Book 1 - Page 18 (1/2)

I force a laugh. “Tori is the roommate, Gram—I went out with Kylie. Look, I’m pretty tired from getting up so early this morning so I’m going to head up to shower and read for a bit. Do you need anything before I go to bed?”

Clearing her throat, her smile fades away. “Seth spoke to me earlier.”

“Oh,” I manage to say. Did he say anything to her about what he and I talked about early today? It’s just like Seth to change his mind about a confrontation and try to wheedle a confession out of Gram anyway.

“He wants the three of us to go house-hunting tomorrow,” she says, and I mouth an inaudible “Oh.” She takes a tremulous lungful of air, and stares down at her hands. “I’ve told him I’ll go as long as I have you two with me.”

“Always, Gram,” I say. My feet automatically carry me to her, and I squat down to give her a long hug. Then, I kiss her cheek, being cautious not to look her in the eyes. I don’t want her to see where I’ve been crying. “Night.”

As I climb the stairs, it feels like I’m dragging a hundred pounds right along with me. I sit in the shower with my arms wrapped securely around my knees, allowing the hot water to serve as a diversion from thinking about and wanting Lucas. Even after everything that happened in the fondue restaurant and how confused he made me feel, just hearing his name in my head causes the pit of my belly to tighten.

I don’t stop the water until I’m coughing, choking, from the steam. Then I simply remain where I’m resting, listening to the shrill ping of water dripping from the faucet and falling onto the porcelain.

I’m s.h.i.+vering by time I crawl into bed but my body is on fire.

And sleep—it doesn’t come because that momentary distraction I sought when getting into the shower is gone. Now I’m breathless and aching for a man who sees me as nothing other than an object he can easily win.

†

I wake up to messages from Tori. My best friend is worried because I haven't called or texted and she’s afraid I’ve fallen prey to Lucas’s charms. Groaning at just how close her a.s.sumption is to being true, I compose a rea.s.suring email letting her know that I'm okay. I say nothing about Lucas because even 2,000 miles away from me, she’s got an insane ability of picking up on a concerning situation.

Once I’m happy with the message, I hit send. Almost immediately I receive a new message notification, this one from Kylie Martin. Her message is simple and only one line:

I’m so sorry for putting you through that.

K

It takes me twice as long to figure out what to say to her. Finally, I send her a short, but pleasant, message that reads: Don’t sweat it, I’m fine. Please thank Lucas for dinner for me.