Page 68 of Just This Once

“So what did you tell her?” I asked.

He shrugged and seemed to flush. “I was such a dork. I wanted to know if she was more into vengeance because, in that case, she should steer towardWhere the Crawdads Sing. But if she wanted something uplifting and healing, she should go forEat Pray Loveor your favorite:Legally Blonde. But all she said was, ‘I just don’t want to hurt anymore,’ and I swear to God, Hope.” He pressed a fist to his chest and sent me a commiserating shudder. “My heart freaking broke for her.”

“You recommendedMamma Mia!, didn’t you?” I guessed.

“Nope.The Princess Bride. All the way.” He blinked at me as if that should be obvious. “No one can be sad while watchingThe Princess Bride.”

With an adoring smile, I shook my head and hooked my arm through his so I could rest my head on his shoulder as we strolled along. “You’re the best.”

“Okay,” he answered uncertainly. “Not sure what I did that was so amazing. But thanks.” He patted my hand gratefully. “So did you just take the week off from school, or…?” Pulling back to see my face, he shook his head in question.

“I’ve been taking up too much of your time and annoying you, haven’t I?” I realized with a cringe. “I’m sorry. I?—”

“No. No,” he assured me quickly. “You’re never an annoyance. I’m just…confused. The semester started here a fewweeks ago. I’m sure UA’s schedule isn’t that far off from ours. How are you able to take so many days away from your classes?”

Well, here it was. Knowing I couldn’t lie straight to his face, I swallowed thickly and glanced away. “Yeah, about that. I’m, uh, I’m not currently enrolled at Akron.”

“What!?” His jaw sagged, and he stopped walking altogether to face me. “You dropped out of freaking college? But—but you’re a junior. You’re already so far along.”

“I didn’t drop out,” I added quickly. “I just…” With a wince, I blurted, “Took the year off.”

There, that didn’t sound so bad, did it?

He blinked twice, letting me know that, yes, it still sounded bad. “You took the year off? What does that mean?”

“I don’t know.” I shrugged. “Whatever I want it to mean, I guess. I want to—you know—experience a little bit of life before I decide if this career path is really the one I want.”

“You don’t think you want to be alawyeranymore?” He frowned at me as if I’d lost my mind. “But...” he shook his head, confused.

I gave a vague, undecided wince. “I just…”

When words failed me, he narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “Something else is going on here, isn’t it?”

Dammit. I really wished he hadn’t been able to realize that.

“Did you have a fight with your mom?”

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. “Always. But she’s not why I’m here.”

“Then…?” He shook his head. “What’s going on, Hope?”

“Nothing,” I told him. “I just really missed home. I wanted to be here. With you.”

“Aww.” Melting at my answer, he opened his arms. “Come here.”

I went to him immediately, and when his safe, familiar Alec hug wrapped around me, he said, “Maybe you can transfer toHaverick next semester. Come to college with me.” Pausing to cringe, he asked, “Liz wouldn’t causetoomuch of a ruckus about that, would she?”

My mother liked to cause a ruckus about everything I did. But it’d been two years since she legally had any kind of control over me. So I could do whatever I wanted now. Plus there was the fact that she’d told me she’d wash her hands of me completely if I left Ohio the last time I saw her.

“We don’t have to worry about her,” I assured.

When he nodded, I added, “You know what? I might just look into attending HaveU after all.” I wanted him to think we had all the time in the world. “Yeah. I like that idea.” Bumping my elbow into his gratefully, I pulled away to send him a smile. “Thanks.”

“Yeah.” He straightened proudly as if he’d just solved all my problems. “You’re welcome.” Bumping me teasingly back, he started us down the path again. “Want to get some Froyo?”

“Actually—” With a yawn, I stretched my arms above my head. “I think I’m going to head back and crash. I spent all day at the beach, and I’m wiped out.”

“Yeah, I can tell you’ve been outside,” he said with a grin as he tapped my nose. “Your freckles are darker.”

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