Page 26 of No More Heartbreakers

He laughed. “I’m starting to. I actually had a caller last weekend who accused me of being a closet UGA fan, which was funny considering I also got a couple calls from people claiming I was biased toward State. As if I care one way or the other. But let’s back up a minute—how do you recognize the P-Bruins, being that you’re a college-football-loving Southerner and all?”

“Oh, I went to Brown—the P-Bruins arena was a few blocks from campus.”

Aric sat forward in his chair. “You’re kidding me. I went to Emerson in Boston. We used to go down to Providence to hang out on weekends sometimes—it’s only about an hour from there. We were probably there at the same time. What year did you graduate?”

“I… um, started there.” I took a step back. The conversation had taken an uneasy turn. “But I transferred. I graduated from University of Georgia.”

“What happened at Brown? Flunk out?” His tone was light, teasing.

No, just failed in every other way.“I… it just wasn’t for me. Too far from home. Um, I’d better get ready for the news meeting.”

Turning away from Aric’s baffled expression, I retreated to the other side of the newsroom. I’d talk to him later about the voice stuff and working together. Maybe.

“Heidi.” Aric had followed me to my desk. “I’m sorry. I think I did it again. I can’t seem to stop saying the wrong thing to you.”

“No. You didn’t—don’t worry about it. I’m sure everyone assumed the same thing when I transferred. Actually theschoolpart was the easiest thing about going away to school.”

His brows lifted. “So what was the hardest part?”

I wrinkled my nose and hesitated. “It’s complicated. I doubt you’d understand.”

“I might surprise you. You should try me.”

I looked up into his soft expression. He really wanted to know.

You should try me.

I shivered in the newsroom’s over-air-conditioned environment. How could I explain to him of all people what had happened? It was too humiliating.

And with the similarities he and Jason shared, he might even find it funny. I opened my mouth to tell Aric “no” once again but didn’t get the chance.

“Hey y’all,” Colleen called out loudly as she sashayed into the newsroom in yet another of her perfectly-put-together designer outfits and hair that was miraculously unaffected by the humidity.

Her timing couldn’t have been better, and for once, I was actually glad to see her. At least for a few seconds, until she opened her mouth again.

“Well, there he is, Mr. Hardbody himself. How was the rest of your workout?”

She approached us and stopped very close to Aric, aligning herself beside him, smiling up at him adoringly.

“It was good. Hi Colleen.” Aric looked down at her with a chuckle and warm recognition on his face.

“I see no introductions are necessary.” I glanced between the two of them, reading the easy familiarity that seemed to have developed out of nowhere.

“Oh no,” she cooed, wrapping a long-taloned hand around Aric’s bicep, pulling herself close to his side. “Aric and I are old friends, aren’t we? We met at the gym yesterday, and he helped me with my hamstring curl technique. You may put my trainer out of a job.”

She rolled her eyes up at him in anain’t-I-just-darling?baby-doll expression. He gave her a smile in return.

Everyone knew Colleen was training for the Miss Georgia pageant—we’d all been treated to the details of her special diet, and she would announce it loudly whenever she’d had a particularly grueling workout.

No doubt attaining such physical perfection was hard work, but when someone begs so loudly for your admiration, you feel downright stingy about giving it.

I’d always found Colleen sort of harmlessly annoying. But today, watching her fondle Aric caused a startling amount of toxic sludge to form in my veins.

I should have been thrilled. Aric would no longer be asking for details on my college freshman flameout… or anything else about me.

Still, seeing the two of them together, looking socouple-y…it bothered me.

Janet stepped out of her office. “Okay troops. It’s two-fifteen. Time for the two o’clock meeting.”

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