Page 92 of Light My Fire

“I’m going to head out,” I tell her. “Have a good night.”

There’s nothing at the bar that is going to distract me from Brooke.

Might as well go home.

I’ve already decided to hell with it.

I’m texting Brooke.

CHAPTER 24

Brooke

I’m exhaustedby Friday night.

My exams went well. I’m completely confident that I passed with flying colors and can move right on to clinicals with no issues.

Instead of being thrilled and pumped up over what’s to come, I’m obsessing about the past weekend and the three guys who turned my world upside down.

It’s only been eight days since they showed up at the cabin without warning, and yet it’s hard to remember what it felt like before that fateful arrival.

Everything is different to me now because what I was hoping would happen—a return to my normal, relatively boring life—hasn’t happened at all.

It wasn’t just lust or a sexual awakening that had me wrapped up in Wyatt, Jackson, and Luke.

It’sthem.

I have feelings, jumbled, confusing, and complicated feelings, for all three of them, and I have no idea what to do about it.

“Cheers,” Sophie says, raising a giant margarita glass up in the air. “To the future Doctor Brooke Wilder.”

That makes me smile in spite of my general feelings of frustration and anxiety surrounding my complicated emotions. I raise my own margarita. “And to you, future Dr. Sophie Joplin.”

Sophie takes a giant sip of her drink. “Oh, damn, that’s good. I was so worried about my exams. I knew you were going to pass with flying colors, but it was a little dicey there for me. You know I get panicked when my whole career and future are on the line.”

“I knew you would pull through,” I tell her, truthfully. Sophie’s always worried about her performance, but then she always does amazing. It’s just her personality to really push herself.

The restaurant is hopping, with every table full, and servers racing back and forth with drinks and sizzling fajita platters. It’s a festive environment and I should feel on top of the world, but instead the chips are sitting in my stomach like a rock and I keep glancing at my phone sitting on the table.

Wyatt texted me earlier today.

Just a casual, “hope your finals went well, I believe in you.”

But it meant the world to me that he was thinking about me and wishing me well. I actually clasped my phone to my chest before answering him with a thank you.

Then Jackson texted me something similar, with a picture of the dogs and also expressing his belief I did well.

I didn’t expect to hear from Luke at all.

But his came right on the heels of Jackson’s.

Just wanted to let you know that I’ve been thinking about your exams all week. I hope you did well. Hell, I know you did well.

I realized they were waiting for my finals to be over before reaching out.

Which was sweet and thoughtful and sothem.

The relief I felt that they all respected my time this week and yet wanted to communicate with me was… so damn sweet. I had to go into the restroom at the university for a minute to collect myself before leaving for the weekend.

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