Chapter 16
Luca
“I don’t know why you won’t just move into my bedroom.”
I narrow my eyes at Austin in the mirror as I try to rush through getting ready.
I woke up later than I wanted to, which is fine, but I’m truly enjoying working at the diner, and I don’t want to be late.
Not that I think Deb would really care too much.
“I already told you about seven times. I don’t want to take over your room. ”
“Luc.” Austin shakes his head with a chuckle. “I don’t know if you realize this, but you’d save us both a lot of trouble if you’d just come lie down with me instead of waiting until I’m already in bed and begging at the door.”
“I’m not begging at the door.” Okay, I am. But it’s safe in there. In the bedroom, away from the front door, but also in Austin’s arms. I’ve slept better this week than I have in actual years.
“Okay, so save us the trouble of you quietly standing in the doorway—definitely not begging with those pretty gray eyes of yours—and just come to bed with me.”
I blink at him, and he blinks at me, the weight of his words hanging heavy in the air between us. “My pretty gray eyes, huh?” I tease, deciding to save us both the trouble of being embarrassed, and bat my lashes at him.
“Oh, shut up. But yes.”
I groan. “Okay. Fine. But if you want me out of your bed, please just say so. I know this isn’t what you signed up for.”
Austin reaches past me, his chest brushing my back as he grabs his mouthwash off the sink and tips it up before swishing it around and gargling. When he spits, he wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.
“I’m not gonna kick you outta my bed, Luc.” I barely have time to register the words before a horn blows out. “That’s Jasper. Gotta go. See you later!” he calls out, already turning tail and rushing out of the bathroom.
I need to look for a car. I checked my credit the other day, and I was pleased to see that my score is pretty good. There’s a lot in town that sells pretty decent used cars, so I plan on stopping in after work tomorrow and test-driving a couple. I’ve gotta get Austin’s truck back to him.
I know he doesn’t mind, but I found out that Jasper has to drive clear across town to pick Austin up when he only lives five minutes from the station.
They’ve both tried to assure me they don’t care, but I know I’ll feel a lot better if I have my own vehicle and I don’t have to worry about always having Austin’s truck.
I just hope they’ll let me do something without a down payment. It’s not even like I need anything nice. Just something to get me around town.
After slipping on my shoes, I fire off a quick text to Arlo.
Me
Hey, do you wanna go with me after work tomorrow to look at cars?
I don’t get a response until I’m climbing into Austin’s truck.
Arlo
Sounds fun
“This place kinda sucks.” Arlo’s staring at the cars on the lot, and yeah, he’s right—this place does kinda suck.
“It’s alright. I’m sure I’ll find something. I don’t need anything fancy.”
“Where are you from?” he asks, walking alongside me as we make our way down the row of cars at the front.
“Here. What about you?”
He’s got a strange lilt to his accent you don’t usually find here. Plus, I know all the locals. It’s not like there are that many of them.
He keeps his eyes focused on the ground in front of him, kicking at a pebble. “Eastern Tennessee.”
Huh. “What did you come out here for?”
He shrugs. “New life, I guess. Wanted to disappear.”
Strange place to disappear to, but I get it, I guess.
I’m not really doing anything different.
“My ex was abusive. I came back home to escape an abusive relationship,” I say.
I think that’s the first time I’ve said those words out loud like that.
Damn. “I guess Austin saved me from it more than anything else.”
“Makes sense. He’s a nice guy. I haven’t seen him much, but when he comes in the diner to see his mom, he’s always real respectful. I like him.”
I’m not sure how I feel about that. “Yeah, he’s great.” I stop behind a blue Toyota. “What about this one?”
Damien would never let me drive such a gaudy-colored car. My black Escalade was the epitome of class, and I should have been grateful he trusted me to drive it at all. I roll my eyes at imaginary Damien, or I guess memory Damien.
“It’s alright,” Arlo says, checking over the paper hanging on the door. “Low miles. Only 116,000, and for the price, it’s not bad at all.”
I run my hand over the trunk, a smile blooming on my lips. “Well, what do you think? Should I test drive it?”
“If ya want. Can I come too?”
“Duh.” I flash him a smile that he returns. He’s got a freckle in the middle of his bottom lip, and it’s probably the strangest yet coolest thing I’ve ever seen. I’m still not sure if Deb was trying to set us up, but I do like Arlo, and I think we could be fast friends.
After getting a dealer tag and the keys, I climb in behind the driver’s seat. The car starts right up. “It’s quiet, so that’s probably a good sign, right?” I ask, even though I admittedly don’t know that much about cars.
“I’d say so.”
