Page 23

Sitting in the classroom, I can barely keep my eyes open. My back aches like I’ve been dragged behind a car, my eyelids feel like they weigh a thousand pounds, and every muscle in my body feels like it’s been put through a meat grinder.

I barely slept last night.

Who knew that one night in Cade’s glorious apartment, in a real bed, would ruin my car for me forever? Suddenly, my mobile home feels like a coffin on wheels instead of a sanctuary.

I wish I could say it was just the mattress and the four walls were the reason for the best sleep of my life. It wasn’t. It was him.

I haven’t stopped thinking about him since he left. Why does he care so much? Why does he want to help me? I’m struggling to survive while he’s got a future ahead of him. A career. A loving family, so why the hell is he bothering with a girl like me?

The question crawls under my skin and I know I won’t get any answers, at least not until he’s back, but that doesn’t stop me from wanting them. Desperately.

“Is this seat taken?” a guy asks, pointing at the one I’ve rested my bag on.

I hesitate, glancing at the door before saying, “Yes. It is.”

He nods, backing away without a word to find another seat. “No problem.”

I don’t even know if Cade’s going to come today, yet I’m saving him a seat.

It’s stupid. It’s so fucking stupid.

The guy helps me out for one night with no pressure or expectations, and now, suddenly, I can’t stop glancing at the entrance, waiting to see if he’ll walk in. I swear I’m worse than Stanley waiting for a treat.

Stanley.

Just thinking about his dog makes me smile. I’ve always loved dogs, and the way he curled into me that night in Cade’s apartment made me feel like I belonged. Like in some alternate universe where my fantasies came to life, I mattered.

For one night, I wasn’t a burden, or someone people were just waiting to see fall apart so they could swoop in and use me. I was just… me, and it felt like enough.

I shift in my chair, forcing myself to stop checking the door.

What if Cade doesn’t show up today?

Or worse, what if he’s sitting somewhere else because I scared him off and I haven’t noticed?

I let out a slow breath, tightening my grip on the pen and staring down at my notebook, pretending to prepare for the lecture. That’s what I should be focusing on. Not on the fact that I haven’t seen him since I practically bolted out of his apartment two days ago.

Two whole days.

I shouldn’t care. I shouldn’t. But as much as I hate to admit it, I miss him.

Even though I know next to nothing about hockey, I want him to tell me all about it.

To see his smile as he describes the game he loves so much.

I tried looking up the score last night, but my signal was terrible in the parking lot, so I ended up passing the time by imagining what he might look like playing.

Fast. Rough. Intense.

My brain fills in my lack of hockey knowledge with nothing short of filth. Him charging down the ice, his muscles flexing under his jersey, his eyes locked in. That sharp, focused energy is the kind that says he’s not just playing, he’s taking it all.

I picture sweat dripping down his neck, his mouthguard hanging loose, his chest heaving beneath all that gear.

Kinsey shuts the door, signaling that the class is about to start and my stomach drops. Class is starting.

Cade isn’t here.

My chest tightens.

Did he have another game? Did I miss something?

I bite the inside of my cheek, the feeling settling heavy in my gut. I hadn’t prepared myself for him not being here today at all.

As the minutes tick by and the professor starts droning on about something I should care about, I can’t shake the disappointment creeping in.

Click.

My head snaps up just as the door swings open, and Cade strolls in like he has all the time in the world. My heart slows, the anxious thudding in my chest settling into something softer.

“Sorry I’m late,” he mumbles, barely looking at the professor before scanning the room.

His gaze sweeps over the students, passing over each one without interest, until he finds me.

Then he smiles.

That smile.

The one that helped me sleep last night despite the fact that I felt more exposed than ever. I suck in a sharp breath as he makes his way up the stairs, my anxiety riddling in my bones.

What if I’m the only one feeling this thing between us?

It all but calms when the other students at the end of the aisle shift without question, making space as he moves toward me. Without hesitation, he drops into the seat I saved him, pulls out his laptop, and starts taking notes.

“Morning,” he murmurs quietly. Just loud enough for me to hear.

“Morning,” I reply, swallowing hard, gripping my pen a little tighter, hoping my voice sounds natural and he hasn’t just made my day by sitting next to me. I keep my head down and start writing whatever the professor says, not taking any of it in. How can I when Cade’s back?

