I told myself I’d only noticed in passing. That it was impossible not to when one hung out where I sometimes ate lunch. But the truth? My gaze often lingered longer than it should, mapping the lines of his body without permission.
And then there were his eyes—clear, startling blue, like the surface of a pool just before you dive in. Beautiful, if you ignored the fact that they belonged to someone who knew exactly how much attention they commanded.
I exhaled sharply, willing the image away. I was not going to get lost in the fantasy of some cocky athlete with a killer smile and eyes made for temptation.
Needing a distraction on my walk back to the apartment—and maybe something to tether me back to normal—I pulled out my phone and opened the video-chat app. One tap on Cali’s photo, and I hit record.
We’d been best friends since high school, and more than six years of living in different states had done nothing to change that. She was my only friend, but she was all I needed.
“Hey, Calico.” I angled the camera toward my face. “You will not believe what just happened to me at the library. I was tucked away in my hidden gem of a study room, minding my own business, when out of nowhere, a guy walks in and sits at my table. Nearly gave me a heart attack. But get this …” I paused for effect. “You’re never going to guess who it was. Nope. Not even close. Talon. Everhart. I know. I was completely shocked. And yes, he’s just as gorgeous up close as in his photos and on TV. And yes, he’s exactly as conceited and arrogant as you’d expect from a guy like him.”
I gave her the play-by-play—every word, every look—knowing she’d lose her mind when she watched it.
It reminded me of my very first video call to herafter I’d arrived at Kemery. I’d been standing in the quad, a bundle of nerves and excitement, the administration building looming behind me. Mid-sentence, she’d interrupted to demand I turn around so she could get a better look at the “hottie” on a poster behind me. That had been my first introduction to Talon.
Back then, I hadn’t cared who he was. Kemery had a reputation for producing Olympic swimmers, but I hadn’t come here for that. I’d come for the scholarship—my only ticket out of my hometown, Blue Springs. Kemery was a little Ivy, prestigious enough to open doors, and far enough—seven hundred eighty-five miles—to ensure I only went home a couple of times a year.
The only person I missed from home was Cali. Thank goodness for video chat, because she was also the only one who missed me. She’d been my lifeline growing up, the only steady thing in a house steeped in resentment. Without her, I wouldn’t have survived the years in Blue Springs. She’d been there through every low. Yeah, there had been no highs.
Messaging her now wasn’t just to tell her about Talon. It was to remind myself of who I was and of the life I’d built away from people like him—untouchable, alluring, a threat to my focus.
Leaving home had been easy. And staying gone was the goal.
I wrapped up the story for Cali just as my apartment building came into view.
As pathetic as it might have sounded, I’d kept her updated on Talon over the years. It hadn’t taken long,back in my freshman days, to learn his name—and that he was the undisputed star of Kemery’s campus. Whenever he stepped foot on university grounds, it was as if a spotlight tracked him. People noticed. I noticed, whether I wanted to or not.
That didn’t mean I harbored some secret crush. Knowing details about him didn’t make me infatuated; he was more like a town celebrity than anything else. His life seemed so far removed from reality, so charmed, it was almost entertaining to observe from a distance. Yes, he was striking—anyone with functioning vision could see that—but to me, he was just an attractive man living an extraordinary life. A safe topic for conversation with my best friend, nothing more.
“Well, I’m back at my apartment now, so I’ll let you go. Let me know how your friend dinner went. And by ‘friend dinner,’ I mean how things went with Jared,” I said, angling the camera for an exaggerated wink.
I could already picture her rolling her eyes and laughing.
“Chat with you later,” I added, before tapping the stop button.
Sliding the phone into my pocket, I climbed the stairs toward my apartment, my earlier irritation beginning to settle, though not entirely fading.
It was ridiculous that he was still in my head. I’d told myself that sending the video to Cali would exorcise him from my thoughts, but instead, replaying the evening had only sharpened certain details. The sound of his voice and the way he looked at me like he was curious.
I unlocked my door, forcing the thought away as I stepped inside.
“Hey!” Roxie called from the kitchen, her blonde curls piled into a messy bun as she pulled a tray of cookies from the oven.
“Hey.” I offered a smile. We’d only been roommates for a few weeks, but so far, she was easy to live with and friendly without being intrusive, which was exactly what I needed.
“There are a few for you on the counter,” she said, nodding toward a plate.
“Thanks. Smells amazing.” I took one—still warm—and made my way toward my room.
The best part of the night would be closing my door, knowing no one could barge in the way Talon had at the library. Here, the space was mine—quiet, contained, predictable.
I changed into soft pajamas, washed my face, and pulled back the covers, propping myself against the pillows with a sigh of contentment. My laptop was already on the nightstand, waiting. A few clicks later, I was exactly where I wanted to be—immersed in the latest chapters of the romantasy I’d been devouring on BookPad.
Safe. Alone. Wrapped in someone else’s story instead of the craziness that had intruded on mine.
The story was the kind of fantasy romance that pulled me in from the first chapter and refused to let go. I’d only discovered it a week ago, but I already felt invested in the characters as if I’d known them for years.
Cassemir was a prince in disguise, concealing his identity while hunting for the lost relic of Dralia, a legendary artifact said to be able to restore both his crumbling kingdom and the magic that once thrived there. Raelle, the heroine, was his opposite in almost every way: a fierce, unflinching fighter who had trained nearly her entire life to infiltrate the palace and end the reign of King Barion. Her mission was clear—return power to the people, as she was convinced the royal family had hoarded the magic for themselves.