Huckleberry Hearts by Jennifer Beckstrand

encounter there, didn’t we? I don’t know why I don’t remember you. I can’t imagine ever forgetting your face. But you remember me. I probably did something vile, and you’ve carried it with you all these years.” His intense gaze pierced hers until she thought she might melt.
    He took a step back and curled one side of his mouth upward. “Or maybe you’ve seen me play soccer and think I’m a terrible player. Is that why you didn’t want to give me your phone number?”
    â€œYou’re an . . . excellent player. Like a brick wall in the backfield.”
    â€œI’m making you uncomfortable.”
    â€œIt doesn’t matter.”
    He winced. “How can you say it doesn’t matter? I’ve completely ruined my chances with the most beautiful, fascinating girl I’ve ever met, and I don’t even know why.”
    She tightened his coat around her. Oh, how she hated confrontation. She’d rather spell it out in a nice long letter than say anything to his face. “Can I send you an email?”
    He slumped his shoulders and frowned as if his mom had broken her leg as well as her arm. “That bad, huh?”
    She swallowed hard. She should give him a chance to defend himself, even though there wasn’t any possible justification for what he’d done. It would be pretty mean to make him wait for an email.
    â€œMy freshman year. Your senior year,” she stammered. “My roommate Tonya helped Finn McEwan get elected president of your little club.”
    He drew his eyebrows together. “My little club?”
    â€œYou premeds thought it was so fun, and I’m sure you had plenty of laughs over it, but a lot of girls got hurt.”
    Even in the dim light of the lantern, she could see a scowl form at the corners of his mouth. “Did you . . . you and Finn . . . ?”
    Her stomach clenched when she realized what he was asking. “Me? Never. How could you think . . . ?”
    â€œI’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”
    â€œYes, you did mean to.” Cassie trembled with indignation. “Finn was a jerk. Tonya was devastated, and Finn only cared about the points. Tonya cried her eyes out while you stood there and yelled at us.”
    She pursed her lips together. Had she really been so bold as to say exactly what she was thinking? The doctor would probably be so offended that he’d jump in his car and drive down that hill so fast he’d break the sound barrier.
    Deep lines etched themselves on his face. “When did I yell at you?”
    â€œGirls aren’t people to you. They’re objects to be used for bragging rights. It’s despicable.”
    â€œGirls were lining up to be in the club.” Zach yanked the beanie off his head and ran his fingers through his hair. “I can’t believe I’m defending Finn McEwan, but believe me, the girls were not the victims. They wouldn’t stop calling him. It shocked me at how many willing girls he recruited.”
    Cassie turned away from him. “Shocked? Really? And how many girls did you recruit?”
    Zach growled in frustration. “Finn McEwan was an—okay, Finn was a jerk. He was my roommate, but we weren’t friends. I’m no saint, Miss Coblenz, but I was never a part of that club.”
    She didn’t know if she believed him or not. Why should he be any different than all the other college boys she knew?
    Sensing her skepticism, Zach lowered his voice and leaned toward her. “My mom wouldn’t have liked it.” He tensed the muscles of his jaw. “Which isn’t to say that my mom would like a lot of things I do, but Finn’s club was way out of line.”
    Cassie deflated like a balloon and leaned on the hood of her car. “Oh.”
    He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. “And you’ve hated me ever since?”
    Her chest felt heavy, and she found it an effort to breathe.