A giddy laugh burst from my lips, my heart thrumming away like hummingbird wings.
I back out of the parking spot and hit the road, smiling to myself.
It’s responsive, turning with just the slightest movement of the wheel.
The brakes seem good too. I press them to the floor, giggling when both mine and Arlo’s seatbelts lock up trying to keep us from flying through the windshield.
“I think I want it.”
“Really?” Arlo asks, and I glance at him to find him staring at me with wide eyes.
“Why not? Runs good. Drives good. Stops on a dime. Plus, the blue is really cool.”
“Fair enough, I guess.”
“Do you wanna try it out? I need to see what it’s like from the passenger side.”
Arlo laughs, his own excitement starting to grow. “Okay, yeah. I’ll give it a spin.”
I pull off on the side of the road, nearly bursting as I jump out and run around the front, passing Arlo.
I know there’s a dopey grin on my face, but I can’t even help it.
I’ve never bought a car before. Not like this.
I picked one from the approved list of cars that Damien gave me.
Charcoal and black were my only two options for colors.
A dent or a scratch? Forget about it; no way was that going to be seen at our house. What would the neighbors think?
As soon as Arlo pulls back onto the highway, I chuckle. “Fuck Damien. I’m buying this stupid, ugly car.”
“Yeah. Fuck Damien!” Arlo says.
“Fuck Damien!” I say a little louder, joy and fear and excitement all fighting for control of my body.
My mouth opens, another laugh spilling from me.
The fucked-up thing is that, until it came out, I wasn’t sure if it would be a laugh or a sob.
I’m glad it was the former. No need to be embarrassing myself in front of my new friend.
“Are you really gonna get it?” Arlo asks, glancing at me. “You don’t wanna try nothing else first?”
“Nope. Not even a little bit.” I run my hand over the dash. “I think it’s perfect.” I just need to call Austin to come get his truck.
I’m just finishing up signing the papers when Austin finally returns my call.
“Hey,” I say, pressing the phone to my ear and taking the keys from the salesman with a mouthed “Thank you.”
“You okay?”
Warmth floods my stomach at the concern in Austin’s voice. “Yeah, do you think you could come pick up your truck?”
There’s silence on the line. “Did you wreck it or something?”
“No. I bought a car.”
“You… bought a car.”
I nod in excitement, trying not to laugh at Arlo’s facial expression. “Yeah. It’s ugly as hell, but I like it. It’s the opposite of what Damien would want for me.”
Austin’s chuckle makes another breathless laugh leave me. “Okay. I’m assuming you’re at the lot in town.”
“Yep.”
Austin’s quiet for a second. “Jasper’s gonna come pick me up now, and we’ll be there soon, okay?”
“Perfect.” I start to pull the phone away from my ear to hang up when him saying my name catches my attention. “Yeah?”
“It’s really nice to hear how happy you sound right now. I could bottle the sound of that giggle of yours.”
My heart takes off at a wild gallop, my already huge smile growing. “See you soon.”
I hang up before he can say anything else. Arlo grins at me. “You’ve got a crush.”
“What?” Holy shit, my voice sounds squeaky. “No, I don’t.”
He shakes his head. “Sure. If you say so.”
“It would be impossible to have a crush on Austin. He’s like my—” My words cut off before I can say anything else because no, he’s not at all like my brother, but that doesn’t mean I have a crush.
Arlo’s eyebrows shoot to his hairline. “Like your brother, huh?”
I groan. “Oh God. I don’t have a crush on him.”
I can’t, right? You don’t just… develop a crush on someone you’ve known your entire life.
Sure, our relationship is different now.
We’re older, and I cling to him because even though I was screaming, “Fuck Damien,” half an hour ago, I’m still terrified of him.
I love cuddling with Austin and being in his bed. But that doesn’t mean crush.
He’s safe. That’s it. My throat goes dry. That has to be it. Anything else is far too terrifying to admit. Even to myself.
“I don’t have a crush on him,” I repeat, quietly this time, all the giddy happiness I felt leaving my body at once. Dammit. Why is it so elusive? Why can’t I hold on to it longer? Don’t I fucking deserve that after everything I’ve been through? “Hey, do you want to come over for dinner tonight?”
“Really?” Arlo asks, eyes brightening. He’s only twenty-two, and even though it’s really not that much younger than me, it feels like I’ve lived seven lifetimes since I was his age.
“Yeah, it’ll be fun. I’ll see if Jasper wants to stay too. I think it’ll make me feel better to hang out with him some before he teaches me self-defense. You’re still coming, right?”
“Yeah, I’m still coming.”
I smile. “Perfect.”