Catching Lucas Riley (18 page)

“Hey, can I cut in?”

And the moment came to a screeching halt. The voice came from behind her and was infuriatingly familiar. She wanted to turn and give Sealey the dirtiest look he’d ever gotten in his life.

“Well . . . ,” Lucas said unwillingly.

“I really am sorry to interrupt,” Sealey said, and he truly sounded sorry. “But Ashley actually sent me over. I think she wants a dance with her brother.”

Alex refrained from rolling her eyes with extreme difficulty. She suspected that what Ashley actually wanted was a chance to separate her brother from Alex. The little monster. Alex managed to keep her face expressionless for Lucas’s benefit, but it took a lot of effort.

“Oh,” Lucas said to Sealey, sounding a little mollified. “I guess I should make an exception for the little sis.” He winked at Alex and gave her hand to Sealey, who enveloped it within his long fingers. “Now don’t let her run off to anyone else,” Lucas said to Sealey with a significant look at Alex. “I’m entrusting you to keep her safe for me.” He smiled at Alex teasingly.

“I’ll do that,” Sealey said, not quite meeting Lucas’s eyes. Alex wondered if he was thinking about the betrayal in the background. Olivia.
She watched Sealey’s face closely as he pulled her against him, sliding his arm around her waist. His hand felt surprisingly rough in hers.

“So how’s it going so far?” he asked her, glancing down at her face. He was taller than Lucas by nearly three inches, and at this angle, it was noticeable. It was rare for Alex to feel so short.

“Well, we’ve only had one song to enjoy, so I’ll probably have to get back to you on that,” Alex said, not attempting to keep some of her frustration out of her voice.

“Sorry about that,” Sealey said with a grimace. “But I do as I’m told.”

“Since when?” Alex scoffed, and he laughed. “Actually, I’m more interested in how things are going with you,” she said with a significant look. “Is Ashley still hanging all over you like she was at dinner?”

“Well, if she is, can you blame her?” Sealey asked with teasing arrogance. “I’m considering sending a picture of myself in this getup to GQ. I’m fairly certain I’ll get some favorable results.”

Alex laughed and looked him up and down conspicuously. “You do look pretty good tonight, Witchburn,” she said, really meaning it. Although she didn’t expend much energy checking Sealey out regularly, there was no doubt that he cut an impressive figure.

“And you’re completely heart-stopping,” Sealey responded in her ear. His voice sounded so deadly serious that she was sure if she looked up, she’d see another affected look on his face.

But when her eyes did meet his, she was astonished to see that he was sincere. His blue eyes were calm and genuine as he smiled at her.

“Now, now, don’t go getting all awkward on me,” he said, noting the look of discomfort on her face. “But given the occasion, and the unexpected success of the project thus far, I feel justified in finally admitting to you that you are one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen. I’ve tried to not stroke your ego too much, but I think you’ve earned this one.”

Alex smiled sardonically at him. “Oh, really? Well, thank you, kind sir.”

“You’re welcome,” Sealey said, apparently deciding to mistranslate her sarcasm into sincerity. His fingers brushed across the back of her hand, and his arm felt too warm around her waist. Her stomach clenched with unease. All of the sensations at once were so uncomfortable—being this
close to Sealey, his arms around her, her hand in his. He was too tall, too intense, and he smelled really good. Too good. She longed to be back in Lucas’s arms, where her thoughts and feelings generally seemed to make sense. It was an interesting reversal, now that she thought about it. A month ago, her internal reactions to each man would have been the opposite.

Finally,
finally
, the song ended. Lucas appeared almost instantly at her side, pulling her from Sealey’s arms. In fact, he appeared so quickly that neither she nor Sealey were expecting him, and for a brief period of time, she had both men’s arms around her. Sealey quickly released her, however, and after giving her a somewhat unreadable look, he disappeared into the crowd to find Ashley.

Alex closed her eyes, her head having finally made it to Lucas’s shoulder, breathing in his scent, relishing the feeling of his hands on her back.

“Hey, I have something to ask you,” Lucas said, startling her into looking up.

“Okay,” Alex said, smiling encouragement at him.

“Next Saturday is my dad’s birthday,” he began. “Ash is throwing a big party for him. It’s kind of an all-day thing. I was wondering if maybe you might want to come with me. Possibly meet my parents?”

Alex’s heart leapt with joy at the same time her stomach erupted in a combination of knots and butterflies. The idea that Lucas wanted to introduce her to his family was possibly the best thing she’d heard, maybe ever. But this was the same family that was fully expecting him to marry Olivia when she came home. What if they all held Ashley’s view on the matter? What would Lucas do if his family disapproved of her? Would he break things off? But what else could she say but yes? If things were to ever progress between them, meeting his family was something that would eventually have to happen. Better it happened now, before Olivia returned home and reminded everyone how incredible she was.

“I’d love to,” Alex said, hugging him gently. “That sounds perfect.”

