Hearts Attached (7 page)

“Mom won’t let Liv come over. She said you’ve been through enough and can’t afford to get the flu on top of it. We begged until she let me. I wasn’t leaving you alone.”

“He’s been seeing this lady in New York for three years, Luke. Their little boy is two. He’s choosing them over us.” I sob again.

“He’s an idiot, Kenzie. He doesn’t deserve to have you as a daughter.”

I wrap my arms around Luke’s waist and press my cheek to his chest. “A two year old is cute and fun. He always wanted a boy. He was so mean to me, and I’m wondering if I’m not loveable.”

Luke lifts me by the arms and looks me straight in the eyes. “Kenzie, you’re the sweetest girl I know. Don’t ever think this was your fault. Your dad will regret leaving you and your mom, but you’re better off.”

“It hurts, knowing he probably left because he can’t beat on me anymore, but I’m glad he’s gone, too.” Snot and tears drip from my face onto Luke’s shirt.

I glance down. “Sorry.” Luke lifts his t-shirt and wipes my nose with it. “Luke! I can’t believe you just did that. Gross.” He sits me up and yanks off his shirt.

“Here, now you have a tissue.” He grins at me, and I can’t help but giggle.

“You’re weird.”

“I got you laughing.”

“True.” I lay my head back against his bare chest. It’s warm, and it feels strange to be this close to him, but I feel safe and wanted. Luke takes hold of one of my hands and laces our fingers.

“Like I have for as long as I can remember, Kenzie, I’ll hold your hand whenever you’re scared, and I know you’re scared right now, but we’ll get through this. He can’t hurt you anymore.”

I don’t know how long we sit like this, but I notice Luke has fallen asleep. “Luke, wake up. You should probably get home.” As my legs lay in between his, I lift myself up from his chest.

Glancing down, I notice that one of my hands is still entwined with his, and the other is holding his shirt. “I’ll wash this for you.”

He’s staring at me intently before he leans over and presses his lips to mine. They stay there for a few seconds, and my heart is pounding. Has he been thinking about me since I kissed him in the bathroom yesterday?

“Kenzie, please don’t ever blame yourself for this. Your dad is a mean man, and it’s for the best that he’s gone. If you need me while Liv is sick, tell me. I have more shirts I can loan you.” He gives me his cute smile again.

“Thanks, Luke.” I like him and want him to kiss me again, but I think Liv would hate me if he did.

***

“K
enzie, it’s your turn to come back to earth,” Luke says, running his hand down my hair.

“I have something to show you.” Going to my dresser, I open the bottom drawer and sift through it until I find the t-shirt. I hand it to Luke before he opens it up and holds it out away from him.

“No way. Is this the shirt I was wearing that night?”

“Yeah. Sorry I never gave it back. I have a confession to make.” He appears lost in thought as he stares at the shirt. My words finally click with him, and he looks up at me.

“What is it?” he asks, smiling.

“I slept in it until ... until a year and a half ago. I stopped that day we sat in your car in the rain.” I feel my face warming, so I glance away.

Reaching out, he grabs my wrist before yanking me down on top of him. His tongue plunges into my mouth, and he kisses me passionately as my fingers delve into his hair. Like every time we’re against each other, I feel as if I can’t get close enough.

“You were already mine then, Kenz. I should’ve made it official that day in my car. I’ll always regret it.”

Luke

I wouldn’t be surprised if my heart exploded. I have it so bad for McKenzie Baker.

“I wish you’d kept wearing my shirt. I like knowing you did all that time.”

She props her forearms up onto my chest, so I can see her face. “We were fourteen when you gave it to me. I wore it a long time, but since we were older, it felt weird. I was also afraid Liv would show up one morning and find me in it.”

My hands shove into her hair, and I hold her head still. I need her to believe my words.

“I was afraid of messing up our friendship, Kenz. That and Liv are the
only
reasons I didn’t try to have more with you. I’ve always wanted you.”

“Luke, I understand. I fully remember our past conversations about it. It’s why every time I dreamed of us being together, which was often, I would have to bury my deep feelings for you.”

Flipping her over, I cover her with my body. I’m devouring her mouth and neck while my hands move along her curves. “Kenzie, as much as I’ve always wanted you, you’re doing even crazier things to me now.”

