Staying on Course Read online

  Quinn giggles while Nate looks at me like I’m an idiot.

  “Yes, babe, I talked to our parents. We did just return from a week away together. Not to mention being engaged takes us to a new status level.”

  “And my dad agreed to this?” I question in disbelief. “Sure, my mom is pretty liberal, but Dad is—”

  “Having a heart attack,” Nate tells us. “But Bryce can be pretty convincing.”

  “I’d really like to know how in the hell you pulled that off.” I glare at Bryce, who’s grinning cockily.

  “I did have to promise to keep my hands to myself,” he leans in and whispers.

  “Well, I guess I won’t be staying over tonight. Thanks a lot.” Quinn pouts.

  He doesn’t seem to care and ignores her completely. My phone dings again with an email.

  I open it and bite my lip nervously. It’s been such a terrific night; I hate to ruin it. Quinn slides next to me, pushing Bryce to the side. She reads over my shoulder, and we share a quick glance.

  “Who’s trying to get a hold of you?” Bryce questions, stepping behind me and kissing my head lightly.

  “It’s Professor Grant. He’s scheduled a video-conference in two days to discuss the Summer Expo.”

  “That’ll work out great since we leave for Knoxville the next day.” He says it so casually that both mine and Quinn’s heads snap up.

  There is no sign of anxiety or worry at all on his face. Even Nate nods and then walks out of the kitchen.

  For a group of people adamantly opposed to this trip less than a week ago, it’s eerily calm.

  Something’s going on.

  Chapter 2

  Bryce runs his lips lightly across my shoulder, and I smile into my pillow. “Time to get up, beautiful,” he mumbles against my skin.

  “Hmmm, what time is it?”

  “Almost nine. I’m about to leave, and you have that call soon.”

  I open my eyes and sigh when I see Bryce already dressed in his workout clothes. “Why are you dressed?”

  “Because I promised your dad I’d behave while we slept in his home. When I woke up this morning, my dick was harder than fucking steel, and it was best for me to get up before I lost the battle raging in my head to ravage you.”

  “That sounds really fun.” I run my fingers up his arms.

  “Stop, babe. We’ll be in Knoxville tomorrow night.”

  “But Nate will be there,” I whine.

  “Nate will go out with the guys, have a few beers, and maybe even pick up his own woman.”

  I scrunch my nose. “Let’s not discuss that… ever again.”

  Bryce chuckles then tugs me into his chest. “He’s waiting downstairs. I need to go. We’re doing a six-mile run and then a full workout. I’ll be back in a few hours. Tonight, we’re doing dinner with my parents.”

  “Did you say six-miles?”

  “Yeah.” He leans back and looks at me. “Devon, part of my training in Officer Candidate School is physical. I’ve got to catch up. We took a week off, remember?”

  “I thought we got pretty physical.” I kiss the underside of his jaw and feel it tighten.

  “Jesus, I’m going to need another cold shower.”

  “Fine!” I turn away from him and smile sweetly. “I can wait until tomorrow, but I want to give you something to think about.”

  Without warning, I run my hand down his stomach and into the waistband of his shorts. Once I hit his erection, I rub my thumb across the tip gently. “Love you, Bryce,” I whisper and pull back, rolling off the bed.

  He exhales loudly and stares at the ceiling. “This is my punishment. Falling madly in love with my best friend’s sister means I can’t fuck the shit out of her like I want to for the next four days without threat of an ass-kicking.”

  “We’ll figure something out, or we’ll get creative.”

  He stands up and pulls me flush against him. “Kiss me.”

  I slap my hand over my mouth. “Need to brush my teeth,” I mutter through my fingers.

  His eyes darken, and he gently lowers my hand away. His soft lips rub back and forth across mine lightly. I melt into him and squeeze his hips.

  “Do me a favor,” he whispers between pecks. “Talk to your mom today and let her know we’re going to stay with my parents when we get back from Knoxville. Mom wants us there some before we both leave. You need to prepare Karen.”

