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Quickly, I turn back toward the whiteboard, not wanting the girls to catch me staring.
I’m not worried about me and Holden. I no longer feel like I’m clutching onto our relationship with both hands, the way I felt last spring. Doesn’t mean I want the unwelcome reminder he has lots of options. That girls mob him after games and approach him at parties. I’ve seen some of the messages he gets sent on social media, despite the fact he’s posted photos of the two of us, and it’s pretty obvious he has a girlfriend.
It’s hard to justignoreall that.
But I force myself to, flipping through the syllabus when it reaches me and starting to take notes as soon as the professor begins speaking.
I’ve worked so hard, for so long.
This is the last semester vet schools will see on my application. My final chance to make sure I have as manyoptions as possible. I’m on the fourth lap of four, approaching the finish line. This isn’t the time to slow down.
I direct all my attention to that goal.
Although part of me does wish I had turned around and told those two girls thatmy boyfrienddoes, in fact, have a huge dick.
Just to see the looks on their faces.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
HOLDEN
Cassia’s hand tightens around mine as we step into the crowded, hot house. Tomorrow is our first official practice of the season. It’s just a weight session, one more of a thousand I’ve participated in. How I spent most of my summer. But it’s also one of the firstlastsof my college basketball career.
We always have a party the night before. It’s a team tradition.
“I’m going to get a drink,” Cassia tells me.
I nod, letting go of her hand. “I’m going to try to find Finn.”
He always comes up to Richmond for this. I think he has more fun than the team does. He opted not to play in college, and I wonder if this is his way of admitting he misses it. It’s hard to experience the camaraderie of sport anywhere else. The shared mindset, winning or losing together, it creates a different, stronger bond.
I wander deeper into the living room, bumping fists with a few teammates when I see them. Robby tosses me a can of beer.
I crack the can open, scanning the room for Finn. There’s no sign of him. But I spot someone I wasn’t expecting to see here. Deliberate for a few seconds, then walk over to him.
“No parties at Arlington this weekend?” I ask Brooks.
He studies me for a few seconds, then shrugs. He looks uncomfortable and out of place, standing alone in the corner. No drink and no girl. “Finn made the trip here sound like an open invitation,” he tells me.
I look away, taking a swig of beer. I can’t decide how I feel about Brooks. He reminds me of Harrison. He’s friendly and chill, for the most part. But also gives me a judgmental vibe. And he was, or is, into Cassia. He lost to her that night at the court, and still spent the whole time grinning. Didn’t exactly ignore her on the camping trip either.
“You rushed off fast the other weekend.”
Unease ripples through me, recalling our interaction that morning. Finn never questioned where I spent the night, probably assuming I passed out on a couch somewhere. Brooks has a much better idea where I was.
I decide I’d be just fine with never seeing Brooks again.
“Had stuff to get back for,” I say.
Brooks says nothing else.
My eyes focus on a figure headed this way. The crowd shifts slowly. I follow the admiring looks to her face once it becomes fully visible.
Fuck.
Brooks follows my gaze. “Bailey asked around about you.” He pauses. “She came downstairs that morning, right after you did.”
“Nothing happened. I got wasted and crashed in the first empty bedroom I found. It happened to be hers. I told her I had a girlfriend and got the hell out of there as fast as I could when I woke up. The end.” The words are a panicked rush. I never expected to see the blonde again. Never even considered the possibility. I mean, what are the damn odds?
