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When he leans in for a kiss, I angle my head. At the last moment, he tilts in the opposite direction, and we end up bumping teeth instead of locking lips. With a grunt, I pull away and chuckle. My fingers fly to my mouth to make sure I haven’t chipped a tooth.
Maybe I’ve been reluctant to admit it to myself, but that kiss sums up our relationship perfectly.
Awkward and a step out of sync with each other.
“Sorry,” he murmurs with a slight smile. I search his face and wait for any telltale sign of sexual chemistry to ping inside me. Unfortunately, my insides remain completely unfazed, which is disappointing but not altogether unexpected. I had a sneaking suspicion when we first got together that it might turn out this way.
“No problem,” I say, hoisting my smile and brushing aside those thoughts.
“I haven’t seen you for a couple of days,” he remarks as we turn a corner and continue walking.
“It’s been busy.” Which isn’t a lie. School might have recently started, but the academics at Western are rigorous. And being a Division I athlete is more like a job. If you’re not ready to put in the work, don’t bother showing up. There’s no half-assing it around this place.
“When’s your next game?” he asks.
“Tomorrow at six.” My gaze flickers in his direction. Not that I expect him to come, but...
Fine, so maybe I do. If he wants to be my boyfriend, then he needs to show a little support.
His dark brows draw together. “That sucks. I’ve got a mandatory study hour I have to attend.”
I shrug off the disappointment. It’s another nail in the coffin of this relationship as far as I’m concerned. “That’s cool. It’s not a big deal.”
“But I’ll see you tonight?”
Oh. Right.
Tonight.
Well, damn. In a moment of weakness, I threw out an invitation to join our Wednesday evening dinner. It’s one I now regret. If only there were a gracious way to rescind the offer.
“If you’re busy, I totally understand—”
“Are you kidding? No way.” With a grin, he shakes his head. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world. I’m looking forward to meeting Coach Richards.”
Great. So this is more about my father than me? Exactly what every girl wants to hear.
I force a brittle smile. “Awesome. He’s excited, too.”
That might be something of an overstatement.
Justin nods toward the end of the corridor. “I better get moving. Professor Andrews is a real stickler for punctuality.”
“Yup. See you later.”
This time, when he leans in, our lips align perfectly. The kiss is nothing more than a fleeting caress. There and gone before I can sink into it.
And I’m left feeling...absolutely nothing.
I bury the disappointment where I can’t inspect it too closely before giving him a wave as he takes off. For a moment, I stand rooted in the hallway and watch as he disappears through the crowd. There’s nothing to distinguish Justin from the thousands of guys who look exactly like him on campus. He’s of average height and build with dark hair and espresso-colored eyes. He’s nice enough. Although, if I’m completely honest, he’s a little self-absorbed. He talks about baseball all the time. If Ethan hadn’t introduced us, he’s not someone I would have looked twice at. We don’t have a ton in common.
As much as I hate to admit it, this relationship has probably reached its expiration date.
Now it’s a matter of pulling the plug.
Ugh. I hate breakups. Although, it’s doubtful this will end up destroying him. I’ll have to make it through tonight and figure out the rest.
With a sigh of resignation, I head to the classroom and find a seat tucked away in the far corner of the small lecture hall. A lanky guy I recognize from a few of my other classes settles beside me. He flashes a dimpled smile as we empty our backpacks.
