I make it inside before I get completely drenched, and I rip my coat off and toe off my shoes once I have the door shut. I stayed on campus for several hours after my last class, grading assignments and taking care of everything, so I’m able to relax the whole weekend. It’s just after four in the afternoon now, and I pull out my phone, find Kylie’s contact, and press the FaceTime button.

If anyone will be able to help me sort this shit out, it’s her. It’s only two in California, and I’m hoping she’s already done with classes for the day. Thankfully, after a few rings, she answers. When her face comes into view, it looks like she’s in her car.

“Hi, best friend!”

“Hey, Ky. Are you busy?”

“No way, dude. I’m about to walk into my apartment now.” As she says that, she climbs out of her car, giving me a view of her face that would be unflattering if it were anyone but her, but I swear, that girl looks gorgeous from every angle.

“Remember how I told you someone had been leaving coffee by my shit every morning this week while I was swimming?”

“Yes!” She props her phone up on her kitchen counter while she sets her stuff down. “Did you figure out who your secret admirer was? Was it that Stella girl?”

“No, Kylie. It wasn’t Stella.”

She must hear the inner turmoil in my voice because her gaze snaps toward the phone, concern immediately swimming in her eyes. “Who, then?”

Call it best friend telepathy or vibes or whatever, but I know she knows who I’m about to say before I even say it.

“It was Stone.” Even saying it has my throat clogging with the thick emotion I’ve been trying to tamp down all day.

Her eyes practically bulge out of her head as her mouth drops open, utterly and completely speechless. “What?!”

“The way you look is how I’ve felt this entire day.” I grab the vodka out of the freezer, not even bothering with a shot glass as I untwist the cap, taking a swig. The burn down my throat morphs into a warmth in my gut.

“How’d you even find out? Did he tell you?”

“No.” I laugh half-heartedly. “I feel that would’ve been better to wrap my head around. I purposely finished my swim early so I could wait for the caffeine culprit, and imagine my fucking surprise when in waltzes the one man I can’t seem to fucking get over.”

Her head cocks slightly as her brows scrunch together. “Wait… why would it have been better if he told you?”