Page 82 of The Professor's Possession (Crystal River Billionaire Brothers)

I roll my eyes. “What have you been up to?” I ask.

“I’ve just finished my only class for today,” she explains.

“Lucky you.”

“Enjoying your sushi?” she asks.

“Yep.”

“I don’t really like seafood,” Ava says, turning her nose up at my salmon and avocado roll.

“Oh?”

“I used to be so careful with what I ate. You know, what with being a cheerleader in high school and all. It may not be saidout loud, but there are certain requirements that come with being a cheerleader, andespeciallyhead cheerleader. It got me into some trouble, starving myself. It’s not good for your head, all that dieting culture.”

“You’re eating better now, though?” I ask, concerned.

“Yeah. I’m much healthier now,” my roommate says. “That major problem with food was hard to shake off, though. I had to really work at it. It’s good I can manage it now.”

“Yeah, that’s good. It’s crazy that they still hold cheerleaders to weird body standards.”

Ava sighs. “Tell me about it.”

“How was your class this morning?” I ask her.

“Fine. College is so different from high school,” Ava says. “Sometimes I wish I could just hop into a time machine and go back there, where things were so much more...simple.”

“Ugh. I hated high school,” I reply. “I wanted to get out as soon as I could. You couldn’t put me into a time machine even if you paid me.”

“Holy crap, we are so different,” my roommate remarks with a snort.

“Opposites attract,” I say.

“Did you read that in one of your nerdy books?” Ava asks me jokingly.

“Most likely.”

“I should head back home,” Ava says, glancing at the time on her phone. “Luke is taking me on a real proper date tonight, and I’ve got to get ready.”

“Where’s he taking you?” I ask.

“Out for a fancy dinner,” she replies. “It’s so mature for him. Anactualdate, isn’t that great? Usually I’m just hanging out at his dorms or watching sports with him.”

I think about Spencer and him inviting me to his house. How he made me that gorgeous sit-down proper dinner. How he told me he wasn’t like boys my age.

He certainly isn’t anything like Luke...

But, as Ava said, we are so different, and that definitely comes through with our taste in men.

“See you!” Ava dashes off across the campus with a smile.

I’m happy she’s going on a date with her boyfriend and seems so excited about it. She deserves every ounce of happiness that comes her way.

I finish my lunch and start to head the same way home to the dorms.

As I pass the main courtyard of the university, I spot the man that’s dominated my mind for these last few days.

Spencer Penmayne is on his phone, pacing by the steps leading up to the main entrance of the college, looking as handsome as ever in his dark suit and his perfect cheekbones.

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