Definitely, Maybe in Love by Ophelia London Read Free Book Online Page B

the owners decided to squeeze one more rental fee out of the house the year I moved in. The one and only downfall was that the attic stairs were supremely loud and creaky. Last year, I paid an engineering student a hundred bucks to construct a retractable rope ladder outside my window so I could come and go without waking my roommates. To keep out any unwanted visitors, I secured a padlock on the outside of my window when I was out, and when I was in, the ladder was retracted, window locked from the inside.
    Before lowering the blinds, I made sure the ladder was down and the window was padlocked, in case Alex and I were out late.
    “I wish you were hanging out with us instead,” Julia said. There was a slight pout in her voice. “We’re watching a movie over at Dart’s.”
    “I told you, there’s no way I am hanging around that person.”
    A few days after the street party, I’d told Julia what had happened between Henry Knightly and me, the things I’d heard him say. By then, I was talking to a brick wall. She’d been hanging out with Dart every day and she just knew there had to be some kind of logical explanation. After all, any friend of Dart’s couldn’t have possibly said such mean things about me.
    I grabbed my purse and hooked the strap over my head and shoulder.
    Julia flopped down on my bed, humming again, but lifted her head when we both heard the doorbell two flights down. Following that was the sound of Anabel’s high heels rushing to answer. I moved toward my door, half worried that Anabel would find a way to steal my date right from under my nose.
    “When will you be home?” Julia asked.
    I was halfway through my threshold when I said, “When will you be home?”
    She exhaled a dainty giggle. “I hope you have a really nice time, Spring,” she said sincerely.
    I waved good night and hopped down the stairs.
    “Hi, Alex.”
    “Hey, you. Ready to go?” He was wearing that same attractive, carefree swagger from the party. “Looking good.”
    Personally, I thought Alex was the good-looking one as he stood under the porch lamp. His light brown hair was a little damp and messy, and his face had a glow that looked liked he’d just come from the gym. His hooded blue eyes sparkled as I advanced toward him.
    “Are you checking me out?” I asked, arching my eyebrows.
    He knocked his shoulder against mine. “It’s any man’s natural instinct to check you out.”
    “Try a little subtlety next time,” I suggested.
    We strolled down the walkway toward his car. It was a modest little gray Accord.
    “Sorry,” he said as he opened his door, “my, ahem, Bentley is being detailed.” He pointed across the street to where that odious black Viper was parked crooked in the driveway. Alex lifted his middle finger, making a universally known gesture in that car’s direction.
    I smiled in agreement and climbed in the passenger seat.
    “You two looked pretty cozy the other night,” he said after we’d pulled away from the curb. “I saw you talking.”
    “Who?”
    “Henry.”
    “ He was talking, not me,” I corrected. “Uninvited.”
    “I wish I’d known that,” he said, watching the road. “I would’ve swept in and whisked you away with me. Far away.”
    Obviously, Alex was a big flirt. Perhaps that was why we didn’t hook up freshman year. By going out with him now, I was breaking my rule about not dating past the second week of the school year. I smiled at him, already at peace with my justifications for accepting the date. Something about him was too charismatic to pass up.
    “Don’t worry.” I patted his shoulder. “Your classes will get busy soon and you’ll forget about your obsession with me.”
    “That’s what you think, gorgeous.” He downshifted and revved the engine. “I’ve never let a little thing like school get in the way of a good time. You’ll see.” He shot me a grin that I felt in my toes. “So, what’s the story with you two?”
    “What two?”
    “You and