The Space Between by Nikki Mathis Thompson Page A

from her past was leaning against a large tree—his arms crossed, looking relaxed and sure of himself. She wasn’t sure why he was here, what she was supposed to gain or learn. Maybe it was just to enjoy his company once again. After all, it wasn’t cheating if it was in your mind, right? Right. She couldn’t be held accountable for her subconscious mind.  
    “There’s my girl.” Brady pushed off the trunk. “Let’s get to class. Want to grab a coffee first?” he asked, as he put his arm around her neck and pecked the top of her head. She was tall for a girl, but Brady, well over six foot, almost made her feel petite.
    “Sure…uh, are you walking me to class?” Not knowing where she was going was going to be a big problem. She’d had that dream before, where she could never seem to get where she needed to go. But she usually wasn’t wearing a bra or forgot to put on pants, so she was grateful she had both.
    “G, you know I’m on the opposite side of campus, and I have to get there before anyone else.”  
    No, she didn’t know that.
    “Oh, yeah.”  
    Guess she’d be skipping class after all.
    “Babe, don’t pout, please. You know with graduation next year I have to get my internship assigned. All the good ones go fast, so I have to kiss Professor Dickson’s ass all semester. He has all the connections at the state capitol.”
    Graduation? Next year?
    “Uh, you’re graduating next year?” They weaved through the mass of students briskly walking on the sidewalk.  
    “Yeah, so are you…How hard did you hit your head?”
    “Hard I guess. My mind’s a little hazy.”
    “Maybe you should go to the campus doc.” His voice softened.
    “Nah, I’m fine. Nothing a little java won’t cure.”  
    The coffee shop near her dorm was packed, but the line was short. Brady ordered for her and handed the cashier his debit card. He hadn’t asked what she wanted, but it wasn’t in an alpha male way. It was as if he knew her usual, but her usual had changed over the years. When he knew her, she liked vanilla lattes with two sugars, but after sleepless nights with babies, then more sleepless nights with sick kids, she liked more coffee in her coffee, so she took it black with a splash of creamer. When the first sip hit her tongue she cringed at the sweetness, but covered it quickly. Apparently taste was another sense she had in this dream. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings, so she’d pretend to drink this and get a real coffee later. Something with cream cheese, too. If she could taste, and calories didn’t count, she might as well go for it.
    They left the coffee shop and found an empty spot on the curb to stand. The steam from her coffee swirled in the cooler air, as Georgia studied Brady’s face from behind the rim. Thick brows over golden brown eyes. Hair tousled in dark waves and chiseled cheek bones above full lips. He was really handsome, almost too handsome. He belonged in the state capitol, not on the plains filled with cows and tall grass, where they’d grown up, naive and dreamy eyed. Laying in the back of his truck watching the sun set and planning their future. She wondered if that boy still existed. But, she wasn’t that girl anymore either. Each had been shaped and changed, but by different circumstances.
    “Oh shit, gotta go, babe. Call ya later.” He pressed his lips against hers and lingered there for a moment.  
    “Love you,” he said, stepping back.
    “Me, too.” She couldn’t bring herself to say the words back. Even though she would always love him in a way, it seemed like a betrayal to Nate. Nate, who was handsome, but ruggedly so. The grime of a days work complemented him and only added to his swagger. The kind of man that smelled good, even after a spending the day on a tractor, or rebuilding a carburetor.  
    Even so, she might as well live it up. She was pretty sure that was what she was supposed to do. How would she learn from this experience if she played it