Until Next Time (The Shooting Stars Series) Read Free Page A

Berkley. So what would the point of talking be?”
    “I was wrong,” Nathan returned.
    Adam watched Katherine drop her things into her car and sigh.
    “I think it was a good decision and after I got over the initial hurt I realized you are right. We are going to be on opposite sides of the country and it wasn’t going to last. It’s better to make the break now. Besides, I think we both know that isn’t really why you dumped me,” Katherine’s smile was brittle.
    “Kattie, I’m sorry about that. I…can’t we just talk?”
    “We’ve said all that needs saying. Now if you will excuse me, Adam and I have plans for the evening. Best of luck, Nathan,” Katherine climbed into her car.
    Adam hurried to get into his own car and prepared to follow her.
    “So who was that guy?” Adam asked after he had left his car in her drive and was seated beside her.
    “Nathan, my ex-boyfriend of three years,” she shared.
    “Wow! Three years? Are you serious? I don’t think I’ve ever even stayed friends with someone for that long,” Adam was shell shocked.
    “Yep.”
    “What happened?”
    “He claimed it was because we were going to be on opposite sides of the country but it really boils down to sex,” she shrugged. “He wants it and I won’t give it.”
    Adam studied her a moment. He couldn’t decide if he respected her for her resolve or if she was crazy.
    “Yeah, I suspect that has more to do with it than school,” Adam agreed.
    “I think I knew it was over before it ever ended. Trouble is we had become a habit and everyone at church and school thought we’d be high school sweethearts and grow up and marry. It hurt in a way and in another it was liberating.”
    “So if he’s a church boy isn’t he supposed to be a nice guy?” His smile came off as more a smirk.
    “He was and then he went to California and…I haven’t told anyone this but I think he cheated on me. He was all fine with our relationship; he agreed we were too young to jump into bed together. Then he goes out there and comes back constantly groping me and pressuring me. I think he discovered he likes sex while he was out there.”
    “Sorry, Kaitlyn, that has to hurt.”
    “Yes…no…it does but like I said, I think I already knew we were unraveling.”
    “Still, cheating is about as lousy as it gets; I’ve been on the receiving end.”
    “It is lousy,” she agreed as she parked. “So you do like lasagna don’t you?” She was smiling again.
    “Yeah, I love lasagna,” he assured her.
    “Great, let’s go get the stuff; my mom makes great lasagna.”
    They arrived back at her house just as her mother was stepping from the car.
    “How’s that for timing?” Julia smiled at them.
    They helped her carry the groceries in before she shooed them off to do their homework. Adam followed Katherine into a basement den and seated himself beside her.
    “Why don’t we start with Advanced Math since we have that together first period,” she suggested.
    “Works for me,” he nodded.
    They worked for some time before Katherine stopped and smiled at him.
    “You are full of surprises, you know that?” she asked him.
    “How so?”
    “You have this kind of negligent air about you like you don’t care about anything and yet you are breezing through your work,” she noted.
    “Mom freaks if my grades slip,” he shrugged.
    “I don’t think you are as tough as you act,” she informed him.
    Adam smiled in amusement. “You’re an optimist.”
    “True,” she conceded, “but I still don’t think you’re so tough.”
    Her mom called them to dinner before he could respond.
    Adam followed Katherine back into the green and white kitchen and a small breakfast nook that sat tucked into bay windows overlooking the yard. An older gentleman with graying brown hair was pulling a chair for Katherine’s mother.
    “Hi, Daddy,” Katherine stood on tiptoe to kiss her father’s cheek.
    “Hi, Princess; it looks like we have company.”
    “Daddy,