Chapter 10
Ten
Beck
Other than a quick trip to check out of his hotel, Lucas spends his last day in Florida being mostly lazy in my apartment. By late afternoon we’ve watched each other’s favorite movies, ordered more food than we can reasonably eat, and have taken three naps—one of which actually included napping.
“I’ve really derailed your entire weekend,” I say, watching Lucas at the other end of the couch, where he is working on one of my puzzle books with my legs in his lap. “I thought you were supposed to be the one influencing me.”
Lucas peers at me from over the puzzle book. “The idea of you being influenced by anyone is hilarious. I’m much more impressionable. I’ll do whatever you say, for instance.”
“Is that innuendo?”
“Definitely,” he replies.
The way Lucas sees me—confident, independent, fun.
It feels true. If I ignore all the things I think I’m supposed to feel about myself, it reminds me of how I really truly feel.
I’m not difficult or picky or boring. I know what I want, even when everything around me says I want the wrong things.
I know what makes me happy, even when everything around me tells me it shouldn’t.
“I figured it out, by the way,” Lucas says.
“Figured what out?”
“My ideal vacation.”
“And?”
He grins at me. “It’s definitely doing nothing on your couch.”
I roll my eyes. “Be serious.”
“I am serious!” he says.
I turn my attention to the crossword puzzle in front of me. “Too bad you never go anywhere twice,” I say.
Lucas sighs. “Yeah. Bad habit. Maybe I should come back.”
I look up at him, and his eyes are on me.
“What do you think?” he says.
“About you coming back here?”
He nods.
“But you could go to the Bahamas,” I say.
He shrugs. “Been there.”
“Vegas,” I say.
“Been there too.”
“Longville, Minnesota. You can’t tell me you’ve been there.”
Lucas sets the puzzle book down with a sigh. “All right, you got me. I have not been to Longville, Minnesota . . . yet.”
“It’s the turtle-racing capital of the world,” I say.
“And as great as Longville, Minnesota, sounds, I’d still rather come back here. Maybe next month?”
“You want to come back here? Next month?”
“Unless you and Boris are busy, of course,” he says. “Are you and Boris busy?”
I shake my head, and Lucas picks up his phone from the side table.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
“I’m looking at my calendar and booking a flight.”
“But . . . you could go somewhere new. Or you could go back to somewhere else. Somewhere cooler. Why come back here?”
Lucas sets his phone down again. “Because you’re worth coming back for.
I know we’ve just met and don’t know each other well, but I already know that you’re someone I want to know.
If you feel the same way, I think that’s worth coming back for.
” He picks up his phone again. “So, should I book a flight? What do you think?”
What do I think?
I think this summer might not be so bad after all.