Book of Luke (Book 2) (13 page)

For once,
I should have shut the hell
up.

“
Did
you kiss him?” Luke
demanded.

I shook my head no. “I was just hurt and I
felt vulnerable. I didn’t…” My voice trailed off.

The fact that I
could have
made my
stomach clench, and I wept.

More tears rolled down his cheeks, and he
trembled with emotion. “Okay.”

It felt like the tables had turned, and
I
ended up wronging
him
. I could see the pain in his
eyes, and I didn’t know how to fix it.

“I’m sorry,” I uttered when I found my
voice.

I turned in his lap so I faced him, setting
a knee on each side of him. His hands gripped my hips and he looked
into my eyes. “I’m going to tell you something, and I don’t want
you to ever forget it. Understand?”

I nodded softly.

“Do you know why my parents divorced?”

I shook my head.

Tears rolled down his cheeks. “My dad was
always cheating. They fought constantly. I was only two or three
but the fights were so traumatizing I actually remember them. Lilly
was crying, I’d grab her and we’d huddle in a corner as they
screamed. Mom would just flip the fuck out on him and I didn’t
understand why.” He bit his lip. “Lil says she doesn’t remember; or
maybe she’s just in denial.”

I wiped more tears.

“Then they
finally
split up, and I
was my dad’s pawn. ‘Cause a boy needs his dad, and he wanted to get
back at my mom for leaving him when he was an asshole.” He covered
his face for a moment. Then his hands returned to my hips.

“When kids at school talked about their
moms, I talked about my dad’s girlfriend-of-the-month. I spent most
nights with a sitter so he could
date
.

“My mom tried to see me and he was just such
an
ass
she finally gave up. So I found a sport to excel in,
to concentrate on
that
and get the hell away from him. He
bought me plane tickets and gave me money and basically told me to
get lost.”

He looked down. “My dad’s not a deadbeat. He
works a lot and he always provided for us. He paid child support
for Lilly, even after Burke adopted her. As a man he’s okay in that
regard, but everything else…?” He swallowed hard. “I mean, he’s my
dad and I love him, but the honest truth is, he‘s a damn
embarrassment.”

“I didn’t know, Luke,” I managed. “I’m
sorry.”

He wiped his eyes. His hands slid up my back
and he pulled me toward him. Our eyes were inches apart.

“Look at me,” he breathed. “I would never,
ever
hurt you. Understand? I could
never
cheat—that
shouldn’t even cross your mind. I’m not my dad. And I have no
interest in ever
becoming
my dad.”

“Luke, I’m so sorry I hurt you,” I
sobbed.

He sighed, silent for a while. “You know I
pissed him off before I moved? I called his girlfriends by the
wrong names, so they would get the freaking
hint
.”

I managed a smile and wiped my eyes. “That
must’ve hurt.”

“He’d already hurt them more than words ever
could. I did them a favor.” He slid down onto the mattress,
dragging me with him. All the tears we’d shed took their toll, and
our eyes were starting to droop.

I set my chin on his chest.

“Luke?” I said after a long pause. “Do you
know you’re hot?”

He smiled sleepily. “Why?”

“Surely you’ve noticed the entire female
student body drooling over you?”

“I thought it’s just my imagination.”

I laughed, wiped my eyes and nose.

“I could take advantage of it, I guess, but
what would that make me?” He touched my lips. “I don’t treat girls
like they’re disposable—they deserve better than that. Even
annoying ones, like Jenna.”

I wrapped my arms around him. “Yeah.”

“And,” he added. “Even if it weren’t your
name, I’d call you beautiful because you are. You make me happier
than I’ve been in a really long time.”

“I’m sorry,” I said, referring to Nikki. I
was too embarrassed to even say her name.

He sighed. “We’ve got a two-hour layover in
California on our way home. I told Nikki we’d have dinner with
her.”

I groaned. “This information would have been
so
helpful sooner.”

He kissed my forehead and turned off the
light. “It’s three o’ clock. Good night, Beautiful.”

Burke knocked on our door at ten the next
morning. We were exhausted, and it wasn’t what he thought it
was.

“I have donuts,” Burke announced from the
other side of the door.

Luke rolled from his side to his stomach.
“We’ll eat them later,” he mumbled.

