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“Didn’t look like it,” I muttered, giving my attention to my pancakes again.
“Yeah,” Luc agreed. “She was being all flirty. But that’s probably because she saw you sitting here with Helen, who’s ten times hotter than she is, and got jealous. Honestly, no one can compete with Helen, so why even try?”
“You have a point, little hell-raiser,” Theo told her.
“You just agreed Helen’s hot.” She elbowed me hard under the table, and from his huff of breath, Theo didn’t miss it.
He picked up his coffee, staring at me over the brim. “I can’t argue with facts.”
She fell back against her seat and sighed. “Wow. Just wow.”
I groaned. “Don’t fall for it, boo. Yesterday, a guy with no teeth and extremely questionable personal hygiene practices told me I was hot. It’s not the compliment you might think it is.” Not to mention the slimy assholes who’d thrown money at me while I shook my tits for them last night. But I’d really rather not think about them. Really, really.
He winced at that but didn’t argue. A man calling his girl hot was a compliment. A man calling a woman he barely knew and who’d never belong to him hot wasn’t.
When our plates were empty and we were waiting for the check, Theo checked his phone, then asked, “What’s the plan for today?”
Luc answered before I could spit out ‘None of your business.’ “Hells always takes me grocery shopping for the week because our mom is a loser and would let me starve if it was up to her. She’d let herself starve too, so it’s not like personal or anything.”
I squeezed her leg, digging my fingers into the hollow beside her knee. “You don’t need to tell Theodore our business, kid.”
She frowned at me. “It’s my business. I can tell it to whoever I want.”
Theo mimed zipping his lips. “I won’t tell anyone. I can’t say I’ll forget what you just said, because damn, little hell-raiser, I don’t think I ever will. But your business is yours, and I’m really glad you have Helen watching out for you.”
I squared my shoulders, not appreciating his rich-boy sympathy in the least. “We don’t need your pity, dude.” I slapped a twenty on the table. “This should cover us plus tip. We’re out. It’s been real.”
Grabbing my board off the floor, I slid from the booth and gestured for Luc to follow me. She was slower, more reluctant, moving at a snail’s pace. That gave Theo the opportunity to slap down another twenty on top of mine and rise to his feet. His mouth was pinched with displeasure. When he eyed our boards tucked under our arms, it became even tighter.
Outside the diner, Theo rounded on me. “You’re going to the store on your skateboards?”
“Yeah. We’re fine.”
Luc got between us. “Helen carries the bags herself. She’s so good at balancing, you wouldn’t believe it. Mom has a car, but it doesn’t run anymore. But Helen skateboards everywhere, and she can carry a lot when she’s doing it. I mean, it’d be easier if we had a car, but she’s the GOAT, I’m telling you. She doesn’t let anything stop her.”
I grabbed Luciana’s arm. “Enough telling tales. We’ve got places to go.”
Theo jerked his head toward the parking lot. “I’ve got a car and no plans. I’ll drive.”
Luc started toward him, but I held on. “No, we’re good.”
He stared me down, his features pulling into a sharp line. “I’ll drive, Helen. Don’t be obstinate.”
Luc kept tugging in my hold. “I’m going with Theo.”
Two against one, I wasn’t going to win. As stubborn as I could be, I didn’t hold a candle to my sister when she got stuck on an idea—and she was very clearly stuck on the idea of Theo being a nice guy.
“Fine.” I stomped by him, my arm going around Luciana’s shoulders. “But if you kidnap and murder us, I’m going to be pissed, Theodore.”
He laughed, not denying his homicidal intentions.
Even if he didn’t murder us, I had a feeling I was still going to walk away pissed.
