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looked at her as if he could see inside her thoughts. “Did you have words with the boyfriend?” he asked.
    She bristled. “Why would you assume Josh and I are having problems? There’s nothing wrong between us.”
    A sly smile flicked the corners of Garrison’s mouth. “You’re a lousy liar, Katie.”
    Flustered, she stood and, without meaning to, tipped her chair over. “You have no right—”
    He was beside her in an instant, took her hands in his, and tugged her toward him. “Calm down before they throw us out. Come on. I’ll take you to the student union and buy you a soda.” He began to lead her to the interior lobby and elevators.
    “But our books and stuff—”
    “Will be fine till we get back.”
    She said nothing, allowing him to take her out of the main entrance and into the night. I
shouldn’t go
, she told herself. For weeks, he’d treated her with friendly indifference—ever since the time she’d insisted she had a boyfriend and he’d acted surprised that she’d think he’d move in on her. She’d seen him with other girls around school. Part of her had been glad. But another part of her had reacted.
    Garrison drove to the student union without a word, and once they were inside the room wherestudents gathered for coffee and visiting, he found them a booth, brought back two colas and an order of fries, and sat down next to her.
    She moved into the corner because his thigh was touching hers. He jabbed his straw into his cup, turned to her, and said, “So, what’s going on, Katie? What’s got you so wound up?”

S
even

    W ITHOUT WARNING, TEARS filled Katie’s eyes. Garrison didn’t say a word, only handed her a napkin. She dabbed at the moisture, hating herself for allowing Garrison to see her in such a state of muddled confusion. “I have a lot of pressure on me,” she said lamely.
    “But your boyfriend is a part of it, isn’t he? He doesn’t like us spending so much time together.”
    She peered at Garrison, and something in his expression told her more was going on than he was telling her. “Has Josh said something to you?”
    “He cornered me in the gym the other day. He said some things. Made some suggestions about what might happen if I didn’t butt out of your life.”
    “What things?” Katie felt shocked and mortified.This wasn’t like Josh at all. Josh was kind and sweet. He wouldn’t threaten anyone.
    “Look, Katie, it was just between us guys. Don’t worry. I wasn’t intimidated.”
    “If things were said about me, then it’s between all of us. I can’t believe what you’re telling me.”
    Garrison’s hand reached out and closed over hers. “He’s in love, Katie. I understand why he said what he did. How long have the two of you been involved anyway?”
    Josh had no right to manipulate her life this way. No right to decide who she could see or not see. Suddenly, her pounding heart reminded her of Josh’s role in her life. Fresh tears pooled in her eyes.
    “Katie,” Garrison whispered. “Please tell me what’s going on. I think I have the right to know.”
    She told him the story, haltingly at first, then with more intensity. She told him about her illness and her need for a transplant, about Aaron’s death and how Josh had figured out who’d received his brother’s heart. She told him about Gramps, Josh’s alcoholic parents, her own parents’ affection for Josh. She told him about the Transplant Games and her footrace and Josh’s role in her training. She finished with her hopes of a track scholarship and even a mention of Chelsea and how Katie needed to be there for her friend as she faced a similar transplant procedure.
    When she was finished, she leaned back in the booth, drained, but also purged. It had felt good to unburden herself. Garrison’s intense gaze neverleft her face, and for a moment she thought she might drown in the depths of his incredible brown eyes. “Well, I’ll have to admit, Katie, I’ve never heard anything like this