Undone by R. E. Hunter Page A

professor. Her professor. She sat there trying to make sense of everything as the tears continued to stream down her cheeks.
    Embry put the car in gear and pulled out of the parking lot. She drove until she found herself at the beach. She grabbed a blanket out of the trunk and walked toward the ocean. It had always been the one place she could find peace, but every step she took on the soft, white sand was a memory. Walking with Luke, laughing with Luke, kissing Luke. She shut out her thoughts and settled by the water, wrapping herself in the blanket.
    Her phone chirped. As much as she’d wanted to leave the phone in the car, she couldn’t help but wonder if Luke would call. She looked down at the text: Jeremy. She sighed, disappointment ripping through her. As hurt as she was, she couldn’t help wishing for Luke. Right back to the same old patterns. How fucked up am I?
    Her thoughts turned to Jack. He had ruined her. He’d done everything possible to break her down—and she was broken—but she wasn’t that girl anymore. Part of her wished Luke would comfort her, come running after her on his white horse with some crazy explanation. But there was no plausible explanation, and this wasn’t a fairy tale. He’d lied. For what reason, she didn’t know. Maybe he got off on fucking his students.
    Oh my god! I fooled around with my professor. Embry cringed. She didn’t want to remember those moments with Luke as anything other than beautiful. But she’d have to sit in his class for almost two hours a day, three days a week. She knew what he looked like under his clothes, knew what he felt like, had traced the hills and valleys of his chest. She knew the sounds he made when he came, knew how he tasted.
    She threw a rock into the calm water, watching it skip across the surface and leave ripples in its wake. She sat and stared, letting her thoughts drift away. The sound of waves lapping at the shore calmed her and lulled her into a haze. Embry’s phone rang, and Luke’s face popped up on the display. Her heart ached, and she rubbed at her chest. Stupid picture. She hit ignore and threw the phone into the sand. She’d have to speak to him at some point, but not when she was so raw. His betrayal was still too fresh.
    Minutes passed, maybe hours. She had no idea how much longer she sat there staring at the ocean, but as she watched the sun kiss the horizon, she knew she had to pull herself together. She headed home, trying not to think about the empty apartment waiting for her. Luke had called a few more times, and each time, she sent him to voicemail.
    She drove down the highway, with the windows down, wind blowing through her hair, trying to focus her thoughts on anything else but Luke. Her phone danced across the passenger seat again, and Embry rolled her eyes, wishing he’d stop calling. She grabbed the phone to shut it off but saw Morgan’s face on the display.
    “Hello?”
    “Bree! Where’ve you been? Everyone is talking about what happened to Coleman and the hot new professor who took her place! Were you in class today? Is he seriously gorgeous? I hear he’s, like, seriously gorgeous! Why didn’t you call me?”
    “It’s Luke.” Embry could barely get the words out. She took a deep breath and fought off the tears threatening to fall. Just saying his name hurt.
    “What about Luke? I’m talking about your hot new professor. Did you hear anything I just said?”
    Exasperated, Embry replied, “Yes, Morgan, I heard what you said.”
    “So what are you talking about?”
    “My hot new professor,” Embry said slowly.
    “Yes?”
    “Is Luke.”
    Morgan shrieked, and Embry held the phone away from her ear. “Embry? Embry ! Are you there? Helloooooo?” Morgan called.
    She brought the phone back to her ear. “I’m here, Morgan.”
    “Are you okay? What’s going on? Why didn’t you tell me?”
    “Because I just found out when I walked into class today.”
    “I don’t understand.”
    “That makes two of