Burke knocked again. “Get dressed and let me
in, please.”

Luke rolled onto his back and looked at me.
I held my head with my hand, laid on my side and smiled down at
him.

“Get
dressed
? We had a fight,” Luke
grumbled. “I’m dressed enough.”

“Ah, she finally got sick of your begging,
yes?” Burke teased.

Luke slapped his face. “Actually, Burke, she
was the one begging
me
, ‘cause I’m freakin’ awesome!”

I giggled, nodded, and Luke pulled me in for
a kiss.

“She was begging you to stop… ah… to stop…”
I could practically see his hand gestures through the door. “To
stop
bragging
, yes?”

Luke let go of me and rubbed his eyes. “You
got me, Burke.” He got out of bed and slid his jeans over his
silver boxers. Then he opened the door.

Burke’s hair was messier than usual; it
looked like he had a bird’s nest on his head. “Good morning, young
lady,” he said, walking to the counter.

“Good morning,” I said cheerfully. Already
in my bathrobe, I got my clothes out of the duffle bag and hurried
to the bathroom.

Inside I brushed my hair, put on dark jeans,
a red tee shirt, make-up and a bit of lip gloss. Then I joined Luke
at the counter. He seemed to really like what he saw.

Although I was still embarrassed as hell
about the previous night, I couldn’t change any of it. I guess I
was just glad I hadn’t made it worse by making out with Troy.

“Are you going skiing today?” Burke asked,
pulling a chocolate donut from the box.

Luke looked at me. “We didn’t make plans.
Would you like to go if we do?”

Burke put up a hand. “I have to prepare for
my lecture tomorrow. Sorry, young man.”

“Oh,” Luke breathed. “No problem.”

My phone vibrated on the counter. I picked
it up. “Hey.”

“It’s me,” Lilly said. “I think I just made
a fool of myself.”

“Yeah,” I breathed, preoccupied with Luke’s
sexy smile. “I did
that
last night.”

“So he told his mom, and she’s
ecstatic
.” Her voice quavered, like she’d been crying.

“Huh?” I said in disbelief.

“I know, right? She invited me over to
dinner tonight. Gino got in a lot of trouble with his dad, they
don’t believe in kids before marriage. I think his dad beat his
ass.”

“Oh my God,” I hissed. “Beat his ass? Gino’s
like six-foot-six, how can
anyone
beat
his
ass?”

“I don’t know. He said his dad’s strict.
It’s what I
think
happened, not what I
know
happened.”

I groaned. “Tell them you had the—” I
stopped abruptly, as Luke stared.

“Here’s the thing,” she said, her voice
cracking. Short pause, and she sniffled. “You know Gino’s an only
child, right? That’s ‘cause his mom had nearly a dozen miscarriages
since he was born. Can you imagine what would happen if I said I
had one when I didn’t? I’d probably be the world’s most horrible
person!”

I wanted to tell her I’d just accused my
boyfriend of cheating with his
cousin
, and the title of
World’s Most Horrible Person was already taken. Of course, that
would be awkward with Burke right there.

A part of me also hoped she’d never find out
about that.

I thought to head into the bathroom to talk,
but I’d just fought with Luke about keeping what I thought were
secrets, and I didn’t want to seem like a hypocrite.

Even if I am one.

Something told me to just tell Luke she’d
lied; that he’d take care of it. Because he’s Luke, and he always
seems to have the answers to everything.

Despite knowing this, I couldn’t believe
that—a mere twelve hours earlier—I‘d mistrusted him so much.

My heart sank.

When I looked back at him, he was still
eyeing me.

“You have to do what’s right,” I said into
the phone.

She burst into tears. “And what might that
be at this point? Break his mom’s heart? Because whether I stick
with the lie, or tell the truth now, either way this will crush
her.”

“Are you still grounded?”

“Well his mom’s
happy
. Mrs. Barone
met my mom and now they’re friends. My mom’s still mad but she’s
not enforcing anything right now.”

Luke put his donut down, crossed his arms
and leaned toward me, watching intently. I could tell he knew
something’s
up.

“What?” he mouthed.

I was
so
tempted to tell him. Luckily
Troy knocked on the door just then, and offered some distraction.
Burke answered.

