Chapter 15
Fifteen
Nova
I quickly get dressed and grab my books for class, making sure I have everything so I don’t have to stop back at the house.
Heading out of my room, I saunter into the kitchen. Zeke is eating breakfast, shoving bites of dry cereal into his mouth while Harper is glancing over one of her textbooks and eating a protein bar.
“Good morning,” Harper says, a faint smile on her lips when she glances up at me. I can’t decipher whether she and Luca are still fighting or not. She’s not super chipper, but she doesn’t look sullen, either.
“Morning. Is Luca still around? I was hoping to talk with him this morning.”
“He’s grabbing breakfast at the dining hall. He left about five minutes ago.”
“I’ll try to catch up with him.” I sling my bag over my shoulder, hurry to slip on my shoes and coat, and head outside.
It’s warmer this morning than yesterday, thankfully.
The sidewalk is clear, and I take a shortcut through the neighbor’s yard and hurry across campus.
In under ten minutes, I’m at the dining hall, slightly out of breath from jogging.
I’m not exactly out of shape; it’s the ten pounds on my back—at least it feels like that—which makes it harder to run.
Catching my breath, I head into the dining hall, glancing around and spotting Luca grabbing a seat at a table alone. I hurry to grab some food for myself and then bring my tray over, hoping he’ll let me join him. “This seat taken?”
Luca glances up from his breakfast, a piece of bacon in hand. He takes a bite and glances around. Is he looking for Ashton?
“It’s just me.” I don’t wait for him to tell me I can sit with him. The question was more out of politeness than anything else. I place my tray down across from him on the table and slide out the chair, taking a seat.
“Good.” He takes another bite, but I swear his jaw is grinding so friggin’ tight that he’s going to chip a tooth or two.
“I’m sorry we didn’t tell you sooner.” I hope my apology is enough to coax him. The irritation boils off of him like steam walloping at me.
He’s hot and mad still.
“You should have told me, but I don’t blame you.” Luca grabs his glass of orange juice and takes a swig. “I blame Ashton.”
Exhaling, I sigh and give a faint nod. “That’s fair. He is your best friend.” I’m trying to find a way to smooth things over, but I feel like I may have just set a match under Ashton instead.
“He was my best friend. Now, he’s just a teammate.” Luca forcefully puts the glass of juice down, splashing a bit onto the table. Thankfully, the glass doesn’t shatter.
I don’t dare ask if he’s angry with Harper too. It was evident last night when he learned of her betrayal that he hurried home.
Another fight between them.
I don’t know how long their marriage can last if they’re constantly arguing. It seems like that’s all they ever do, Luca mad at Harper over some secret that she’s kept.
I suppose in this one, I’m a bit to blame.
I have to know. Wondering is killing me. “And Harper?”
His gaze shoots up at me. “What about her?” There’s worry in his tone, and that causes me to raise an eyebrow.
“Are you still mad at her?”
“Harper and I are none of your business, Nova.”
I can’t help but laugh darkly at his words. “You’re right. Harper and your relationship is none of my business, just like Ashton and me together has nothing to do with you.”
His gaze tightens, realizing what he’s said, and listening to me, it isn’t quite what he was expecting. He leans back in his chair, staring at his food. I think I may have made him lose his appetite.
I’m still hungry. I eat my scrambled eggs and grab a piece of toast off my plate, munching on it, waiting for Luca to say something.
“My fight isn’t with you, Nova.”
It’s not going exactly as I had planned. In fact, I’m worried I may have made things inadvertently worse for Ashton.
Shit.
“You don’t have to fight with Ashton. There’s no reason for it, Luca. We’re both adults. He’s been good to me. Ashton is sweet, kind; he’s the perfect gentleman.”
“Hardly,” Luca grunts. “Have you seen how he treats the girls he sleeps with? One and done.”
“That was before us.” I hate defending his behavior.
I’d seen how he treated women. I’m not oblivious to the fact that he’s slept through probably a majority of the freshman and maybe even some of the sophomore class.
“The girls were throwing themselves at him. I’ve seen them do the same thing to you. ”
“But you don’t see me jumping into bed with them and then shoving them out the door after.”
“You can’t tell me you never did that.” I’m not an idiot. I know Luca has had his fair share of one-night stands. I don’t care what he did or what Ashton did, only what he does now.
“My past isn’t any of your concern.” Luca’s gaze narrows, and he shoves his tray slightly forward, clearly done. He didn’t eat as much as he usually would. It’s obvious that I’ve upset him, but I’m not sure how to fix this mess either.
“Look, I don’t want anything to come between you and Ashton. You’re best friends. That shouldn’t change.”
“He shouldn’t have fucked my little sister!”
A few heads turn, and I’m about ready to stab him with my fork if he doesn’t quiet his mouth. “We’re just practicing lines for our theater class!” I shout out to anyone who’s staring at us.
Luca raises an eyebrow but keeps his voice lower, quieter, giving us some privacy.
It seems he doesn’t want the entire school to know our business, either.
Although anyone at the party is privy to it and, quite frankly, the entire hockey team already knows the drama. “I don’t want to fight with you, Nova.”
“So don’t.” I stare him in the eye, willing him to make peace with what’s happening.
“Fine. You and I are good.” His tone says otherwise.
“And Ashton?” I can’t help but feel butterflies in my stomach.
He huffs and folds his arms across his chest. “He’d better watch his back this weekend.”