“I want you too, Luke.”

“Then please, baby, let me touch you,” I whisper in her ear as her fingers grip my hair.

“OK,” she says breathless.

Luke

I
’m staring into Kenzie’s angel eyes at her locker. She smiles bashfully. Leaning over, I run my tongue around her ear. “I want to touch you again.”

“Yeah, I feel like I freed a caged animal.”

“It’s a lot of years of pent up sexual frustration, but mostly it’s you, Kenz. I told you, you do crazy things to me.” I go back to licking her ear.

“Get a room already,” Dalton says as he walks up to us. I lift my head, and Kenzie is beet red.

“I have to go.” She gives me a quick peck on the cheek and slides out from where I have her pinned. I turn around and find Dalton smirking.

“Wow, you two aren’t wasting any time.”

“She’s driving me mad. I want to touch her every second. And no, you can’t talk to me about my sister. You’ll have to find someone else.”

“No worries there, man. I think I know better.”

“I do have a favor to ask where she’s concerned. Will you talk to her about forgiving McKenzie?” I ask.

“She hates it. I’m trying to get her to see it’s not a big deal. I’ll work on it some more, but I’m still trying to get to know her better. I don’t want to piss her off.”

“I understand. Thanks, bro,” I say.

***

A
t the end of the day, I find Liv at her locker. I’m determined to speak with her before she leaves with Dalton. “Liv.”

She takes a glance at me before going back to what she was doing. “Don’t do this, sis.”

“Don’t you, Luke. You’ve changed everything.” She lets her backpack hit the floor as her arms stiffen out to her sides. I don’t get why she’s furious over this.

“Liv, if you would get on board, we could all hang out together, Dalton, too. Kenzie misses you, and you can’t tell me you don’t miss her.”

“That’s where you’re wrong,” she says curtly before grabbing her backpack and marching off. I slam my fist on her locker, and when I turn around, Kenzie is standing right there, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“Oh, Kenzie, she didn’t mean that. She’s angry, but you know how much you mean to her.”

“Obviously, I was wrong.” I close in on the few feet between us, but she steps back. “I’m getting my things, and I’ll meet you at the car,” she says before hurrying away. I slam my fist on the locker again. “Fuck.” I refuse to let Olivia ruin what Kenzie and I finally have.

McKenzie

Riding home with Luke, I turn my head to stare out the passenger window, hoping he won’t see me wiping away my tears. He has a tight grip on my other hand. It’s going to be difficult to get away from him, but I have to.

“I’m going to my house to be alone. I need time to think,” I say after he parks in his driveway. It’s a breezy, fall day, and I notice how beautiful the trees that shelter our homes appear.

The leaves float away from them, and it’s a fluttering cascade of red and yellow dancing everywhere. I have flashbacks to a few of the falls I’ve spent with Luke and Olivia. How many seasons have I shared with Luke?

“Kenzie, please don’t push me away. I know what Liv’s friendship means to you, but it hasn’t been that long. I still believe she’ll accept this with time.”

“My feelings are hurt, and I need to be alone.”

Luke shifts to face me and cups my face.

“Will you give up what we have if it’s the only way to keep her friendship?” I witness the desperation in his eyes, and it’s only making me more conflicted.

“I’m afraid she could tear us apart, and I don’t want to lose you as a friend. It might be better to have only a friendship than to do this and end up losing you completely. I also feel guilty over her being mad at you.”

“She’ll get over it.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Maybe you don’t care about me as much as you say if you can give up that easily,” he says as he lets me go.

“Luke, I didn’t say I wanted to break up. I told you I was hurting and needed time to think.” Jumping out of the car, I slam the door and stomp to my house. My mom’s car is in the driveway. Why is she home?

“There you are,” she says. My mom, Charlotte, is forty. I think she’s beautiful but often appears drained. Her light brown hair is down but tousled.

She refuses to let me work, wanting me to focus on my grades, so she teaches nursing classes at a technical school by day and moonlights as a nurse several nights a week.

“Hi, what are you doing home this early?” I ask.

“There was something wrong with the plumbing at school, causing them to have to shut off the water, so they cancelled afternoon classes.”

