It's a Love Thing (18 page)

The entire ride home I was on cloud
nine anyway, humming away to the last song we had danced to. I
couldn’t help but notice the smile on Lucas’ face as well. If I
didn’t know better I’d say he had a good time tonight too. I was
just about to ask him when my phone chirped in my purse. Probably
mom wondering if we were home yet since she had to go back to the
office after dinner. I dug through my bag and flipped it open.
JASON was sprawled across the screen. Lucas glanced down at it and
his smile quickly slipped into a scowl. I clicked on the text and
read ‘Please call me. It’s important. I miss you.’ A deep growl
emanated from Lucas’ throat. It would have been sexy if it wasn’t
so intimidating.

“
What does he
want?”

“
Me to call
him.”

“
And will you?”

“
I don’t know, Lucas. He
said he was sorry about the club.”

“
And what, that’s it? He
apologizes and you just forgive him?”

“
No, I don’t know. I mean,
he screwed up sure, but if he’s sorry . . .”

“
Unbelievable,” Lucas
snapped as we pulled into my driveway and he slammed the car into
park.

“
What do you have against
Jason that makes you hate him so much?”

“
Besides what he did to you
the other night?”

A warm spot formed in my stomach and
radiated outward to encompass my entire gut. Either I was touched
by his words or I really needed to use the bathroom.

“
Yeah, besides
that.”

“
It’s a long
story.”

“
And you can’t tell me,
right?”

“
Right. Let’s just say
we’ve been at it for a long time now.”

“
At what?”

“
At . . . this,” he
shrugged, looking suddenly exhausted.

“
What, fighting over
girls?” I teased.

“
Sort of.”

The warm feeling withered and died.
Apparently the bathroom was not necessary. Shoving the door open
with more force than was technically necessary I jumped out of the
car.

“
Wait, that didn’t come out
right,” he said, climbing out as well.

“
What didn’t? That you’re
only interested in me because I am . . . was with Jason? Do you two
have some kind of running tally of how many girls you’ve managed to
steal from each other? Who’s winning?”

“
It’s not what you’re
thinking.”

“
Oh, really? Then explain
what it is to me.”

“
I . . .”

“
Can’t,” I interjected,
already knowing this tune by heart. “How convenient.”

I stormed across the
driveway and up the porch steps, slamming the front door behind me.
So much for my perfect fairytale evening. I hated this town and
everyone in it. Where the hell was my mother when I needed her? Oh,
that’s right, at work.
Shocker
.

*****

How could I have been so
stupid, to actually think that me, the new girl with no friends,
could actually manage to have not one but
two
hot guys interested in her? What
an idiot I must have looked like.

Throwing myself face first onto my
bed, I pulled a pillow over my head and resolved to never move
again. Looking back I could see how it could have all been a game
to Jason, but Lucas . . . he seemed so genuine, like he actually
cared. The guy should move to Hollywood. Even still he had my heart
fooled. The stupid thing actually hurt missing him.

My resolve turned out to be pretty
firm and I actually stayed planted to my bed for most of the next
day. It didn’t hurt that I had absolutely nowhere else to go anyway
and no one to talk to. By dinnertime though my stomach had a new
resolve all its own, and that was to be fed. My stomach won the
battle of wills. Again. It was a persistent little
bugger.

The kitchen was dark since the sun was
beginning to set so I flipped on a light and started rummaging
through the refrigerator. I really wasn’t in the mood for pizza
again, but the empty fridge and bare cupboards had other plans. I
was just sitting at the table with the phone to place my order when
the doorbell rang. I made a mental note to rip that bell off the
wall as soon as possible. Well, whichever one of them it was out
there I had no desire to see him. The bell rang again, followed by
a quick knock. It didn’t sound like whoever it was was getting the
hint.

Dragging myself up off the chair I
headed down the hall, fully prepared to slam a door in someone’s
face, but when I opened it there was no one there, just a bowl of
chili. Sitting on the deck table. A bowl of chili . . . what the
hell? Steam was still rising from it and it smelled fantastic. I
glanced around but there was no one in sight. A little creepy. When
I scooped up the bowl a piece of paper fluttered to the ground from
underneath it. In elegant lettering it read ‘Thought you might like
something other than take out –L’

Lucas. What was he, a mind reader or
something? Alright, so I’ve seen Snow White as a child just like
every other little girl and I was fully aware of the dangers of
eating the poisoned apple, but chili tastes so much better than
some dumb apple . . . and pizza. Slipping back inside, I devoured
every last bite. As I rinsed the bowl I wondered idly if I would
have done the same if it had been from Jason instead. After his
little stunt at the club, probably not. But why would Lucas bring
me food? More leftovers, I presumed. Sheesh, good looking and a
master chef, what a combo. So not the point, I thought, shaking off
pointless daydreams. I hated him. I hated them both, and that was
that. Yeah right, who was I kidding?

For the next two days I stayed
primarily in my room or the kitchen, avoiding the entire west side
of the house altogether. Each room on that side had a view of
Lucas’ house and just seeing it was enough to tweak my chest. As
much as I hated to admit it, I missed him . . . a lot. But he was a
jerk. He had proved it time and again, so what was my deal? On the
other hand, what kind of jerks check up on you at nightclubs and
then tuck you into bed and bring you dinner to your door? Hell,
what kind of jerks can waltz? Damn him for making this
confusing.

