Page 57 of The Backup Plan

“Diamonds for my drill bits.”

“Even better.”

“What’s the deal with you and Isaac? Fields, I mean.”

The words escaped his lips before he could stop them. But asking Isaac would feel like asking his permission, so he had to ask her.

The pencil she’d been twirling in her fingers clattered to the floor. They both ignored it, and Avery fidgeted with her hands, spinning left and right on her stool.

“It’s—we’re not really a thing. We kind of gave it a shot, and we realized we do like spending time together, but just as friends.”

Cam’s heart leapt into his throat, and for a moment, all he could do was nod.

“Well, that’s a bummer, I guess,” he said when he regained his voice.

“It’s great to make a new friend out of it. It all works out.”

“It all works out.”

“Now, if I can leverage him to help Justin see reason, it would work out even better.”

“You still haven’t talked since he told you that you were running from reality? Is he just not answering calls or something?”

“I texted him a few times. Short replies, like ‘that’s nice’ and ‘maybe later.’”

“If I can help, tell me what you need.” He stopped himself from reaching for her hand. Too soon. He had to wait more than two minutes, at least, and gather his thoughts.

“Thank you. I don’t want to put you in the middle of it, though. I really don’t want to involve Isaac, to be perfectly honest. You guys are his friends. Justin and I will work it out.” She lifted her chin. “I’m sure we will. I’ll text him today and demand a meeting, or else.”

The glimmer in her blue eyes warmed him. Their conversations had given him drops of who she was, and left him parched. He wanted to know the girl behind that honest bravado—what made her so confident and what left her vulnerable.

“Now,” she continued, “I’ll get out of your hair. Philosophy homework is calling me. I’ll tell you all my deep thoughts later.”

He waved the rotary at her, pointing the diamond bit. “Oh, you’d better. Or else.”

EIGHTEEN

The Magazine

AVERY

Avery’s tray clattered to the table in the dining hall. She didn’t know what random items she grabbed to eat, but inspected Isaac’s laden tray for something to snitch.

“He knows the truth,” she said, nearly out of breath. “He knows you and I are not together.”

“Does he think we were?”

“I said we gave it a shot but realized pretty quickly that we didn’t feel anything romantic for one another, and we agreed we’re awesome friends.”

Isaac stroked his jaw. “I guess we did give it a shot for about ten minutes.”

“Technicality. And I didn’t mean to tell him just yet, but he asked me outright.”

“It’s about time. I dropped enough hints.”

“You what? When?”

“I may have told him I thought things weren’t really happening for us, but ‘who knows,’ or something. Last week, I guess.”