“At least you get a break.”

“It’s much needed.” I feel my mom’s eyes on me from the couch as I move around the kitchen. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing.”

“You’re sad, what is it?”

I sigh as I fix a glass of tea. She’s not going to let up until I give her something, so I stroll to the living room and plop down onto the recliner.

“Liv is mad at me.”

“It’s time Olivia grows up. That girl has hurt your feelings enough over the years. What for this time?”

“She might have grounds for it. I’m not sure.” Avoiding eye contact, I stare at the television. “I don’t know why this is hard to tell you, but it is.”

“What is it, honey?”

I bite my lip hard and finally look at my mom.

“Luke and I are dating. I really like him, and Liv is mad about it. She doesn’t want us together.”

My mom smiles, which for some reason surprises me. “I’ve always known you two would end up together.”

“You did?”

“It’s been obvious for years.” She takes a deep breath. “This means you have a boyfriend. I’ve been fortunate not to have to worry about that thus far.”

“I’ll be eighteen in December, Mom, and you know how wonderful Luke is.”

“I know, and there is no one I’d rather see you with.”

“What about Liv? Am I wrong to date her brother?”

“No. You’ve been friends with him the same as her. If she truly cares for you and values your friendship, she should want you to be happy. Olivia should also want that for her twin.”

“Luke’s mad at me. I told him I needed time to think about whether we should date since Liv is upset.”

“Kenzie, get your butt over there and tell him you don’t need time to think.” My mom is pointing toward the door.

I knew she liked Luke but geez. She’s right though. I care about him too much to let Liv interfere. There’s no way I could date someone else or watch him do the same.

“Thanks, Mom. It’s like you were supposed to be home today.” Passing off my tea and hugging her quickly, I dart over to Luke’s.

I wear the path down a little more in the yard between our homes. Pounding on the door, I wait anxiously for him to answer. When he opens it, my stomach clenches from the saddened look on his face.

“Luke, can I please come in?”

Without a word, he moves away from the door so I can enter. As soon as he shuts it and turns, I throw my arms around his neck.

“I’m sorry I caused you to doubt that I want this. I want to be with you more than anything. I was hurt by Liv’s words, but not being with you would hurt a million times worse.”

His arms wrap around me, and I hear him exhale a large breath. “Kenzie, I’m sorry for what I said, too, but please don’t do that again. It tore me up. I can’t be without you, sweetheart.

“Not now that I’ve held you like this,” Luke leans back and kisses my lips softly, “and tasted this sweet mouth. You’re mine, Kenz.”

Luke

I’ve been a wreck, seriously thinking Kenzie would break up with me. She’s sweet and feels guilt easily. I was afraid she would believe she had no choice because of Olivia.

Since Kenzie’s dad verbally and physically abused her, while she was growing up, she questions all of her decisions and behavior. I hate it.

She’s healed some since the asshole left almost four years ago, but it will forever be a part of who she is. Liv and I will always remember, having lived it with her, and we didn’t handle the situation correctly.

Every time Liv and I wanted to tell my parents, Kenzie would beg us not to. Her mother didn’t know, and Kenzie was afraid of what her dad would do if her mom discovered it. She also worried she’d be taken away from them.

The selfish part of me never wanted to risk Kenzie having to move. I felt stuck, and the situation with her father is another reason I’ve always been protective of her.

Our tongues meet again, our kiss urgent, giving an apology for what happened earlier.

Her hands find my hair while mine squeeze her hips, my body wanting more and more of Kenzie.

“Let’s go to my room,” I whisper.

“I can’t. I’m sorry, but Mom’s home, so I should spend time with her.”

I groan and tug her even closer.

“I understand. Listen, you have to stop with the guilt. I want you to believe in the person I see in front of me. She’s incredible.”

Kenzie hugs me tight. “Thank you, Luke. You’re pretty incredible yourself. I’ll call you later.”

Her voice is soft and sweet like her, and I’ll keep telling her how special she is until she believes.

***

I
t’s five minutes into lunch when I notice that Kenzie isn’t in the cafeteria, so I text her.

Me:
Baby, where are you??

Kenz:
Outside on a ledge, eating my boring ham sandwich.