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CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Cameron

I spot Alister the moment he walks in the door, blond hair shining like a damn Pantene commercial. Of course he chooses that moment to run his fingers through it, eyes snapping up and skimming the aisles before he even makes it to the first step.

He finds me almost instantly, and a slow smile pulls at his lips. With each tiny tip higher, my heart pounds a little harder in my chest.

Okay, so he’s not mad. That’s a good sign, but I’m not sure I like this particular sparkle in his damn eye.

My phone vibrates in my hand, and I look down to see a message from Ari, who’s stuck in that random row closer to the door beside her new partner, thanks to Alister and his little game of musical chairs.

Bestie: Someone looks a little cocky.

Me: Little and COCK-y don’t belong in the same sentence where he’s concerned.

I look up, smiling at the back of Ari’s head when she hides her laugh behind her hand.

Bestie: Is that why we took a little secret trip downtown this weekend for your revenge jewelry?

Me: Not revenge jewelry. Ravaging jewelry in case the next is working with a worm and not a snake.

This time, I hear her laughter and set my phone down with a smirk.

A second later, Alister’s voice warms my ear. “Hi, beautiful. You look stunning, as always.”

I tip my head to the side, meeting his gaze, mine narrowed. “Thank you, Alister. Can you sit down now?”

“Why, is having me this close making you nervous?” he teases, bending so we’re eye level. “Or maybe it’s because your ‘boyfriend’ won’t like it?” His tone is mocking, amusement written across every inch of him as he calls me out on the lie without calling me out.

God, Brady was right—we only encouraged him more.

I run my tongue along my teeth, trying to find something else to focus on other than the heat of his nearness, and finally, the professor walks in.

Alister straightens and takes his seat just as our professor begins going over the focus for the remainder of the semester, and a little buzz of excitement zings through me.

I sit up straighter in my chair, Alister’s presence forgotten as I lock on to every word Professor Gilroy has to say.

Finally, I’m getting to the good stuff.

My first two years here, I focused on the basics: math, English, history, and all the other standard prerequisites only. Meaning I saved all the good stuff for my last two years.

This is the class I had been most looking forward to, and it’s exactly what I was hoping it would be: I get to build my very first lesson plan and not just any old lesson plan but one that is engaging and meets the needs of diverse learners.

I’ve known since I was young that I wanted to work with kids in some capacity, and the plan only grew more concrete as I got older and learned more about myself, but listening to Professor Gilroy speak, I can’t stop smiling.

This is the first time I’ve felt like my dreams are within reach.

My best friend glances over her shoulder then, a softness in her eyes and a smile on her face as she looks at me because she knew this is what I was waiting for—a way for me to learn how to truly connect with kids when I may or may not have any of my own.

This course is good for her too. Before Noah, Ari always secretly hoped she could one day be just like her own mother—blessed with the opportunity to stay at home with her kids and raise a family.

Thankfully, that is the exact life Noah can give her down the line.

All the random classes she’s taking with me will help her with that, seeing as she hopes to be able to teach them to read and write before they go off to school.

And like her mom did us, be their study partners the years that follow.

Even if I was to become a mother one day despite the challenges in my way, I don’t think I’d be cut out to be a stay-at-home parent.

It takes a very special kind of person to dedicate your life in that way, and I’m just not sure I’d be up for the job.

Maybe that’s part of the reason why I want to run some sort of facility, to know that there is one more safe place for kids who do have working parents to go and still feel the warmth a home should bring.

“Go ahead and break off with your partner for the rest of class,” Professor Gilroy says, pulling me from my thoughts. “I’ll be making the rounds, so if a question comes up, flag me down and ask. Confusion will not be an excuse for late work.”

My smile falters, and I look to Alister, only to find he’s already staring at me and who’s to say for how long.

“This class is important to you.” Not a question.

I can’t help but scoff as I shift my legs in the chair so they’re angled toward him and flip my notebook open. “Reality reminder, Alister? I’m not an athlete waiting around for something bigger than what college has to offer. All my classes are important to me.”

“Cameron, I didn’t mean?—”

“I know,” I sigh. “Let’s just not talk about our future dreams and aspirations, all right? I was supposed to be doing this with my best friend.”

