I wondered if any of us did.
TWENTY
The Grindhouse—the campus coffee shop—was packed with stressed-out students cramming for finals, but Ava and I had managed to snag a table in the back corner. Our Consumer Behavior textbooks were open between us, and highlighters and notecards were scattered across the surface.
I’d avoided being alone with her the past three weeks.
Not because I didn’t want to have sex again.
But because I wanted it too much.
It wasn’t supposed to be like this. But while she seemed totally unaffected, sitting across from me, chewing on the end of her pen and frowning at a practice question, all I could think about was the smell of her shampoo, and remember what it felt like to be buried inside her in the library stacks.
One time.
We’d only had sex once.
And she’d fucking messed with my head more than anyone I’d ever been with.
“This one’s bullshit,” she muttered. “All of theseanswers could be correct depending on how you interpret the question.”
“Welcome to Professor Mandorelli’s exams. He gets off on ambiguity.”
She shot me a look. “You’re not helpful.”
“I’m extremely helpful. I’m helping you accept the inherent chaos of academia.”
Her lips twitched, fighting a grin, and I felt that familiar pull in my chest that happened anytime I got her to smile. The one I’d been trying to ignore.
Don’t, I told myself.Keep it light. Keep it simple.
The door to the coffee shop swung open, and I glanced up out of habit—then straightened when I saw Drew walking in, scanning the room until his gaze landed on us.
“Hey,” he said, dropping into the empty chair at our table. “I’d hoped I’d find someone I knew here. God, I desperately needed to get out of the house. I couldn’t concentrate for shit.”
This was fine. There was nothing weird about sitting at a table with my best friend and his twin sister. Nothing at all.
Except for the part where I’d had his sister bent over a bookshelf less than a month ago and couldn’t stop thinking about it on repeat multiple times an hour.
Fuck me.
“Thought you were on Rory duty,” I said, trying with all my might to keep my voice casual.
“Sam and Gordy offered to watch her so I could get some studying done. Harper’s studying with her roommates.” He scrubbed a hand over his face, looking exhausted. “I love my kid, but trying to memorize anything while she’s in the room is damn near impossible. Singleparenthood is not for the faint of heart. Anyway, what are you two working on?”
“Consumer Behavior final.” Ava held up her textbook. “It’s riveting stuff. Really. So riveting I can’t wait to put it behind me.”
“Sounds terrible.” Drew pulled out his own laptop and a stack of index cards. “I’ve got Econ. Kill me now.”
We settled into a rhythm—the three of us working in companionable silence, broken only by the occasional question or complaint. It was almost normal. Almost like old times, before Ava and I had complicated everything.
At one point, a group of guys stopped by our table when they spotted Drew and we got to talking about hockey and our hopes for next season. A few minutes later, a few more guys from the hockey team walked in and came up to our table.
“Hey, Drew. Liam. You guys ready for finals?”
“Hopefully,” Drew said with an affable smile.
They chatted for a few more minutes before leaving us to study.
