Lucky Number Four (5 page)

“Are you sure you’re telling me everything?”
she demands.

“Yes, Mom. I’ve got to go and beat Kevin for
the bathroom. Love you!” I hang up before she can answer, and drag
myself out of bed.

I really need to get a good night’s sleep
soon. I laid awake for hours last night going over the events at
the loft. I’d acted like a complete moron, like I’d never been
around such beautiful men before. Most of the night, I pondered
what my life would be like living with the three of them. Then the
thought of a foursome got into my head, and I stayed awake longer,
trying to forget the image I created. I finally went to sleep, only
to dream a totally screwed-up dream involving three sex-crazed
zombies that looked suspiciously like the three drool-worthy
models, but dead looking.

I kept yelling at myself in the dream—okay,
someone who looked like me being chased by these creatures—to run,
run for the hills. But would she listen? No, she slowed down so
much that they grabbed her. Then my phone woke me up. Damn, it was
right at the good, or bad, spot, I haven’t quite decided which.
Maybe something to ponder in the shower while naked—no, not there.
Maybe on the subway to school.

I hear Kevin whistling, and I beat his ass to
the bathroom by seconds, shutting the door in his shocked face.

Calculus—a total waste of mine and my
professor’s time. When will I ever use this in the field of
psychology? I want to be a counselor or a therapist, someone who
helps others figure out their problems. Not work with math. Okay,
so I may use basic math for doing my checking account, the
percent-off sales on my favorite shoes, and other mundane things,
but Calculus? When the hell would I ever use this?

I feel a nudge on my shoulder. “Are you as
lost as I am?” Karen, a fellow student, whispers.

I nod my head in response. The door to the
room is suddenly flung open and a girl who looks to be a freshman
runs in with a note in hand. She delivers it to Dr. Parker, the
professor.

“Pandora Phillips, you need to report to the
office immediately,” booms Dr. Parker, his eyes picking me out of
the crowd.

My stomach churns. What’s happened? An
accident? A death? Has my mom come to the city to check up on
me?

I look down at my cell, and though it’s on
silent, it has a signal and there are no new calls. Surely someone
would have tried my cell … unless it’s really bad news.

“Pandora, did you hear me?” Mr. Parker’s
voice seems louder.

I pick up my backpack and walk in a daze to
the exit, following the energetic freshman down the hall. By the
time I reach the office, many horrible scenarios have flashed into
my mind, and I feel like I’m going to hurl any second.

The first thing I spy in the office is the
staff standing in one corner staring at a space that’s blocked from
my view by an empty bookcase. They look my way when the perky
freshman, who is holding the door open for me, announces my
arrival. The four middle-aged women look at me in shock, dazed, in
fact, as if in a trance, but with tiny smiles on their faces. They
turn their attention back to the space I can’t see, and I walk
around the sight-blocking item, seeing immediately what is causing
their zombie stares.

There I go with zombie references again.

They look like three mouthwatering trees—yes,
trees, as they all tower over my five-foot-four self like trees.
Drew, Liam, and the third hottie stand before me. Drew and the
third one are wearing huge grins, while Liam looks bored.

“Dora, sorry we interrupted your class, but
we had to see you. We want you! Don’t we, boys? Oh, and this is
Colin. I don’t think you were properly introduced yesterday,” Drew
says with a heart-stopping, mischievous grin.

I hear sighs from my right and turn to see
all four women and the freshman smiling like fools while fanning
themselves. “They want her,” I hear one of them whisper.

“For Christ’s sake. They mean they want me
for their roommate,” I practically yell, and still the five act
like they don’t hear me. “Outside, now.” I point to the door and
watch in awe as they obey. I turn back and see the eyes of the
silly women and girl following their retreat. “I swear, you’d think
you’ve never seen male models before,” I say before following the
cutest denim-clad butts I’ve ever seen.

A slight autumn breeze swirls leaves around
my feet as I stand before the gorgeous trees. “What the hell are
you three doing here? How did you find me?” I demand, and then feel
smug as I watch Colin’s and Drew’s smiles slip a little. Liam, his
arms crossed, still looks bored.

“It wasn’t easy,” Drew says. “You told us
your name, and my dad knows some people, and we … well, we tracked
you down to your apartment. Your friend was very friendly, but I
think she went through a shocked and then angry phase for a few
moments when she found out you were looking for another place to
stay. Kevin calmed her down. He’s a pretty cool guy.”