His foot taps mine, and when I look up, he motions to his laptop. In big bold letters, he’s written.

DID YOU SAVE ME A SEAT?

I press my lips together, willing myself not to smile too hard, trying to keep the blush from creeping up my neck.

Slowly, I nod, turning back to my notebook before he can gauge my reaction.

He types something else, tapping my foot again to get my attention.

Thanks.

It’s such a simple word, but something about it gives me butterflies. I refocus on my notes, ignoring the warmth in my chest and the way his presence shifts the air around me.

It’s just Cade. Friendly, charming Cade.

He’s just being nice. That’s all.

He doesn’t think about me the way I think of him… at least that’s what I tell myself to save the disappointment.

“H-How’d your game go?” I ask as we pack up our things at the end of the lecture.

Cade zips his bag up, and a grin spreads across his face.

“We nailed it out there. The game was close but Erik and Scotty managed to pull some magic out of their asses in the third period.” He slings the bag over his shoulder, shaking his head.

“And Dash? The guy’s got skills that would make any seasoned NHL player weep, which is saying something since he spends half his time making googly eyes at my sister instead of focusing on the puck. ”

“Sister? Do you mean Madison?”

“Yup. They’re dating.”

“Oh, that’s good.”

“Yeah, for them. They aren’t important right now.” His expression shifts and he looks at me intently. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”

My pulse spikes as his green eyes take me in. I pull my sweatshirt sleeves over my hands, trying to distract from my nervousness as I think of answers to questions he hasn’t even asked me yet. “Yeah?”

“Are you doing anything tonight?”

I blink, caught off guard by the question. “Uh…”

He takes my hesitancy as a response. “You working at Luke’s again?”

I shake my head quickly. “No. It’s my night off.”

“Great.” He throws me a lazy grin, the same confident one that makes the dimple on his left cheek pop. “Come to dinner with me then.”

My brain short-circuits. “D-dinner?” I repeat, my voice a little too high. I clear my throat. “As in dinner, dinner ?”

Cade chuckles, his amusement very much at my expense. “Yeah. You know… We sit down at a restaurant. Eat food. Talk. It’s something a lot of people do.”

I scowl, mostly to cover up the fact that my stomach just flipped. “I know what dinner is. I just wasn’t expecting you to ask me to go with you.”

“Well, I’m asking,” he says, his tone softening. “No pressure, though. I just thought it might be nice to hang out.

I hesitate. Part of me wants to say no to avoid whatever weird, undeniable thing is happening here. But another part of me knows I can’t.

“Dinner sounds good.”

He pauses for a moment, watches me and when I smile, his grin widens too.

“Perfect. I know a great place just off campus. Do you want me to pick you up from your apartment, or shall I meet you there?”

“I’ll meet you there,” I say without hesitation since I don’t want him to know there is no apartment to pick me up from. “I’ve got some things I need to do in the library before I head back home.”

He nods. “No problem. Can I have your phone number?”

“My phone number?”

“Yeah, so I can text you.” He speaks slowly as though he’s speaking to someone who’s never had a conversation before.

“Sorry. That makes complete sense.” I tell him my number, and he puts it in his phone.

“Perfect. I’ll see you then. As much as I’d like to sit here and talk about everything you’ve been up to, I’ve gotta haul my ass to the gym before one of my idiot teammates rats me out to coach for being late.

” He turns on his heel, but stops himself and looks back at me.

“I’m looking forward to tonight, Savannah. It’s been way too fucking long.”

“Same.” It’s been two days, but it feels like longer.

Cade throws one final nod before disappearing into the sea of students pushing their way out of the hall. All the while, I sit there like an idiot, staring.

Dinner with Cade Bright.

I keep trying to convince myself that it’s no big deal. It’s just two people grabbing some food. Nothing more, nothing less, but my heart’s doing this stupid thumping against my ribs like it’s trying to break free, and I hate that I can’t control it.

I grab my bag and weave through the crowd, already pulling out my phone to text Chloe. Hopefully, she can set me straight and tell me I’m being ridiculous for getting worked up over what’s obviously just a friendly dinner between two people.

Just friends. That’s all this is…

Right?