Lucas kissed her cheek again. Then, his face breaking into a mischievous grin, he suddenly spun her out, her dress flaring out around
her. She laughed as he pulled her back in tight against him, but the sound died in her throat at what she saw over his shoulder.

Sealey and Ashley were dancing only a few feet away. Given that they had come to the dance together, this was not all that unusual, but the way they were dancing caught Alex’s eye. They swayed gently like every other couple, but to Alex’s astonishment, they were staring intently into each other’s eyes. Sealey’s hand was resting on Ashley’s face, and the expression on his was fiercely focused. Suddenly, Sealey’s head bent purposely toward Ashley’s and their lips met.

A
LEX WATCHED IN
shock. In turmoil. There were so many feelings, ranging from confusion to amusement to indignation to pity to fury. So many feelings. What was Sealey
doing
? After all he’d said about not caring for Ashley in that way! Had he lied to Alex about that? Had the feelings developed within the past hour? And if so, what about Olivia? Or was he just playing with Ashley? At that thought, furious bursts of resentment erupted inside her. She may not like Ashley, but she could never condone any woman being led on like that, no matter how generally annoying she was. And from the look of Ashley’s arms clasped around Sealey’s neck, she at least seemed to think the kiss was genuine.

Alex’s gasp caught Lucas’s attention. He turned to see what had her transfixed and froze.

“What the?” she heard him breathe as he watched Sealey and Ashley pull apart.

“Did you know anything about this?” Alex asked him.

“No,” Lucas said, his surprise evident on his face. “I know Ashley’s had a crush on Sealey forever, but I never thought Sealey was interested. I never really asked him, but it always seemed like he saw her more as a little sister than anything else. Maybe he’s finally changed his mind.”

Alex couldn’t tell whether Lucas considered this possible change in his best friend as good news or bad news. She wasn’t sure how she herself felt about it. She knew she was angry. That was obvious. But
she wasn’t sure if the anger resonated on Ashley’s behalf or on her own. How could Sealey not tell her about something like this?

But . . . then again, when did Sealey tell her anything, really? At least without her pressing him about it? He wasn’t one to volunteer information. It was perfectly consistent with his personality for him to have told her nothing. So why did that irritate her so much? Was it because she had laid her entire life bare for him? He knew everything about her deepest wishes and feelings, with regard to her career, with regard to Lucas . . . and she knew nothing. Nothing except that he was supposedly in love with a missionary he’d known all his life. But was that even true anymore? And if it wasn’t, what did that mean for Alex and Lucas?

“So, are you ever going to voluntarily speak to me again?” Sealey’s voice came from her left as she sat in the bleachers the next day. The football game had not yet begun, and excited shouts, cheers, and conversation surrounded them on every side. Thankfully Ashley had not yet made an appearance, so they had the chance to talk unobserved and unheard.

The night before had ended on a somewhat awkward note. Lucas had wasted no time in razzing his best friend and sister about what he and Alex had seen, and Alex’s lack of lighthearted conversation had made it clear that she didn’t agree with Lucas’s favorable opinion of the development. She wasn’t sure why she cared, especially when she saw that Ashley was much more smug than excited at the new turn of events, which made Alex like her even less.

If things truly were turning romantic between Ashley and Sealey, then Ashley didn’t even seem to realize how lucky she was. Sealey, although intimidating to those who didn’t really know him, was truly a catch. But Ashley just seemed to care that she had finally emerged victorious. And for some reason, she kept giving Alex self-satisfied grins, as though she knew something Alex didn’t. It was infuriating.

And through all this, Sealey continued to act as if nothing of real importance had happened. That was
worse
than infuriating.

“Why do you care?” Alex replied to Sealey’s question. “It’s not like you fill me in on the details of your life when we
are
talking.”

“Oh, come on. Don’t be like that.” Sealey nudged her. “I tell you stuff. Actually, I probably tell you more than I tell anyone else.”

Alex gave him an incredulous look. “If that’s the case, then why didn’t you tell me that your feelings for Ashley were changing? It would’ve been nice to be forewarned, given that”—she lowered her voice to a stage whisper—“this entire project was based on the idea that you wanted Lucas’s old girlfriend for yourself.” She gave him a significant look. “I assume that’s no longer the case?”

“Alex, what does it even matter anymore?” Sealey said, and his voice sounded tired. She almost couldn’t even hear it over the noise of the crowd. “You got what you wanted. Luke is head over heels for you.”

“Maybe, but without you there to distract Olivia when she gets home, who’s to say that he’ll
stay
head over heels for me?” Alex asked pointedly.

“A little lacking in confidence, aren’t we?” Sealey said, his eyes on the football field, which was emptying as the beginning of the game drew near. “Look, why don’t you just abandon this whole scheme and let the chips fall where they may?”

“What do you mean
abandon this whole scheme
?” Alex nearly screeched. “Olivia gets home in three weeks and you want to just forget the whole thing
now
? Have you really fallen so fast and so hard for Ashley?”

“Ashley has nothing to do with this,” Sealey retorted. He still wouldn’t look at her.