Baited by Love novel · Chapter 19 of 24

Chapter 19: Revision Nine, Read Aloud

Betsy's POV

At five minutes to nine, Preston was waiting outside the Great Hall with something flat in his hand.

It was the laminated card, revision nine, with a thumbprint of mustard on one corner.

"I never threw it away," he said. "I kept it in my coat. I don't know why."

"Because you needed the water temperature," said Otto, behind me.

"I did not need the water temperature."

"You wrote sixty-four on your hand last Tuesday."

Preston went red and held it out.

I took it.

"Seven and a half," I said.

"I thought I earned an eight."

"You can have it when the ceremony's over."

The hall was packed.

There were alumni in blazers and a hundred students in the back.

The twelve men from the line sat in the front row, holding their pages.

Preston's father sat in the family box at the side of the platform with a glass of water.

Lorelei sat beside him in a white dress.

She smiled at me.

I smiled back, because I could not think what else to do.

The dean said my name into the microphone, and his voice cracked on the second syllable.

I walked up the steps with my hands shaking and no toast.

I had four index cards in my pocket, and every one of them had a line through it.

Lars stood at the back wall with his arms folded.

He caught my eye and tipped his head, once, and I put the cards away.

"Good morning," I said. "I was asked to say what happened, in order, and I'm told nobody has heard it from me."

A few people laughed.

"A year ago I started to feed a man," I said. "I want to read you how."

Keep reading free with an account. Start Baited by Love from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.