Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 80986 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80986 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Though it was steamy in the bathroom, I’d brought my clothes since I didn’t feel comfortable wandering the halls in just my robe. I’d already learned that most of the guys had no problem walking around in robes—or less.
Once, I’d seen Ian striding down the hall with only a white towel wrapped around his waist. Though I’d quickly ducked my head, it had been a spectacular sight. I thought about it as I finished drying off and put on a pink blouse and white shorts. Ian was a funny guy. It seemed like all he did was study in his room, but after seeing his bare chest and sculpted biceps, I knew he worked out.
Of course, he was going to be a doctor, so he was probably very interested in maintaining his health. I grinned as I fixed my hair in the mirror and put on a little makeup. I could just imagine his future female patients making appointments just for a chance to see him. He was so quiet and studious that he might not have the best bedside manner, but I doubted that they’d care.
I made my way downstairs and went into my room. For some reason, I felt good this morning, and I couldn’t help smiling.
And then my smile faded.
Something was different, and when I spotted what it was, my heart sank.
The hook on the wall behind the door was where I always kept my robe. Always.
Except it wasn’t there.
A mix of emotions washed over me as I stared at the horrible little French maid costume. Anger. Alarm that someone had been in my room. Panic that the robe wasn’t there. But most of all, fury at the sight of that stupid little dress. Were Bennett and Grant ever going to give up on that?
There were some long, gauzy black things on the hook too, slung over the top. Moving closer, I saw that they were thigh high stockings. And the little black belt with clips on it must’ve been a garter belt. I’d never seen one before, but it seemed like just the kind of thing a frat boy might think was hot.
I took a calming breath and looked around. Just because someone had left that in here, that didn’t mean they’d taken my robe—except I didn’t see it anywhere.
It wasn’t among the rest of my clothes hanging up. Or in the duffel bag I’d put in the bottom of the little closet. It wasn’t under the bed. I even checked the desk drawers, even though it wouldn’t have fit. I looked under the bed. Lifted up the comforter and blanket.
The robe wasn’t here.
I was out in the hallway before I’d even made a conscious decision to do so. Bennett’s room was my first destination, and though I knocked, waited, and knocked again, there was no answer. There wasn’t one at Grant’s door, either.
Back in the stairwell, I spotted Theo coming up from downstairs. “Have you seen Bennett and Grant?” I asked, interrupting his greeting.
“They’re eating breakfast. Is everything okay?”
Muttering that it was, I hurried on down.
Bennett and Grant were the only ones in the dining room. They both had mugs of coffee and empty plates in front of them. They were discussing something as they bent over some papers.
Grant spotted me first. “Morning, sunshine.” His perpetual smirk was up early today.
Bennett looked me up and down. “That’s what you’re wearing? After we were nice enough to leave you that pretty little dress?”
Rage filled me that he’d joke about that. “Where’s my robe?”
“You have less fashion sense than anyone I’ve ever met,” Bennett continued. “That thing was—”
“Where is it?” I moved closer, glad that they were seated so that I didn’t have to tilt my head to look them in the eye.
“It was ancient and threadbare. I threw it out.”
I blinked, staring at Bennett. “You what?”
“I threw it out. Rho Kappa Alpha is the most exclusive fraternity on the campus. We can’t have anyone who lives here, even the staff, dress in such a shoddy way.”
Grant had ceased to exist for me. All I could do was to stare at his cousin. The only thing that kept my panic away was my anger, so I went with that. “You had no r-right.” My voice trembled and I took a deep breath. “That was mine.”
“We’ll order you another one. One actually made for a woman,” Bennett said.
He was pure evil, and his audacity made my blood boil. “You’re right. It was made for a man. It was my grandfather’s. The man who raised me. The man who supported me my whole life.” I took a deep breath and managed to hold the tears back. “The man who died less than six months ago.”
Bennett didn’t even pause. “If you’re so fond of wearing senior citizen’s clothes, we can order you a new cheap terry cloth one.”