“Do you need me to write something for you?” I ask.
“Oh no. I’m fine,” she says, smiling at me. She lets the pen drop in her lap. “Luke says you’re going camping.”
“I think maybehe’sgoing camping. I’m not.”
One of Mel’s thin eyebrows skitters up. “Why not?”
“Because he signed us up for it without checking with me first. I’m busy on Saturday.”
“Tsk, tsk,” Mel says jokingly. “I thought I raised him better than that.”
“Raised me better than what?” Luke asks, entering the room. I’m wearing a shirt that hangs off my shoulder, and I’m speechless when he leans down and kisses me there. “What did I do now?”
Even though I can still feel the shadow of his lips on my skin, I fold my arms across my chest. “Why did you tell Willow and Brett we’d go camping?”
“Oh ... that,” he says.
“Yes, that.” I sit on the edge of Mel’s bed. “I thought we talked about you not running the show.”
Though we try to keep up a happy front in his mother’s presence at all times, I’m feeling so pissed that I can’t contain myself. Besides, happy couples fight all the time.
Luke’s eyebrows raise in surprise, but his eyes are twinkling, as if he’s enjoying this.
“Is something funny to you?” I ask.
“You’re just so damn cute when you’re mad,” he says, and a lump lodges in my throat. Is it just me or is he getting better and better at this acting-in-love thing? He almost sounds like ... he almost sounds like my Luke, the person I used to know.
“What can I do to make it up to you?” he asks, still looking at me like he’s trying not to laugh.
“Tell them we’re not going. I volunteer at the club on Saturdays. Also, we really shouldn’t leave Mel by her—”
“Oh, hell to the no!” Mel exclaims. “You are not using me to get out of anything.”
“We’re notusingyou,” I amend quickly.
“In fact, I’m kind of sick of having you two around all the time. You’re like those horrible gnat things.”
“Fruit flies?” I say, incredulous.
“Fruit flies!” she says. “You hover.”
I’m genuinely hurt by this, and if Luke’s face is any indication, so is he.
“We’re around too much?” I ask.
“Way, way too much,” she says. “Luke, the last time you were this annoying, you were two years old and trying to follow me everywhere, even when I went to pee. I’ll survive for one night. If you’re so worried, Naomi can stay over.”
Luke is looking at her, his eyes narrowed. “Are you just trying to make us go?”
“Yes,” Mel says. “I am just trying to make you go. I literally have no time to myself.”
“You have all day when I’m at work,” he says, still sounding wounded.
“But then Marilyn is around, and honestly it’s exhausting.”
“We’re just worried about you,” I say gently, touching her arm.
“I know, and God love you. But if you don’t go on this camping trip, I’m going to throw myself in front of a moving vehicle.”
