Longing For The Beach Billionaire Daddy
Chapter 89

*Shelby*

I sat unpacking the last box of my personal belongings, the ones I asked the unpackers not to touch, placing my books on the built-in bookshelves in my office. I’d never had somewhere so nice to work and study, and my office had quickly become my favorite room in my house. It sat in the living room, and the large bay window filled the room with natural light.

“Is that your last box?” Lin asked me.

She was leaning in the doorway, and I hadn’t heard her sneak up on me. She was toweling her wet hair; she must’ve just gotten out of the shower.

“Geez, Lin, you scared me. I didn’t hear you come in,” I said, holding a book to my chest.

“That’s because this house is so damn big. We’re used to living on top of each other. We always knew where the other person was,” Lin said, wrapping the towel around her wet hair.

“That’s true. I guess I’m just not used to it yet. There’s a lot to get used to,” I said with an unnoticeable sigh.

“Hey, I don’t know about you, but I’m liking having the bodyguard following me around. It’s working out great for me,” Lin said with a smile.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

I was confused that Lin was willing to have a bodyguard follow her in the first place, but I was even more surprised that she was saying she actually enjoyed it.

“I don’t know what it’s doing to the men on campus, but since my guard is posing as another student, I always have a hot guy following me around and staring at me. Maybe it’s making the other guys jealous because I have two dates with two different guys this weekend. Both of them asked me out of the blue this week,” Lin said with a shrug.

I couldn’t help but laugh.

“That’s awesome, Lin! I’m happy for you. Do any of them have potential?” I asked.

“I guess we’ll find out this weekend,” Lin said and turned to head back upstairs.

I heard her hair dryer start up and used it as my cue to go get ready for class. I was really ready for the week to be over and to see Michael again this weekend.

I was amazed at just how badly I had missed him. Even with everything I needed to get done, keeping up with school and unpacking the new house, I found my mind wandering back to Michael.

Michael was sending a car for me on Wednesday, and I couldn’t wait. Michael had been keeping me updated on the progress of the renovations, and we were expecting some furniture deliveries within the next few days. I’d picked out a gorgeous dining room table that I couldn’t wait to see in the new space. I’d been planning all week on making Michael dinner and spending a romantic evening in our new place.

I threw on a pair of jeans and a brown leather jacket to protect myself from the cold wind that’d been whipping through campus the last few days. I was so ready for the end of winter. Maybe I could convince Michael to take another beach vacation to celebrate our proposal. I made a mental note to talk to Michael about it that weekend, before heading down the stairs to wait for Lin.

We walked to class with our bodyguards trailing just far enough away that they couldn’t hear our conversation but close enough that we didn’t feel alone.

“So, what’re your plans this weekend in New York City?” Lin asked, bumping my shoulder with hers.

“I don’t know; I think we might stay in one night and cook together. There’s also this cute little Italian place I saw last weekend. We might go and try it out,” I answered.

“Oh God, Shelby, you two sound like an old married couple. Your boyfriend has millions of dollars, and the best you can think to do is trying a new restaurant. You should go do something exciting.”

I smiled to myself, thinking soon we would be an old married couple. I still hadn’t told Lin about the engagement. Michael and I hadn’t decided on when to tell people yet, so for now, it still remained a secret between us.

“I’ve had a little too much excitement in the last few months. I could honestly use a quiet weekend in for once. Lucky for you, you have two different men promising you an exciting weekend,” I said in a teasing way.

As soon as we walked into the main courtyard, an unmistakable voice and a fast clicking of heels told me Lauren had spotted us and was making her way over to us.

“Shelby!” Lauren yelled over the heads of other students.

“Just pretend you didn’t hear her, and we’ll book it to class. She’ll never be able to catch us in her heels,” Lin said in a whisper.

“Do you really want her following us like this all the way across campus?” I asked, stopping and turning around to greet Lauren.

“Hello, Lauren,” I said, trying my best to keep the animosity out of my tone.

Michael and I agreed that we wouldn’t be telling Lauren until we absolutely had to. There was no telling just how she would react, but from what I knew of Lauren, I could already guess it wasn’t going to be pretty.

