Fast Connection (Cyberlove #2) by Megan Erickson, Santino Hassell Page A

case that I was twenty-seven and could pick my own career if I knew what the hell I wanted to do with myself now that I’d decided not to stay in the military. It was a bummer to realize they were breaking their necks trying to figure things out for me because they didn’t think I’d figure it out for myself. After all, that had been part of the reason I’d enlisted in the first place. I’d had absolutely no direction as an eighteen-year-old, except towards the nearest bar with my fake ID.
    Sinking lower in my chair, I listened to them chatter about the various civil servant exams and poked at my chicken. Horror scenarios were going through my head of being a stereotype or statistic. The big-shot vet who came home and eventually became a big pile of nothing unless I finished school and got some white-collar job. I’d accrued enough credits at community college to finish a lot of core courses, and it would be easy to pick up a major, but I didn’t want to. What was the point of wasting time on college if I didn’t have a goal?
    And why the fuck was I still asking myself this question a decade after I’d first stepped up to the recruitment stand in my high school cafeteria?
    My mope was interrupted by Adriana slinking into the back door. Her hair was windblown and her cheeks red from the brisk temperature. She looked so grownup and pretty that I gave her a big smile. Too bad I was the only one.
    “Where the fuck have you been?”
    “Whoah!” I sat up again. “Take it easy.”
    Duffy jabbed a finger at her. “I asked you a question, little girl.”
    “I was with friends,” Adriana said dully. “It’s not even dark yet. Why are you freaking out?”
    “It’s past dinner time!” Teresa chimed in. “Can’t I once have a nice dinner with my—”
    “Who were you with?” Duffy leaned halfway across the table. “If you were with Micah…”
    “Oh my God, why do you care if I’m with Micah? He’s the nicest person I know.”
    “If his father is letting you go to their house, I swear to God I will walk over there and break my foot off in his ass!”
    Adriana’s face colored further. “Dad! Relax yourself. If he was one of your stupid cop friends’ sons, you wouldn’t be so concerned.”
    “Oh yes I would,” Duffy roared. “He could be the prince of England and I’d still not want my little girl in his fucking castle—”
    “I’m
not
a little girl.”
    “Don’t yell at your father—”
    The arguing was hitting DEFCON 1, so I slid out of my chair and grabbed my plate. By the time I finished packing away my leftovers for later (because God forbid we should waste three bites of chicken), Adriana had hightailed it to her room. I nearly bit my tongue off trying not to go off on Duffy for not even letting the girl get two steps in the house before scaring her away. She hadn’t even gotten to eat.
    “I’m going to the gym,” I muttered.
    The room was simmering with tension and neither of my parents responded. I changed into sweats and Nikes, plugged my Beats into my phone, and got ready to jog down Forest Avenue to Planet Fitness. It wasn’t the best place for weight training, but it was cheap.
    Before going, I shot off a text to Adriana.
    Dominic: Want an Italian ice from Ralph’s on my way back from the gym?
    Adriana: Sure
    Dominic: ;) I got you, kiddo.
    Adriana: Thanks bro <3
    The message broke my heart, and I wasn’t sure why. Maybe because she was so clearly bummed, or maybe because she was surprised I was being nice. Either way, it sucked. Fortunately, I had no doubts my little sister would be out of that fucking house and into college by the time she was eighteen. Sassy attitude and tendency to skip aside, she was smart.
    I started jogging, but my spirits were still low as I obsessed over the situation and my future. A distraction was needed. Pronto.
    I passed Manor Road and had to stop myself from casually running by Luke’s house. No looking like a stalker. He’d given me another shot,