The Billionaire Boys Club (Billionaire Romance Series Book 1) (10 page)

“We’ll just squeeze in the back,” Kelsey said. “It isn’t far.” She opened the back door and she, Jessica and Ashley got into the car. Ian frowned as he took the passenger seat and Dylan got into the driver’s side. Seat belts on, Dylan turned the car down Madison.
 

“Where should we go first?” Dylan asked.

“I’m starving,” Ian said. “Nothing was open when I got to Seattle.”
 

“If you had gotten here on time, that wouldn’t have been an issue,” Dylan retorted.
 

“Let’s have lunch,” Kelsey said. “I haven’t been to La Vaca in forever.”
 

“It’s too bad that great Mexican restaurant on the Hillclimb closed,” Dylan said. “We could have gone there next time.”
 

The car sped down Madison, through the Central District, past Broadway and into downtown.
 

“Kels, you want to end up at Target, right?” Dylan asked.

“Yes, if you guys don’t mind.”
 

“I’ll park there, then,” Dylan said. A few minutes later he drove into the lot and parked. Everyone piled out of the car.
 

“You know the city pretty well, Dylan,” Ashley said.
 

“His ex-girlfriend was from Seattle,” Ian volunteered.
 

“Oh,” Jessica said in surprise.
 

“Shut up,” Dylan said to Ian.
 

They walked across 1st Avenue, and began to walk to La Vaca.
 

“What a cute skirt,” Ashley said, stopping at a window. They walked up the gently sloping hill until they reached the tiny take-out window of La Vaca.
 

“This is it?” Jessica said in surprise.

“Some of the best Mexican in the city,” Dylan said.

“I guess. There’s already people lining up,” Jessica said. They joined the line and took turns looking at the menu.
 

“What do you recommend?” Ashley asked.
 

“I always get a burrito,” Dylan replied. “They’re the best.”
 

“Where are we going to sit?” Jessica asked, looking around the sidewalk.
 

“There are tables inside,” Dylan said. “Usually.”

They reached the front and placed their orders. Then they briefly waited until their food was freshly prepared. A few minutes later, Dylan and Ian led the way into one of the market buildings and down a short flight of stairs.
 

“See? Seats.”

“It ain’t the Ritz,” Jessica said as they sat down.
 

“Yeah, the food’s better,” Dylan said. Everyone tucked into their food.
 

“Delicious. A taste of home,” Ashley exclaimed. Ian watched her as she tossed her blond curls back and ate. Dylan kicked him under the table.
 

“It is good,” Jessica said, wiping sour cream off her chin.

“So, where to next?” Dylan asked, as he took a tortilla chip. “Fish throwing? The original Starbucks?”

“Oh, that sounds good,” Jessica said.
 

“Did I read that there was an art museum nearby?” Ashley asked. She had almost finished her burrito.
 

“Right down the street. In the next block,” Kelsey said.

“Mama’s on the board of ours,” Ashley said. “I thought I’d check this one out.”

“Seriously?” Jessica asked in surprise.

“I can see the market later,” Ashley said, taking her last bite.

“I’ll go with you,” Ian said brightly. Dylan looked at him oddly.
 

“Since when are you interested in art?” he asked Ian.

“Since always,” Ian snapped back.
 

“Whatever,” Dylan said, taking another bite of food.

“So, just text me when you’re at Target,” Ashley said, standing and smoothing her skirt. “Oh, you’re not done yet, Ian?”

Ian glanced at her, and grabbed a last bite.
 

“I am,” he said as best as he could with a mouth of food. He stood up and wiped his hands on his pants. Then Ian and Ashley left.

“Idiot,” Dylan said, looking after them. He took another chip.

Kelsey and Jessica giggled.
 

“I’m ready,” Jessica said, crumpling her burrito wrapper.
 

“I am too,” Kelsey said. They all stood up and cleared the table.
 

“So, Kels, donuts?” Dylan said.

“Let’s show her the Italian deli first,” Kelsey said.
 

“Wait, have the two of you been here together before?” Jessica asked.
 

“A couple of times,” Dylan said. “We came up for a few concerts during college.”
 

