Page 6 of The Scars We Heal

“Construction engineering technology,” I recited, having gotten this question about a billion times already, though I couldn’t say I minded it too much coming from her.

“Whoa.” Her eyes widened.

I cocked my head, pulling my bottom lip between my teeth to suppress a grin. “What? Are you impressed?”

Pink streaked across her cheeks, and her eyes flicked to the floor for a moment before they returned to mine with a deviance in them. “Um, yeah, who wouldn’t be?”

I shrugged, offering up a lame response. “I don’t know. It’s just construction.”

Her nostrils flared, and she shook her head, a sudden sternness coming through her voice when she said, “No, don’t say that. Don’t reduce yourself to ‘just construction’ when mistakes in that field can cost people their lives.”

My chin dipped toward the floor, embarrassment flowing over me for a moment. When I lifted my head again, her eyes softened.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”

I stopped her before she could say anything else. “No, you’re right. I guess I’m just used to people not expecting much from me…” My voice trailed off, ending in an exhaled breath. I could tell she wanted to ask questions, the curiosity and maybe a bit of concern shining in her eyes, but I quickly changed the subject. “Anyway, could I get your num⁠—”

My sentence was cut short by a man’s arm draping around her shoulders.

“Who’s this, Caity?”

She’d just told me she hated when people called her that. Who the hell was this guy, and why was he using that name?

A pink tint spread across her cheeks as she subtly brushed his hand away. “This is Colter’s roommate, Jake.”

Colter’s roommate? Is that all I am?

I didn’t have time to say anything before she continued. “Jake, this is my boyfriend, Adam.”

Boyfriend?

My heart suddenly felt like a thousand pounds in my chest, weighing me down. I did my best to wipe the disappointment off my face, but I wasn’t sure I succeeded.

“Good to meet you, man.” His eyes flicked up and down my frame. He was shorter than me, but somehow his presence made me feel inferior. Small.

Of course, she had a boyfriend. She was a senior, and I was just a freshman. I never stood a chance.

“Yeah. You, too,” I grumbled.

CHAPTER THREE

caitlin

PRESENT DAY

Who’s at the door, Jake?” Ellison called from somewhere inside the house.

“It’s Caitlin,” he responded, turning his head over his shoulder before awkwardly stepping aside. “Uh, sorry.”

I took that as my invitation to come in, even though it wasn’t Jake’s house.

Colter rounded the corner, coming into my line of sight. A similar expression to Jake’s flashed across his features when he saw me, and he crossed his arms over his chest. “What are you doing here?”

Even though I tried to suppress a reaction, my body recoiled at Colter’s question.

“Sorry, that was more blunt than I meant it to be.”

Ellison’s entrance wasn’t far behind Colter’s. “You’re not going to actually invite her in?” she scolded my brother before waving a hand toward the living room. “Come sit! Hi, Miss Whitley!”