Sunrise at Sunset by Jaz Primo Page A

that, aside from Melanie and a few of her friends, he still hadn’t yet formed any close friendships in the Atlanta area. Many of his college friends had moved away to new locations or returned to their home towns where they grew up. And he was still so new in his position at the college that he was still getting to know everybody there. The majority of people in his life at the moment were friendly acquaintances.
    “I’m not like other people that you know,” Katrina earnestly clarified.
    “No,” he agreed after a moment’s pause. “You’re not. And I’ve never been happier.”
    She bent her free arm up on the table and propped her chin on her hand as she smiled at him. He swallowed once and moved his face closer to hers. It felt like an imaginary string was pulling him to her as he gazed into her penetrating stare. She slyly smiled like a predator that had snared its prey and was relishing the catch. As their lips almost touched, their meal abruptly arrived with the appearance of their server.
    To Katrina’s amusement, Caleb turned his head to look up at their waiter with a forced, false grin, offering, “Wow, that was amazing timing.”
    Once they began to eat, Katrina mostly picked at her salad as they talked about topics ranging from favorite historical periods, to favorite aspects of the Atlanta area, to how the Braves were already looking to next season for their race to the pennant. They enjoyed each other’s company immensely and shared a rich chocolate dessert between them.
    Caleb regretted that the time had passed so quickly. He was rather quiet on their return drive to campus, but felt very happy. He sensed strong chemistry with Katrina and realized for perhaps the first time just how poorly matched he and Melanie were.
    Katrina was flush with emotions as she drove the two of them back to the college. She remembered how close they’d been to a first kiss at the restaurant and was startled by how much she had craved it. She felt a palpable attraction to him, both physical and emotional, and his personality seemed both genuine and endearing. She also relished the diversity in conversational topics and how well-informed he was. It surprised her how strongly, and how quickly, her feelings for him were growing in more directions than she could have anticipated.
    As she pulled up next to his car in the campus parking lot, she put the Audi in park but left the engine running. She looked over to him and effortlessly smiled.
    “Thanks again, Katrina,” he offered as he released his seatbelt. “I really had a great time tonight.”
    “Me too,” she softly replied.
    He seemed confused as to what to do and chose to open the passenger door. He wanted to reach across the seat and kiss her, and yet his mind screamed that he was technically still dating Melanie. And while he felt a sense of betrayal over seeing Katrina behind Melanie’s back, he was still happy he’d done so. Not that he approved of that sort of thing, it was a first for him, but rather being with Katrina just felt right. He despised the situation he was facing, but knew the only clear way to any form of redemption was being honest with both Melanie and Katrina.
    She watched him silently, seeing the conflict wash across his features, and waited patiently. She realized somehow she had helped propel them both down this path, but she left free will in Caleb’s corner. That is, if trying to deny the temptations directed by one of nature’s most powerful, deadly predators was free will at all. No , she realized, human free will is altogether something just as powerful as I am regarding affairs of the heart. The word “affairs” stuck in her mind.
    “Have I created complications for you, Caleb?” she asked with a hint of sympathy.
    He looked across the seat at her hesitantly and conceded with a sigh, “I think I’ve done that all by myself.”
    She smiled briefly and reassured him, “I’m not going anywhere.”
    Caleb frowned slightly,