Baited by Love novel · Chapter 8 of 24

Chapter 8: Clause Three

Lars got up and opened the door himself.

Otto squeaked, and I stood in the middle of the room holding my folder with nowhere to go.

Preston Aldane filled the doorway in his camel coat, with his hands in his pockets.

"Ashdown," he said. "I'm looking for Betsy."

"She's here," said Lars.

I would have liked it if he had said anything else.

Preston came in without being asked and looked around the room, at the soccer ball, the cereal box and the tight bed.

"Charming," he said. "Betsy. Did you get Lorelei's toast?"

"I got it."

"Good. You'll read it word for word on Saturday, in front of my father, and in return I won't mention the six essays."

"They have your name on them," Lars said.

"My father thinks I'm too stupid to cheat." Preston said it flatly. "He'll believe her over me every time."

He smiled at me, and it was the old smile, the one that had once made me bike through rain.

I waited to feel it.

What I felt instead was a mild, clear annoyance.

"Preston," I said. "Your coat is on backwards."

He looked down.

It was not, but he checked, and Otto coughed into his sleeve in a way that sounded a great deal like a laugh.

"Betsy is busy until Saturday," said Lars.

"Doing what? Studying with a monk?"

"Yes," said Lars.

There was a short silence.

Preston looked at him, then at the index card on the desk with THE STUDY TREATY on it, then at me.

"You're making a mistake," he said, and went out, and shut the door at exactly the volume that tells the whole hall you did.

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