Page 1 of Dreaming of Us

Prologue

BRAYLIN

Asharp, bony elbow jabbing into my rib cage had me jerking with a pained grunt. I tore my gaze away from the object of my obsession to glare at my best friend as I rubbed at my tender side.

“Girl, you have drool on your chin again.” Tori laughed at me as my hand instinctively started to reach up to swipe at my face. My glare only got darker as I dropped my hand and turned my head back to the varsity quarterback who had stolen my heart the one and only time he ever spoke to me. When I didn’t see him, I frantically swiveled my head around, trying to catch sight of his tall frame.

Tori giggled next to me and pointed. “He’s over there.”

I sighed as I took him in again. He was one of the tallest guys in our high school, towering over most of the other boys and nearly all the staff as well. He had brown hair that was cut short on the sides and long enough on the top that he needed to sweep it back out of his light blue eyes. He had a drool-worthy face, and I wasn’t the only girl in the school who thought so. He was sopopular that he was nominated for Homecoming King, and there wasn’t a person in town who didn’t believe he’d win.

He and his girlfriend.

Katy was pretty, with curly, honey-brown hair and big blue eyes. Honestly, she reminded me quite a bit of Amanda Seyfried with her pretty girl-next-door vibe. When the two of them were together, which was damn near always, they made a perfect couple. She fit right under his arm.

I sat watching below, where most of the school was on the field, congratulating the varsity team on another win. I didn’t really see the others, though, as I dreamed of having Colton’s arm draped over my shoulders instead. When he bent down to give Katy a kiss, I closed my eyes.

I was nudged again in the same spot that was still a bit tender from the last elbow. “Come on, creeper. Let’s get out of here.”

I nodded miserably, trying to stop myself from wallowing in self-pity. I stood up and carefully made my way down the steep bleachers behind Tori. Right before I hit the bottom step, I glanced at the happy couple one more time to see Colton carrying a laughing Katy in his arms. With a deep sigh of resignation, I turned away and moved toward the gates and over to the parking lot where Tori’s mom would be waiting to pick us up.

My dreams would be filled with Colton that night, the same way they were every night. I was a freshman in love with a senior who would be leaving for college in a few months with his girlfriend, and I would be staying right where I was. My rational brain knew that my obsession was ridiculous. Colton didn’t even know I was alive. I doubted he remembered bumping into me on the second day of school, but I would remember his crooked smile and the way his eyes almost twinkled as he looked down at me to apologize.

I knew I needed to get over him, and made a promise to myself with a firm nod of my head as I slipped into the back seat of Tori’s mom’s car. But maybe I’d wait until tomorrow.

Chapter One

BRAYLIN

Iheard my name called and jerked my head up from my phone where I had been scrolling through my social media page. I jumped up from my seat and rushed to the counter to pick up my iced coffee. I smiled at the barista in thanks, then turned to head out of the coffee shop. My lunch break was nearly up, and if I didn’t get back to the bank in time, my co-workers would be irritated at having to wait to take their own breaks. I got it, though; having the late lunch was enough to make anyone hangry.

As I started to rush to the door, I nearly ran right into one of the other waiting coffee addicts. I pasted a small smile on my face, ready to spit out a hasty apology for not looking where I was going, when the words died on my tongue, along with several brain cells in my head.

“Hey, there. So sorry for almost knocking you over. Are you okay?” The deep voice, one I hadn’t heard in four years, had tingles gliding over every inch of my body, starting from my belly and spreading outward. All I could do was nod woodenly as Istared up in shock, disbelief, and a sudden jolt of pleasure at the one person I had forced myself to forget about.

Colton was wearing a police uniform, the blue fabric of his shirt straining at the biceps where his muscles bulged. My gaze caught on a thick vein that trailed from underneath the sleeve and down to his elbow. I took in his utility belt, fascinated at all the crap that was attached to it before I realized it probably looked like I was checking out his dick.

I jerked my head back up to meet his eyes and saw he was smirking down at me. There was an odd look in his eyes as if he were attempting to figure out a puzzle. Likely, he was trying to remember where he knew me from. It was a small town, after all. The chances of us meeting at some point were pretty good. But I doubted that he’d remember the girl who stared at him for 90% of his senior year at high school.

“Sorry,” I breathed out, then blinked, trying to force myself to get it together. I stepped back, giving my head a shake, to snap myself back to the present. I forced a cheerful tone, the same one I used with my customers at the bank. “Have a good day, Officer Hammond.” I gave a short, awkward wave, then turned, rushing out of the coffee shop as fast as I could without actually running.

The entire two blocks back to the bank, I berated myself for immediately falling right back into the same headspace. I worked so hard to pack all my feelings for Colton into a tiny little box and lock them away in the far corner of my mind, only to have it burst open at the first sight of him.

After he and Katy moved away to college together, I vowed to let him go for good. I hadn’t allowed myself to look him up on social media or ask about him to anyone who might have known what he was up to. I didn’t want to hear that he had gotten married or that they had any children. I knew I would drown in misery if I knew how happy they were together, which always made me feel like a monster because all I should want for himwas happiness. I did. I just wished that it wasmehe was happy with.

I tossed my empty cup in the trash can in front of the bank where I had been working for the last six months. My best friend, Tori, had convinced her uncle to give me a shot after we graduated high school. I wanted to go to college like most of my friends, but the thought of moving away from my parents was terrifying. I started taking courses at the nearest community college instead. My job as a bank teller was actually kind of perfect since they allowed me to work around my school schedule. The bank also had a very generous employee college tuition reimbursement program.

As soon as I pushed through the front door, Shelly made a dramatic gesture of looking at the clock. I grimaced and waved as I rushed through the swinging gate that led to the employee lounge, where our lockers were. I threw my purse into the open locker and slammed it shut, spinning the dial once, then spun around on my heel to get back to the front.

“I’m not late, am I?” I asked as I stopped in front of my station to log into the computer. I quickly typed in my employee ID number and logged into the timekeeping system. As soon as I was logged back in, I turned to Shelly, who was already logging herself out.

“It was close, but you were right on time,” she replied with a grin. “I just like to give you a hard time, you know that.”

I blew out a relieved breath as I glanced at the clock. “Okay, go enjoy your lunch break. Hopefully, I get a few customers, so I won’t die of boredom while you’re gone.”

Shelly chuckled. “Not too many, though.”

“I don’t know. I kinda like it when it’s busy. The time goes by so much quicker.”

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