Chapter 1: Introduction
Nerdville. That’s why I live in the city.
Gazing out at skyscrapers and around at people hustling to get to places that matter, I can breathe a little better. Here, your parents come home to you excitedly with a comic book from their weird collection and the smell of nylons. I wanted to avoid that life – all those Spider-Man comics and Saturday mornings.
That was until now.
The convention center is hot and dark, packed wall to wall with enthusiastic freaks, and not the good kind.
Cosplayers with painted faces and fake muscles pose on makeshift runways, while vendors try to outdo one another with bizarre displays and discounted deals.
My eyes glazed over as I pushed through the crowd, shoving the comic-brandishing weirdos to the side. I was almost disappointed when I found the last volume I'd been searching for, but then, amidst the cacophony, a familiar voice hit my ears.
"Andrea? Hey, I haven't seen you since college!"
Alex. The Alex.
The Alex from college. I got goosebumps. Like every girl in college who had a crush on him, he was handsome, charming, and had that mysterious aura around him, which made him even more desirable. He had the confidence of a hundred men, and who wouldn't be attracted to that?
I turned around, and there he was, Alex, in flesh and blood, a couple of inches taller than me, with his short dark hair and striking blue eyes. I felt a rush of heat to my face. He noticed it immediately and smiled at me.
"It's great to see you again, Alex. I was just looking for some DC graphic novels – you know, something to read when I'm bored."
I was glad he couldn't see my chest heaving as I tried to control myself. My body was betraying me in front of the man I'd fantasized about for years. But shit, he was even more handsome than when we were in college.
Alex's gaze dropped down to my chest and then back up to my eyes, raising an eyebrow.
"Looks like you've changed a bit since college.