“Oh,” Jessica said, glancing at Kelsey and pulling her fleece around her.

For the next few hours, the three of them walked around the market. They took photos, instagrammed food, then ate it, and walked around enjoying the place and each other’s company. Every so often, Kelsey would notice Jessica moving a little closer to Dylan, touching his sleeve or laughing loudly at one of his jokes. Dylan didn’t seem to pay any attention.
 

Dylan sent a few texts to Ian, but they went ignored. Finally, feeling that they had sufficiently enjoyed the market for the day, Dylan texted Ashley and they walked over.
 

“This is weird,” Jessica said, as they entered the multi-story CityTarget.

“Don’t they have Target in New York?” Dylan said.

“Yes, but not like this. At least I haven’t been to one like this.”
 

“I’m going to women’s clothes,” Kelsey said.
 

“Where are you going, Dylan?” Jessica asked sweetly.
 

“Snacks, then electronics,” he replied.
 

“I’ll go with you, then,” Jessica said to him. Kelsey smiled and walked over to the elevator. She rode up to the women’s department and located her underwear. Then she glanced at the workout clothes, and spotting a cute outfit, added it to the bundle in her arms. Nothing like looking cute when you’re drenched in sweat. Kelsey looked around for a few more minutes, then walked over to the electronics department. When she arrived, Ashley and Ian were there along with Dylan and Jessica.
 

“Ready, Kels?” Dylan asked.
 

“Yep,” she replied.
 

“Kelsey, let’s stop downstairs and get some snacks for the dorm,”
 
Jessica said. “I bet we can get more granola bars.”
 

“You took my advice,” Dylan said to Jessica.
 

“I did,” Jessica said, giving Dylan her prettiest smile.

“So how was the museum?” Dylan asked Ian that night at dinner.
 

“Interesting.”

“Really?” Dylan said, with sarcasm.
 

“It’s true. There’s some amazing Native American art on the third floor, and Ashley took me for tea at the cafe.”

“Did you enjoy your date?” Dylan teased.

“It wasn’t a date. Anyway, she’s only interested in your roommate. I thought you said he was a jerk.”

“He is.”
 

“Well, I think Ashley was disappointed that he didn’t come with us.”

“Is that why she came? Thinking he was going to join us?”

“Maybe,” Ian said, thoughtfully.

“Incredible,” Dylan said.
 

“She’s gone,” Jessica said, reaching for an Oreo.

“She knows what she wants,” Kelsey said.
 

Jessica and Kelsey spent their Sunday quietly preparing for the first day of class. They joined Dylan and Ian for brunch at the dining hall, prepared backpacks and laptops for the next day, and had dinner as the sun waned over Lake Washington.
 

“Good luck, Kels,” Jessica said as she turned off the light.

“Good luck to you, Jess.”
 

On Monday, the Darrow campus was transformed. All of the students were back and classes had begun. The entire 1L class had Civil Procedure with Professor Dudley on Monday-Wednesday at 9 a.m., so Kelsey and Jessica walked over together, bags on their shoulders, ready for their new adventure. They walked into Darrow Hall and stepped into the classroom. Dylan waved at them and indicated that there were seats next to him. They walked down the stairs to him.
 

“Good morning!” Dylan said brightly. Jessica and Kelsey took the seats next to him.
 

“Dudley allows free seating,” Dylan commented as the girls set themselves up.
 

“Nice. But does that mean that he’ll call on us randomly?” Kelsey asked.

“OK, that’s a little scary,” Jessica commented.

“Miss Hunter, are you implying that you won’t be fully prepared each and every morning?” Dylan asked.
 

“Absolutely not, Mr. Shaw,” Jessica replied. “But I’d like to know when I’m going to be humiliated.”
 

“You’ll have the pleasure in Torts. Wadsworth is a stickler for the seating chart.”
 

“How do you know all of this, Dylan?” Kelsey asked, as her Mac warmed up.

“I have my sources,” Dylan replied, mysteriously.
 

“I’m so nervous,” Jessica said.

“He’s not going to call on anyone today, Jess. We don’t know anything yet,” Dylan said calmly.

