Forget You
Authors: Jennifer Snyder
Tags: #Romance, #emotional, #Series, #Contemporary Romance, #New Adult, #standalone, #companion sereies
A COLDCREEK NOVEL
JENNIFER SNYDER
FORGET YOU
A COLDCREEK NOVEL
Copyright 2014 by Jennifer Snyder
Cover design created by Lindee Robinson
Photography
Cover models: Chad Feyrer and Madison Wayne
Editing by H. Danielle Crabtree
Formatted by
IRONHORSE
Formatting
Smashwords Edition
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters,
places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the
author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author
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DEDICATION:
To those who just want to find someone to love
for
the rest of ever
…
FORGIVE YOU - A COLDCREEK SHORT
STORY
Other Books Also by Jennifer
Snyder
People enter our lives at random…or so we
often think. For others, though, they believe sometimes it’s a
stroke of luck, or a simple twist of fate, that forces this
seemingly chance meeting to occur; that it was simply meant to
be.
It’s the people we meet this way whom we tuck
into our hearts, never wanting to let go. It’s these people that
leave an imprint larger than we ever thought possible on our souls,
these people who are forever tattooed into the essence of who we
are, because after meeting them, we’re never the same.
These are the people whom you never wish to
see harmed. The people you hope and pray will never forget you…
EVA
Incredible eyes I couldn’t quite determine
the color of stared at me across the distance. Never being one to
break eye contact first, I held the guy’s stare. When his lips
twisted into a sinful smile as he grew closer, I arched an eyebrow.
I knew his type. Cocky, arrogant, self-centered—well, maybe not
self-centered, considering he was obviously part of the National
Guard—just the type of guy who would get under my skin, and toy
with my heart strings more than I deserved before dropping me.
He was trouble. That was all I needed to
remember.
My eyes remained focused on him as he
continued to jog with his group toward the bench I was sitting on.
Before the group reached me, the guy’s pace slowed, and he went
from near the front to the back in a single controlled motion.
Sweat glistened his muscular chest in the afternoon sunlight, and I
couldn’t force my eyes away from him.
Who the hell was this guy, but more
importantly, why the hell was I reacting this way to him? Had my
libido been so neglected it was ready to pounce on the first nearly
naked piece of eye candy it saw in the flesh?
As the stragglers of his group passed, his
sergeant in command—or whatever the guy was—barked for him to pick
up the pace. Soldier Boy grinned wider, and shifted his gaze away
from me for the first time in ninety seconds. A sensation I
couldn’t name trickled through me at the sudden shift of his eyes.
As I stared after his retreating form, I pursed my lips together
and wondered what the hell I was feeling. Whatever it was, it
mingled and intertwined with an ever-present sense of loneliness
that had been inside of me for far too long.
Slapping my notebook closed, I decided I’d
had enough fresh air and tepidly warm sunshine for one day. After
gathering my textbooks, I scooped up my coffee before heading to my
vehicle.
Gareth’s Park may have been beside the local
National Guard post in Norhurst, but I wasn’t the type to study
there for that reason. Although, the slight chance of seeing built
hotties running laps all sweaty and sexy-like should have been
enough enticement to make it a studying staple. I studied there
because it was quiet—for the most part—and no one would stare at me
as though I were crazy.
There was a set of picnic tables designated
for studying in my apartment complex courtyard, but apparently,
when I moved in someone forgot to attach the memo to my lease about
it being taboo to use them. This resorted in me being stared at
through mini-blinds for about twenty minutes by various neighbors
before I finally let the awkwardness of the moment win and headed
back inside.
From that point on, I tried a variety of
places to cram besides my living room. None of them could hold a
candle to Gareth’s Park. The library was too eerily quiet, and the
coffee shop down the street was filled with too many noisy people
wondering what you were studying and why such a pretty girl had her
nose stuck in a book all the time.
Here, no one asked questions and no one
stared—until Soldier Boy.
As I hoisted the straps of my tote bag higher
onto my shoulder, I spotted my green Ford Escape and dug my keys
out of my front pocket. After unlocking the doors, I tossed my bag
in the back, and climbed into the driver’s seat. Soldier Boy’s face
flashed through my mind, and I took in a deep breath. He was sexy
as hell—there was no doubt about it—but it wasn’t his good looks
that had him flashing through my mind on repeat. It was the way
he’d locked his eyes on mine, how he’d been just as unwilling as I
was to be the first to look away.