“I’m having a party on Friday night, and I’d love for you to be there,” Lauren said, in a way that made me wonder if she was really being sincere.

Her tone suddenly shifted, and Lauren added, “You can bring your friend too.”

Lin and Lauren absolutely despised each other, although neither of them had come out and said as much. They continued to communicate through disingenuous pleasantries.

“Thanks for the invite, Lauren, but unfortunately I won’t be able to make it. I have a date Friday night,” Lin said with mock disappointment.

“Too bad,” Lauren answered, acting far more upset than was necessary for the situation.

With a sudden flip Lauren was all smiles again, her attention focused back on me.

“You have to come, Shelb,” Lauren continued.

“I’ll see if I can make it,” I said, taking the invitation out of Lauren’s hands.

“I hope to see you there,” Lauren said, then flipping her hair over her shoulder as she walked away.

“What the hell was that all about?” Lin asked.

“I have no idea. Lucky you, though, for having an excuse as to why you can’t go. I can’t exactly tell her I can’t come because I have plans with her dad,” I said.

Lin and I took front row seats in the lecture hall as our professor started handing out modified schedules to everyone.

“I’m passing out your new class schedules to reflect the time that you will be spending at your internships. If you have any questions about the changes please come see me after class,” the professor said as he dropped my new schedule in front of me.

Lin looked over my shoulder to look at my new schedule as I ran my eyes over the changes. I was excited to see that I now only had classes scheduled Monday through Wednesday and my internship would take up Thursday and Friday each week.

“Oh, lucky, because your internship is so far away, you get a long weekend every weekend,” Lin said a little bitterly, which took me by surprise.

When Lin first found out that I would be taking an internship at Hastings Engineering, she congratulated me but quickly changed subjects. We hadn’t talked about it again; the new house and my getting back together with Michael consumed most of our conversations.

“It’s not really a long weekend. I’ll be working, just in New York instead of here. It’ll be nice to have those evenings with Michael, though,” I added.

“That’s true. He’ll probably keep you really busy,” Lin said, still not acting like her usual self.

“Lin, is everything okay?” I asked.

Lin looked as though she was working up the courage to tell me something, but just as she opened her mouth, our professor pulled down the projector screen and started in on another lecture. I silently took notes, all the while worrying if I’d done something to upset Lin. I hope she wasn’t worried about staying alone in the house while I was gone for half the week.

As soon as class was over, we walked back into the courtyard, our bodyguards trailing a few hundred feet behind us. Jerrick walked past and greeted us with a big smile.

“Hey, Shelby…Lin,” he said, his eyes lingering on Lin, making her blush.

“I was just looking for you; I had a quick question for you,” Jerrick said looking back to me.

“I’ll meet you back at the house, Shelby,” Lin said, taking off before I could respond.

Jerrick placed a hand on my back and pulled me to the side of the main walkway, out of the student traffic.

“Jerrick, I have to tell you before you say anything. I just recently got back together with my ex,” I said, worried he was planning on asking me out for the second date we’d discussed.

“Oh…Um…. That’s actually okay. I think we are better as just friends anyway. I was just coming to make sure that your schedule for the internship is for Thursdays and Fridays,” Jerrick ran his hand through his hair as though the news didn’t bother him at all.

The look on Lin’s face suddenly made sense. I got the idea that Lin may have developed feelings for Jerrick but didn’t know how to tell me since I’d gone on a date with him. I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face at the realization.

“Is there something I’m missing?” Jerrick said, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Oh, it was just something Lin said earlier today. It just made sense,” I answered.

“Speaking of Lin,” Jerrick said, slightly embarrassed. “Would it be weird for you if I asked her out?”

I laughed a little.

“Not at all. Actually, I think you two would get along really well,” I responded.

“Do you know if she has plans this weekend?” he asked.

“Well, she’s been asked out by a few guys, but I think you should go for it anyway,” I said.

“Thanks, Shelby. I think I will,” Jerrick said, smiling at me.

Then he turned to run after Lin.