Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 90257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
The other guy’s jaw stiffens as he takes a drink of his beer. “I was invited.”
“Who the hell did that?”
He wraps an arm around Carina before smiling at Ford. “Carina did.”
I lean closer to Juliette before muttering, “You realize that if these two get into it, I’m gonna have to jump in, right?”
The corners of her lips wilt.
Ford straightens to his full height before flicking a glance at Carina. “She shouldn’t have done that. This isn’t her party. Maybe you should do us all a favor and take off.”
Justin drags her even closer before pressing his lips against the side of her face. “Nah. Don’t think I will.”
Just when it seems like all hell will erupt, Ford’s gaze swings back to Carina and he grits out between clenched teeth, “Can I talk to you outside?”
Her cheeks have pinkened from the near altercation. “Is that really necessary?”
“Yeah, it is.” He jerks his head toward the back door. “Let’s go.”
She presses her lips together before glancing at the douche at her side. “Give me a minute and I’ll be right back.” Then she flicks a steely look at her ex-stepbrother. “Apparently, Ford has decided to be an inhospitable dick tonight.”
“He’s a dick every night,” Justin says with a smirk.
Before she can say anything else, Ford locks his fingers around her wrist and drags her away from the other guy. The look he shoots over his shoulder at the baseball player is feral.
I shake my head as they disappear through the back door before glancing at Juliette. “Well, it looks like one crisis has been averted.”
Even though Carina and Ford have vanished from sight, her gaze remains locked on the back hallway. “I wouldn’t be too sure about that.”
I snort.
She’s probably right. It seems like tension has been ratcheting up between those two for months. Ever since we returned for senior year. Guess it’ll be interesting to see if anything actually happens between them.
Dismissing the ex-siblings, I pull Juliette closer before pressing my lips against the crown of her head. Normally when the house throws a bash, I’m all about it. I’ve done my fair share of partying and screwing around with groupies, but as I scan the crowded space, I realize that I no longer have the same need. The person who truly matters to me is already in my arms, and as long as we’re together, life is good.
I got the girl.
I got hockey.
And good friends who have my back.
What more could a guy ask for?
EPILOGUE
JULIETTE
Six months later…
I smile at Dr. Ashford as I hand over my final exam for medical microbiology and hightail it from the lecture hall before pushing through the glass doors into the early May sunshine. For just a second, I pause at the top of the wide stone stairs and tilt my face toward the sun, allowing it to stroke over my flesh.
That was my last exam of the spring semester.
And college.
It’s finally over, which feels surprisingly bittersweet. Carina and I have slowly been packing up our apartment, getting ready to move. I’m going to miss her like crazy. We’ve lived together for three years, and she’s turned out to be my best friend. One I’ll have for the rest of my life. Sometimes I have to remind myself that no matter where we are, we’re only a phone call away.
I draw a deep breath into my lungs before jogging down the stairs. I’m supposed to meet up with—
“Hey Juliette!”
I swing around and find Aaron walking toward me.
A smile lifts my lips. “Hi.”
It might have taken a month or so for our relationship to get back to normal, but it eventually happened.
“How’d the exam go?”
“It was hard, but all the hours we put in studying really helped. Thanks for the notes and prep material you created. You’re the best.”
He shrugs. “It wasn’t a problem. Glad it was useful.”
My gaze flickers away to search the grassy knoll and trees that dot the landscape for Ryder. We’ve been so busy with finals and packing that we haven’t been able to spend much time together.
I’m impatient to see him.
Although, that’s nothing new.
Just as that thought rolls through my head, I spot the muscular defenseman stretched out on a blanket with a paperback in his hand. Bright sunshine pours down on him. He’s wearing a gray Wildcats hockey T-shirt that looks to be a smedium and black athletic shorts. All those delicious muscles on display are enough to have my feet stuttering to a halt as a punch of arousal hits me square in the gut.
All right, so maybe it hits a little lower.
It doesn’t matter if my brain is fried from studying around the clock and a two-hour exam.
I want Ryder.
Just like always, the world around me melts away until he’s all I’m cognizant of. My breath stalls as he turns his head and meets my eyes. As soon as our gazes lock, a slow smile spreads across his face and a horde of butterflies explodes in the pit of my belly.