Echoes of Unrequited Love

Chapter 55

Wallis had ribbed me before for being a bit too serious.

So I decided to play it cool and said with a smile. “Alright, then I won’t hold back.”

“Professor Yearwood, Xaviera,” a soft, out–of–place voice chimed in. “What a coincidence.”

I turned and instantly spotted Hogan and Cecilia not far away.

Hogan, clutching a stack of research books, stood quietly beside Cecilia, gazing in our direction.

His eyes were deep and mysterious.

A subtle smirk, almost imperceptible, played on his lips.

Cecilia had come to the bookstore hunting for some gaming programming material.

And, needless to say, Hogan was tagging along with his sweetheart to level up.

They’d been browsing the bookstore for a while but hadn’t found the game backend construction guide on their shopping list and were getting antsy.

“Professor Yearwood, are you here to help Xaviera pick books too?” Cecilia fluttered her big eyes at Darren, “Detective novels, huh?”

Darren scratched his head and said, “Just bumped into each other.”

sooner had he spoken than I caught a beam of scrutiny from across the way; lifting

played it cool, looked away, and pointed at the bookshelf, “Top shelf, second row from

clueless,

you’re looking for.”

was pointing, and moments later,

and kept mum.

Hogan and I used to hit this place up all the time during college:

the book, said, “Xaviera, thanks a bunch. How about this, let us

out a book and I was in for a free dinner, should I feel

to catch my drift and politely declined. “Ms. Irwin, you’re too kind.”

Chapter 55

the hint, suggested, “The same place you and Xaviera ate last

was really pushing

Hogan knew it better than

and asked, “What do you think,

pouted, tugging at Hogan’s sleeve, “I wanna try

a look like he couldn’t

chimed in cheerfully, “Cool, then let’s go for

an hour later, the four of us showed up in the school cafeteria.

came over to say hi. Plus, Hogan, decked. out in a suit, looking like a walking bjd, turned quite a few

bit, even seemed a tad proud, giggling with