Rustler's Moon. Jodi Thomas

haven’t seen him since we came back to school in August. He’s living at the frat house this year.” Tim took her hand and they jogged to his Jeep. Polly followed, but didn’t try to keep up.

      Tim leaned in close to Lauren. “Last time I saw Reid, he was drunk. Cussed me out for caring.”

      Lauren was glad she couldn’t see Tim’s face. Whenever he talked of Reid, he always looked hurt.

      Before Polly caught up, Lauren said, “Reid called me last week and asked me to go out. Some kind of big party before the homecoming game next weekend.”

      Tim froze for a moment before asking, low, “You going?”

      “I might.” She shrugged. “He’s from home. Our dads are friends.” She’d never told Tim how close she and Lucas Reyes were or that they dated some. Somehow what was between Lucas and her was private, too special to share. Or at least she’d thought it was. Lately she wasn’t sure Lucas felt the same.

      If he was working every weekend, Lauren didn’t want to miss the whole college experience waiting for him. Reid was simply looking for a date, or worse, his old man told him to take her out. Her pop, who’d spent her high school years worrying that she’d date too early, was now probably worrying about her lack of dates. He’d asked her twice if she needed money for clothes. A question Lauren was sure had come straight from her mother. Her mom might have run from raising a kid after divorcing her dad, but that didn’t stop Margaret from calling in her motherly advice from Dallas.

      Tim pulled into the parking lot of a tiny little restaurant a few blocks away from campus. All the letters on the neon sign were lit except for the R in Restaurant and the O in Open. Huge dead elms leaned over the building giving the illusion that the place was caught in a huge spiderweb.

      “What’s the name of this place?” Lauren didn’t make a move to open her door.

      Tim stared at it a moment and answered. “Estaurant pen.”

      “Oh.” She wasn’t sure she’d want to go in even if it were free chicken fried steak.

      Polly leaned forward. “No, guys, can’t you see the two letters are out. I can’t believe you two missed that.”

      Tim and Lauren looked at each other silently debating which one should kill the roommate.

      “Come on, Lauren, live a little.” Tim cut his lights. Before Polly climbed out the back, he whispered, “Only, don’t go out with Reid.”

      “Why? You keep telling me that.” She wasn’t surprised when Tim didn’t answer.

      Like always, he changed the subject. They had great fun trying to read the menu in the dark estaurant and then laughing at how small the steaks were when the plates arrived. Tim tried to convince Polly the tough pieces of meat were cows’ ears. When she believed him, he offered to eat her steak.

      Polly flirted with the waiter long enough to talk him into giving her a hamburger. When she got up to go wash her hands, the guy offered her a tour of the place. By the time the burger was served she and Roger, the waiter, were dating.

      Polly waved them goodbye as she ate with Roger, who’d said he’d be off in an hour.

      Lauren hesitated, then she remembered the dates Polly had come in after, all upset because she couldn’t remember the guy’s name, even though she’d had her tongue in his mouth for hours.

      She’d said, “I always make sure I know the guy’s name before I sleep with him. After all, I don’t want to wake up married after a night of drinking, like my mother did, and find out I have some stupid last name.”

      Lauren had only known Polly a week then, but she asked, “Do you sleep with all the guys you go out with?”

      Polly had laughed and said, “Of course not. Sometimes I don’t go out with them at all.”

      Lauren wasn’t sure if Polly was trying to shock her or being honest, but after that she tried not to get too close to her. Only, leaving her here at the estaurant with some guy named Roger seemed cruel.

      She touched Polly’s arm. “Call if you need a ride back to campus.”

      For a second Polly seemed surprised, maybe even touched by the offer. Then her face hardened. “I never need help,” she answered. “Don’t worry about me.”

      Lauren nodded once and followed Tim out.

      He pulled her into the night air saying they shouldn’t interfere with true love.

      “True love?” she whispered.

      “Yeah, I have a feeling it hits Polly about every other weekend.”

      They drove back without talking. Lauren couldn’t help wondering if Tim was bothered by Polly’s quick hookup more than he admitted.

      Lauren didn’t know whether to be worried about her or angry that Polly seemed to think so little of herself.

      At the dorm doors, Tim kissed her cheek, and Lauren felt as if she’d almost had a date. “Promise we’ll always be friends.”

      He grinned. “Promise.”

      They usually stood around talking whenever they got together but tonight something seemed to be on Tim’s mind and hers was heavy with lost dreams. He tipped his imaginary hat and walked away as she turned and headed up the stairs.

      By the time she got back to her room she still hadn’t received a message from Lucas. She’d hoped he would have texted just to let her know he’d made it home to Crossroads, but he hadn’t.

      She did have a text from Reid asking if she’d made up her mind about the party next Friday night. Say yes, he’d texted, everyone wears black or red to the dinner.

      Angry and frustrated and feeling very much alone, she texted back. Yes. I can go.

      A moment later Reid answered, Pick you up at six. Bring a coat we’ll go directly to the game after the party.

      Her first official date at college, she thought. But it wasn’t with Lucas. It wasn’t even with a guy she liked. All the daydreams she’d had of college and being with Lucas were falling around her like snowflakes vanishing as they touched the rug.

      From this night on, she’d build new—real—experiences. Maybe not with a guy she was crazy about. Maybe not forever dreams she’d cherish. But someday when her friends talked of their college days she’d at least have a few memories to compare.

      Glancing out her window, she noticed a break in the clouds where tiny stars were shining through. The night of her sixteenth birthday, Lucas had taken her far away from town lights to watch the stars over the lake.

      Lauren smiled remembering earlier that same evening when Reid had shown up drunk to her party and tried to kiss her. One swift knee between his legs had sent him to the ground. He’d been a perfect gentleman after that. Tech’s stadium was at the far north end of the campus. If he stepped out of line next Friday night, she could always walk back to her dorm.

      Leaning back on her bed, she thought of Lucas and how she loved kissing him, but she was his someday love. He wanted them to finish school before they got serious. He hadn’t believed a sixteen-year-old would know about real love, and in many ways he still treated her as if she was that sixteen-year-old.

      Lucas raced through life. He’d graduated early from high school. He would make it through to his bachelor’s degree in three years and planned to start law school in the spring. He hinted that he wanted her to be part of his future, but Lauren wanted to be part of his now.

      A plan simmered in the back of her thoughts. Maybe if he saw how other guys wanted to go out with her, he’d pay more attention.

      She shook her head. It was a dumb plan. Stupid. But then, being available and waiting every time he called didn’t seem to be working.

      If she went out with Reid, Tim would tell Lucas. If he reacted, she might just