to go. It’s time.”
“Be careful, Aiden.”
He pulled me to my feet. “I promise. I’ll call to you in my mind every night before you sleep, and I won’t take any risks I don’t have to. I am not certain how long I’ll be gone, but I’ll not come back before I have the papers. And then we can start our new life together, aye?”
“Come back soon. I’ll miss you.”
He held me close, the steady beat of his heart tattooing the promise on my own. When he pulled away, he cupped my face in his hands and kissed me. Everything else melted away until only Aiden remained.
And then he left.
Chapter 12
After the emotional train wreck of running into Ravi, I decided some chocolate therapy was in order. I walked across the campus to the dining hall and found Stephanie sitting alone, picking at a plate of lettuce. I swung by the dessert table and grabbed a piece of chocolate fudge cake and headed over to surprise her.
“Since when do you like salad?” I asked from behind her. She squealed my name and jumped up to give me a hug, grinning so hard her eyes had turned to slits behind her round, white-rimmed glasses. I sat down across from her, determined not to feel the least bit guilty about my million-calorie splurge.
“How was your summer? I’m sorry I didn’t write like I said I would,” I mumbled, shoving a forkful of the gooey brown bliss into my mouth.
“That’s okay. I mostly spent the summer in an office doing the books for my dad’s business.” The corners of her mouth turned down in distaste, making it clear exactly how she felt about accounting as a future career option. Then her face brightened and a light blush tinged her cheeks.
“Oh, but I did have the most wonderful time playing violin with Brandon and his brother.”
I urged her to elaborate with a combination of arched eyebrows and inquisitive noises, since my mouth was full of cake.
“You remember Brandon, right? He played viola at the hospital with me when we visited you after the accident.”
I assured her that I remembered him well: skinny, glasses, reddish blond hair, but cute in his own, shy way.
“Well, anyway, it turns out his family lives in Portland too, not far from my parents. His brother, Brian, plays piano and they do gigs together like wedding receptions, cocktail parties, and stuff like that. Brandon called and asked if I wanted to join them.”
I interrupted her, waving my fork. “Wait, brothers named Brandon and Brian?” She rolled her eyes and nodded, her sandy-blonde ponytail bouncing on her shoulder.
“That’s nothing. They’ve got two sisters—Britney and Breanna—and their parents are Brock and Brenda.”
“Brilliant,” I said and she laughed. I’d forgotten how Stephanie always laughed at my jokes. Man, I’d missed her.
“Our trio played almost every weekend this summer. It was so much fun. Sure beats debits and credits, I’ll tell you that.”
I gave her a knowing smile. “So, Brandon, huh? Are you two an item now?”
Her face changed so fast, it was like I’d wiped the smile off with an eraser.
“Who told you that?” she asked, a note of panic creeping into her voice.
“What? Nobody. Sheesh… What’s the big deal?”
Her eyes darted around the room as if to ensure no one had heard me suggest such a thing. “I’m with Micah. He’s kind of got a jealous streak, so I don’t want him thinking I’m interested in Brandon. Because I’m not,” she said, a little too loud to sound believable. I sat back, frowning at her, trying to figure out what just happened. She quickly changed the subject.
“So enough about me. What about you? What did you do this summer?” Her voice was artificially cheery and I wondered how bad Micah’s jealous streak was that it made her go all psycho at the very mention of another guy. I decided to let it go.
You have enough issues of your own to deal with just now, I told myself, thinking of the debacle back in the dorm room. I took a deep
“Be careful, Aiden.”
He pulled me to my feet. “I promise. I’ll call to you in my mind every night before you sleep, and I won’t take any risks I don’t have to. I am not certain how long I’ll be gone, but I’ll not come back before I have the papers. And then we can start our new life together, aye?”
“Come back soon. I’ll miss you.”
He held me close, the steady beat of his heart tattooing the promise on my own. When he pulled away, he cupped my face in his hands and kissed me. Everything else melted away until only Aiden remained.
And then he left.
Chapter 12
After the emotional train wreck of running into Ravi, I decided some chocolate therapy was in order. I walked across the campus to the dining hall and found Stephanie sitting alone, picking at a plate of lettuce. I swung by the dessert table and grabbed a piece of chocolate fudge cake and headed over to surprise her.
“Since when do you like salad?” I asked from behind her. She squealed my name and jumped up to give me a hug, grinning so hard her eyes had turned to slits behind her round, white-rimmed glasses. I sat down across from her, determined not to feel the least bit guilty about my million-calorie splurge.
“How was your summer? I’m sorry I didn’t write like I said I would,” I mumbled, shoving a forkful of the gooey brown bliss into my mouth.
“That’s okay. I mostly spent the summer in an office doing the books for my dad’s business.” The corners of her mouth turned down in distaste, making it clear exactly how she felt about accounting as a future career option. Then her face brightened and a light blush tinged her cheeks.
“Oh, but I did have the most wonderful time playing violin with Brandon and his brother.”
I urged her to elaborate with a combination of arched eyebrows and inquisitive noises, since my mouth was full of cake.
“You remember Brandon, right? He played viola at the hospital with me when we visited you after the accident.”
I assured her that I remembered him well: skinny, glasses, reddish blond hair, but cute in his own, shy way.
“Well, anyway, it turns out his family lives in Portland too, not far from my parents. His brother, Brian, plays piano and they do gigs together like wedding receptions, cocktail parties, and stuff like that. Brandon called and asked if I wanted to join them.”
I interrupted her, waving my fork. “Wait, brothers named Brandon and Brian?” She rolled her eyes and nodded, her sandy-blonde ponytail bouncing on her shoulder.
“That’s nothing. They’ve got two sisters—Britney and Breanna—and their parents are Brock and Brenda.”
“Brilliant,” I said and she laughed. I’d forgotten how Stephanie always laughed at my jokes. Man, I’d missed her.
“Our trio played almost every weekend this summer. It was so much fun. Sure beats debits and credits, I’ll tell you that.”
I gave her a knowing smile. “So, Brandon, huh? Are you two an item now?”
Her face changed so fast, it was like I’d wiped the smile off with an eraser.
“Who told you that?” she asked, a note of panic creeping into her voice.
“What? Nobody. Sheesh… What’s the big deal?”
Her eyes darted around the room as if to ensure no one had heard me suggest such a thing. “I’m with Micah. He’s kind of got a jealous streak, so I don’t want him thinking I’m interested in Brandon. Because I’m not,” she said, a little too loud to sound believable. I sat back, frowning at her, trying to figure out what just happened. She quickly changed the subject.
“So enough about me. What about you? What did you do this summer?” Her voice was artificially cheery and I wondered how bad Micah’s jealous streak was that it made her go all psycho at the very mention of another guy. I decided to let it go.
You have enough issues of your own to deal with just now, I told myself, thinking of the debacle back in the dorm room. I took a deep
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