Longing For The Beach Billionaire Daddy
Chapter 72

*Shelby*

Standing at the front of the lecture hall was the last person I wanted to see. My old friend and Michael’s only daughter.

“Lauren?” I said out loud, not believing my own eyes.

Lauren turned and noticed me sitting in the front seat. A wicked smile flashed across her face for a quick second before melting into something softer.

“Oh my god, Shelby, I didn’t know you were in this class too.”

Lauren turned her attention back to the professor, whipping her hair over her shoulder in one fluid motion. I slid down in my seat wishing I could melt into the cushions, wanting to disappear from the room.

“What’s she doing here? I didn’t think she even had her undergrad done,” Lin said to me in a whisper.

“Last time I talked to her, she didn’t. Although it seems a lot has changed since the last time I saw her. Just a few months ago she was engaged to my ex, ready to spend the rest of her life as a social media influencer,” I mumbled.

The girl sitting next to Lin leaned over to us, “Do you two know that girl? Who is she?”

“I think she’s an actress,” Lin said in mock seriousness, but the girl didn’t catch on.

“That makes sense,” she said, turning to her friend sitting next to her, likely to share the fake gossip she’d just heard.

I did my best to hide a snort of laughter at Lin’s way of handling the situation. I looked over and saw her biting her l*p doing her best to suppress her own laughter. Leave it to Lin to make me feel slightly better about a really shitty situation.

“If you would please take your seat, Miss…?” the professor trailed off, obviously eager to get the class back on track, and the lecture started.

“It is Miss Lauren Radcliff Astor,” Lauren said, turning to face her classmates.

She continued, “I know I’m starting mid-semester which is unusual, so I thought I would do a little introduction to help everyone get to know me. Everyone else here has already had the past few weeks to get to know each other, so I have to make up for the lost time.

“So hello, everyone, my name is Lauren Radcliff Astor, as in the ExpressAir Astors. My daddy owns the company and runs it out of New York City. I can’t wait to get to know all of you better and would like to personally invite you all to a party at my place this weekend.”

“Miss Astor, please take your seat. You can plan your party on your own time,” the professor said, obviously getting annoyed with her.

Lauren, however, did not seem to understand that she needed to get to a seat as fast as possible. Instead, she walked right over to the boy sitting next to me.

“Excuse me, but is there any way you could let me have this seat?” Lauren asked him, bending down and putting her cleavage on full display.

I leaned over to Lin and whispered, “That is the last time I drink coffee on an empty stomach. I think I’m going to be sick.”

“That’s not the coffee’s fault,” she said, rolling her eyes.

I held my breath, hoping that the boy next to me was smart enough not to get up. I figured there was no way she would get her way with a bunch of future lawyers, but the guy hopped right out of his chair for her. I couldn’t help the audible sigh that escaped my mouth when he gave Lauren her way.

He juggled his laptop in one arm and his bookbag in another, nearly tripping over himself to move to a seat in the back of the lecture hall.

“You are such a sweetheart,” she said with a sickly sweet smile.

“Is everyone all situated then?” the professor asked, a dangerous note in his tone.

“Lauren just sit down,” I whispered to her.

She shot me an annoyed look as if I was the one being extremely rude by holding up the entire class.

“Yes, thank you, Professor Adams,” Lauren answered sweetly.

I couldn’t help but wonder if she was really that clueless or if she just had no care for anyone but herself.

“I’m so glad to see a friendly face,” Lauren leaned over and whispered in my ear. “I can’t wait to let Daddy know I got to see you today.”

My heart dipped at the mention of Lauren’s father, and I was grateful that the professor dimmed the lights and started going over a slide show presentation for the rest of the class.

As soon as class was over, Lauren introduced herself to anyone who would listen, and a surprising number of people were trying to talk with her. It was funny what money can do to normally sensible people. If only they knew Lauren had no access to her dad’s money.

“Quick, let’s get out of here before I have to talk to her again. I honestly don’t think I can handle any more of her today,” I said quietly to Lin.

We quickly stuffed our laptops into our bags and made a break for the exit, but we weren’t fast enough. The sound of Lauren’s stilettos echoing on the tile floors behind us made me want to hide behind the vending machines.

