Stupid Boy

I gave Murphy a hesitant smile, and she gave me one back. Unspoken acceptance. She’d never know how much I appreciated her silence.

* * *

The next day I ran into Olivia on my way to the library. She was stopped and facing away from me.

“Hey, Olivia,” I said.

Olivia Beaumont turned to me. She was eating peanut butter on a spoon. Dressed in a long sleeved snap-down shirt, skinny jeans and a pair of navy All-Stars, she wore her long hair in a messy braid that hung over her shoulder. And not one smidge of make-up. I didn’t know anyone else who could pull off the look like Olivia. One wouldn’t think just by looking at her that she was so exceptionally brilliant. She wore her Texas cowgirl shameless and with pride. I confessed, if only to myself, that it sparked a bit of envy in me. Never had I been allowed to be so…free with myself. Quickly, Olivia dabbed at her mouth. “Hey, Harper. How’s it going?”

“Fine, thank you,” I answered. I smoothed the front of my tailored suit and tucked my hair behind my ear. When Olivia glanced over her shoulder, my gaze followed. Then they widened. Brax stood, hands on hips, head down. Before him, another guy—the very same one I’d encountered yesterday. Same dark, messy hair, jeans. Boots. Leather jacket. Brax looked up and started talking with his hands. His body language seemed…angry. The attractive guy stood calm, hands shoved in his pockets.

“Who’s that with Brax?” I asked cautiously, studying the two with a close eye. “It looks like they’re arguing.”

Olivia continued to watch the exchange. Then she sighed and looked at me. “They are. Well.” She laughed lightly. “Brax is. Sort of. It’s his older brother, Kane McCarthy. From Boston. They’ve been brothers since they were kids. Grew up in the same foster home for a while and have been joined to the hip ever since. Kane…kind of surprised Brax yesterday. He sort of just showed up at the observatory where Brax was helping me clean the scopes.” She glanced at me and gave a wan smile. “A love-hate thing, I guess.”

Kane McCarthy. Ever since our brief encounter the day before, my thoughts kept drifting back to him. Something about his dark stare and confident posture burrowed into my subconscious. More than once during classes, I’d thought about him. His smooth voice, his quiet stare. That easy smile. And I’d been the one to send him to the observatory. I watched Brax throw his hands up, run them over his head, then push them onto his hips again. He took a few steps, then turned back to his brother. Meanwhile, Kane simply stood. Staring at Brax. Calm. “Why is that?” I asked.

“Well,” Olivia explained. “Brax is still on probation with the baseball team from all that trouble last year. He can’t afford any more. At all.”

My spine stiffened. “Is that what Kane is? Trouble?”

Olivia looked at me, and her wide eyes softened. “I hope not, but it’s kind of looking that way.” She sighed. “This is the first time I’ve met Kane in person, but Brax has talked about him a lot to me. Brax loves him like crazy, but…” Olivia smiled. “They both grew up in a hard, unimaginable life on the street. Brax escaped. Kane unfortunately didn’t.” Her gaze moved back to the brothers. “Kane has been in trouble before. Running numbers.” She looked at me. “Brax says that’s what he’s probably here to do. Football season, you know.”

“Is he going to start school here?” I asked, alarmed. “Or just numbers?” My gaze returned to Kane and Brax.

“I honestly don’t know,” Olivia answered. “He’ll be staying with Brax for a while, anyway. Brax will try and talk some sense into him. And you’re aware of Brax’s method of talking sense into someone.”

My gaze moved to Olivia. “Is Kane dangerous?” I looked at him again. Still standing quiet while Brax moved around, throwing his hands in the air, shaking his head. The whole while, Kane just watched his brother.

“I’m positive Kane himself isn’t dangerous,” Olivia answered. “Don’t get me wrong—he’s been in his share of fights, so Brax tells me, and can hold his own. But I’m afraid of the numbers. That’s not only illegal. It’s dangerous business. And he was asking Brax about Kappa House.”

The Kappa House? I continued to watch the brothers for a moment, lost in thought. Until an idea formed.

What if I could reform Kane? Although his demeanor wasn’t that of a bad boy—at least, not like Brax, anyway—if he was a street-wise, number-running guy, he was bad in my book. I could steal him away from the Kappas and they’d suffer a loss. Which was pretty much the idea of the Deltas’ private Dare.

Should I? Or…could I? Did I even have that kind of nerve? My eyes found Brax’s brother once more.

I’d most definitely have to give it some serious thought.

I was surprised to find I had a hard time looking away from Kane McCarthy, and was even more surprised by how the idea intrigued me. The idea of Kane as my Dare. I’d continue to search, though. Just in case a better prospect emerged. With a deep breath, I turned. “So, Olivia,” I said brightly. “Have you thought any more about joining the Deltas?”

She shook her head. “Thanks, Harper. I know you guys are great but you know how I feel about that.”

I nodded. “I understand. But, I had to ask. You’d be a phenomenal addition, if you ever change your mind.”

“Change your mind about what?”