“It was pretty bad. Broke out in a basement, and a lot of people were trapped.”

“In a basement?”

“Uh … that college is sort of known for underground floating fight rings.”

“Underground what?”

“It’s kind of like a betting ring. Two guys are set up to fight. No one knows where until an hour before. The coordinator calls the fighters, their guys call ten people, then they call five, on and on.”

“Then what?”

He shrugged. “Then they fight. People bet. It’s a shit ton of money.”

“How do you know so much about it?”

“I started it. Taylor and me with the coordinator, Adam.”

The look in Tyler’s eyes when I’d bet on him at my house the first night we met now made sense. “So was Travis there?”

Tyler’s expression fell, and he looked at me for several seconds before answering. “He eloped to Vegas.”

“That’s good.”

“Yeah,” Tyler said, rubbing the back of his neck. “More OJ?”

“No, I’m good. We should probably head in.”

Tyler paid the check, and then held my hand to the truck like it was the most natural thing in the world. When he dropped me off at the MountainEar, the air between us felt heavy and awkward. It was that should we or shouldn’t we kiss moment and what does it mean if we do?

I reached for the handle.

“Hang on a sec,” Tyler said, reaching for me. He slid his fingers between mine, and then lifted my hand to his lips.

“Thanks for staying with me last night,” I said.

“I’m glad I was there to run off your uninvited guest.”

“Me, too.”

He took my phone, tapping in numbers and then letters. “If he bothers you again,” Tyler said, the crease between his brows deepening. “Call me. But just … you know … call me, anyway.”

I stepped out of the truck and waved to him as he pulled away. He bumped up the volume on his radio, and I could hear the bass thumping until he turned onto the highway toward the hotshot dorms.

The door chimed as I walked in to the office. “Morning,” I said, waving to Jojo on my way to my desk.

Not only was Wick’s door was closed, but a stunning bouquet of butter-yellow and vivid violet roses reached out from a simple glass vase. I circled my desk, crossing one arm across my waist, touching my lips with my fingers, trying not to let my entire face erupt into a smile. Flowers, romance, and theatrics were last on my list of things I wanted from Tyler, but I sat down, soaking in how absolutely giddy it made me.

Jojo poked her head in the doorway. “Who are they from?”

I leaned forward once more to confirm and lifted my hands, letting them hit my thighs. “I couldn’t find a card.”