“Shelbs, wait up!” Lauren called.

I slowed down and gave Lin a desperate look before turning to meet Lauren.

“I’m so glad I caught you,” she said, her fake smile back on her face.

“What are you doing here, Lauren?” I asked, trying not to sound like a complete a*****e.

Lauren laughed, “Jeez, Shelbs, I thought you were supposed to be smart. I’m going to law school, obviously. I decided I wanted to become a lawyer, so here I am.”

“Weren’t you still working on your undergrad? How did you get it done so fast and get Harvard to let you start mid-semester?” Lin asked bluntly.

“Well, that’s the bonus of having really rich parents with lots of connections. There are all kinds of privileges that come with money, but I don’t have to tell you that, Shelby,” Lauren said, tossing a sideways glance at me.

“What is that supposed to mean?” I asked, dumbfounded.

“Oh, nothing. I meant to tell you that I was so sad to hear about your break up. I hope you aren’t taking it too hard. You two just didn’t have enough in common, I guess. Maybe next time, go for someone closer to your own age and in your same social class,” Lauren said with a smile that, this time, I was sure was real.

Anger boiled up inside me, and it took all that I had not to smack that smug little smile off Lauren’s face. I had no idea that she even knew that Michael and I had been seeing each other, not that it mattered anymore.

Hot angry tears welled up in my eyes, but I wiped them away as Lauren turned her back. Lauren flipped her hair over her shoulder again and walked away from us without another word.

“You little b***h,” Lin said through gritted teeth.

I grabbed her arm, pulling her in the opposite direction of Lauren. Although part of me wanted to let go. I knew that Lin would win in a fight against Lauren.

“She’s not worth it, Lin. Trust me.”

We opened the doors to the courtyard, the light blinding us as we stepped back out into the cold. Other students walked happily to their next classes, chatting about their normal winter breaks, something I wished I could relate to. All I wanted to do was hide away in my own room and pretend today had never happened.

“Should we just head back to the apartment? That’s the last lecture we have for today,” I asked Lin.

Would a hot shower be enough to wash the memories of the last few months away? If not, I would settle for forgetting today.

“I don’t know. Maybe we should go talk with some of the advisors for the law program. Lauren shouldn’t be able to just get in because she’s wealthy and her family has connections. It makes me so mad to think that she didn’t have to put in the same work that everyone else did.”

“I honestly don’t know if it would do us any good. It makes me wonder how many people are here based on who their parents know or how much money is in their bank accounts. I think we should just put our heads down and get our work done like we always have.

“I’ve known Lauren for a lot longer than you have. She can’t ever stick to one thing for long. I give it a few months before she gets bored or a new plan for her life takes hold and whisks her away to one corner of the Earth or another.”

“I guess you’re right, Shelby,” Lin said, even though I could see the anger in the way her eyebrows were knitted together.

I understood Lin’s anger, I honestly couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that Michael had bought Lauren’s way into Harvard. I never pictured him as that kind of person. The kind of person that bypassed hard work for a price.

However, as I learned at his ski cabin, there was a lot I didn’t know about him. Lauren’s words only reaffirmed the new picture I had of Michael in my head.

At that moment, I knew I was done pining over the man I thought I knew. If that meant making a big change, so be it. I was finally ready.

I took a deep breath and did something that surprised even me.

Once my eyes adjusted to the sudden change of light, I couldn’t help but notice Jerrick standing next to the fountain in the middle of the courtyard. Before my head could tell my feet no, they were carrying me toward him.

As soon as he saw me coming a smile spread across his face, and he ran his hand through his thick hair as he watched me cross the rest of the courtyard.

“Shelby,” he said in greeting as soon as I reached him.

“Hey Jerrick,” I said with a smile. “I wanted to pay you back for that coffee you bought earlier today.”

“Shelby, I thought I told you it was no big deal.”

“I know you did. So, how about we go out for drinks tonight instead?” I asked.

Once the words were out in the open, I couldn’t take them back, but truthfully I didn’t want to. Not with the shy smile he wore as he gazed up at me.