  “I’ll take care of it. She’ll understand.”

  He kisses me again and steps back, turning to leave. I stare at the perfect form of his ass in the black mesh running shorts and lick my lips, tasting him.

  “Devon,” he groans. “Stop looking at me like that.”

  I shrug and wink then turn to my bathroom. “Love you. Have fun.”

  “Love you too. Let me know what happens.”

  I take my time getting ready and set up my computer, testing the link Professor Grant emailed everyone.

  “Is it safe to come in?” Quinn yells through my door as she knocks loudly.

  “Yes, you idiot.” I swing it open and scowl at her. “Bryce isn’t even here.”

  “I know. Just wanted to tease you.” She throws her purse on my dresser and crawls onto my bed, making herself comfortable. “Since we haven’t had one second alone since you got fucking engaged, please tell me we’re doing something fun after we’re done with this.”

  “It’s only been a week and a few days. I thought we’d go shopping. We’ll probably need some special gear and digital devices. Not to mention, we’ll need to find a way to get our phones to work overseas.”

  “Ooohhhh, who’s the serious, organized one today? I was thinking more along the line of pedicures.”

  “Quinn, this is serious.”

  “Bitch, remember the research I did? I know more about the history of Israel than probably anyone in our group. It still pisses me off that our parents didn’t even blink an eye. After the shit-fits they gave us, I was prepared for much more than a simple ‘we’re dealing with it’.”

  I sit next to her and position the computer so we can both see easily. “No doubt. It surprised the shit out of me, too. I’ve tried to get Bryce to talk to me, but he said it was worthless until I got the details today.”

  “What’s the deal with Bryce and Nate? Dean told me their situation with OCS was unusual, especially with their ROTC experience.”

  “It is. Apparently, Bryce and Nate were technically classified as Commissioned Officers once they graduated. Since they both studied Engineering, they asked if they could attend Officer Candidate School. It was unnecessary, but they were given special permission. I have a feeling Bryce worked his voodoo magic. According to Nate, it’s highly uncommon. I felt like an idiot when Bryce explained it to me.”

  “Wow, so they’re asking to go into intensive training for twelve weeks?”

  “Yeah, seems so. Something to do with their long term plans.”

  I log us in, dial the phone number listed, and hear a series of beeps as others join the call. The large screen shows an office and Professor Grant staring into the screen. A small box pops up on the lower right corner, which captures Quinn and I from my computer cam. A few minutes pass, and finally, Professor Grant turns on his sound.

  “Hello all. Thanks so much for joining me this morning. Usually, we’d have a meeting on campus, but since most of you are home for a small break before summer semester, this was the best option. I can see each of you, but you can only see me. If you have a question, press star-eight, and you will be live.

  “Let me recap the email sent out last week. Obviously, if you are on this call, you have been accepted to the School of Journalism Summer Expo. Each year, the school recognizes talented individuals in all areas of journalism and communication. These students are vetted through an application process and invited on a five to six week expedition.

  “Our goal is multi-fold. First, the University wants to foster the talent and a
cademics for your long-term success. We have relationships with some of the most highly acclaimed news networks and magazines in the country who support this effort. Secondly, this is an opportunity to bring awareness to certain social and cultural issues around the globe. The school takes this job very seriously and is grateful for your commitment, so thank you.”

  He pauses and then smiles widely on the screen, changing his entire persona. “Now that the standard bullshit is out of the way, let me tell you all congratulations! I’m honored to work with this crew of young talent. Each year, the professors assigned brag they have the best group, but I’ve already told my peers that YOU are the best group to have under my guidance.”

  His excitement is contagious, and there are a few star-eights pressed, followed by a chorus of ‘hell yeah’ and ‘damn straight’. He smiles and waits for the chatter to die down. When it gets quiet, I swear his eyes are on Quinn and me when he speaks.

