Chapter 24
Derek’s POV
The campus quad was busy with students rushing between classes, but Lena had cornered me near the library steps, her sharp eyes narrowed in that way that always made me nervous.
“You’ve been avoiding me,” she said, arms crossed. “And don’t give me that ‘busy with research’ bullshit again. Something’s going on with you, Derek. I can see it.”
I shifted my backpack, trying to look casual. “It’s just family stuff with the wedding coming up. It’s stressful.”
Lena wasn’t buying it. “Uh-huh. And does that ‘family stuff’ explain why you look like you haven’t slept properly in weeks? Or why do you get weird every time Marcus’s name comes up?”
My stomach twisted. The near-misses, the constant tension, the secret encounters during wedding planning, it was all wearing me d
