just beside Starbucks.

“Well, thanks,” I answer and watch him as he walks away, hold
ing the money in his right hand tightly. My cheeks are feeling a little heated now too.

Give it to the beautiful lady in the red scarf? I think my heart just skipped a beat. A huge smile is spreading over my lips and I shake my head in disbelief before heading into the
café. I check all around but still can’t see him, so I make my way over to where the sweet young man told me to sit. Maybe he’s running a little late or something. Or … maybe he’s not.

Sitting on the table top, there are two numbered envelopes with my name written on the front. Taking another quick glimpse around, no one appears to be paying any interest in what I’m doing, so I take a seat and op
en up the envelope labelled #1.

Beautiful,

I really wanted to join you for breakfast
but I have a couple of things I need to take care of. Order whatever you want. I’ve already taken care of the bill. When you’re done, and not before, look in the second envelope for your next clue.

X Brandon X

Wow, he’s really going out of his way here. Will he know if I take a look before I place my order? Lifting the second one, I’m distracted by the waitress who’s walking past my table, “No peeking,” she waves her index finger at me, and I feel like I’ve just been caught with my hand in the cookie jar or something. “Your boyfriend gave us strict orders.” She winks and throws me a smile before walking back over to the counter.

I rest against the back of the seat and inhale a deep breath when I rerun what she just said through my mind. Your boyfriend. I like the sound of that.
My boyfriend.
A warm sensation runs through my veins at those very words.

Snapping myself out of the dream I was just living in my mind, I go over to the count
er and decide that for a change and because the weather is cold, I’ll indulge in a hot chocolate with marshmallows and sprinkles to help warm me up.

Once I am settled back into my seat
and I’ve indulged in the pastry I’d also ordered, I can’t wait any longer.

Okay, next clue. I gently open the second envelope, still grinning like an idiot. He’s going to make we work to see him, I can just tell.

Are you smiling?

I sense you’re smiling.

Go to 3045 on 10th Street,

I need you to pick something up for me.

DON’T look inside.

X

Clutching on to the new note, I give my thanks to the waitress, who for some reason is smiling brightly at me, before heading out onto the sidewalk. Does she know something that I don’t?

Checking the address again as I round the corner onto Tenth Street, I see the same kid who gave me the rose earlier, holding a shopping bag in his right hand.

I smile as I near him and when he sees me heading his way, he stands up from the bench he was seated on and walks over to join me.

“He’s keeping you busy today, huh?” I ask with a laugh, and the boy returns my greeting with a grin.

“He paid me another twenty bucks,” he shrugs his shoulders and passes me the bag, before walking away again. I quickly scan the area to see if Brandon is watching this whole thing, but there are so many people around that even if he is here somewhere, he would be pretty hard to spot.

Don’t peek in the bag. Ugh, I really
want to peek in the bag. He’s thought about this well because the packaging inside is hiding whatever it is that’s underneath extremely well. Even the store name on the exterior has been masked.

Sitting myself down on the nearest bench, I wonder what I’m supposed to do now. I can’t look inside, he’s made that clear, but I haven’t any more clues. Am I supposed to head back to campus now?

I’ll message him.

Did you run out of paper? I have the bag. What do I need to do next? X

I wait for five minutes but there’s no reply, so I decide to make my way back to campus. I’m glad he didn’t send me all the way across the city, because since I thought I’d be meeting him for breakfast, I tried to dress cute and the heels I chose to wear are starting to kill me already.

As I approach my building’s steps, I hear my cell phone jump to life. Pausing so I can pull it out, I see
that he’s finally decided to get back to me.

Check your bed, maybe?

My cheeks automatically blush, and the wide smile I’ve been wearing for most of the morning has just doubled its size, although I really have no idea how that’s even possible.

Does this means he’s in my bed? A heat climbs up through my body at the thought and I find myself hurrying up the steps and
towards the elevator with a newfound urgency. Since when did I become so much like Alyssa?

Walking straight through the living area, I head directly
towards my room without even looking to see if any of the guys are here. I pause when I reach for the handle and take a deep breath, so I can try to settle the butterflies in my stomach. I think they’ve taken up permanent residency in there now.

Peeking
my head around the door, there’s no sign of him at all. I place the bag down by my desk, and go and sit on my bed so I can take these freaking heels off.

My cell phone is vibrating again
and I reach for it right away.

Okay, I’m done. Come & meet me. X

Brandon, it would really help if you told me where I was supposed to find you!

Replacing my heels with a pair of flat boots, I open my door and see him standing right on the other side, with the sexiest smile over his lips. Is it wrong that I just want to grab him by his shirt and pull him into my room, so that I can experience the same feelings I did with him the night before? No, I didn’t
think so either.

He’s watching me with
intensity and my heart begins to flutter. “Hey, beautiful.” He leans forward and places a soft and lingering kiss on my right cheek, while taking hold of my left hand.

“What’s in the bag?” I’m filled with curiosity as I allow him to lead me
towards the front door. He turns back and winks at me from over his shoulder.

He doesn’t answer my question or say another word until we make it out of the building. Still holding onto my hand, he turns himself around to face me and pulls me into him. “Are you ready for your next surprise?” Wrapping his hands around my waist, he gazes directly into my eyes and throws me the most heartbreakingly sensual smile I’ve seen yet.