There was no mention of teams or clubs or competitive swimming, so Rory was surprised to find himself facing off against the guy at his swim meet the next day. Rory won, of course, which wasn’t unusual—he was fast in the water, and could outswim anyone on his own team in the short races. But his win also lost him any chance of a second date.
It didn’t matter. Rory didn’t need any distractions anyway. He wanted to race competitively on a worldwide level. In championships, in the Olympics. There would be time enough for fooling around once he had that gold medal hanging around his neck.
* * * *
State University was the only school he considered attending because of the Olympic-sized pool in the campus fitness center. In the pre-dawn silence, he jogs around College Circle, starting at his
