He shrugged. “No big deal. Sorry about stepping on your glasses.”
“Sorry about jumping on your back. I was just trying to—”
“I know what you were trying to do,” he said, finding it hard to keep the bitterness out of his voice, even though that wasn’t part of the plan.
She smoothed her hair, which she wore in long, synthetic braids, behind her ear. “I’m just real surprised, that’s all. I thought you hated me.”
“I don’t hate you.”
She snorted. “Could have fooled me.”
Even though this had all been pre-planned, his heart started beating faster when he insisted, “I don’t hate you. If anything, I like you too much.” He cast his eyes away. “That’s why I’ve been trying to keep my distance from you since you started at Forest Brook.”
Her eyes narrowed behind her new eyeglasses. “Now I know y