  “Since the original email went out, there have been some major and significant changes. Valid concerns were presented to the University President, the Dean of our School, and myself. We listened and took into account what was being said. In the end, and for the safety of our group, we will no longer be traveling to Israel.”

  My heart falls to my stomach and then begins racing. Quinn shifts so fast the computer slides to the side, and I clumsily catch it before it hits the ground. It takes a few seconds for the both of us to get settled. When we do, Professor Grant is looking directly at us.

  “Miss Harris, Miss Jackson, is there a problem?” His lip slants upward, twitching.

  “Star-eight his ass and answer him,” Quinn hisses.

  “You star-eight him. I don’t want to.”

  She hands me the phone, and I swat her hand away. She squeaks loudly, trying to press the buttons.

  “Ladies, I can see you.” Professor Grant is laughing at us now. “If you’re ready, I’ll continue.”

  Heat creeps up my cheeks, and I watch Quinn bite her lip, trying not to smile. We both nod.

  “With full disclosure, I’ll explain why we changed our minds. Within thirty- six hours of announcing our location, we received mounds of calls expressing concern. Most of your parents called, emailed, or in some cases, made personal visits to our offices. The arguments were compelling, to say the least.”

  Quinn grasps my hand, and we communicate without words. This was us. Somehow, someway, our families orchestrated this sabotage. It probably wasn’t hard if the other parents were as upset as ours. But how the hell did they pull this off? There are sixteen people in our group. How did they get the names?

  Then it hits me like a ton of bricks, and my blood runs hot. No wonder Bryce was so calm about the whole thing, and my parents nonchalantly mentioned me being gone this summer.

  The eruption of massive proportions from everyone never came because they all knew. We weren’t going to Israel— they made sure of it.

  “We shared this with our sponsors, and the decision was made to change our location. Lucky for us, there was a project readily available that would support our numbers.”

  I ball my fists and beat lightly on my knees. Quinn’s eyes are wide as she looks back and forth between me and the screen.

  “I’m going to kill them. Could this be more humiliating? Everyone has to know it was us,” I snip to Quinn, and she nods, giving me a nasty glare.

  “Where should we start?” she asks under her breath.

  “I’m assuming my pushy, overprotective fiancé. He’s probably the one who spear-headed this. He’s the only one who knew, outside of me and you, until we told our families.”

  “I see irritation and uncertainty crossing some of your faces. Let me assure you, this was the best decision with the current unrest in certain parts of the country. We were already questioning backing out, and that’s why it was so easy to change our course.” Once again, he’s looking straight at us.

  That damn star-eight beeps, and voices fill the line.

  “Come on, Professor G. Don’t keep us hanging.”

  “The suspense is killing me. Spill it.”

  “Where the hell are we going?”

  “Who the F cares about Israel? Let’s hear it—where we goin’?”

  He clears his throat and does nothing to hide his excitement. “We, my friends, are heading to Rio De Janeiro, home to the 2016 Olympics.”

  My stomach lurches, and Quinn and I screech at the same time. We jump to our knees and hug clumsily, this time not caring that the computer falls over into the mattress. The excitement is shared equally with everyone, as screams can be heard through the phone.

  “Fuck yeah!”

  “Holy shit!”

  “This is fucking cool!”

  One guy even yells, “Mom, you’re gonna love this shit!”

  This sends a round of laughter.

  Some of my irritation is replaced with thrill. We set the computer back up right and wait to hear the rest. It takes a few minutes for everyone to calm and Professor Grant to continue. For the next hour, we receive multiple emails with instructions, agendas, and basic travel rules.

  When the call is over, both Quinn and I fall back on the bed and make a list of things we now know we need. My phone dings with a text from Bryce.

  Bryce: How’d your call go?

  “Is it creepy how in tune he is with you? I mean, the call ended less than ten minutes ago. How did he know?” Quinn asks.

  “I don’t know, but are you ready to go? Once I reply, we need to run.”

