A Life Unexpected: Holly Nather Book One (Holly Nather Series) (5 page)

“Luke?”

No response.

I touch his shoulder. “Luke?”

He finally snaps out of it and looks up at me. “Shit. Sorry. I—” He stops talking as he stands.

“You what?”

“I just remembered something. It’s no big deal. You ready to go?” He grabs his jacket and keys.

I nod and grab my jacket off the back of his recliner. I put it on as we walk outside. The snow is really coming down. We drive to my dorm in silence. Luke seems lost in thought and bothered by something.

He pulls up to my dorm and comes around to open the door for me. “Thanks,” I say, hugging myself to keep warm.

He walks me upstairs and stops at my door. “Don’t forget to get a new phone.”

“I won’t.” I put my hand on the knob. “Hey, are you okay?”

He nods. “Yeah. Talk to you later.” He turns and hurries down the stairs.

I walk into my dorm and see Blayne with her ear buds in, reading a book. She smiles when she sees me and pulls the ear bud from her right ear. “Hey, clumsy ass.”

I take off my jacket as I walked over to my bed. “How could you bail on me like that and leave me at Luke’s apartment? He could’ve done anything to me while I was knocked out.”

“He’s a good guy, Holly.”

I lay down. “We don’t know that for sure.”

“You should’ve seen him while they were running tests on you. You would have thought you two were married the way he was so worried about you. I don’t think you have anything to worry about with him.”

“But that’s not weird to you? The way he acts so weird about me?”

“Yeah it’s weird, but it’s also ridiculously sweet.”

I laugh. “It kind of is.”

As I’m drying my hair I hear my new cell phone ring. It’s Luke.

I shut the blow dryer off and smile. “Hello?”

“I’m taking you out tonight.”

“Oh really?”

“Do you own a dress?”

“No but I’m sure I can borrow one from Blayne. Why? Where are you taking me?”

“Don’t borrow one from Blayne.”

I laugh. “Why not?”

“Because I’d have to kill some guy or guys because they wouldn’t be able to keep their eyes off you. Her dresses are too—”

“Revealing?” I laughed.

“Exactly.”

“Do I have I to wear a dress?”

“Yes. My frat is having a formal tonight to raise money for St. Jude’s.”

“I could go shopping real quick.” Dressing up isn’t my thing, but I want to hang out with Luke.

“Think you can be ready by 8:00?”

I look at the time. That gives me 3 hours to get ready. “Definitely.”

“See you then.” He hangs up and I look at Blayne.

“Ummm, Blayne?”

“Yeah?” She asks from her awkward yoga pose.

“I’m screwed.”

She straightens out and laughs. “Why?”

“Luke is taking me to a formal tonight, and I know nothing about dresses or fixing my hair.” Why did I agree to going with him? Stupid me. I start digging through my closet. “This wasn’t on my planner,” I say aloud.

Blayne starts laughing and jumps to her feet, grabbing her keys.

“Thank goodness you have me in your life! Let’s go!” She grabs me by the arm and practically drags me out of the dorms.

I look in the mirror and don’t even recognize myself. Blayne proudly claps her hands as she looks at me over my shoulder.

“I look ridiculous.” I touch one of the million pins holding my hair up. She smacks my hand away.

“You’re just not used to it. You look amazing, I promise.”

I stand and pull at my silver, knee length dress. The sleeves are long and practical for the cold weather. These red heels hurt my feet. I want my vans or even my black combat boots.

“Shouldn’t formals be like…oh, I don’t know, in the summer? This is ridiculous.”

Blayne secures a stray hair with a bobby pin and smiles. “Anytime is a good time for a formal.” She says securing more loose hairs. “There, perfect.” She smacks my ass and squeals. “Now go get laid and be back super late!”

I catch myself on my dresser when she smacks me, to keep from falling. The heels are total bitches. “You’re insane.” I laugh.

“I know I am.” She grins. She picks up her purse and slips on her shoes. “You have fun and call me as soon as you get home! I have to meet my sorority girls for a meeting.”

I nod as I stare at myself in the mirror and adjust the wide shoulders of the dress to hide my bra straps. I put my hands on my hips and sigh as I look down at my throbbing feet. I look back in the mirror. This isn’t me. I don’t do stuff like
this
.

I start to pull pins from my hair. By the sixth one, I get faster. I want them out. My hair falls around my face; I kick off my heels and pull on my combat boots. Looking in the mirror makes me smile proudly. Much better.