Kelsey glanced around the room. The five members of the Billionaire Boys Club were sitting in the front middle of the lecture hall, Dylan’s roommate talking loudly. Ashley was sitting a couple of rows behind him, far enough away to see, but not close enough to be noticed. Kelsey admired her persistence.

Professor Dudley walked in as the students organized themselves. He was wearing a white shirt with a plaid bow tie and gray wool slacks. He placed a folder on the front podium and made sure there were markers for the white board.
 

The room was almost full, with the odd chair empty. Kelsey wondered how many people had quit during the first week. Based on her own small group, she guessed about ten of the class of one hundred and twenty. Less competition, but also fewer people to round out the curve. Kelsey opened her notepad on the computer. She was ready.
 

Professor Dudley looked around the room expectantly and the room quieted down. Even Matthew.

“Hello, everyone. I’m Eric Dudley and I will be your Civil Procedure professor for this semester. We will meet in this room every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 9:00 a.m to 10:00 a.m.”

“Civil procedure
qua
civil procedure addresses the commencement and subsequent resolution of disagreements outside the criminal context in a framework of disparate opinions from nodes in a civil network of dispute resolution providers connected to a common hub of precedential jurisprudence. The infinite game of the law, such as it were, is bounded by a relatively stable but occasionally fluctuating ruleset -
les regles du jeu
- that is shaped and reshaped by the erosive force of variant specific fact-patterns upon the great riverbank that is the common law. Each participant in the eternal dialectic, whether they be constitutions, legislative bodies, judiciary, or litigants, maintains a mindfulness of both outcome and process values when exerting influence upon the procedural principles that govern life transpiring within and without the courthouse walls.”

“Huh?” Jessica whispered.
 

“No idea,” Dylan replied. Kelsey ignored them as Professor Dudley continued his explanation of Civil Procedure in the most complicated jargon that Kelsey had ever heard. Every so often, she would notice one or another of her classmates shaking their head, seemingly in despair. Kelsey attempted to focus. She was determined to make sense of this.
 

Professor Dudley began to run through the course outline. He threw out terms such as “personal jurisdiction”, “forum non conveniens” and “minimum contacts”, without explaining them or putting them into any context whatsoever. Kelsey bit her lip in frustration. She’d better start reading the casebook tonight. Her only comfort was that most of her classmates looked as confused as she felt.

Professor Dudley continued in the same vein for most of the rest of the hour. Finally, when Kelsey thought she would faint from confusion, Professor Dudley asked. “Are there any questions?”

The class burst out into laughter and Professor Dudley looked puzzled. “Did I tell a joke?” he asked sternly.
 

The class watched as Tyler put up his hand. “Yes?” Professor Dudley asked.
 

“Will we cover the Erie Doctrine?” Tyler asked.

“Of course. Did I not mention that?” Professor Dudley said, glancing at his notes. “It seems not. Yes, Mr?”

“Olsen,” Tyler replied.
 

“Yes, the Erie Doctrine is a critical means of determining which law to apply in a Federal court. We will cover the decision written by Judge Brandeis thoroughly. Thank you for pointing out my omission, Mr. Olsen.”
 

Kelsey typed ‘Erie Doctrine’ into Wikipedia and noticed others doing the same.

“Are there any other questions?”
 

The room was silent.
 

“If that’s the case, I would like everyone to read tonight’s assignment from the class schedule provided to you last week. Professor Wadsworth will be here for Torts at 10:30; however, you will be assigned seating per his seating chart. His assistant will be here at 10:20 to assist you in finding your correct place. I suggest you make your break today short. Good day, everyone.”
 

Professor Dudley picked up his folder and left the room.

“I have to go to the bathroom,” Jessica said, folding her laptop and placing it in her bag. “Are you staying here?”
 

Kelsey nodded. Dylan stretched his arms.
 

“Aren’t some people missing?” Kelsey asked.

“Yeah, I think at least three from my small group. I think if they withdraw before Friday, they get most of the tuition back,” Dylan said.
 

“They really make it easy to quit,” Kelsey said.
 

“Keeps it elite,” Dylan replied.