Out in Spring (Out in College 6)

Okay…we didn’t just talk. We kissed too. A lot. Slow, sweet kisses that sent my pulse into overdrive and made me forget my name. And whose tongue was in my mouth. It was a good thing too, because seriously…Logan St. James? No, that was unbelievable. Wasn’t it?

I tuned in when Kendra started asking a series of questions. Her voice sounded like she was underwater, but I could tell from her tone that she was hyped up and excited.

“Sorry, Kenny. I missed that last part. What’d you say?”

“I said a lot of things, Ned. Pay attention. The most important thing was that Troy and I hit it off very well. Nothing really happened. We just talked, but he’s so nice,” she gushed. “I want to go to the game tomorrow night. Will you come with me? Pretty please?”

“Uh…they have games on Sundays?” I asked, clearly stalling.

“Mmhmm. It’s the last game, and I don’t want to go alone. What do you say?”

“Maybe. I just woke up. I need caffeine before I can commit to anything.”

“Smart policy. Did you stay up late studying?”

“No, yes…um.”

“Which one?”

“Both,” I lied as I swung my legs out of bed. “I’ll call you back later and—”

“I heard something funny about you last night.”

That stopped me. “Funny?”

“Peculiar,” she clarified. “Do you remember Logan? He’s the guy who spilled his soda on you?”

“Right.” He was also the guy I made out with under the stars and shared way too much personal information with. He was charming and sweet and hot and sexy, and I loved how damn easy it was to be with him. So yeah… “I remember.”

“His ex-girlfriend was asking about you. She said you left at the same time, and she made it sound…suspicious. Like she wondered if there was something going on. Isn’t that weird?”

I gave a weak half laugh, then stood and headed for the bathroom. “Yeah. Weird.”

“I told her you just met him and explained the whole soda deal. Some people want to make stories up for the hell of it. It’s not like Logan’s gay, so I don’t get what she’s up to, unless she’s trying to get back at him for breaking up with her.”

“That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Maybe not, but I saw this movie about a guy who pretended to be gay to break up with a girl.” She gasped. “Oh geez, maybe I should ask Troy or Colby if Logan would do that or—”

“No,” I said quickly. “Leave it alone. That’s silly. Just…tell me about your night.”

I spent the next fifteen minutes mumbling a steady stream of “mmhmms” and “ohs” to indicate I was there in body, if not mind, as I made myself a cup of coffee and puttered around my empty apartment. The more she talked, the faster I fell into my “normal,” where nonstop studying was broken up with shifts at the bookstore and classes.

A hot hockey player who might or might not be on the brink of a bi coming-out crisis didn’t feature in my world. Last night was a sweet memory, but it wasn’t real life. And though I loved the idea of seeing Logan again on Monday for a coffee date, I wasn’t gonna hold my breath. He probably wouldn’t show up, and I doubted he’d come by to pick up the T-shirt and sweatshirt I’d borrowed. He didn’t need either. And he didn’t need the bookstore geek complicating his life. A guy with an above-average IQ knew how to recognize impossible situations and change course.

“What do you think, Ned? The game starts at eight. If you pick me up at seven fifteen, we’ll have plenty of time to get decent seats in the student section. Say yes. I’ll be your best friend forever,” Kendra pleaded.

The answer was no. Right? Showing up to my new crush’s hockey game was a bad idea. Wasn’t it? I could beg off with an excuse about studying or maybe tell her my folks were driving up to Long Beach to take me to dinner. Kendra didn’t have any real qualms about going solo. Hell, she’d done it countless times already this season.

I set my coffee mug on the kitchen counter and glanced into the adjacent living room. I spotted Logan’s sweatshirt draped over the back of my sofa and—

“Yes, tomorrow sounds good,” I blurted.

So much for an above-average IQ.

Sports were a mystery. I understood the overall gist of hockey. Two teams, one puck, and three twenty-minute periods to accumulate points by putting said puck into the opposing team’s net. I didn’t really understand the mania, though. I was more impressed by the players’ athletic skating and their ability to maneuver on the ice so seamlessly. But I could barely see the puck. It just went so damn fast.

“Oh, my heart. Nice save, Troy!” Kendra jumped from her seat and clapped excitedly.