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Steve looked curiously over at her. “You didn’t know water makes a grease fire spread?”
Je
Steve put his arm around her shoulder and planted a kiss on her lips. “I’ll have to remember never to let you in the kitchen unsupervised.”
Je
Steve brought her hand up and placed it playfully between his teeth with a grin. She yanked it out, laughing. Steve stood up. “I’ll be right back.” He excused himself, stepping out of the hot tub, grabbing the towel she had brought out and drying off the best he could. He disappeared into the apartment.
Tracy looked over at Bill. “Are you hungry?” she asked.
“I’d love a sandwich and a beer.”
Tracy stepped out, wrapping a towel around her before heading inside.
Bill turned toward Je
“I never got the chance to thank you,” Je
Bill’s eyebrows shot up. “For what?”
“For setting me up with Steve.”
Bill looked over his shoulder and then back at Je
Je
“He’s been around.”
Je
“And you’re okay with that?” Bill asked.
“I could care less what he did before he met me.”
“Okay.” Bill said, but the thin press of his lips told her otherwise.
“How’s pledge week going?” Je
“We’ve got some pretty interesting characters this year.”
“Are you camping again for initiation?” That had been a long-standing tradition of Beta Theta Pi.
Bill nodded. “Yep.” His smile broadened slightly, like a wolf just before it takes down its prey.
Chapter 24
Tracy stood in the dressing room, and when Steve came out of the bathroom she said, “If you’re serious about Jen, you’d better get your ass in gear and get her a ring.” Tracy passed him and closed the bathroom door.
Steve stopped halfway through the dressing room. He turned and waited for Tracy. “I’m not so sure she’d accept a ring right now,” he said when she came out of the bathroom.
Tracy laughed and rolled her eyes. “Have you seen the way she looks at you?”
He shrugged, feigning i
“You’re the one,” Tracy said, emphasizing the last word. She gri
“Wow, you don’t beat around the bush at all.” He ran his hand through his hair and tossed out the next question, “What kind of ring do you think she’d like?”
Tracy beamed, overjoyed by the question. “I knew it,” she said and dragged him into her room, snagging a catalog for a well-known jewelry shop in New York from a pile on her dresser. She flipped through the pages quickly pointing to the things that were Je
Steve looked at the book and flipped the pages. He found a gold band that had diamonds embedded all the way around. “Think she would like something like that as a wedding band?”
Tracy looked at it and shook her head. “It would overwhelm the ring. But if you got this one, it would go perfectly.” She pointed to the accompanying solitaire with diamonds surrounding it.
“Isn’t that too flashy?”
Tracy looked at the combination and shook her head. “Elegant, not flashy.”
Steve gri
Tracy shook her head and watched Steve rip the page out of the magazine. “You’ve got that kind of money?”
Steve shrugged. “This gives me an idea of what to look for. You wouldn’t happen to know her ring size?”
“Five and a half,” Tracy answered.
“Thanks.” He looked around and then laughed. “My clothes are in the washing machine.”
Tracy took the page and put it on her dresser. “I’ll get it to you before you leave.”
“Thanks. Do me a favor and keep this between us, okay?”
Tracy nodded. “I figure if you two want to tell people, you will. It’s not my place. Besides, you didn’t give her a ring yet, so there’s nothing to tell, right?”
“Thank you.” He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “Je
Tracy smiled. “Thanks.” She headed into the kitchen.
Steve followed and took a detour to the laundry room, tossing the clothes into the dryer and stepping out. “Mind if I grab a soda?”
“Not at all.” Tracy pointed to the refrigerator, dropping the knife in the sink. She carried the sandwich out and grabbed a beer from the bar. The two of them stepped back onto the balcony at the same time.
Je
Steve put the soda on the table between the lounge chairs and took a seat. “I put the laundry in the dryer.”
Je
Tracy joined Bill in the hot tub.
“Are you doing all right?”
Je
Steve nodded. “But I’m going to miss them.”
“They’re here now. I’ll be just fine.”
“We can watch out for her,” Bill piped in.
Steve shook his head. “I’ll pass,” he said. “You didn’t see how bad she looked when I got here. I’d just as soon stay to make sure she’s all right. But I appreciate the offer,” he said. “Besides, my clothes aren’t done yet and I don’t think they’d approve of me coming into class like this.”
Je
“Yes you do. You were barely breathing when you called me.”
Je
“I never said you were. I’m not doing this for you Jen—I’m doing it for me.”
“Don’t give him a hard time, Jen. He just wants to help,” Tracy said, flipping off the jets to the hot tub and climbing out with Bill.
Bill looked at his watch. “I’ve got class in a little while, so I’m go
Tracy followed him inside.
Je
“What?” Steve said softly.
“Nothing,” Je
“Feel like going for a ride once our clothes are dry?”
“Sure. Where?”
Steve shrugged. “Just out.”
Tracy came out onto the balcony. “What are you doing for the rest of the day?”
“I figured we’d get out of here for a while.” Steve answered.
“Where are we going?” Tracy asked. She didn’t have any more classes today.
“I figured I’d take Je
“I’m supposed to meet Billy for di
Steve smiled at her and winked. “Maybe a few stores,” he added, and she understood.
“Well, maybe.” She looked between the two.
“The clothes aren’t dry yet though,” Je
“We can swing by the frat house so I can change,” Steve said. “You can let Bill know you won’t be there for di