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I blinked at her. “Point? It was a field goal.”

She waved her hand in the air before crossing her arms in front of her chest. “Whatever, you know what I mean.”

“I’m upset about it, yes, but I already told you it’s my fault for losing focus.”

“I know it’s your fault! The kicker’s job is to ignore the crowd. Who else’s fault would it be?”

There was nothing more clarifying than having your girlfriend kick you while you were down instead of providing comfort or understanding, regardless of how undeserved it may have been. “You know what, Arden? I don’t think I want to do this anymore with you.”

Her eyes widened, and her mouth opened in shock. “I know you’re not trying to break up with me just because you’re having a shitty day.”

“It’s not that. It’s… a lot of things. I just can’t…” I took a breath and let it out. “I’m not in a good place right now. You deserve better.”

Her nostrils flared. “I sure as hell do! I deserve for my boyfriend to care about what’s going on in my life and put me first⁠—”

“Okay, then.” I nodded once. “I truly hope you find that person.”

Her eyes widened. “Are you for real right now? You’re actually breaking up with me? After I came here with you tonight?”

“What the hell? I didn’t ask you to⁠—”

“You needed your girlfriend at your side for this big, happy family bullshit. And this is the thanks I get?”

What was even happening right now?

First of all, I hadn’t invited her. I’d actively tried to get her to not come.

Second, it was a fucking campaign event, and, as she’d reminded me, she was a member of the campaign staff.

“Corbett! We’ve been dating for a year. I know you’ve had a rough day. I get it. You’re not happy, and neither am I. But that doesn’t mean we should break up. It means you should be a better fucking boyfriend.”

“I hate being called Corbett,” I said under my breath. It was a red flag I should have noticed before now.

But to be honest, this was bound to happen anyway. Her plan had always been to stay here and get a job in Atlanta, while I wanted to be anywhere other than Georgia.

Not that I’d ever really talked to her about that. Which was yet another red flag.

“Fine! Bett, then. Jesus. What the hell has gotten into you tonight? You have one bad kick, and suddenly, you want to upend your entire life?”

I stopped and thought about it, feeling so clearly caught between the life I’d always lived, the life I was supposed to keep right on living, and the dream of something better. The life I imagined and even planned, but never admitted out loud to anyone.

A life that didn’t make me feel like I was losing feeling in my entire body, one fake smile and perfect achievement at a time.

“It’s not about the kick,” I said. “Fuck, Arden. It’s not about the kick. It’s… a lot of things. I have a lot going on, and I’m under a lot of pressure, okay? Can we just… I need to not be in a relationship right now. It’s too much for me with the team and law school applications. Homework, and… fuck. Why am I…?” I blew out a breath. “I’m sorry, but I can’t do this.”

I realized belatedly that our ride had been idling a few feet away for god-only-knew how long. I gestured to the vehicle. “Come on, let’s just get back to campus, okay?”

She tossed her hair and turned back toward the hall. “No. I don’t think so. I think I’m going to take your parents up on their offer to stay with them tonight. I’ll get a ride back to campus tomorrow after church.”

I stared at her. “You’re seriously going to stay at my parents’ house without me? Why not stay at your own parents’? I can have Sam drop you off on the way back to school.”

She sniffed. “You and I both know coming in this late would scare my parents half to death. Besides, Louella will take care of me. And then maybe when you’ve calmed down tomorrow, we can talk.”

“Come back to campus, please,” I urged, trying to remain calm when I suspected she was going to tattle to my father about this. And he wasn’t going to be happy about it. “We can go back to my room and talk, okay?”

She made a disgusted face. “Ew. With your skanky roommate? No, thanks. Good night, Bett.”

I wanted to tell her that my father was a thousand times skankier than Vaughn, but she wouldn’t listen. She refused to believe he was anything other than the charming do-gooder he trotted out in front of the cameras.