Free Her Heart's Secret Wish by Juliana Haygert Page A

away. “What are you doing here?”
    Fallon pushed her glasses onto the top of her head, revealing her big green eyes, and flashed a fake pout. A thousand times, Natasha had told her she should use contacts or purchase a more modern style of glasses because the giant ones she currently wore hid her beauty.
    “Oh, you know, observing your star-struck gaze and its subject.” Her roomie glanced toward the door through which Jason had disappeared. “If I didn’t know better, I would say you’re taken.”
    “Thank goodness you know me.” She continued rummaging for the stapler, an effort to disguise her discomfort. “So, what are you really doing here?”
    “Saying bye to you,” Fallon said. “I’m done with the semester. Gonna pick up my things at the apartment and go home. When you get back from work, I won’t be there.”
    “Oh, yeah.” She paused her search. “I’d forgotten you were leaving so soon.”
    “I could leave a few hours later if you wanted to come with me. Any chance of changing your mind?”
    “No way. I won’t go to your parents’ house and pretend I can behave.” Moreover, she had to work. She was running short on money this month. “Besides, aren’t you going to someone else’s party for New Year’s? Your father’s new boss? Imagine if I got him fired. That wouldn’t be good.”
    “No, it wouldn’t.” Fallon laughed. “But I’ll miss you.”
    “No sentimental stuff. Just tell me bye and go.” She walked around the counter and led her roommate toward the door. “It’s only three weeks. Then you can be mad at me for partying too much.”
    “Okay.”
    Fallon hesitated, and she worried her roommate might say something else—or worse, give her a hug. Before the girl could act, Natasha patted her back and pushed her outside.
    “I’ll call you,” her roomie yelled.
    “I know. Several times.”
    “Exactly.” Fallon waved and stepped out into the snow.
    She stood at the door as her roommate, her only friend, left her alone during the worst time of the year.
    But that was okay. She had survived the holidays many times before. She would survive it this time, too.
     
    ***
     
    In his office, Jason had three twenty-seven-inch monitors on his desk in front of him—one with his new game, another with the game he was working on, the third with the college grading database—and he couldn’t focus on any of them.
    He’d battled against his mind and his body for months. Although he had been winning so far, he didn’t know how much longer he could endure the situation. Lately, the more he tried to fight his feelings, the more his thoughts wandered to where they shouldn’t go.
    He minimized the college grading database and opened a web browser, going to a bookmarked page with a dozen positions he could apply for at other universities. It was the one way to ensure he kept on winning. Or he could simply quit, move to California, where the headquarters of his gaming company, Storm, was located, and work full-time there. His boss would certainly love it. If only he was strong enough to actually do it, to quit or leave, he would be free of—
    His cell phone rang. Checking at the caller ID, he answered. “Hey, Mom.”
    “Hi, dear. How are you?”
    He rubbed his eyes with his thumb and his forefinger. “I’m good, but busy at the moment. Can I call you later? Or maybe we can talk tomorrow evening when I see you?”
    “That’s why I called, dear. We’re changing our plans.”
    “What? Why?”
    “You see, Travis’s parents invited us to go down to their house in Florida for Christmas.” At the mention of his sister’s boyfriend, he gritted his teeth.
    “And we accepted. We’re leaving tomorrow or the day after.” She paused. “Will you come with us?”
    Jason laughed out loud, a bitter sound even to him. “Sorry, Mom. I can’t stand the guy, he can’t stand me, and I won’t pretend to like him for anyone’s sake.”
    “But what will you do for Christmas?” Her tone