The day before, when I ventured
outside just long enough to check the mail, there had been another
note sitting on the table. It just read ‘I’m sorry –L.’ What was I
supposed to do with that? Forgive him just to let him wheedle his
way back in and tear my heart apart again? I didn’t think so.
Hadn’t he warned me not to do that very thing with Jason? My heart
might have had other ideas though. It was already starting to
soften towards him despite my brains frantic warnings. Stupid. I
was oh so stupid.

On the fourth day when the doorbell
rang I could hardly stop myself from running to answer it. My heart
had had enough waiting; it wanted to see him. Apparently playing it
cool was not in the books. But it wasn’t Lucas who was standing on
the porch when I opened the door; it was Jason.

“
What do you want?” I
asked, making no attempts to be even slightly pleasant.

It had taken him almost a week to even
bother to show up at all. He still hadn’t even really apologized
for the club, forget the fact that I now knew about his little
contest with Lucas as well. He had a lot to answer for.

“
Hey,” he said with a
grin.

Really?

“
What?”

“
Can we talk?”

“
No.”

I started to shut the door but his
foot held it ajar.

“
Just for a minute,” he
pleaded.

I glared at his foot but he didn’t
seem to take the hint.

“
Listen, I’m sorry about
the club alright? I’ve been trying to think of a way to make it up
to you. I tried calling but you didn’t answer.”

“
Still can’t find the
phone,” I lied.

“
Oh, well I’m glad I took a
chance and stopped by then. Please talk to me for a
bit.”

“
Why should I?”

“
Because I’m sorry. Because
I’m fun. Because you like hanging out with me,” he listed,
arrogantly.

“
It wasn’t so much fun last
time,” I pointed out.

“
Yes, you’re right. That
was out of line and I’m really sorry. I was drunk and I wasn’t
thinking. It’s not going to happen again.”

Darn right it’s not.

“
I’m glad you made it home
alright.”

“
Yeah, no thanks to
you.”

“
Yeah. I really messed up
that night. I have apologized, though . . . repeatedly now. Don’t
you think I can get a second chance?”

“
I don’t know,
Jason.”

“
Come with me, there’s
something important I want to tell you.”

“
What?”

“
I won’t tell you unless
you come with me.”

“
Where are we going,” I
relented, having lost the energy to argue anymore.

“
You’ll see,” he said with
a grin.

Oh great. The same techno music blared
from the speakers when he turned on the car and we pulled out of
the driveway. Neither of us said anything as we cruised through
town and turned onto some back roads. I had never seen this part of
town before and had no idea where we were heading, I just hoped it
was close enough that I could walk home if I had to. Before he
stopped the road went from gravel, to dirt, to some point where I
wasn’t even sure it was actually a road anymore at all. But when
Jason did finally put it in park we sat in front of one of the most
gorgeous views I had ever seen in my life. In the distance
mountains spanned the horizon and below them was an enormous meadow
full of sunshine and wildflowers. It looked like a freaking
postcard, like it couldn’t possibly be real, but there it was. It
took my breath away.

That is until I remembered
who I was with. This must be some kind of make out spot. Was I
seriously
parking
with Jason? What did he expect to happen here? If making out
was anywhere on that list he must have permanent brain damage from
the drugs and alcohol. Luckily, I had no such
disability.

“
What are we doing here?” I
demanded, turning my gaze from the fantastic view, to face him,
unfortunately also not a bad view. Grr.

“
This is my
apology.”

“
For what, the club or your
little game?”

“
What game?”

“
Lucas told me about your
games?”

“
Oh, really? And what did
Lucas say exactly?”

“
Enough. He told me how you
two compete for girl’s attentions. It’s sick.”

“
Is that’s what he said?”
Jason laughed. “Lucas, always such a stickler for the
rules.”

“
So there are rules to your
game?”

“
Sweetheart, there are
rules to every game.”

“
So you admit
it?”

“
Why not, you seem to have
it all figured out.”

I couldn’t believe it. He didn’t even
seem to care that I knew all of this, not in the least apologetic
for it.

“
Take me home,” I
commanded.

“
Why?”

“
Because you’re sick. This
whole situation is messed up. Were you ever even interested in me
at all?”

“
Of course I was. I still
am . . .
very
interested.”

Well that ship had most definitely
sailed.

“
Tough. Take me
home.”

“
Now, now, no need to get
feisty. I have a proposition for you.”

The only thing a proposition was going
to get him was a swift kick to the groin.

“
I would like us to be
friends,” he offered.

Alright, not what I
expected.

“
Friends?”

“
Yes. Jenna, Kyle, and I
enjoy your company and we would like it if you would keep hanging
out with us. I have apologized for my behavior,”
most of it anyway
, “and
if you cannot find it in your heart to forgive me completely and
get back what we had, then I would like to at least be able to
continue to spend time with you.”

“
I don’t know, Jason,” I
answered honestly. After last time I wasn’t sure I would ever feel
comfortable around them again.

“
Your mother works at the
museum right?”

“
Yeeeah,” I answered
slowly, confused by the abrupt change in conversation.

“
I enjoy the museum. In
fact I know several people who work on the board there. The board
of directors oversees your mother’s employment there, doesn’t
it?”

“
I think so.”

“
Hmm . . . I would hate for
them to see how upset it would make me to have to see you all
around town and not be able to spend time with you. They are so
fond of me; they just may do something reckless to get you out of
town where you can’t hurt me anymore.”