163 Days

Introverted pre-med student Katie is loving college life. She has a job at the library that suits her perfectly and an awesome roommate. Her only complaint? Said roommate is trying to push her out of her comfort zone. That’s how she meets Archer. He’s hot and popular but surprisingly kind.

 Years of grief and loss have taken a toll on Archer’s concentration, and things have been tough for him lately. Katie’s entrance into his life is a revelation, and he’s happy to give her credit for the improvement that follows. It isn’t a stretch to know that having someone support you unconditionally can change your world.

 But Katie’s a giving person, and it’s not long before all her priorities center around Archer. He’s not going to let her sacrifice her dreams when she’s done so much for his. What happens when you see the person you love choosing your success over their own? You let them go.

 Theirs is a journey of love and loss, of self-sacrifice and humility, heartbreak and hope. It is about finding the right one, and then waiting to find them again.

We stood at the crosswalk, waiting for the light to change, her chatter creating comfortable conversation between us. I watched a gray Jeep with the top off stop for the light, giving us the opportunity to cross. I glanced his way to make sure he saw us.

I had not come to college to meet guys, like Bethany, so I was a bit shocked when I couldn’t take my eyes off him.

He was adjusting something on his dashboard—maybe his music? He wasn’t looking our way, so I could stare undetected for a few seconds. He was the poster boy for Abercrombie college hotness. His almost black hair was long enough to fall forward, and his smile was so pronounced I could see his dimples.

His eyes lifted to check the status of the light, and he glanced at me. I blinked but did not look away, and our eyes met. I felt like someone tickled my stomach. I blinked again and kept walking, my cadence a bit slower now. I could see his smile reach his eyes, and I realized he was talking to someone on Bluetooth. He laughed, and the richness of his voice was almost mesmerizing. I couldn’t make out what he said, but it didn’t matter. This was just a stolen moment where I would pay attention to the most attractive person I had encountered—ever.

Bethany hip-checked me and laughed, slinging her arms around to hug me. The driver glanced over and smiled at us, his look contagious, and I knew I smiled a big goofy smile back.

Bethany and I had arrived at the other side of the street, and the light changed. The guy drove off without a backward glance, which I anticipated. However, the feeling of disappointment I felt wasn’t expected. I always preferred to be invisible, and someone so clearly out of my league should not have mattered at all.