“So we can hang out, right?” I ask, just to be sure.
She slaps my knee. “Heck yes!” It’s the closest I’ve heard her come to a swear. “And we can take a road trip to visit Jonah. Or he can pick you up on his way to see me, or whatever. Either way, we’re good. Where is that Georgia conference you’re going to?”
I shrug. “I don’t even know what it’s called.”
Eden reaches for her phone, thumbing through it with a curious look on her face.
“What?” I prompt, nudging her arm.
“Does this look familiar?” She turns her screen toward me.
Family Values Conference Tour. The picture beneath it holds a shiny, smiling family, with even shinier teeth. They’re of completely mixed races in a clear over-attempt to look diversified.
“That looks like the brochure I saw at Roland’s last Sunday.” Roland and I have resumed post-church lunch dates. I find it a surprisingly relaxing way to end my week; just him and me kicking back in his kitchen eating roast beef sandwiches with our phones off. He says he welcomes the break from the bustling that can come after a Sunday service. He’ll have to accept invitations from others to lunch at some point, he says, but for now, we like our routine.
“Well, duh!” Eden exclaims. “Look where it is!”
Moving my eyes back down to the screen. “Rome. Seriously? That’s where Matt lives!”
“I know! You’ve lucked right out, Missy. You’ll get to see, like, all your CU friends during break.”
I huff, trying to stay amused. The fact is, I haven’t talked to Matt much since I chased him down on the quad a few days before our OT final. He’s been aloof, and I’ve been busy trying not to fail out and being okay with B’s. He knows about what went down with Roland and Dean Baker, but I haven’t given lots of details. I send a quick text to Matt.
Me: Are you gone yet?
Matt: No.
I had assumed not. Students are allowed on campus until noon tomorrow. Knowing Matt, he’ll lock his dorm room door at 11:59 in an effort to spend as little time at home as possible.
Me: Meet me at the light post in two minutes.
Matt: Bossy much?
Me: Jerk much?
I know the last text is rude, but he doesn’t get to start teasing with me after basically avoiding me for a week.
“Where you going?” Eden asks, watching me put on my coat.
“Just gotta talk to Matt for a sec.”
“Light post?”
I nod, offering a small wave before closing the door behind me.
The light post is just that—an old-style looking light post that sits on the fork in the sidewalk between a set of men’s dorms and women’s dorms. Since we’re not allowed inside the dorms of the opposite sex, and loitering in front of the windows is tacky and frowned upon, quick in-person conversations are unofficially held in this area. Archaic as it sounds, it’s nice to have a plan when grumbling about the rules gets you nowhere.
Jogging up the small hill, I see Matt’s broad back leaning against the pole. Football finished two weeks ago, CU’s final game commencing just before finals started. I don’t know what his plans are for all that muscle in the off-season, but I hope he finds good use for them beyond punching someone—which is what he always looks like he wants to do.
“Took ya long enough,” he mumbles slyly, not turning to face me.
“To what? Have enough of your crap?” I shoot back.
He lowers his head, and instantly I feel bad.
“Sorry,” I say. “Look, I don’t care about the last couple of weeks. I just need to know if you’re staying in Rome during the entire break.”
Matt snorts. “Like I have anywhere else to go.”
“Stop being melodramatic.” Stepping in front of him, I finally get a full view of his face. And a fresh-looking black eye. “Oh, God,” I groan loudly. “It’s finally happened. You got in a fight.”
He flinches as my fingers trace the purple swell around his left eye, but he doesn’t move my hand. “No, there was no fight. Just me and some teammates horsing around at our post-season party.”
I shake my head. “Why are men such fools? Anyway, you know I’m staying with Roland for break.”
He nods. “Because Dean Baker is a—”
I put my hand up. “That. Yes. Anyway, turns out, I’ve got to go to the Family Values thingy with him.”
Matt’s eyes focus on me for the first time in the conversation. “Which one is he going to?”
Tapping my index finger off the tip of his nose, I smile. “Rome, baby. We have to meet up.”
Matt smiles, putting his hands on my shoulders. “I’ll one up you, baby,” he teases. “Roland has had plans for six months to stay at our house during the conference.”
“Really?” I’m starting to sound like Eden with all my high-pitched shrieking. “But … will he still stay there with me? Like … rules and stuff?”
Matt twists his lips. “Talk to him. You’re a quick thinker.”