Page 31 of Matched (LSU #5)

S kimming through my textbook, I highlighted the passages relevant to my architecture project.

I didn’t often sit in the library and work, but late in the evening, it was quiet, and I could work undisturbed.

I’d been struggling to focus at home, but maybe here, I’d be able to get this portion of my project finished so my supervisor could look over it and give me her feedback.

And Charlie was here, too. Working a four-hour shift, somewhere on the floor below me.

I didn’t plan to disturb him, but I was hoping I’d get a chance to say hi.

To do more than say hi, if I was honest. To kiss him, to wrap my arms around him, to press my face into his hair and just breathe him in?—

“I wasn’t expecting to see you here. Thought you’d be at home.”

My head shot up to see Jonas sliding into the unoccupied seat across from mine.

“Yeah. I have a lot of work to do still for my final project, and with the cup final coming up, I don’t have as much time spare to work as I normally would.”

“And Charlie’s taking up a lot of your time.”

“He’s not taking me away from my coursework,” I growled, and Jonas held his hands up.

“Calm down. I didn’t say he was. I didn’t mean— Ugh,” he huffed. “Look. That was my completely idiotic, roundabout way of saying that I know.”

“Know what?”

“That you’ve caught feelings for Charlie. Strong feelings. And I wondered if maybe that had changed your mind about anything relating to your future and your insistence on only having short-term relationships.”

“For fuck’s sake,” I groaned. Sliding a piece of paper into my textbook to mark my place, I tapped my knuckles on the table.

“Listen to me. First of all, what I have with Charlie isn’t even a relationship.

Next, let’s not forget I’m going to Plymouth Uni to do my postgrad degree.

We’ll be four hours apart, at least , considering it takes so long to get through bloody London, and with Charlie’s jobs and my postgrad commitments, it’s doubtful we’d even get a chance to meet up. ”

“So you’ve thought about it.”

“So what if I have? It doesn’t change the facts.”

“If you liked him enough, you’d make it work.”

I shook my head impatiently. “There’s nothing to make work, okay? Just drop it.”

He folded his arms across his chest, levelling me with a serious look I’d never seen on him before.

“Nate. You’re my best friend, and so it’s down to me to give you some tough love here.

You’re being wilfully stubborn. Let’s look at your so-called facts from my point of view.

It’s crystal clear to me that you and Charlie are in a relationship, no matter what you say.

You put more time and effort into him than I’ve ever seen you do with any of your girlfriends.

You talk about him all the time. If you’re not talking about him, you’re texting him or meeting up with him.

Except, you know, when you’re doing uni stuff and eating or whatever. He. Is. Your. Boyfriend.”

“He’s not my boyfriend.” I knew we both heard the uncertainty in my voice. “Sophie?—”

“Sophie loves you. I don’t doubt for a second that she’d want to see you happy, even if it meant you being with someone she was into at one point.”

“Whatever.” Placing my head in my hands, I groaned. “None of this matters, anyway. Charlie doesn’t expect this to go anywhere, either. And need I remind you I’m moving away next month?”

“If you wanted to make it work, you would. Long distance isn’t the end of the world. It’s only for two years. I bet Charlie could arrange his shifts so he could go and visit you at the weekends, and you could always come here.”

“I’m not having Charlie spend his hard-earned money on expensive train tickets just to see me. And it’s two years. In two years, Charlie will be finishing his own degree, and who knows where he’ll go then? I don’t want to hold him back.”

“It sounds like you’re making excuses.”

“I’m not! I’m being realistic!” My fist slammed down on the table before I even realised what I was doing, and I grimaced, glancing around to make sure we were still alone. “Sorry, mate. I didn’t mean to shout at you. I know you’re only trying to help.”

Jonas stared at me with wide eyes. He was probably in shock. I was, too. I’d never raised my voice at him before.

Eventually, he rose to his feet and came to stand next to me.

He squeezed my shoulder. “I just want you to be happy, and you and Charlie both light up whenever you talk about each other. And when I saw you together at the student union that night…the way you looked at him…there was no doubt in my mind.”

I swallowed hard. “How did I look at him?”

He gave me a sad smile. “You looked at him the way Jada looked at me when she was falling in love with me.”

“Nate. You didn’t tell me you were here.” The happiness in Charlie’s voice immediately brought a smile to my face.

“Yeah.” I blinked at my laptop screen, my eyes widening when I realised that almost four hours had passed and the section of the library I was seated in had completely emptied out.

Pinching my brow, I shook my head. “Sorry. I was working, and I meant to text you to tell you I was here, but I think I lost track of the time.”

“Push your chair back a second.”When I did as he’d asked, he straddled my thighs, stroking his hand through my hair as he studied me intently. “How long have you been here?”

“Nearly four hours.”

His finger gently brushed underneath my eyes. “You need a break.”

“I need to finish this while I’m on a roll. I want to get it sent to my supervisor tonight.”

“Have you eaten or drank anything?” When I shook my head, he frowned. “I’ll be back.” Climbing off me, he dipped down to kiss the top of my head and then disappeared. With a sigh, I returned to my work. I was almost done. Maybe another half an hour, if I was lucky.

Continuing where I’d left off, checking the highlighted sections against my work, I lost track of time again and jumped when a hand appeared in front of my face.

I watched as Charlie carefully stacked my project blueprints in a neat pile next to my textbook and then placed a can of Coke Zero and an energy bar in the freed-up space.

“Charlie…”

“You need to look after yourself. Eat and drink that, and when you’re finished, we can go to the snack bar, and I’ll feed you properly, okay?

” He stepped away from the table. “I’m finished with my shift, but I have work I can do.

When you’re finished, come and get me. I’ll text you when I’ve found a table so you know where I am. ”

I was warm all over, so fucking soft for this boy who’d come along and known exactly what I needed. He could read me so well. Maybe better than anyone.

“Okay. But don’t you want to work here? There’s room.”

He shook his head. “I don’t want to distract you. I’ll see you when you’re finished.”

I climbed to my feet, shoving my chair back, and stalked over to him, throwing my arms around him and pulling him into me.

Breathing him in, I stroked up and down his back over the soft cotton of his T-shirt while he placed featherlight kisses on the side of my face.

Drawing back enough to meet his gaze, I smiled. “Thanks. You’re fucking amazing.”

“Shut up. Are you trying to give me a big head? It’s nothing.”

“It’s not nothing. Not to me.”

The pleased expression in his eyes made my smile widen, and eventually, he cracked a grin. “Okay. In that case, I’ll accept your thanks.”

We released each other, and as I watched him walk away, Jonas’ words came back to me.

You’ve caught feelings for Charlie. Strong feelings.You looked at him the way Jada looked at me when she was falling in love with me.

Falling in love.

Love .