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“You okay, Luce?” Jonathan asks. There is more to his words, some heavier meaning, but I’m not sure what.
Her shoulders sag as she nods. “Yeah, I’m fine. You two?”
The conversation has shifted to a topic that I’m not aware of. The brothers nod.
“Do you mind if I hang out with Grant tonight instead?” Instead? Instead of what? Why is she asking them for permission? She hasn’t even mentioned hanging out to me. I hate when they talk about something only they know about, purposely leaving me out in the cold unknowing. All it does is leave me confused and slightly worried. There is always too much weight to their carefully chosen words.
The brothers glance at me. “Corey won’t be happy, Lucy,” Patrick sighs.
“Well, he didn’t talk to me at all last week, so I don’t care.”
Jonathan frowns. “But we’re always together. I’m sure he has a good reason.”
“I don’t want to.” Her voice is quiet, and her head is down when she says it. I’m surprised they even heard her, but her reply pisses them off and worries them at the same time. What the hell is going on?
“Luce-” Jonathan starts, but Patrick holds up his hand to stop him.
“If she doesn’t want to, she doesn’t want to, Jon. Leave it alone.” He may be younger, but his authoritative, final tone shuts Jonathan up. Patrick bends, reaches out to lift her chin so she’ll look at him. “Are you sure?” Lucy nods. “Corey will want to see you no matter what, you know that.”
“Tell him to meet me at 8 then. I might still be with Grant, though.”
“What are-” Jonathan starts.
“Shut up,” Patrick scolds over his shoulder. Jon throws his hands up, curses under his breath, and walks away. Patrick gives a sweet smile to Lucy. “I’ll handle them, don’t worry. Do whatever you feel you need to do, okay?”
Lucy nods and reaches over to hug him tightly, which presses her breasts on either side of my knee. I probably shouldn't notice, but I do. “I always knew you were my favorite.”
Patrick chuckles. “They may be older, but I’m the wisest when it comes to you. I love you, Luce.” He kisses her temple.
“I love you too,” she whispers, her voice strained.
Then he stands, waves goodbye, and walks over to a pacing Jonathan. I’m so lost, and I wait to see if she’s going to explain. She doesn’t.
“So can I hang out with you tonight?” There’s a hint of laughter in her tone as she looks at me with hopeful eyes.
I have to ask. There’s no ignoring it anymore. I want to know what they were talking about. “Lucy, what-”
The hope disappears and is replaced with pleading as she interrupts me. “Please, don’t.”
Two words. Two words said with so much desperation that I know immediately that I’ll do whatever she wants me to tonight. That’s all it takes. Still, I stare at for her a moment.
“What do you want to do?” I finally say.
“I want to be around you and not them, so anything else doesn’t really matter. Around only you,” she corrects. Her words mean something, something big. I’m just not sure what. It feels like she’s giving me a gift of sorts, but too many pieces are missing for me to put together what exactly. “Where do you go when you don’t want anyone to bother you??
??
“The library, but someone,” I give her a pointed look, “always finds me.” I grin and Lucy rewards me with a smile. “Where do you go?”
She dismisses my question easily. “My brothers know all those places. Today, I don’t want them to be able to find me until I’m ready.”
Ready for what? I want to ask so badly, but she’s asked me not to do so. “There’s a sports bar across town and a game will start in about an hour. Want to go there?”
Lucy rests her head against my shoulder, her eyes closed. “No people, remember?”
“No people at all? Even strangers?”
“Especially not strangers,” she whispers.
