A grim silence falls. The second hand on the lab clock overhead ticks loudly.
Dr. Smithfield’s tone is measured. “How does your family feel about that?”
“I think it might be their only option.” My chest hurts. “It’ll completely change the culture of the town. I don’tknow how many visitors will show up for the Harristown Soybean Festival.”
“Doesn’t quite have the same ring, does it?” He puts his hand gently on my shoulder, then gives me a brief pat. “I’m so sorry, Dove. I wish there was more I could do.”
“You’ve done so much. I appreciate you sharing all your knowledge with me and taking me to the conference. You’ve truly gone above and beyond.”
“It’s times like these I wish I had one of those billionaires in my back pocket like the tech guys over in engineering.”
“A fairy god-billionaire?”
“Or a real one.” He shrugs. “Although a fairy would be more fun.”
“A fairy with healing powers.”
“You never know what the future holds.”
“I liked you with Maverick.”Gina sits on the edge of my bed holding Kelani and pouting. “Couldn’t you go on being horny for six more weeks?”
“Then what?” I sigh, walking over to sit beside her, putting my hand on the puppy’s head. “We always knew when I came here it was just for the semester. Maverick has his whole career here, and I’ve got my whole life there.”
“Long distance?” Her eyebrows rise.
I press my lips into a sad smile, shaking my head. “I don’t think either of us is strong enough for that.”
I’m not so sure we’re strong enough to be just friends for six more weeks, but we’ve got to try. It’s going to be hard enough as it is.
“But you’re so cute together, and I want you to be my cousin-in-law.”
We hear the door open and close downstairs, and Mav’s voice rings out. “Honeys, I’m home!”
Kelani’s little head jerks, and she wiggles in Gina’s arms so hard, we both start to laugh. Gina leans down to put her on the floor, and we watch her hightail it out of my bedroom.
“She knows she’s one of those honeys.” My friend arches an eyebrow at me. “And the other one is not me.”
I shake my head slowly. Maverick isn’t giving up. He gives me space, and he respects my wishes. Still, I see it in his eyes. He’s working on a plan.
If only I didn’t feel so defeated.
“Who knows,” I sigh. “If my uncles ultimately sell the place, maybe I won’t even go back. Maybe there will be a way for us to be together.”
Gina’s lip curls into a frown, and she shakes her head. “Not like that. You’d never be happy, and if I know Maverick, he won’t be happy if you’re not.”
“So there it is.” I put my hands beside me pushing off the bed. “We don’t have a choice.”
The two of us walk downstairs, but I skid to a stop at the sight of her cousin standing in the foyer, holding the dog. He’s wearing a pair of jeans, loose around his narrow waist and his gray tee stretches across his chest, insanely attractive as always.
But what has me skidding to a stop is the pair of wire-rimmed glasses perched on his nose. His long hair is pulled back in a samurai style, and there he is, square-jaw smiling, looking like a model for men’s eyewear.
A warm tingle fills my stomach, and dirty thoughts fill my mind. I think about all the ways we could forget the problems hanging over my head.
Muscle memory kicks in, and my body remembers hisvery,verywell. What was the number? Twenty-five percent faster?
“Professor Murphy, I presume,” Gina teases, going straight to him and tapping on his shoulder. “Did you get an endorsement deal with Ray-Ban or are you trying to look smart?”
“Har har.” He bats her hand away. “I had to meet withanotherdoctor after practice today. He wanted to check my vision, and apparently I need glasses now.”
