Hamel - Taking His Bride: Baby Daddy University Book 3

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I look out over the crowd of people and Im not sure what Im doing here. I adjust my dress and take a deep breath as Iris comes up next to me, the blonde girl smiling a huge grin.

Cool, right? she asks me.

Not bad, I guess.

Come on. Its nice in here.

I sigh and fiddle with the drink in my hand. I dont really know why I decided to say yes to this in the first place. I guess I wanted something to do other than sit around my dorm room all night again.

Cheer up, Iris says with a laugh. Its a party.

Good point. I bite my lip and look around. Jenna is over near the bar chatting with her sponsor and looking at him like shes staring at the most beautiful painting in the world. I wonder what its like to feel that way.

Iris follows my gaze and sighs. Yeah. Same. Id give anything for a sponsor.

Sponsor doesnt mean love, you know.

She gives me a look. Its close enough.

I roll my eyes at her but I cant help smiling. Iris is the only person in this whole school that believes in this system without any irony at all.

Personally, I think the whole Baby Daddy University thing is insane. I didnt know about it before I came to Gradus, and when I learned the truth I basically just tried to act like it doesnt exist. I mean, a bunch of rich, older guys get to basically buyor, in their language, sponsoryoung women, and it feels

Well, really weird.

I came here because Gradus has a good marketing department, believe it or not. I guess they still do stuff outside of, you know, setting up rich guys with young coeds.

Anyway, the sponsor stuff never really touched me until Jenna moved into the dorms last year. She had this whole thing with her sponsor, a guy named Brady. Hes some kind of film director, although Id never heard of him before.

They had a tough time at first or at least thats what Iris told me later. I didnt know them then, only met them after they fell in love. Jennas finishing her degree and Bradys basically just hanging around campus, waiting for her to be done so he can knock her up and make her his little wife.

Bleh. Not my thing.

But Jennas great and Bradys cool too, so I dont mind it. Shes the reason Im here, anyway.

The good thing about being sponsored is you get your own little dorm. Its a beautiful building, basically an incredibly high-end apartment building with multiple floors, huge multi-room living areas, and common spaces like this absurdly ornate ballroom. When Jenna invited me out to this special dance for sponsors, their sponsored girls, and special guests, I wasnt sure what to think.

Well, I knew what I thought. I figured itd be totally weird and I would hate it.

I was half right. Its totally weird. But I dont hate it, not yet at least.

The rooms pretty crowded. There are ten sponsors and sponsored girls in each class, so forty in total. I guess each girl invited a bunch of people because this enormous ballroom is packed. There are more men in here than Ive ever seen at Gradus, which is traditionally an all-girls school. Normally, if you see a man on campus, you know hes a sponsor or a teacher. But tonight, Im not sure whos who.

I guess it doesnt matter.

Come on, Iris says to me, grabbing my arm. She grins at me, her blonde hair bobbing as she turns toward the dance floor. Lets dance.

Oh, no, I say, wriggling again. No way. Im not drunk enough for that.

She rolls her eyes. Jennas out there.

Shes got Brady.

So?

So. I shrug. Im fine here.

Suit yourself. Iris glances over toward the side wall. You and Azrael were made for each other.

I roll my eyes at Iris as the girl scampers off. Azrael is another girl on our floor and Jennas roommate. Shes the Gothiest girl Ive ever met with pitch black hair, dark makeup, and a perpetual frown.

I love her. I mean, shes totally nuts, but shes great.

I decide to leave the Queen of Darkness to herself though. She looks like she wants to stab a puppy and Im afraid shell settle for stabbing a friend instead.

I sip my glass of wine and wander around the perimeter of the dance floor. Iris is shaking her booty with absolutely no hesitation, which makes me smile, while Jenna and Brady dance a little less provocatively. Jenna catches my eyes and waves, which makes me smile and wave back, but I dont go and join them.

I will sooner or later. I just need to loosen up a little bit. I dont know why, I guess Ive always been a little slow to warm up to parties, but Ill get there.

As I move around the room I keep glancing at the people. The women are wearing expensive dresses, glittering diamonds in their hair and on their throats, and it hits me all over again how Gradus was basically built to cater to the rich and elite. I dont really fit that mold, not at all.

I come from a boring family. Middle-class suburbanites outside of Philadelphia. Dad worked in insurance, Mom stayed home. I have an older brother and a dog. Pretty much as vanilla as you can possibly imagine.

I never thought in a million years that Id end up at a snooty rich school like this but here I am, three years into my education, and I guess Ive gotten used to it.

I suddenly stumble, not realizing I was walking over a long cable connecting one of the speakers to a wall outlet. I reach out and grab something to steady myself before I totally wipe out and find the only thing handy.

Its a man, a tall man, with dark eyes and light brown hair. I grab onto his arm and steady myself as he glances down at me with a little smile on his lips.

You know, if you wanted to get my attention, you couldve just said hi, he says.

I blush dark red. Hes handsome, really handsome. There are hints of tattoos at the edges of his sleeves and on his neck, totally out of place in a fancy ballroom like this. His suit is dark and fits him perfectly but hes not wearing a tie and his top button is undone.

Sorry, I say. God, Im so sorry. I just tripped on that cable and

Grabbed onto the best-looking thing you could find. I get it. He grins at me.

Actually, I just grabbed at random, and ended up with you. I frown at him. I shouldve tried for a table instead.

He laughs. Why? Im much more fun.

Doubt it. The table wouldnt be such an ass.

That really gets him. He grins at me and I grin back defiantly.

Whats your name? he asks.

Kylee.

Huh. Nice to meet you, Kylee. His grin gets even bigger. Im Walker. And you can let go of my arm.

I blush again and quickly release him. Sorry, I say.