Chapter 424

Anthony stared at Andrew’s message for what felt like forever. “I told you, a lot of women are going to be all over you The words just sat there, taunting him. Finally, he snapped back a reply.
“You really are an idiot.”
Andrew’s brows knit together as he read it. He spent a solid minute trying to figure out what he’d done this time to tick Anthony off. People always said women in love lost all sense of reason. Turns out, guys in love are just as hopeless.
Dating is such a headache.
He let out a quiet sigh and happened to glance up. That’s when he spotted Shirley nearby.
She looked so bright and lively, her eyes shining and her fair cheeks lit up with the kind of smile that made him feel like the world had slowed down just for her. Andrew’s heart slammed in his chest, skipping beats like it forgot how to work for a second. Lately, she’d been smiling more and more.
“The answer is three,” Shirley insisted, arguing with Parrish. Her cheeks were all flushed, and she looked like she might just whip out the test paper to prove her point right then and there.
“It’s two,” Parrish shot back, and in his attempt to show her the steps, he edged closer, so close their faces were nearly touching.
Watching them get that close made something twist in Andrew’s chest. He marched over, grabbed Shirley by the collar of her uniform, and pulled her behind him, awkward and a little rough. “What’s wrong with you two? Charlotte’s right here. Just ask her if you’re stuck.”
Shirley was so tiny that she stumbled back, bumping her soft cheek right against Andrew’s solid back.
Ouch. That actually hurt.
Andrew hadn’t realized she was so delicate. He turned, his voice softening. “Did you bump yourself? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” Shirley said, pressing her palm to her nose, which was turning red. Her eyes were rimmed with tears, but she forced a smile, doing her best to pretend nothing had happened.
The Blair family had helped her so much. She couldn’t complain, not about anything.
“You Andrew started, seeing the pain in her eyes and hearing her insist she was fine. It made him feel strangely unsettled.
“Yeah, yeah,” Parrish said, backing away from Shirley with a half-smile
that seemed to say he knew more than what’s e let on. “So, Charlott the answer to the last question on the test?”
The test was one Charlotte had left for them before she’d taken a break from school.
Charlotte had her hands tucked into her pockets, head lowered. “Five,” she said, her tone flat and calm.
Shirley stared at her, dumbfounded. Parrish was speechless too.
All that fuss, and they’d both gotten it wrong.
“Charlotte can you walk us through the steps?” Parrish asked, trailing after her with a grin. “If stand mine and get your lunch tomorrow.”
“Make it two days,” Charlotte replied without missing a beat.
“Me too, Charlotte,” Shirley said, looping her arm through Charlotte’s with a hopeful
little smile. “I’ll get your lunch for two days too.”
She wanted to know how to solve it just as much as Parrish did.
Charlotte’s lips twitched up. She’d already made her deal with Parrish, but when she turned to Shirley, she reached out lifted Shirley’s chin with her fingertips, and smiled lazily “You don’t have to pay. You get to listen for free.”
Parrish laughed. “Charlotte, you’re totally playing favorites.”
Charlotte just smiled, her cool eyes flicking over him. “Yeah, I am. So what?”
Parrish put his hands up in surrender. “Alright, you’re the boss.”