“And now you’re stuck with me.” He’s not being an ass about it. In fact, he looks a tad remorseful, his next words confirming as much. “If it means anything, I feel a little bad right now.”

My smile is sad. “You seem to do things you regret quite often.”

Shame falls over him. “More than I’d like to admit, Cam, but I am sorry I took away your fun for this class.”

“But not sorry enough to offer to swap,” I guess.

His grin is a bit sheepish and a low chuckle escapes.

“And now I’m stuck doing it with a guy I’m not sure I can trust with my grade.”

He leans forward then, all hints of remorse wiped from his face, something wicked washing over him. When he speaks, his tone is low and raspy and only loud enough for me to hear. “Can’t trust me with your grade, but you can trust me with your body?”

I match his movement, meeting him halfway until we’re way too close to be considered appropriate for class. “Trust is not a word I would use for you. Do I know I can give you my body? Yes. Any other part of me?” I lift my brows, shaking my head.

“Giving me your body. That’s trust, is it not?”

“No. It’s not. It’s a bad decision I knowingly and willingly made.”

“I’ll take you anyway I can get you, you know.” He stares into my eyes. “If that means you only come to me when you need someone you can give your body to, then so be it.”

“Nothing has changed, Alister.” I sit back, cursing myself. “God, none of that was fair to you. I was being selfish, and I’m really sorry about that.”

“I’m not.”

I frown at him. “You should be. Clearly, I gave you hope where I’m not sure there is any. I shouldn’t have led you on like that. ”

“We had sex.” He grins. “That’s like the opposite of leading me on.”

A low laugh leaves me, and I look away a moment, slowly facing him once more. “I’m just trying to apologize for any confusion that night might have caused.”

“There’s no confusion, only clarity.”

My brows snap together. “See?” I whisper. “You think it means something.”

“At the very least, it means you still want me.”

I chew the inside of my lip, considering something. “How honest do you want me to be with you?”

He has the common sense to tense at the question, taking a few moments to consider what it is exactly that I’m saying. He looks around, and I wish the professor would come over and interrupt us already. Tension tugs at his eyes, but he nods. “Tell me.”

Nerves tangle in my stomach, a towing sensation I try to push away but can’t quite manage to. I don’t want to be vulnerable with this man, not after everything, but maybe I need to be. Maybe he needs to hear it.

“I like you, Alister. I really, really do. You’re smart, talented, dedicated.

You’re hardworking and funny. Being with you felt like having something special all my own, and that’s not something I’d ever had before.

My family and friends, we’re all so intertwined that most of our lives are shared with the next person, but with you…

” I lift a single shoulder. “I had my own little world, and when I was in it, nothing on the outside mattered. I didn’t need to label what we were.

I was happy just quietly hanging out and hooking up, and toward the end, I realized I wouldn’t mind there being more to it.

” I pause. “And then it all blew up in my face and you became the one thing I regret most about college so far.”

His expression was on a downward spiral the more I continued to speak, but it falls fully as I say that last line .

Harsh? Maybe, depending on who you ask, but it’s real, and he asked for honesty.

Alister stares at me in silence for several moments, and then he moves his focus to the empty page of his notebook, zoning out on it for several more. When he does finally look up again, the despondent expression is washed away, and while it seems a little forced, he smiles. “You still like me.”

A surprised scoff leaves me and I shake my head.

“You still like me, and I’m going to win back your trust by becoming your friend.”

“What makes you think I want to be your friend?”

“Well, we’ve got to start somewhere. Friends seems fair.”

“It’s not. You’re basically the enemy right now.”

“I don’t believe you.”

I glare. “I don’t care. We are partners in this class, and outside of it, we are nothing.”

“Why? Afraid to be alone with me again? Or wait, I wonder”—he smirks, the mischievous glint behind it making my muscles tense for what might follow—“are you worried your ‘boyfriend’ will get jealous?”

Boyfriend?

Oh yeah. Boyfriend.

I actually laugh, and he smirks like the Cheshire Cat. “Please. Brady?” I can’t help but laugh again. “That man wouldn’t even be jealous of Adonis if he stood beside him.”

That smirk of his falls away instantly, and he leans forward again, his reaction catching me slightly off guard. “Are you really going to sit here and pretend the two of you are seeing each other?”

Wait, what? I didn’t do that.

Did I?