  She gives me a knowing grin. We get to her car and back out of the driveway before I send my response. He could be down the street or across town, but no doubt he will be barging through the door soon.

  Me: Call was great. Israel’s out But, no worries. Istanbul should be fun. Phone is dying. Out with Quinn. See you later! XO!

  He’s going to flip, but let him stew on it for a while.

  *****

  When Quinn and I walk into my house a few hours later, Bryce is on the couch with his arms crossed, staring directly at me. His expression is eerily blank. Quinn stands close and puts her hand to my back. “Should I go?”

  “No, Quinn, you need to stay. Put down your bags, and both of you come here,” Bryce orders and we move fast.

  When we get to the couch, he pats the cushions on either side of him, and we drop down.

  “Istanbul, Devon? Really? I almost believed it.”

  “It was a joke. I was aggravated at you for interfering with the program. Do you have any idea how embarrassing it’s going to be when I see these people in two weeks?”

  “I don’t give a flying fuck if you’re embarrassed. What I care about is you coming back alive and unharmed!”

  “What exactly did you do, Bryce? How did you make this happen, changing an entire planned and sanctioned trip? We already know you had help, but you were with me in Florida.”

  I look to Quinn for support, but she’s silent.

  Bryce blows out a breath and runs his hands down his face. “If you want me to say I’m sorry, I’m not.”

  “Bryce—”

  “No, Dev, here’s what happened. I forwarded the email on your phone to Nate. There was a spreadsheet attached with all students accepted and their contact information, including their emergency contacts. Most of these were the parents. A few calls and emails were exchanged. Karen, Steve, Michelle, Paul, and Nate all called your professor and expressed concerns. Believe it or not, they were not the first, nor the last. Once the administrators understood the ultimate dangers, they made a different decision. It wasn’t all us.”

  “But you should have talked to me! Y’all promised we’d talk about it logically when we got home. All the while, you were plotting behind our backs.” I point to Quinn who nods eagerly. “They wouldn’t send us into a country without protection.”

  “Baby, they wouldn’t purposely do it, but threats don’t stand on the street corner warning you the
y are coming. Don’t you understand? No matter how peaceful a country wants to be, they can’t stop the evil lurking in the shadows. ISIS is building an army. Everyone in law enforcement around the world is trying to get a lock on their movements and motives. A group of young Americans talking to the families torn apart by religious war and political enemies could set off someone. We couldn’t take that chance.”

  “I think you all may have overreacted.”

  “No, Devon, listen to me! Really listen to me.” He reaches to the folder on the table and starts arranging photographs. “This is what can happen to people ISIS wants to make an example of.”

  My gut turns and tears sting as I take in the horrid pictures laid out. Men, women, and children are beaten, bloody, burned, and some dead. Quinn sucks in a shaky breath, and I know she’s holding back her own emotions.

  “I wish on my life I didn’t have to show you these. But it’s not fair for you to be mad at me, your parents, Nate…anyone. You have to understand; I’d do anything to protect you, including forwarding these to the President of the University of Virginia. Her mind changed really quickly.

  “It’s one thing to send in a team of seasoned journalists with protective details and millions of dollars behind them. But totally another for a group of college kids.”

  “This is so terrible.” I reach for one of the pictures and withdraw quickly. I don’t want to even touch them.

  “Yeah, babe.” He cups my chin and turns my face to his. “And I already told you, if anything happened to you, I’d die along with you. I’d prefer to delay that for seventy or so years. You owe me a trip down the aisle.”

  A sob escapes, and I throw my arms around him. Quinn wraps around from his back, and we both hold him tight. After a minute, we pull away, and he puts the pictures back in the folder. He visibly relaxes and lifts me onto his lap.

  “All right, guys, it’s handled. You can come in now. They’re under control,” Bryce yells behind us.

  Like Sunday night when we got home, the room fills with all our parents and my brother. My mom, somewhere in the last few hours, has found a shirt with the Olympic Rings and the 2016 logo for Rio.