Mirage by Ashley Suzanne Page B

say apologetically.
    “You’ll never know until you ask. Where are you guys headed?”
    “Our friend Skylar is in an MC. He invited Kylee, and she invited me down to their clubhouse for some kind of party.”
    “Skylar, the guy from last night?” Jacoby questions.
    “Yeah. I’m surprised you remembered. So, yeah, Skylar, Kylee and I all went to college together and we’re going to have a few drinks or something tonight. Maybe another night,” I say nervously. I didn’t even think he would remember Skylar or sound so upset about me spending time with him.
    “How could I not forget him? He basically asked if I was taking you against your will last night when we were leaving the bar. I don’t know Mira; do I have anything to worry about? I saw the way he looked at you.”
    “Jacoby, really, there is nothing to worry about. We have all been friends for a very long time and have gone through some good and terrible times together. We’re just friend,” I say. I have to say, I’m a little angry that Jacoby thinks he can have a say in who I do or do not associate with.
    “Mira, I’m not trying to get on your case. This is a rough crowd and you’re right, it’s not my scene. I prefer entertaining women by taking them to more respectable places. I know the stuff that goes on at these places Mira, do you?” Jacoby questions me.
    “Thank you for the concern. I have been to a clubhouse before and I know what to expect. Skylar would never invite Kylee or me somewhere that was dangerous or somewhere that we would not be respected. If you would like to go out another night, send me a text, if not, I’ll see you Monday at the office,” I say as I hang up on him.
    “The nerve of this guy,” I mumble out loud to myself, but Kylee overheard.
    “Jacoby?” she asks.
    “Yeah, trying to give me a lecture on the do’s and don’ts of the bike world and that I shouldn’t be at places like this. He wanted to know if he needed to worry about Skylar,” I say in one long exasperated breath.
    “Does he have to worry about Skylar?” Kylee questions with a glimmer of ‘pure evil best friend’ in her eyes.
    “Oh dear God, Kylee. Get off it. Really,” I say digging into my food that I didn’t even see the waiter bring to our table until just now. Taking the first bite of my BLT, I didn’t realize how little that bagel did for me this morning. I’m starving.
    “I’m just messing with you honey, don’t get bent out of shape.”
    After finishing an amazing lunch we walk around the campus for a while. I didn’t realize it would bring back so many memories. I mean, we drive through Ann Arbor regularly but it’s there’s something about walking. The college kids were all running around, looking happy like the whole world was out there waiting for them. There was couple walking holding hands in front of us. It was just so adorable, but made me so sad at the same time. There was another couple lying in front of the law building on a quilt. The guy had his back against a tree while the girl sat between his legs. It looked like they were reading from the same book.
    We were in our last quarter of our senior year. Midterms were creeping up even quicker than I realized. I was leaving from my last class of the day and anticipated heading across State Street to the Starbucks to get some studying in. With my nose in my phone checking all my notifications that I missed during my class, I didn’t even notice Danny sneaking up on me.
    Danny ran up behind me and wrapped me in his arms, picking me up off the ground spinning me around. Let’s just say that if I wouldn’t have recognized his signature scent, he might have got junk punched.
    “I missed you so much today,” Danny said while nuzzling my neck.
    “I missed you, too. I’m about to head for coffee and studying, wanna go?”
    “Got a much better idea. Pea, you take studying too seriously sometimes. I know I study a lot but these last few weeks, you’ve been too wound