“And you bigmouthed behemoths forced my
whereabouts from them after telling my secret. What the hell? I
didn’t ask for this,” I exclaim. I watch two sets of faces have the
grace to look embarrassed, but Liam…you guessed it. Bored. What
possessed these three mega famous models to track me down? I know
most women would jump at the chance of sharing a space with them,
but not me. Look at those silly women drooling over them with their
faces plastered to the window. I don’t want my life scrutinized
under a microscope by reporters and ending up as some new tabloid
fodder. No, I want low-key. I want to finish my degree and find a
nice sensible man to settle down with—
normal,
that’s what I
want. I take a deep breath before continuing. “Okay, so the secret
is out and I’ll have to make amends, but what is your deal? Why me?
There must be a million people you could line up to move in with
you guys.”

I watch as Colin takes a step forward.
“Pandora, I humbly apologize for our intruding. Drew is stubborn,
and when he makes up his mind and then ultimately makes us make up
our minds, well…” he says, spreading his arms out and shaking his
head. His English accent has me mesmerized, and all anger flees my
body. A warmth starts to build inside me. “We would really love for
you to consider moving in with us. But it will have to be your
decision,” he finishes and steps back as Drew opens his mouth.

“Yeah, what he said. Besides, we really like
Julie and Kevin, and we asked them to move in too. Oh, not in our
apartment,” Drew hurries, seeing my confusion. “No. Remember I own
the building? We have several lofts empty, so we offered them
one.”

Colin rolls his eyes and Liam shakes his
head. What the hell? I feel my anger returning.

“Okay, so you bribed my friends with a dream
loft just to
force
me to move in with you. What kind of
freaks are you? I’m sure they turned you down. They did, didn’t
they?”

From the looks on their faces, even Liam’s, I
realize I don’t need an answer. Of course they didn’t! The silence
is deafening. We stand there awkwardly with Drew being the only one
looking me in the eye.

“Pandora, I’m sorry. I can be a little
pushy.” The two beside him make sounds in agreement. “But I felt we
had a connection yesterday, and we will make things as easy as we
can for you to say yes. Please say yes.” He gives me puppy-dog eyes
and Colin smiles, which makes my legs a little weak, and even Liam
is now wearing a ghost of a smile.

“I guess I’m stuck. If I don’t give in, I’ll
be homeless.” My voice is weary.

“Fantastic!” Drew moves forward, but stops as
I put my hand out. I have no idea what his intentions are, but I’m
not in the mood to find out. “Here’s your key! Let’s go, guys,” he
says, handing me an antique-looking silver key. “Oh,” he says over
his shoulder as he hustles the others across the fallen leaves
covering the dying grass, “the movers are at your apartment right
now, so just meet up with us at our apartment.” His last words
float on the breeze as they quickly round the corner.

Sons of bitches. How dare those conniving
behemoths assume I would consent to move in? I’ve been played. I’m
perfectly happy with my life the way it is, now it’s going to have
so much drama. I don’t like drama. Why me?

Turning around, I see the five female faces
still pressed against the windows with those silly dreamy looks
still present and accounted for. I huff as I storm off back toward
my class. I’m pretty sure my blood pressure is sky-high at the
moment.

I don’t pay attention in the remaining few
minutes of class. I can’t wait until I can leave. By tomorrow, the
whole campus will find out what happened to the short, plain,
little redheaded Dora. I know most women would love to be in my
position, but all I want to do is finish school, get a job, and
find a sensible man to settle down with. Is that too much to ask?
No

I take a deep breath as I prepare to enter
the building. A young, fresh-faced guy behind a desk quickly stands
up and smiles. “Ahh, Ms. Phillips, so happy you’re joining us. I
live here too. Drew—I mean, Mr. Johnson—rents me the apartment here
on the first floor,” he rushes. “I man the desk when I’m not in
school. I believe we both go to the same one.”

He finally takes a breath and I return his
smile. It’s not his fault I’ve been ambushed.

“Call me Dora. And you are…?”

“Brad. Bradley Mason,” he replies.

“Nice to meet you, Brad. Well…” I
hesitate.

“Your stuff has arrived and your friends are
in their apartment. If you need anything, just ask.”

“Thanks, Brad. I better go up and unpack.
Later, okay?” I say, my teeth clenched as anger flows through me
again. Brad presses the elevator button and it dings, the doors
open and I step inside.

“See you around, Dora.” Brad grins as the
doors shut.