It took a confident person not to be afraid
of eye contact.
The list of characteristics I’d thought about
upon first seeing him and his wayward smile blasted through my
mind, reminding me of why I shouldn’t give him a second more of my
time. His image might be a good one to pleasure myself to during a
dry spell, but that was about as far as I would allow him to
consume me mentally.
Starting now.
Pulling up my grocery list on my phone, I
checked it again for anything else I might need to add. A text
popped up as soon as I closed my notepad app. I smiled at the sight
of Mindy’s name.
Hey! Hope studying is going well. There’s a
party happening tonight at Wes’s house. Wanna come?
Mindy Pendergrass had taken my title of
newest waitress at The Point—the pub I worked at—about three weeks
ago. I’d worked at another local diner for over a year, but when
the owner died and the place was left in the hands of her slimy
son, I couldn’t handle working there anymore, so I quit. The Point
had been hiring, and it paid more hourly. It was a no-brainier to
apply. I’d gotten the job on the spot, and I was grateful beyond
belief.
Rereading Mindy’s text, I thought about how
to answer. Tonight we both were off. I’d already done all the
studying I could handle for one day, but I wasn’t sure I felt up to
a party at Wes’s, of all people, frat house. Wes was exactly what
Soldier Boy was—arrogant, cocky, full of himself—and I preferred to
avoid guys who fell in that category.
I’d learned in my Human Behavior and Social
Environment section of study that sometimes people find themselves
in vicious cycles. My vicious cycle happened to be dating guys who
fit the sexy, bad boy stereotype, which always seemed to resort in
my heart getting trampled. When I broke down each of the guys, I
concluded there was a certain thread of traits they each had in
common. If I avoided those traits, my theory was that I might be
able to find someone worth a damn.
So far, that presumption had attracted guys
who were obsessed with their cell phones, socially awkward, or
ordered a Cosmo when I did…for themselves.
Another text came through, and I glanced at
the screen of my cell.
Well?
I don’t know. I’ll think about it and get
back to you. Okay? ~ Eva
It didn’t take her but a second to
respond.
Please! I don’t want to go alone.
Mindy’s words burned through my mind, and my
subconscious whispered for me to answer with a three-lettered
response—
yes
.
Going to parties solo sucked. I knew this
from personal experience. So I caved.
What time is it? ~ Eva
It couldn’t hurt to go to this thing and
attempt to have some fun. Hell, maybe I’d even find a one-night
stand that would turn into something more, exactly like I was
always reading about. Just because it was a college party didn’t
mean it would be completely devoid of boyfriend-worthy guys. From
the way images of Soldier Boy were flashing through my mind on
repeat, I’d apparently starved my libido long enough. Maybe it was
time to go on the prowl again.
Yay! I’m so glad you’re gonna come! It starts
at nine. Wanna carpool?
Carpool? I hated carpooling to parties. If I
wanted to get the hell out of there for whatever reason, then I
didn’t want to have to wait on anyone.
No. I’ll drive myself. I won’t be able to
stay too late, because I’ve got plans tomorrow morning. ~ Eva
Complete and total lie. All I had planned to
do was my laundry and more studying.
I was in such a funk. I blamed it on my
friend Blaire’s approaching wedding. There was nothing that could
make a girl feel worse about her single status than being invited
to a wedding and having to stare at the box where you were supposed
to check plus one. I didn’t have a plus one, but damn if I didn’t
want one. At least as a date to the wedding. I was the habitually
single friend. Sure, I dated, but it never seemed to pan out as
anything. All of my friends were in monogamous, long-lasting
relationships. Even my best friend had traded in his playboy ways
for the girl of his dreams.
I’d hit that point in my life where everyone
was either married, in a serious relationship, or having babies,
and here I was nearing twenty-five, and still kissing through a
crap ton of frogs looking for Prince Charming.
No biggie. I’ll see you there!
I tossed my phone into the cup holder, and
didn’t bother responding. I’d only known Mindy for as long as she’d
worked at The Point, which was for about three weeks. She was from
someplace in Florida. Her uncle lived in Coldcreek, and he recently
had some major health scare. She’d transferred her credits to
Norhurst University in an effort to be closer to him. That was the
gist of what I knew of her—other than the fact that she was
nice.