When I think he’s already left my office, I hear him call out from the doorway.
“Don’t make me wait too long for an update. Even if you just accidentally brush against her tits, I want to hear about it.”
“That’s sexual assault, you idiot! Now, get out of here!” I reach for another pen and throw it at him, but he quickly shuts the door, making the pen hit the back instead.
Great. Now he’s got me thinking about Mila’s breasts. They’re definitely a ten—not too big, not too small—just perfect for her petite frame.No! What the hell! Fucking Chris and his filthy mind!
I meant it when I said I’d never cross that line with her. Skylar and Kaden would string me up by the balls if I even thought about going after Mila, and I don’t even want to imagine what my ex-wife would do.Nope! Not going to go there. Not a bloody chance!
CHAPTER 4
Mila
Sofia strolls into the campus library with a tote bag almost half the size of her slung over one shoulder. Her eyes quickly sweep over the place until they finally land on me, sitting in one of the private study rooms that I reserved just for us. Without missing a beat, she heads over, her steps quick and eager, as though she’s been dying to see me all day.
I agreed to meet her after class so we could work on our final assessments for the semester, but something tells me it’s really just an excuse for Sofia to catch up on the latest gossip. Between the interview and my first shift babysitting Jake, I haven’t had a chance to update her on much at all, and I can tell she’s practically bursting at the seams, waiting for me to spill all the juicy details.
Sofia collapses into the chair across from me, her bag hitting the table with a heavy thud. She rolls her neck from side to side, trying to shake off the tension in her muscles, before exhaling a long, weary sigh.
“If I have to learn about behaviour change science any longer, I’m gonna fucking lose my shit!”
“I see class went well,” I say sarcastically.
“Oh, it was fucking fantastic!” She gives an exaggerated eye roll. “I’m so relieved that we only have one assignment left to submit before our first year of postgrad is officially over.”
“Do you think you can handle another year of studying?” I ask, painfully aware of how challenging this year has beenfor her, balancing her studies with part-time work and a new relationship. I’m surprised she finds any time for me at all.
“It’s either graduate and become a dietician or work as a receptionist for my dad’s dental clinic for the rest of my life. I choose the former.”
“That’s the spirit!”
After Sofia and I completed our undergraduate degrees in Health and Applied Sciences two years ago, we decided to take a gap year to travel across Europe and the US. Upon our return, we found ourselves broke, jobless, and uncertain of our next steps. It wasn’t long after that we decided to both enrol at the University of Sydney to continue our education.
This year marked the beginning of our postgraduate studies. Sofia opted to pursue a degree in Nutrition and Dietetics, while I chose to continue my education in Speech Pathology, and so far, this semester has been kicking both our arses.
“Okay, before we start studying, don’t you have something to tell me?” she asks, one eyebrow arched in anticipation.
“Not sure what you’re talking about?” I reply with a shrug, playing dumb.
Her eyes narrow, and a quiet laugh escapes me. “Spill it, Rivera, or I’ll have Brody set you up with one of his basketball buddies again.”
“The fuck you will!” I toss back, keeping my tone light and playful, “I’d rather eat dirt for a year than go on another date with one of his man-whore friends.”
I’ve been seriously questioning their matchmaking skills ever since they kept setting me up with dud after dud. None of them ever made it past one or two dates. They’re either too shy and awkward or obnoxiously loud and sleazy. So, I eventually gave up on dating altogether.
Unlike my string of bad dates, Sofia and her boyfriend, Brody, have been happily dating for four months now. Theymet at a basketball game where his team faced off against our university’s team. They ended up losing to us, but he managed to win my best friend’s interest—and her phone number.
Since then, they’ve only grown stronger as a couple, and it’s hard not to feel a twinge of envy for my best friend. It’s not easy finding decent men these days.
She leans back in her chair, crossing her long, lean legs and propping them up on the table. “Well, come on! I don’t have all day!”
“Okay fine!” I huff in defeat. “The interview—well, it was more like a casual chat— turned out better than I expected. He was funny and laid-back, and it wasn’t awkward at all.”
She nods, crossing her arms. “So, what you’re essentially saying is that he’s pretty much your type.” She smirks suggestively.
“Oh my God, Sofia! Would you quit that! Nothing’s going to happen between Jason and me!”
“Yet, you mean. There’s nothing going to happen—yet.” She winks.
