第28部分(第1/7 頁)

nd　collected　eighteen…year…old　she　was。　Or　would　be；　if　she　hadn’t　just　been　confronted　by　her　high　school　crush。

“Jennifer；　right？”　Nate　smiled　easily；　his　whole　face　lighting　up。

Jenny　nodded　mutely；　trying　to　ignore　the　sweat　beads　forming　along　her　hairline　and　her　heart　hammering　in　her　chest。　She　was　glad　her　belted　red　Searle　coat　was　buttoned　up　all　the　way；　so　Nate　couldn’t　see　the　red　hives　that　sprang　up　on　her　chest　when　she　was　embarrassed。

“Long　time　no　see。”　Nate　smiled。　“Do　you　go　here？”　His　green　eyes　searched　Jenny’s　dark　brown　ones。

Jenny　shook　her　head；　her　brunette　curls　bouncing　around　her　head　like　vines。　“I　just　went　on　a　tour　of　RISD。　I　applied　there；　and　Pratt；　but　I　can’t　decide　between　them。　I’m　a　senior　this　year；”　she　explained　nervously；　feeling　like　she’d　traveled　back　in　time　to　her　awkward　high　school　years。　She　might　as　well　be　wearing　her　seersucker　Constance　Billard　uniform；　worrying　about　whether　Mrs。　M　was　going　to　bust　her　for　talking　to　a　boy　on　campus。　“Do　you　go　here？”

“Nah。”　Nate　shuffled　from　side　to　side。　“Just　looking。　Where　are　you　headed　now？”

“My　brother’s　supposed　to　pick　me　up　on　Thayer　Street。　Think　you　can　help　me　find　it？”　Jenny　asked　coyly。

Who　can　resist　a　damsel　in　distress？

“I　think　it’s　that　way。”　Nate　pointed　to　a　set　of　tall　wrought…iron　gates　on　the　other　side　of　the　snowy　campus。　“I’ll　walk　over　there　with　you；”　he　offered；　and　led　the　way　down　a　path　that　ran　along　a　squat；　ivy…covered　building。

“Thanks！”　Jenny　practically　had　to　run　in　her　distressed　Frye　cowboy　boots　to　keep　up　with　Nate’s　long　strides。

Nate　slowed　down。　He’d　gotten　used　to　a　faster　clip；　keeping　up　with　Gertie　and　the　other　girls　on　the　farm。　“So；　do　you　go　to　Con