It takes a couple of seconds for my brain to catch up.
“You’re a hockey player?” I frown while I try to place him. I’ve only met a few of Adam’s teammates, but I’ve been to several games, so I’m surprised I don’t recognize him.
His brows pull together studying me, maybe trying to place me as well. “Not a fan of hockey? I think you’re at the wrong table then.”
Adam stands and puts a protective arm around my shoulders. “She’s not a fan of any men at the moment.”
Kill me now.
I stare down at my white tennis shoes as Adam introduces me. “Guys, this is my baby sister, Ginny. It’s her first day.”
The group offers their hellos and grunts of acknowledgment. They’ve all got several plates of food in front of them like Heath and are shoveling it in like they haven’t eaten in days.
I take a seat and so does Heath, across from me.
“Did you come to the games last year?” he asks as he pours syrup over his waffles.
“Yeah, a couple. Why?”
“I don’t recall seeing you.”
This makes me laugh. In a crowd of cheering fans, how could he possibly remember? “I don’t recall seeing you either.”
He leans across the table with a cocky smirk. “I was the one doing all the scoring.”
2
Ginny
I eat my breakfast, staying mostly quiet while the guys talk back and forth. They complain about the workout this morning and talk up the season. I’ve gotten good over the years at tuning out hockey talk.
I catch Heath staring at me an uncomfortable number of times. Uncomfortable because I only know he’s staring at me because I’m staring at him too.
Oh, and he eats every one of the giant waffles, plus the rest of his food.
“Where’s your first class?” Adam asks me as we’re finishing up.
“Umm… the humanities building, I think.”
He nods and sits back in his chair. “You know where it’s at? Want me to walk you?”
I resist rolling my eyes. “Yes. I’ll be fine.”
“Humanities building?” Heath asks. “I’m walking that way.”
Standing, I put on my backpack and then pick up my tray. “I’ve got it, really.” I glance at my brother. “See you later.” And then I give a little wave with my free hand to the rest of the table.
As I’m dropping my empty tray, Heath steps up beside me. “Adam Scott’s sister… I don’t see the resemblance.”
“Thank you… I think?”
He’s still following me when we get to the exit. “There’s really no need. I know where I’m going.”
“Okay.” He shrugs one shoulder. “See you around, Ginny Scott.”
The way he says my name is taunting and playful and has my tummy doing weird, excited things.
“Hopefully not if I want there to be any food left to eat,” I say before he can leave.
I should walk away now, but there’s a bizarre chemistry between us and something about him makes me feel the best I have in days. We stand a foot apart, grinning at one another and forcing people to go around us.
He snaps out of it first. “Better get here early for lunch then. That’s when I get in my big meal for the day.”
“Your big meal?” I can’t help but laugh.
“That was nothing. I burned those calories before you woke up this morning.”
“Presumptuous, much? Maybe I’m a runner or a soccer player.”
His gaze sweeps over me slowly and I hold my breath. “Are you?”
“N-no.”
He laughs and takes a step away. “Noon. That’s what time I eat lunch, in case you want to get here early or join me.”
He gives me his back before I come up with a witty response. I can’t decide if that was flirty banter or him really asking me to have lunch with him, but I figure it’s best not to dissect it too much and not to show up at noon. I might be ready to sing all the single girl anthem songs, but I am not ready to start planning my schedule around cute boys. No matter how very, very cute they are.
The only thing I’ve made any sense of from my breakup with Bryan is that I need to figure out who I am and what I want, make my own friends. Over the two years Bryan and I dated I grew farther and farther apart from my other friends. To the point, I really don’t have any good girlfriends to call up and cry on their shoulder.
This is my fresh start.
I find English Composition easy enough. It’s a big class in a room with long rows of seats, many of which are already taken.
I take a spot in the middle trying not to appear too eager or too much like a slacker. I don’t mind English, but I’m not a fan of being called on in class either.
After English I have algebra and I’m not quite as confident about where the building for it is located. The Valley campus is pretty big, and the number of people walking around makes it hard to get my bearings. I slip my thumbs around the straps of my backpack and fall into the crowd of students, hoping I look like I fit in and don’t have FRESHMAN stamped on my forehead.
I’m backtracking to find Moreno Hall when my front pocket vibrates. I pull out my phone and move off the sidewalk onto the grass, so I don’t get trampled.
Adam: Get lost yet?
I glance up at the building that is most definitely not Moreno Hall.
Me: Of course not, but say I was looking for Moreno Hall…
Adam: Hang a left just past the engineering building, it’s on the corner—big fancy-ass looking building, can’t miss it.
A minute later he follows up.
Adam: Find it?
Me: I would have found it on my own eventually.
Adam: I’m sure.
Hurriedly, I pocket my phone and head to Moreno Hall.
By the end of the day, I’m exhausted but even more excited about the semester. All of my classes seemed okay, I met a few girls on our hall, and Ava and I spent
