PROLOGUE
Remy—15 years ago
“You’re seriously not coming out with us?”
Head down, I tediously wrap a sheet of newspaper around a coffee mug at the kitchen counter like it’s requiring all my attention. I don’t even know why this mug is in our kitchen. It looks like one from the Sunshine Diner over by the college arena. Five bucks says Jamie stole it on some early morning hangover breakfast run.
“No, I want to finish packing so I don’t have anything left to do tomorrow besides load up my car.”
“It’s our last night here. How can you miss this?”
“We went out last night! Did you forget all the groaning you did this morning? Because I haven’t.”
Glancing at the clock, I can see it’s already ten p.m. Is he ever going to leave?
“I’m recovered!” He laughs, snagging his jacket off the hook by the door to our rental duplex. “And that’s what our twenties are for. You only live once.”
I’m well aware that this is our last night here. It already took me most of the evening to break away from my parents after the graduation ceremony. Now, if my beloved roommate would just get the heck out, what’s left of the night may not be ruined.
“You call ending up with your face in a gutterliving?” I challenge, pulling open a kitchen drawer to see if there’s anything left that I can grab to keep up the ruse of packing.
I seriously do not need the box of crap that I gathered while he was dragging his heels for the last hour. All my things are ready to go, and half of my boxes are already in the U-Haul trailer I rented.
“Hold up. Why do you smell so good?”
When did he move this close? Inching back, I flash him what I hope is a bemused expression.
“What?”
Sniffing the air, he pursues me like the pain in the ass that he is. How have I endured four years of college living with him?
Brow furrowing, he points at me. “You’re wearing cologne!”
“Yeah. So?” I laugh nervously, giving him a playful shove to push him away. “I wanted to feel like I’d washed all of last night off me.”
Turning away, I yank open another drawer, but it’s empty, so I move on to the next. If Chris flakes on me because he sees Jamie is still here, I’m never speaking to my roommate again. It’s my last chance to see Chris before we both leave tomorrow. Apparently, I’m willing to throw away four years of friendship to do so. My stomach twists into knots over how disloyal that makes me sound, but… Well, I’ve been fully aware of how stupid I am for the Panthers’ star tight end for quite some time.
“You showered before the ceremony and then you showered when you got home,” he says suspiciously, drumming his fingertips against the counter. “One would think that would be enough to wash off a few hours at the bar from the night before.”
God, he’s annoying. And perceptive, which is…also annoying.
“Not expecting company, are you?” he ventures coyly, accusingly.
Superannoying!
“What? No.”
Me and my stupid nervous laughter. He’s going to see right through me. My cheeks are probably as red as my T-shirt. I hate lying to him, but what am I supposed to say?
Jamie, could you please leave so Chris can fuck me one last time?
I’d never hear the end of it. He’s not a fan of my…fandom, but I don’t want to hear it. Not tonight.
I can practically feel his suspicious gaze. Sighing, I swipe up another sheet of newspaper and flash him a withering look.
“I’m tired,Jay. I don’t feel like getting drunk again when I have to drive all day tomorrow. And we’re probably not going to go more than a day without talking to each other. We’ll be texting all the time,andI’ll see you again this summer before my doctorate program starts.”
He nudges his glasses up the bridge of his nose and then raises his hands in surrender. “I know. Jeez, you make me sound needy. I was just making sure you weren’t going to engage in anybaddecisions on your last night in town.”
