As soon as I step foot in the small lecture hall, I scour the area for Skye, but she remains conspicuously absent. I drop onto my usual seat before slipping my phone from my backpack and firing off a text to Lanie. Since Skye has gone back to avoiding me, I've been getting all my intel from her best friend. Lanie and I are now texting buddies.I set the phone down and drum my fingers on the desk while waiting for a response. It doesn't take long for her to get back to me.Chill out, stalker-boy. She's on her way.She adds an eye-roll emoji. Then a second message rolls in.Good luck.Yeah, I'm going to need it.A few moments after the texts pop up on my screen, Skye rushes through the door before sliding onto her seat next to Jaxon.Now that she's here, I can calm down and focus for the next fifty minutes. Well, that's the plan. Dr. Bennet isn't exactly the most scintillating of public speakers. Throughout the class, my attention wanders, and I find myself glancing over my shou

I suck in a breath as the intensity grows between us. A change in conversation seems to be in order. "Thanks again for making an appointment at the counseling center. It's not something I would have done on my own.""You're welcome. I'm glad it was helpful."His thumb rubs delicate circles against my palm. The caress is distracting, and I feel myself getting lost in his touch. When I realize what's going on, I have to jerk myself out of the haze.I clear my throat and refocus my attention on our conversation instead of the attraction humming below the surface of my skin. "Dr. Mestoff mentioned a grief group they run on campus.""That sounds interesting. Are you going to check it out?""I think so. And I'm going to make another appointment to see her next week." What she helped me realize today is that I can't handle this on my own. Dr. Mestoff has thrown me a lifeline, and I need to grab it with both hands.It's almost a relief when the waitress arrives with our burgers, mil

"Give it to me straight." Lanie drops down next to me on the couch with a massive bowl of vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce poured over the top. It's more sauce than ice cream. "How pissed off are you about the counseling appointment? You know how much I hate it when you're angry.""I'm not mad." If anything, I'm grateful my friends care enough about me to seek out support when I'm unable to do it for myself. "It was really helpful. In fact, I've already made another appointment for next week."She shoves the spoon in her mouth before saying, "I'm glad you're going to talk to someone. We've all been really concerned about you.""I'm sorry, I never meant to worry you." I glance down at my fingers. "I was trying to deal with everything the best way I knew how.""Oh, honey." Lanie reaches out and squeezes my hand. "You know how much Jax and I love you. There's nothing we wouldn't do for you." She gives a helpless shrug. "But we weren't sure how to support you.""You're

My breath lodges in my throat as she pulls out the twenty-five-page paper I've been working on in my spare time. It's not like I have a ton of it, but it's funny how much time opens up when you stop playing video games and hanging out with the guys."I don't understand," she mumbles, thumbing through the pages before glancing up at me.Even though I shrug, wanting to play it casual, my heart jackhammers painfully in my chest. It's only now that I wonder if she'll be pissed off. What if she's mad that I wrote it up myself without asking for her input? We've been emailing back and forth, so I was able to take what she sent and synthesized it into a cohesive piece about vaccinations. I also spoke with my childhood pediatrician and got his professional opinion on the matter before emailing a spokesperson from an anti-vax group, the National Vaccine Information Center, along with The World Health Organization who is a proponent for vaccines. In the end, I feel like it's a pretty damn

Book Two: ShamelessI tuck a stray lock of hair behind my ear and yank open the door to the men's locker room before stepping inside the space. Since the guys are on the field running drills, there's no chance of me walking in on a situation.Been there, done that, and caught quite the eyeful.It's only happened a couple of times, but the guys all grinned before hooting and hollering, calling my name with a wave. They don't seem to care in the least that they've been caught bare assed. A few of them actually seemed to enjoy strutting around and putting on a show.Me, on the other hand?My face turned about fifteen shades of red until it felt like I was in danger of self-combusting.Talk about embarrassing.The pungent stench of sweat and humidity hangs thick in the air as I walk past a long row of lockers and metal benches. When my phone buzzes, I fish it out of my messenger bag and glance at the screen.A text from my roommate pops up. There's a bonfire at the beach tonight and s