Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 138775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 694(@200wpm)___ 555(@250wpm)___ 463(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 694(@200wpm)___ 555(@250wpm)___ 463(@300wpm)
Lucas smiled softly. His eyes were kind, like they had been when I first met him. “We're friends. I'm glad I could help.”
“So what are you apologizing for?”
“The way I've been with Kyle.” His smile faded. “You're an innocent bystander and I'm sorry you've seen me behave that way. I just—I’m trying, but it’s hard.”
His sincere tone made my heart ache with sympathy. “I understand. You two have a bad history, and some things aren’t easy to get past.”
“That’s an understatement. I hate that he brings out the worst in me, and that you have to see that.” He couldn’t quite meet my eyes as he spoke. “You and Jayden have been collateral damage, and for that I’m truly sorry.”
“Thank you for saying that.” I thought it over and realized there was something I had to tell him, too. “I’m sorry if me staying at your house has made it worse.”
He looked surprised. “Are you kidding? If anything, you’ve made it better. You're probably the only reason we haven't killed each other yet.”
I laughed at his joke, trying to make this easier on him.
But his expression had a sad note to it. “I don't like the fact that you have to tutor him, but I still respect it. I'm sorry if my behavior has made that harder for you.” He glanced out the window at the mountains in the distance, and then back to me. “I'd like to make it up to you. Can I take you to dinner tomorrow night?
“Dinner?” As far as I knew, Jayden had been planning to cook spaghetti. He'd done a grocery run Sunday morning and we'd all chipped in. We hadn't quite gotten a cooking schedule worked out, but so far, we’d managed. “I thought we were going to eat at home.
“Jayden and Kyle can eat at home. I'd like to take you out tomorrow.”
“That’s kind, but it’s not necessary. You haven't done anything wrong, and you don't owe me an apology. You—"
He placed his hand lightly on top of mine, stopping my words. His touch was warm, grounding, and it felt right, somehow.
"Tori, I'm trying to ask you out on a date."
Oh.
For a second, my brain blanked. Lucas, asking me on a date? I hadn't expected that.
“A date?” I echoed stupidly.
His green eyes were steady on mine. “Only if you want to. If you don’t, that’s perfectly fine, except you’ll be subjected to Jayden's dubious culinary talents. Which are still better than mine.”
“That omelet you made this morning was really good.” That was stretching the truth a little, but I’d liked watching him in the kitchen. Whatever he did, whether it was studying, cooking, or sorting through things in the basement, he always focused so intently. Which made it easy to take peeks at him without getting caught.
“Thanks.” Lucas’s green eyes seemed to see right into my soul as he waited for my answer.
If he’d asked me out last year, I wouldn’t have hesitated. But things were different now. I was living with him—that could get messy. I’d been enjoying getting to know all of my roommates, and it was probably selfish, but I didn’t want to do something with one that might cut the other two out.
Even though that made no sense.
Lucas waited patiently, giving me space, which only made me appreciate him more. He was a good guy. Kind. Supportive. And smart, of course. Scarily smart.
And he was my friend. That was the bottom line, I realized.
“Yes, I’d love to.”
A slow, genuine smile stretched across his face, and my stomach fluttered. It was as if the friction from the past week melted away. He looked so genuinely pleased at my answer. His shoulders were relaxed, and his smile was a little higher one side, which was a good look on him. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to go.
“I’ll pick you up at your place tomorrow at seven?” He tried to say it with a straight face, but it was pretty funny given the circumstances.
“My place is your room,” I said with a laugh.
“Then I have no excuse if I’m late.”
“Unless you get lost on your journey from the living room.”
He laughed at that. Then he checked his phone and started gathering up his things. “Should we head downstairs?”
“Yes, I guess it’s time.”
We walked toward the elevators, his arm close to mine. This time, I felt the urge to take his hand, which was absurd, considering I’d thought the same thing about Jayden an hour earlier. What the hell was going on with me? That wouldn’t be an easy question to answer.
And there was Jayden, waiting for us in the basement, leaning against a bookcase that had probably been new a hundred years ago. His jaw was tight, his expression unreadable.
“I was beginning to think you weren’t going to show.” He glanced at Lucas, his eyebrows raised. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lucas nod. Okay, so Jayden had known what Lucas was going to ask me. Did that mean he was okay with it? Guilt washed over me, because if Jayden had been the one to ask me on a date, I would’ve said yes to him, too. What the hell was wrong with me?