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I wavedat Aurora as she entered the coffee shop. When she’d texted this morning and asked to meet before class, I’d almost said no.
Even after a solid seven hours of sleep, I was still exhausted from my shift at the bar last night. But it was Rory, and we didn’t hang out as much now she had Noah.
“Hi.” She slipped off her over-the-shoulder purse and sat down. “Sorry, I’m late. I was, uh…” A deep blush dusted her cheeks. “Noah, he…”
“You can say the word,” I whispered with a grin. “Sex. Rory. You and Noah were having—”
“Harper!” She spluttered, her cheeks burning ten shades darker.
“Oh, come on, babe. We’re all doing it. Actually,” I frowned, “I take that back because I am most definitely not doing it.”
Much to my endless disappointment.
I’d been on a handful of dates since the start of the semester, and most of them had ended the same way, with me being friend-zoned or ghosted.
I tried not to take it personally, but it was hard when you knew you were the problem.
“You know,” Aurora said, “I saw you and Mason talking the other night.”
Everything went still inside me. “That was nothing.”
Nothing I wanted to remember, anyway.
“Good. Because for a second, I thought you were doing something stupid like propositioning him.”
“Mason Steele? Mr. Arrogance himself? Please, Rory, I have more self-respect than that.” I rolled my eyes.
“Maybe you should set your sights a little further than the hockey or swim team?”
“Ha-ha.” I poked my tongue out at her. “How is life with the one and only Noah Holden?”
“It’s… God, Harper, he makes me so happy.”
“You deserve it.”
“But don’t think I’m going to become one of those girls who dumps her friends for a guy because I’m not. And I’m going to need you, Harper.” She dragged her bottom lip between her teeth, hesitating. “Once the team starts going on the road, I’m going to need you to keep me sane.”
“You’re worried?” I asked.
“Yes. No… A little. Noah is hot property; you know that. And I’m—” She stopped herself, and pride swelled inside me.
Aurora struggled with her body image and self-esteem. But since making their relationship official, she was positively glowing.
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous. But Noah loves me.”
“Damn right he does.” I grinned. “And girlfriend perks mean you get the best seats in the house.”
“That’s all I am to you now?” She feigned dejection. “A connection to get good seats?”
“I— Dad?” My brows furrowed as I watched my father join the line with another man I recognized. “Uh, Rory, what in the ever-loving hell is my father doing standing in line with Coach Tucker?”
“That’s your dad?” she asked. “The infamous James Dixon?”
“Yep.” I bristled, my heart sinking. “In the flesh.”
What was he doing here?
Lakeshore U was his alma mater, but he rarely came back here. He rarely went anywhere these days.
