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Chapter Fifteen
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Ispend the entireafternoon showing Alec all around campus. I take him through every building, pointing at the rooms where I have class and showing him the kitchen where I do most of my hands-on training.
Besides the one heavy moment at the beginning, we keep things light. We talk about our favorite classes and what we both like and dislike about college. And Alec tells me about what led to his dad and Katy’s impending divorce.
By the time we sit down for dinner nearly four hours later, it almost feels like old times.Almost...There’s still this lingering tension between us. I’m just not sure if it’s only me or if it’s something he feels too.
And I know where it’s stemming from.
Because no matter how much I try to pretend like he’s just Alec; one of my closest friends, the boy I spent countless hours with my last two years of high school, I can’t stop my mind from going back to that night. The night when he read my letter. The night when he said he felt the same way. The night that he kissed me.
And all I want is for him to do it again, no matter how much I shouldn’t.
Our situation hasn’t changed. He’s still Lulu’s ex-boyfriend. We still live hundreds of miles apart. Even if we both wanted to make this work, I don’t see any way that we could.
It’s a sobering thought. Knowing that what I want more than anything is sitting right in front of me and I can’t reach out and take it.
“Can I ask you something?” Alec slides his fork through the piece of caramel pie we’re currently sharing.
“What?”
“Don’t get mad, okay?” He shoves the bite into his mouth, chewing slowly.
“You can’t lead with that.” I wave my fork at him.
“Why not?”
“Because making a blanket statement like that before asking a question puts me on edge, making it ten times more likely that I’m going to get mad.”
“I’m not sure I understand your logic.” He chuckles.
“Just ask,” I say after a long moment.
“What?” He pops another bite of pie into his mouth.
“Ask the question.”
“Well I can’t now.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’ve already said you’re going to get mad.”
“I’m going to get mad if youdon’task me now,” I warn playfully.
“Fine.” He sets his fork on his napkin and leans back in the booth. “I ran into JR the other day.”
“JR Hensley?” I ask, knowing the name all too well. I’d dated JR for four months my Senior year of high school. And I spent our entire relationship trying to convince myself that what I felt for him was real. When, in reality, it didn’t come close to the feelings I had for Alec. The feelings I still have for him.
“Yeah.” He nods. “So, obviously I know you two dated for a while.”
“Obviously.” Considering he and Lulu doubled with me and JR for prom, I’d be worried if he didn’t know that.
“Did you sleep with him?” he asks right as I take a drink of my iced tea. I suck the liquid down the wrong hole and spend the next several seconds sputtering and coughing.
“Shit, sorry.” He starts to slide out of the booth but I hold my hand up to stop him.
