Chapter 25
~
June
If there were two things the Ashfords were amazing at, it was being headstrong and driving negotiations. Madison, the crown jewel of the family, happened to inherit both traits which, to my benefit, won out on her trip back home.
They’d come to a compromise, whereby Mads had agreed to do her masters before taking her year-long travel sabbatical.
And true to Mads’ character, she’d managed to convince her family to help pay for a small but chic apartment off-campus for the two of us to share.
I insisted on splitting rent despite her protests.
Her last fight had been with the administrative offices, and even that had been a piece of cake for her.
I was in awe.
“I think your winning streak deserves a celebration,” I said after she told me the news.
“Oh, I plan on it,” she said airily, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “Goodbye communal showers and hello constant hot water.”
I laughed, more happy to see my friend happy than the prospect of private bathrooms. I looked around at our new place, taking it all in. “You did good. I’m proud of you.”
“Don’t get soppy on me, I’m planning on going out tonight. You’re free to join,” she said.
It was an interesting change. I didn’t feel like she was trying to save me from myself this time.
This just felt like a simple, genuine invitation.
I wondered about how her view of me had changed lately, if it matched the way I viewed myself.
Probably did, all things considered. And I believed that was a good thing.
“Sure,” I answered.
“Great! I do have a meeting with my student advisor in a bit, and after that I have to run a few errands. But we can get ready together when I come back?” she suggested, giving my arm a quick squeeze.
“Yeah, let’s do that. Let me know when you’re done,” I said.
“Will do. Don’t throw any parties while I’m out, alright?” She winked, then grabbed her bag and headed out.
I grabbed a glass of water from the kitchen before sprawling out on the couch and taking out my phone to doomscroll. But before I could start my couch-rotting session, I got a text from Lucas.
Lucas: Hey. Any chance I can see you today? We need to talk.
Oof. The most ominous phrase known to mankind.
Me: Sure! You can come over to our new place right now, if you can.
I chewed on my bottom lip, wishing that I felt half as chipper as my response sounded. Those three speech bubbles struck terror into my heart with each ripple as I waited for him to reply.
Lucas: Yeah, I’m free now.
I sent him the address with a smiley face just to really sell the illusion that I wasn’t dying inside, then tossed my phone to the side and just stared up at the ceiling.
I knew that I wasn’t necessarily being the most logical right now.
But his texts just sounded so off. The thought that Lucas might’ve decided not to see me again filled me with pain I was not willing to address.
So instead, I forced myself off the couch and ran to make sure both me and the living room looked decent.
Lucas arrived about fifteen minutes later, and the serious look on his face when I opened the door didn’t exactly bode well. But I forced a smile onto my face and welcomed him in.
“It’s a nice place,” he said, sticking his hands in his pockets as I shut the door behind him. “Homey.”
“That’s a nice alternative descriptor to it being the size of a shoebox,” I joked weakly. Lucas snorted. I wrapped my sweater more tightly around my body. “So what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?”
Lucas paused, looking around cautiously.
“It’s okay, Mads is going to be out for a while.
We’re alone,” I said, moving back towards the couch.
He followed close by and we sat down together.
As Lucas prepared to answer me, I prepared myself for the worst possible outcome.
I’d said that I would respect whatever decision they came to, and I was going to stick by that.
It didn’t mean that a rejection would sting any less, but at least we were finally going to get to a point of clarity.
“June, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately. About your proposal, the situation as a whole, what it is that I truly want out of life and a relationship. I wasn’t sure I was ever going to get to the point where I knew what I wanted, but there was never really any other answer,” he said.
I braced myself.
But Lucas took my hands in his, inviting me to look at him and immediately calming my mounting anxiety.
“I’ve fallen in love with you. I’ve never known anyone like you.
You’re intelligent, funny, kind-hearted and generous, a visionary with so much ambition that I don’t doubt you’ll reach your goals…
you’re incredible.” He smiled wryly. “It doesn’t actually surprise me that my best friends saw it too.
It makes all the sense in the world, actually.
I can’t be mad at them for that. If anything, it makes me prouder to be by your side. ”
I felt tears prick my eyes and a lump form in my throat.
I blinked rapidly, refusing to cry like a fool.
But it was hard not to when Lucas was being this sweet.
I’d been so scared of losing him and worried that I’d end up hurting his feelings in the long-run.
But hearing him say these things and seeing the look in his eyes, I was both relieved and struck by just how amazing of a man he truly was.
And here I had the privilege of loving him and being loved by him.
I raised his hands and pressed my mouth to his knuckles. “I thought you were coming here to end things.”
He laughed at my shaky confession and pulled me into a hug, kissing the top of my head.
“No, never. It took me a little while but I’m sure that this is right where I want to be.
I want you, June. And if that means I have to share the honor of loving you with those other two pricks, then so be it. It’s more than worth it.”
“I love you,” I said, nuzzling my face into his chest. “I love you so much, Lucas. And I’m so happy that you’re willing to give this a shot”
He tilted my face up and wiped at my tears with his thumbs. There was so much I wanted to tell him right now. But instead of grappling for the right words, I simply let my lips do the talking.
The tenderness behind his kiss was enough to melt me, and I climbed onto his lap.
I felt his hands rest on my hips and for a few moments, all we did was reassure each other this way, through touch and taste that we’d made our decisions.
All of my lingering anxiety disappeared, leaving nothing behind but a sense of contentment. And desire.
“I want to make love to you,” he said, his mouth now at my jaw.
A shiver ran down my spine. “Mads is coming back soon. You should probably leave before she catches you like this.”
I wanted nothing more than to take him right here but I didn’t want to risk it. Not when everything was so perfect.
“Think she’ll report me to the board?” he asked, one of his sly hands sneaking under my sweater. “The optics are definitely not going to do NEU any favors.”
“I don’t know. Maybe if prospective students see how hot our professors are, they’ll come flocking,” I mused, my back arching as his touch blazed across my skin.
“There’s only one I have my eye on,” he replied. “And she’s all I can think about right now.”
When we started making out again this time, the tenderness from before was eclipsed by something a little hungrier.
Greedier. I squirmed in Lucas’s lap, wanting more than what I knew we could have right now.
Sensing my dissatisfaction, he began to rock my hips so that I was grinding myself against his thigh.
I almost squealed in surprise but the subtle pleasure that began to course through my body soon silenced any dissent.
When I tried to reach down to stimulate him, he caught my hand and brought it to his mouth so he could kiss the back of it.
“That’s not necessary, baby,” he said. “Just let me do this for you.”
It took an embarrassingly short amount of time for me to finish and Lucas looked so pleased with himself that I almost tossed out an off-hand comment when he cupped my face with a touch so gentle it startled me.
“I love you, June Price,” he said.
And just like that, I was lost for words again.
It was strange how fast things could change.
But one thing I hoped never would, was this; the steadiness of his hands on my face, and the familiar comfort of his body against mine.
Lucas proclaimed his love like a promise.
And coming from a man who valued his word so much, I knew I would never have to question it.