The knock at the door startles me. Before I can answer it, Luke walks in.

My eyes grow wide. “Ummmm, what if I wasn’t dressed?”

He laughs. “I just saw Blayne, and she said you were ready.” His eyes drift to my boots and trail up my legs, finally stopping on my eyes.

“Well, I was just about to text you and tell you I wasn’t going. And I really can’t now. I messed up Blayne’s hard work.”

He looks at me and smiles. Damnit, he looks good in his suit. “Holly Nather, there isn’t a thing wrong with the way you look. It’s completely you, and I like it.”

“Liar.”

He shakes his head and smiles. Luke holds out his arm to me. “You look beautiful, and I’d be honored for you to accompany me. Combat boots and all.”

I bite my lip and tap my foot. I smile and take his arm. “Alright, but what if someone makes fun of me? Won’t you be embarrassed?”

We walk out of my room, and I try not to make it obvious that I’m smelling him. He smells great.

“The only person that will be embarrassed is the person who does after I punch them in the ear.”

“The ear?” I laugh.

“Or wherever I can hit them first.” His sly smile makes my heart race.

I try really hard not to smile too big as I got into his black Camaro. My cheesy grin fades fast and is quickly replaced with a frown. I look at him as he buckles. “You! You were following Blayne and me that night!” I put my hand on the door handle.

“Yes I did.” He seems unfazed that what he did was downright scary.

“That’s all you’re going to say?!” I pull a little on the door handle, readying myself to get out of his car.

“I was making sure you made it back to the dorm safe. Can’t you just trust me?”

I don’t want to trust him, but for some stupid reason I do.
Completely.
I let go of the handle. “Trust isn’t something I’m good at, Luke. I don’t just trust someone. They have to earn it.”

“But you trust me, don’t you? You let go of the handle just now. If you didn’t you would have made a run for it.”

I stare at him. His eyes lock on mine, and if I could look away, I would, because it makes me unbelievably uncomfortable, yet giddy inside.

I sigh in defeat. I do trust him and any wall that I was trying to build when it comes to Luke Denton, comes crumbling down. “Don’t make me regret trusting you.”

I know right then, when that cheesy smile spreads across his face, I’m hooked. I smile back. I’m a stupid, stupid girl.

WEEKS HAVE PASSED
since the night Luke and I went to the formal. We text and talk on the phone every day and once in a while we meet for lunch or dinner. The two of us made an agreement the night of the formal that we’d take this thing between us slow. It all started so fast, and I just needed things to slow down. And that’s what is so great about Luke Denton. Of course he agreed because he wanted what was best for me. We haven’t even kissed yet and it’s not because he hasn’t tried or that moments haven’t been perfect for a kiss. I’ve just stopped him before it could happen. I don’t want to kiss Luke just because, I want our first kiss to happen when I know that I am completely invested in our relationship.

My phone rings while I’m on my way to the dorm after my last class of the day. Of course it’s Luke. A smile spreads across my face and my heart speeds up. “Hey.” I hold my phone between my ear and shoulder as I slip on my gloves. It’s freezing.

“I know this isn’t on your calendar for today,” he chuckles, “but I’d like to take you out.”

I laugh. “When?”

“Now?”

He’s right. This isn’t on my calendar, but a million other things are. “Sure.” Forgetting everything on my calendar to hang out with him is huge. Really huge. And this is like the billionth time it has happened in the past few weeks. I’m swooning hard over this guy.

“I’ll pick you up in thirty minutes at your dorm.”

“Alright.” I hang up and cheesy grin as I make my way up the stairs to my room.

I set my things down and throw my messenger bag over my shoulder. I head back down stairs and wait on the bench outside my dorm. Luke pulls up and gets out to open my door for me. He always does that. Even though I’ve told him it’s not necessary.

“Thank you.” I get in and throw my bag in the back seat.

He climbs in and reaches for my hand, lacing his fingers with mine. “I want you to meet my friends.”

“Okay. Is that where we’re going now?”

“Not right this second. We’re going to meet up with them at their place.”

“Sounds good. So, where are you taking me now?”

Before he can answer, another car plows into the back of his, sending my body forward as much as it can go with the seat belt holding me back. My head hits the window and the worst of it wasn’t over. Luke’s car is pushed forcefully forward, causing his car to slam into a tree. The air bags deploy and I black out.