Finally, I turn back to Luke, hoping to have a second to talk to him before we start working, but I find he’s staring at me in shock instead, all embarrassment gone in favor of pure wonder. I sigh with relief as his face softens, a ghost of a smile on his lips. Then he shakes his head, in awe as he regards me like I’m an enigma he’s yet to crack.
Recognition slowly dawns on his features, and I can tell he finally realizes I’mactuallyin his corner. A clear line has been drawn in the sand, and I’ve firmly chosen where I stand. I’m with him. He looks so vulnerable, and it’s heartbreaking to think he’s only ever expected to have to deal with this shit on his own until now; that he’s had to deal with it at all.
Without a word, there’s a new understanding between us now.We stick together.No matter what problems Luke might face from these idiots for coming back here, I won’t let him meet them alone. Whether or not he’s ready for it, from here on out, our friendship is solidified.
Chapter Seven
The Veil is Thin
“Idon’tthinkIlikeany of them.” Luke studies me pensively, his head cocked to the side. He’s got one hand poised under his chin as he ponders the shirt selections for my impending date.
“Seriously?” I frown at the three choices I’ve narrowed it down to, which he’s been staring at for the last two minutes. “My options are limited here. They can’t all be bad.”
We’re standing in his driveway after he graciously offered to help me choose what to wear tonight. So far, he’s made a face or noise of discontentment about everything I brought. I’m not sure if that still counts as ‘helping.’
We haven’t talked about what happened this morning, but I immediately saw a change in Luke that I wasn’t expecting. He had always seemed guarded and hostile before, begrudgingly interacting with me only because I forced him to. You wouldn’t even think he was the same person now, given the way he’s opened up. There’s no more wall between us, and I have to say, it’s incredible.
“They’re fine on their own, but they’re not the right colors for those jeans,” Luke defends. “You didn’t bring any other pants?”
I scowl at the three long-sleeved button-ups. One is black, another is a dark green plaid, and the last is navy blue. I hold them against my jeans and groan miserably to see Luke’s right. The wash on the jeans is way too light for these dark colors, making the whole outfit look awkward.
“This is hopeless.” I scoff, tossing everything in the back of my truck. “I had a crappy morning, okay?”
“What about that bag of clothes you had on Saturday? Do you have something in there?”
I blink. Why didn’t I think of that? There are a few pairs of pants in there, and I’m sure at least one would be suitable. I rummage around the back seat for the duffle bag, then sift through the neatly folded clothing until I find a pair of dark-wash denim jeans. Turning around, I hold them up for Luke to see, and he nods his approval.
“Those and the green plaid would be my choice,” he says, and I’m relieved.
I’m running lateagain, and I just want the night and this stress to be over already. My bed and a good book sound like the most appealing things in the world right now. God, when did I become such an introvert?
Kicking off my shoes, I unbutton my jeans and shimmy out of them to switch into the darker pair. It’s only after I’ve stripped down to my boxer briefs that I notice the look of shock on Luke’s face, and I freeze, realizing what I’ve just done.
His jaw drops—literallydrops—and my face warms. He’s staring at the one spot I’m now suddenly very conscious of.
God damn it,whyam I like this? How have I lived this long being so stupid? I never even stopped to think before getting undressed, and now we’re both stuck with my dumbass decision to get half-naked in the middle of Luke’s driveway.
Luke composes himself better than I do, graciously turning his head away to give me some privacy, but the creeping color in his cheeks tells me he’s not doing any better than I am with what just happened. Well, I guess we’re kind of even now. He gave me a show on Saturday, so I’m merely returning the favor.Kill me now.
After putting on the new jeans, I switch out my undershirt with a clean one from my duffle, then slide the button-up over the top, leaving it hanging open. I take the time to put my boots back on, then clear my throat once I’m fully clothed to indicate that it’s safe for Luke to turn around.
He huffs a laugh, dragging his hand over his mouth, and he turns to face me with that ridiculously charming half-smile he’s becoming known for.
“We’re not going to talk about it,” I snap quickly, fearing the devilish look in his eye.
“Talk about what?” He’s got a shit-eating grin on his face, and I know exactly where this is going.
“Nope. None of that.”
“What?” Luke feigns innocence. “I was just gonna say this girl is really, really—”
“Stop it.”
“—reallylucky.”
“Oh, fuck you.”
“Mn. I wish you would.”
