This attraction to Jagger, the longing, the craving to be near him, it was wrong, and Will deserved better. “I…I have to go.” I scrambled back.

“Paisley, don’t.”

I fumbled with my door handle. “Why do we always have these conversations outside my car?” I muttered. “I have to go, Jagger.”

“We always have these conversations outside your car because you’re always trying to leave. You could try finishing a conversation, you know.”

An unladylike snort escaped me. “That’s not the least bit true. These…talks happen because I’ve already stayed too long. I’m sorry about the swim lessons.”

“He…” Jagger took a deep breath. “Carter can’t be that big of a dick. He’s a pompous asshat, but he doesn’t want you to drown.”

“Will is going to teach me himself. He’s not what you think he is. He’s a good man, a good friend.”

“Friend? Is that seriously how you think of him?”

“He is my friend!” I shouted, and then gasped, my eyes darting around the empty parking lot to make sure I hadn’t caused a scene. “That’s the base of any real relationship, what makes it the strongest, so don’t mock it. And he’s not up for discussion, remember? Wasn’t that your request?”

The muscle in his jaw twitched, but he withdrew slowly, his hands reaching for the sky before they clasped the back of his head. “Well, I’m your friend, too. And a friend says something when the other’s dating a douche bag.”

I didn’t try to stop him from walking away. Mostly because I couldn’t give him a good enough reason to stay.

Chapter Thirteen

Jagger

Maybe one day you’ll be proud that I took a chance—hung everything out there on the line. But you’ll probably only be more pissed that it wasn’t your damned line.

Three fucking weeks, and I’d only seen the top of Paisley’s head at the library. Whenever I was working there, she avoided me like the plague. The only way I’d known she’d even seen the back room were the organized supplies on the new shelves.

We were a day or two from finishing, and then I’d have no excuse to see her anymore.

“Hey, where are you? Because it’s sure not here,” Josh asked.

I blinked twice and woke the fuck up. “I’m here.” I tapped my pen on the desk, stretching my legs out in front of me, wondering how much of the lecture I’d missed.

Our instructor, Mr. Givens, looked at the clock, and I followed suit. Mondays always seemed the longest, but today was dragging ass.

“Who do you think it will be?” Josh asked in a whisper.

Carter turned from his seat ahead of us and shot Josh a glare, like he was the noise police. I shot it back, and it turned icy on his part. What the fuck did he have to be so angry about? He got to keep Paisley, while I lost my friend. I swiveled my finger in a circle, and he took the hint and turned around, but not before he shook his head. He disapproved of my choice of finger, apparently.

“It’s close,” Masters said.

“My money’s on Jagger.”

That earned Josh a snort from Carter. He tapped his ring on the desk for good measure, like he needed to remind us that he’d graduated West Point.

“Good bet,” Masters replied.

I ignored them both and concentrated on the PowerPoint ahead of us. Not that I didn’t already know this shit. It had been committed to memory since I picked up a book on the principles of flight when I was thirteen. Regardless, I made sure to take a look at each slide as he presented them.

“I’m sure you’re all wondering what’s going to happen this afternoon for the flight schedule,” Mr. Givens segued. My grip tightened on my pen so hard I was surprised it didn’t break. First solo flight went to the highest on the OML, which was a pretty closely guarded secret. Not that we didn’t all try to keep tabs on test scores to figure it out ourselves, but this would be the only real way to measure before the official list was posted at selection. “You solo flight when you’re ready, not because it’s your turn.” He pinned the schedule to the board. “Those of you who are ready are listed on today’s schedule, along with who your stick buddy will be for the remainder of primary.” He smiled like he hadn’t altered our entire lives, announcing that we’d also be assigned our pilot partners. “Enjoy your lunch. Meet here at thirteen hundred.”

He walked out, and chairs screeched as the class rushed the board. I hung toward the back, flipping Paisley’s nickel over in my fingers. I knew all about the nickel flight tradition and had given my IP a different one. The shiny coin in my hand was the first gift I’d been given in six years; I wasn’t letting anyone have it.

Josh came over grinning, clapping Masters on the shoulder.

“Well, did you make the varsity football team?” I asked.

“Hell, yes, and I scored Grayson as my stick buddy. But you—”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Carter’s exclamation cut Josh off.

“What’s wrong, West Point? Didn’t make the cut?” I called out. Josh elbowed me in the ribs, but that didn’t stop the smirk of satisfaction crossing my face as Carter glared at me.

“Fuck you, Bateman. Looks like we’ll be seeing enough of each other as it is. I’m going to grab lunch with Lee.”

Hearing her name out of his mouth squeezed my chest like a vise. My fist clenched, and I couldn’t manage to draw a full breath until he was out of my sight. “He’s an asshole.”