Longing For The Beach Billionaire Daddy
Chapter 58

*Shelby*

I quickly turned back to Lin, focusing on my drink. I was crossing my fingers that Jerrick wouldn’t come over. With a quick glance over my shoulder, I caught a glimpse of him walking over and took a deep breath, not knowing how to confront him. I hoped he wouldn’t bring up the internship.

“Are you a friend of Lin’s? I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure of meeting yet,” Jerrick extended his hand out to me and flashed me his playboy smile. I couldn’t help but wonder how many times that smile had worked for him in the past.

“Yeah, my name is Shelby. We have actually had a couple of classes together already,” I said, shaking his hand.

I hoped to see some sort of embarrassment in his expression after I called him out for not remembering me. I hoped in vain. My comment didn’t even seem to phase Jerrick. Either he wasn’t bothered by possibly offending me, or he was really good at hiding his emotions.

If it was the latter, maybe I would really have some competition for the internship. Unfortunately, good liars made good lawyers.

“Funny, I think I would have remembered someone like you,” he said with a wink.

It took everything in me not to roll my eyes and turn away from him, but there was more than one person in this room that was going to be a good future lawyer. I would not back down from his games.

“It sounds like you need to work on your memory, then. It could really help you out in the future to remember details,” I said nonchalantly.

“Oh, you’re not just a quiet one, are you?” Jerrick said with a glint in his eyes.

“No, I’m not quiet. I am someone to watch out for,” I said with a smile, and then I turned my back on Jerrick and walked away.

I headed straight for Lin, who had made her way to the middle of the room, and was dancing to the loud music. I joined her and didn’t look back to see Jerrick’s reaction to my comment. I wanted him to know that I was not someone who could easily be pushed around, but even with just a short conversation, I got the sense that he was going to be tough competition for the internship at Brunnings and Hawthorne.

Lin bumped into me and started laughing, I couldn’t help but laugh too. When Lin decided to have fun, she really went for it. I decided to follow her lead and enjoy myself rather than spend the night worrying about some pretty boy stealing my internship from me. There would be plenty of time for that tomorrow.

I danced with Lin and laughed so hard that my ribs hurt. Lin kept trying to hand me drinks, but I would either refuse or set them down when she wasn’t looking. I wanted to make sure that Lin and I got home safe, and I wouldn’t be able to do that if I ended up as drunk as she was.

We danced until my feet were sore, then I noticed that Lin was starting to stumble more than dance. It was time to get her home. I tried to slip the red cup out of her hand, but even drunk, she was faster than me. I stood back, trying to come up with a way to get her to leave the party.

I pulled out my phone and ordered a ride share, which was estimated to arrive in thirty minutes. I sighed and put my phone away. I just needed to replace a way to get some food in her so we could make it home.

“Maybe we should try to get her to slow down.”

I was surprised to replace Jerrick next to me, also watching Lin with a concerned expression.

“I was thinking the same thing, but she is tricky even when she is drunk. I tried to grab that drink from her, but she slipped away before I could get it,” I said, only confiding in Jerrick because I was a little desperate for help.

“Shelb, come dance with me!” Lin called me.

She started heading toward us with a determined look in her eyes. She was going to get me dancing again if it was the last thing she did. Right before she reached us, she caught her foot on the edge of the rug and started falling. I reached out to grab her, but she didn’t hit the floor. Jerrick was there so fast and had scooped her out of the air before she could get hurt.

“Let’s get her somewhere a little calmer,” Jerrick said, still holding Lin’s weight, as she slumped in his arms.

“Good idea.”

I went around to Lin’s side and helped Jerrick walk her out into the hallway, where the music was less intense. The bass still rattled the floor beneath our feet.

“Lin, I think it is time for us to get home. I ordered a rideshare; it should be here in…,” I said to Lin.

Her head drooped and rested peacefully on Jerrick’s shoulder.

“Oh no,” I mumbled. I reached over and shook Lin’s shoulder.

“What’s wrong? Is she hurt?” Jerrick asked.

“No, no. She is fine; you caught her before she hit the floor. Thank you for that, by the way. Anyway, it’s just that when she gets really drunk, she falls asleep, and it is like trying to wake the dead,” I explained.

