Why would he do that? He lives alone. There’s no logical reason he would purposely be keeping me away. But just to overthink this even more, how is it that we’ve been dating for almost a month, and he hasn’t invited me over, not once?

Let it go, Lark.

I didn’t expect my day to derail before nine o’clock, but here I am with my thoughts and emotions nervously twisting in my belly. Have I been a bad friend to Amanda? To Dane? I haven’t seen him since I worked with him two weeks ago. We don’t get to hang out much anymore, not since he and Mia got back together and school reconvened.

I drop my head into my hands and rub my temples, knowing I don’t have the luxury to get sidetracked from my mission—getting into medical school. That must remain my top priority. I don’t want to let my dad down now.

Before my last class at two, I text Harbor: I’m going to see my dad after school, so I don’t need a ride home. I’ll walk from there. Love you.

I hop into my seat and am settling in when he replies: Love you.

Class feels longer today, the minutes dragging until we’re finally free. I stop at a water station to refill my bottle before trekking across campus and down a large hill. My thoughts are so scrambled today that I don’t realize I forgot to put my music buds in my ears until I’m halfway to the shop.

Two streets over and six blocks down, I walk in through an open bay and search for my dad. Carrig is wiping his hands on towels when he sees me. “Oh, what brings you by, Lark?” He’s only a year older than I am, but he’s been learning to fix cars from my dad for years now. It’s a dream of my dad’s, and since he had a daughter with no interest whatsoever in cars, he transferred that attention to Carrig. Thank God.

Apparently, Carrig gets lots of visitors of the female persuasion from what my dad says, though. Gripes about is more accurate. They become quite the distraction to Carrig and my dad has to kick them out when they become a thorn in his side.

“Just looking for my dad. Is he around?” He points toward the office, which is in the direction I’m already heading. Peeking through the glass, I see him on the phone. I wave when he looks up and then drop my backpack behind the reception counter.

I only spin in the chair once before my dad comes around the corner. “Good to see you, Pipsqueak. Is everything okay?”

I’d give him a hug, but not when he’s in his mechanic’s coveralls. I don’t want to stain my college sweatshirt. “Everything’s good.” I lean against the counter. “You know I’ve been dating Harbor for almost a month now.”

“It’s getting serious?”

“It’s been about a month. We hang out and get dinner together most nights.” I keep things general, leaving out some of the details. The last thing my dad wants to hear about is the other stuff I do with Harbor.