Page 55 of Harvest Moon (Riverbend 3)

Her adrenaline had spiked, giving her that fight-or-flight sensation. The flight option was very tempting. She was so close to the doorway, and it would be so easy to just—

Gavin’s mouth curved into a knowing smile.

He could read her like a chapter book, and just now that ticked her off. Really, this was ridiculous. The man must’ve gotten hold of her schedule somehow—sweet-talked one of the girls in registration or something. She stiffened her shoulders and made a beeline for the empty seat beside him. Then she slid into it.

The classroom was quiet, so she lowered her voice and hissed, “What are you doing? You are not allowed to be here.”

“Good morning to you too.”

“Leave now or I will turn you in.”

The professor entered, and Gavin pulled his laptop from a book bag she hadn’t noticed before.

She gaped at him. “I mean it, Gavin.”

But just then the professor stepped up to the lectern and introduced herself.

Laurel couldn’t bring herself to raise her hand and complain about Gavin. Who wanted that kind of attention on day one? She shot Gavin a withering look and then, hands shaking, she withdrew her own laptop.

At least it would be a short class—they’d likely only go over the syllabus. Good. Because she didn’t know how long she could sit here with Gavin beside her acting like everything was fine.

While the professor droned on about upcoming assignments and exams, Gavin took notes as if he were just another student.

Fired up, Laurel spent the class mentally composing her case, fed by the memory of her misery from last fall. By the time the professor dismissed class, she had an arsenal of reasons Gavin should go away and leave her alone.

Gavin stashed his laptop in the book bag. “Hungry? Want to have lunch together?”

“This is ridiculous!”

One of the exiting students glanced at her on his way past.

She lowered her voice. “First you show up at my work all summer and—”

“Three times.”

“—then you come to my campus, and now you’re practicallystalking me. What kind of game are you playing?” She shouldered her book bag and headed out the door.

He followed. “I assure you, this isn’t a game.”

“Then what are you doing?”

“If you hadn’t run off yesterday you’d know that—”

“I had a class.”

“—I transferred here.”

“You can’t just—” His words sank in. Her feet came to an abrupt halt, heedless of the students bustling in and out of the building.

Gavin took her arm and pulled her out of the fray.

She must’ve misheard. Or misunderstood. “You did what?”

“I’m a student at Clemson now, Laurel. Just like you.” His mouth tilted in a grin. “And it seems we share an English class.”

She shook her head. It couldn’t be true. He’d transferred here? “What—what about football? What about yourscholarship? You’ve always wanted to go to App State. It was all you could talk about in high school. You have to go back! It’s not too late.” He couldn’t pass up that scholarship. He didn’t have the money for tuition, and she didn’t want him racking up school loans—Clemson wasn’t exactly cheap. And the football team was so good, Gavin wouldn’t even have a chance at first string, much less a scholarship.

A smile lifted both corners of his lips, but those blue eyes of his remained sober. Wistful. “You know, in all those reasons you just gave me for getting out of here... none of them were about you wanting me gone.”

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