AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Alright. Iwon’tbe seeing you then.” After holding out a fist for me to bump, he strolled from the room whistling cheerfully.
Yeah, he and I got along much better these days, trading in money and secrets to accomplish our different goals throughout the years.
And fifteen minutes later, he came through for me like clockwork, gathering both Mom and Dad to him so I could slip out the back door unnoticed.
It wasn’t like they didn’t know where I was going. They’d stop by later. I was just hoping I’d have plenty of time to woo Luke with my new dressbeforethey arrived and possibly made me go home to change.
Until then, I had the love of my life to catch.
* * *
At the Lowe house,I was the first guest to arrive because Bella had asked me to come early so I could help set stuff up.
“Damn, Chloe,” she said as soon as she opened the door. “You’re determined to steal all the boys’ attention from me, aren’t you?”
I snorted and shook my head. I didn’t care about all the boys; I just wanted to catch Luke. And my opportunities had become limited lately. He worked late hours on a lot of odd days.
Luke had opted not to attend college. While his brother, JB, was beginning med school and following in their dad’s footsteps to become a doctor, Luke had never been the scholarly type. He was more active and physical. But he’d yet to decide what kind of occupation hedidwant, so my dad had hired him at the bar as soon as he’d turned twenty-one, and he’d happily been slinging drinks since then.
He hadn’t seemed all that interested in doing much of anything else, but I knew he’d find his path and figure out what he wanted to do with his life when he was ready. And when he did…watch out. Because once Luke put his mind to something, nothing got in his way.
Meanwhile, the Lowes kept me busy, making punch, and setting out cups and napkins and bowls full of pretzels, and by the time people started to arrive, I was starving.
I was stuffing an apple slice into my mouth and ready to down it with a cup of ice water when Bella sidled up next to me and hooked her arm through mine before resting her cheek on my hair.
Sighing wistfully, she announced, “I’m not settling for anything less than that someday, you know?”
“Less than what?” I asked, clueless. “What’re we talking about?”
“Them.” When she pointed, I glanced over to find that Beau and Bentley were the objects of her fascination. “I mean, look at him. He’s completely absorbed by everything she says and does. In his eyes, Bent can do no wrong.”
“Hmm,” I murmured, frowning slightly. Since Beau and Bentley had officially started dating earlier this year, they’d been overly affectionate with each other. It was almost a bit much if you asked me. But then my eyes widened, and I glanced up at Bella in shock as I swallowed my apple. “Wait. You don’t like…Beau. Do you?”
“What?No!” She blinked at me as if I were insane. “I’m just saying... I want someone to look at me the way he looks at Bentley. It’s like she’s the very air he breathes. The poor sap worships the ground she walks on. I honestly don’t think he could stop loving her if hetried.”
“Yeah.” That was true.
I glanced over, and my brow knit with envy as I took in the way Beau stood, his entire body attuned to Bentley, face tilted her way, eyes alive with wonder, and his lips slightly parted as if he were captivated by everything she had to say. Then he laughed and reached out to touch her arm before leaning in and briefly burying his nose in her hair.
The boy was truly and deeply besotted.
And Bentley had just recently gotten over a nasty cold too. Her hair looked flat and greasy as if it needed to be washed. Her clothes were wrinkled and loose, telling everyone she didn’t give a shit how she looked, and her face was blotchy and red. I’d honestly never seen her look so bad. But Beau gazed at her as if she’d never looked better.
My stomach tightened almost painfully.
Luke never looked at me that way. He never made a beeline toward me as soon as I walked in the door. And he certainly didn’t feel the need to touch me every five seconds.
I always had to be the one to seek him out and talk to him and try to get him to noticeme.
But Bella was right.
As she moved away from me to approach Bentley and Beau, I remained rooted in place. Because a cold film of dread had captured my heart.
I wanted someone to fall for me the way Beau had fallen for Bentley, so hard and completely that nothing had been able to prevent it, that it practically consumed him, and he couldn’t have stopped it if he wanted to, no matter how good or bad I appeared.
Except Luke had known me my entire life. And if he hadn’t looked at me like that yet, then I couldn’t imagine that any amount of weight loss or a magical makeover was going to turn his head now.
Uncertainty flared to life inside me.
