Part 2 (1/2)

”When I decided to pursue WorldSight, I turned down an opportunity to attend Stanford Medical School It's so coave up my spot and my fellowshi+p My father was furious He's a doctor and always assueon My ry too, but she reasoned thatI needed to get out oftotheood or bad for theoing for it

”But I didn't reapply How could I? TheIn response, however, my father officially cut , and I haven't had any contact with anyone inhiain He was such a good person, such a kind soul, and his faht back on the first time he'd told her She'd just been to see Ada with her attraction for hiht about Adam's mismatched socks and the dimple in his left cheek that always appeared when he smiled at his own jokes and the way he didn't even try to contain his excite her when she'd coht about all these things and her cheeks got hot and her whole body felt light and she texted Sundeep to ask him if they could talk, because she knew that she had to break up with hiht But when they'd ht as she started to tell him she'd found someone else-that it was her, not him-he'd broken down, put his head on the table and explained what had happened with his family He was devastated She couldn't tell hio and she still hadn't found the strength to be so cruel Sundeep didn't have a lot of friends He spent all his ti her What would happen if she broke up with him? She didn't know, and it worried her horribly

So Lisa felt trapped She loved one guy and felt duty-bound to another And noas eliciting the sy eventhat he was telling them, she decided

”So, in conclusion, I'd like to express ratitude and admiration to the Bristol family for your extraordinary kindness and hospitality”

Everyone clicked glasses and smiled politely at Sundeep He nodded sheepishly and looked longingly at Lisa ”Thank you,” he whispered She hoped he couldn't pick up on the fakeness in her reassuring sotten hi swig of her wine, Mr Bristol was focused on getting the waiter's attention to order dessert and another Scotch, and T J was checking his text es under the table

CHAPTER 6:

Waterfalls

”We should let the young athletes go ahead of us old fogeys,” Chad's father said cheerfully Chad and Patty had been silent for the half hour the families had been on the trail, and the adults naturally assu pace was too dull

”Oh, it's fine,” Patty said, s politely

”Are you afraid I'll beat you?” Chad slad to see the sibling rivalry has already begun!”

Patty glared at them both She was fiercely coe was too much to resist

She chuckled coolly ”Please I could take you any day I've got nothing to prove”

”I'll believe it when I see it,” Chad smirked

Patty stopped, held his eyes for aup the hill

Forty strenuous minutes later, Chad and Patty were both in a full-on sprint, ju branches until they finally burst into a clearing where an enored into a pool of crystal-clear water A bright, red sun rested on the horizon opposite the waterfall, its light reflecting off the water in a brilliant asped

”Did not,” Patty panted, looking up at the sunset ”Oh,I've ever seen”

They stood for ain the beauty It was the kind of moment that you know is rare and aren't quite sure how to take in

Patty's tanned face dripped with sweat, her clothes wet from the run Chad pulled off his sweat-soaked shi+rt and Patty tried not to pay attention to his perfectly chiseled abs She wished she were a guy and had the option of taking off her sweaty top, too

”I knoe can decide,” Chad said ”See that rock in the middle of the water? First one there wins”

With her hands on her hips and her gaze set on Chad, Patty used her foot to force one shoe off the other ”You realize I was recruited to swiht? The best swi off his own shoes, ”but you're still a girl”

She slapped him playfully on the sto him to the rock with her flawless freestyle

She clireen sea Chad clamored onto the rock beside her and rested his elbows on his knees, shaking his head to release water froy blond tresses ”Okay,” he conceded, out of breath ”You are a Goddess and a chahed ”That will teach you” Her cheeks were flushed with the exercise and the beads of watereyes were captivated by the setting sun, and she looked like she was deep in her oorld, deep in thought about so only she could know

”You are so, so beautiful,” Chad said slowly, his voice honest and raw, born out of a reflex, as though she was so beautiful right then that he couldn't not say it

Patty turned her head toward hi hard ”You can't say that, Chad,” she said with a twinge of anger in her voice ”It isn't fair to lanced back at the horizon, surprised by her own vulnerability She knew, logically, that it wasn't fair to Shandi, but if she was being honest, she was more upset by how unfair it was to her, the way he led her on and made it impossible not to love him

Chad touched her arather his thoughts ”I know it's crazy, but if you only kne et past it Ever since that party when I sae ht be able to have I mean, when I felt the chemistry between usI just don't knohat to do”

Patty pulled her shoulder away froet about it! You s like that and you stop strokingatat how s

The sun wasand the sound of the waterfall roared behind them

He leaned into her, their noses barely three inches apart She could feel his war, and he whispered, ”But what if I' sister?”

”Who won?” Mr Hawkins called out from the shore Molly splashed into the water as the rest of the hiking crew cla at its beauty

The sun slipped below the horizon, and the one

CHAPTER 7:

You Can't Stay On

Top Forever

The conference expo, where all the start-ups were de their products, was about to start A on the table behind the Doreye booth, taking deep breaths with her eyes closed Adam rubbed her back ”Are you okay?” he asked

She shook her head, not looking up ”I don't want to do this any to be okay” He tried to console her, but he wasn't sure how She'd been devastated ever since the ht up her ti to be asking you about our past”