Academically Yours (Best Friends Book Club, #1)

by Jennifer Chipman

Dreams. I couldn’t remember the last time I had felt like I had any. What was I searching for? What did I want in life? I didn’t know.

I knew, that once I found the right person, I was going to be in it for the long haul. Once I met her, I was going to do whatever it took to keep her in my life, and make sure she knew that I was hers, forever. And she would be mine. Absolutely, unequivocally, mine. I was just waiting for her to walk into my life.

And for some reason, her small smile just did something to me. Because the pure and utter bliss on her face… It stuck with me.

She just seemed like… warmth. It felt like it oozed from her like she could be the light in any dark, bringing a place to life with just a smile.

Because at the other end of the room stood the most beautiful man I had ever seen. Not even exaggerating, he was gorgeous. I think my heart skipped a beat. Holy hell, he looked like he could have been a painting.

And for the first time in my life, I thought to myself, is this what it means for fate to exist?

“I’d much prefer to meet the love of my life in more of a… Unique way.”

And when she had asked me how I wanted to meet someone, I almost said it. Just like this.

She carried herself as if the very world depended on her light, the warmth of her smile. Maybe it did.

“I’ll always make time for you.” And damn if that statement didn’t make me feel all warm inside.

How did I explain to her that her presence had always had some sort of magnetic pull on me? Like she was the sun, and I was destined to orbit around her for the rest of my life. And maybe I just needed her sunlight in my life. You’re like the sunshine, I wanted to tell her. And I can’t help but want to be around you and absorb every bit of it.

I laughed. “Sure, Noelle. Anything you want.” And I meant it—really. I would give her anything she wanted.

“I love you,” I said as I kissed her temple, and she lit up like the sun. She was the sun. My own special kind of sun. She was the only one that brought sunshine into my life, and I loved her more every single day. Would love her for the rest of our lives, too, if I had anything to say about it.