“What’s going on?” Lilly asked,
sniveling.

“Monsieur
De La Fontaine
just got
here,” I said.

“
Who?”

“Mr. Incredible…?”

“Oh my God! What’s he wearing?”

“Black jeans and a light gray tee
shirt.”

“Quick, take a picture!”

I held the phone out and snapped a picture.
All three of them looked at me, and Troy grinned.

So I snapped another one.

“I just sent them to you,” I breathed.

She sounded distant, like she was checking
them. She gasped. “
Oh my God!
That hair is so damn sexy! And
the eyes… and the chest!” The phone thumped what I could swear was
her heart. Then she put it up to her ear. “If he has a girlfriend
she is one
lucky
wench! And if he doesn’t, then
what the
hell!
”

I laughed, watching Luke and Troy talk.
Burke was back to his coffee and donuts.

“Well, I should go, it’s late.”

“Okay,” I breathed. “I’ll talk to you
later!”

“Yeah,” she mumbled. “Take more
pictures.”

I hung up and approached them. They seemed
to have a really serious conversation going. “What’s up?” I pried,
stopping beside Luke.

Luke wrapped an arm around me. It seemed
almost possessive, and I liked it. “Troy’s moving in with me this
Thursday.”

“Really!” I exclaimed.

“Yeah. Think
Lilly
will be okay with
it?”

I took a breath through my teeth, checking
out the French god before me. “I doubt she’ll complain.”

Luke grinned. “I think everything will work
out, whether Gino still needs a roommate in Prince George or not.
I’m sure my best friends will get along.”

Troy’s eyebrows pinched. “Best
friend
s
?
Plural?
”

Luke twisted his lips. “Gino’s a close
second.”

Troy high-fived him. “Awesome! And I can’t
wait to see Alaska in the meantime.”

~ ~ ~

Of course I didn’t tell Lilly this
amazing
guy was moving into her house—she’d probably die of a heart attack,
and I still needed her around.

Namely, I needed someone to share names and
pictures of all their female cousins.

We skied until four. Then Troy went to work,
and Luke took me browsing, gift shop to gift shop.

“What’s that for?” I asked. He’d bought a
leather journal that I swear was a century old. Not only was it
classic, but it smelled incredible.

“It’s for my workshop project.”

“You’re handing it in in
that
?”

He laughed. “Well for the midterm I’m
handing it in typed, but I guess I’ll turn this in for the final.
Tweezer said he’d return everything.” Our fingers laced and he led
me along.

“What are you writing about?”

He raised an eyebrow. “What are
you
writing about?”

“I’m writing a book about a girl who lands a
really awesome guy.”

“Sounds like an amazing girl,” he said as we
stopped outside a jewelry shop.

“No,” I explained. “She’s ordinary.”

“So how did she land an awesome guy, then,
being so ordinary?”

I shrugged. “Luck?”

He grinned. “Or maybe she’s not
ordinary.”

I bit my lip. “I’m pretty sure she is.” I
put my hands on my hips. “It’s your turn.”

He looked up thoughtfully for a moment.
“What if I say mine is about an average guy who meets a
not-so-average girl?”

“She doesn’t blurt out stupid crap when
she’s nervous, does she?” That’s about the only thing that would
make this girl not-so-average.

He chuckled, nudged my chin and our lips
met. After an explosive kiss he said, “That’s one of the best
things about her.”

And because I thought
nothing
could
ruin that moment, my phone rang.

“Hi, sweetie!”

I rolled my eyes. “Hi, Dad.”

Luke grinned, listening in. I wished he
could listen so I didn’t have to.

“Where are you?” Dad demanded like I’m a
first grader.

“I’m shopping with Luke.”

“What’s Luke buying?”

“He bought a journal,” I said dryly.

“I forgot to ask the other boy’s age, and
name.”

I set a hand on my hip. “His name’s Troy.
He’s nineteen.”

Luke raised his eyebrows curiously.

“His full name, sweetie.”

I wasn’t sure why it mattered, but I said,
“Troy
De La Fontaine.”

And oddly enough, I heard typing.

“Birthday?” Dad asked.

I looked to Luke. “When’s Troy’s
birthday?”

Luke furrowed his brow. “December 31st.”