“You’re welcome,” Jerrick said, clearly unsure of what else to say. He was stuck there supporting Lin so she wouldn’t slump right onto the floor.

“How long until your rideshare will be here?” he asked.

I pulled out my phone to check the location of the rideshare.

“Damn it,” I said under my breath.

“What is it?”

“They canceled on me. I guess the driver got a flat tire. I have to order another one, and the closest is like forty minutes away,” I said as I scrolled through my phone, desperately looking for another option.

“My car is down in the lot. I can take you two home,” Jerrick offered.

I looked up from my phone, shocked and relieved at the same time. I looked over his face trying to decide if it was okay to trust him.

“I’m my group’s designated driver anyway, and they aren’t even close to being ready to leave yet; I can drive you and Lin home and swing back. They won’t even notice I’m gone,” he explained.

“Are you sure?” I asked, grateful that I wouldn’t have to sit in the hallway with a very sleepy Lin for the next hour, waiting for a ride.

“Of course. It is never very much fun watching everyone else drink. This will give me something to do until they’re ready.”

I wrapped my arm back around Lin’s other side, and we made slow progress down the hall and to the elevator. As soon as the doors closed, Lin m****d softly and then vomited all over the floor. The splash narrowly missed mine and Jerrick’s shoes. Lin went right back to sleep, and we had to shuffle around the edges of the elevator to avoid the mess.

It was a struggle to get Lin in the car, but eventually, we got her inside, where she immediately laid across the entire seat. Jerrick buckled the seatbelt around her waist before getting in the driver’s seat.

“Thank you so much,” I told Jerrick as soon as he started driving. “The only thing worse than sleepy drunk Lin is when she starts puking too. That would have been a long wait in the hallway.”

“It is no problem. Lin is a great girl; I don’t mind making sure you two make it home safe,” he said with a small shrug.

“I didn’t realize you two knew each other so well,” I admitted.

“We didn’t really until this week. Not very many people stayed after the semester ended, so it has been the same crowd at all the parties. We only started talking at the last few.”

I nodded. Jerrick surprised me by pulling into a fast-food restaurant a few blocks away from our apartment.

“Do you want anything? I’m starving, and I figured little miss pukey back there might want something when she wakes up. She is going to have a killer hangover tomorrow.”

“That is so nice. Yeah, I will have a burger and fries,” I said with a smile. I was surprised at how decent Jerrick was; maybe the cocky playboy vibe he put off was all just an act.

While we were waiting in line for our food, we made pleasant small talk about upcoming classes, our favorite professors, and other law students. My phone vibrated in my lap, and I looked down to see Michael had texted me. He probably wanted to know how my night was going. Just as I picked up my phone to respond Jerrick asked me a question that made my heart stop.

“Michael Astor? How do you know him?”

Jerrick must have seen Michael’s contact pop up on my phone screen, and now I had to replace a decent explanation as to why he was texting me.

“Oh… Um… I actually know him through his daughter Lauren. We were roommates for part of our undergrad.”

Jerrick stared at me, obviously waiting for me to continue. I still hadn’t explained why he was texting me.

“Lauren told him about how I am going to law school, and she connected us so he could help me replace an internship. He is just texting me to remind me to send him my updated resume,” I quickly lied and hoped that it was enough to avoid Jerrick looking into our relationship.

“Oh, that is so funny. My dad is actually an investor in Mr. Astor’s company. Maybe he’s working with my dad to get you a spot in my dad’s legal department. If he is, I will be sure to put in a good word for you.”

“Oh, that is funny. Thank you, that is really nice,” I said, trying my best to laugh.

Jerrick took the bags full of greasy food from the employee at the window and followed my directions to our apartment complex.

Jerrick helped me get Lin upstairs and onto the couch. I placed an empty garbage can next to her and walked Jerrick back to our front door.

“Thank you again for everything. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.”

“Anytime. It was really nice officially meeting you, Shelby.”

“It was nice to meet you too.”

I was relieved that he didn’t question my story any further, but I couldn’t help but wonder if he would really tell his dad about me. Would Stewart keep meeting me a secret from his son?