4. Luke
CHAPTER 4
Luke
Gigi knocks and lets herself into my room, taking slow steps before turning around to close the door behind her. Her shoulders are hunched together and she has a defeated look on her face.
“Tired?” I ask, closing my laptop.
She’s been exhausted lately. When she’s not in class, she’s either working her ass off or taking naps. Dr. Patel said the fatigue should get easier with time. With Gigi next to me, I didn’t dare ask the good doctor whether her mood swings would improve, as well. It seems like all this girl does is cry. That or zoning out. She reminds me of a version of her that I met when Andrew just died.
“Yep,” she sighs. Gigi pulls out a clean pair of sweatpants and an oversized shirt from my drawer. “So many faculty members came to the restaurant today. Must be a welcome dinner for the new staff or something.”
She unbuttons her shirt and I can’t help but smile. To random people, she probably just looks bloated. But at this point, I know Gigi’s body in and out. She’s showing. Barely, but you can definitely see the bump on her lower stomach. A and B. Future Palmer kids. Mine.
“Come here.” I pull her closer to me before she gets a chance to change her clothes or run off and shower. “I don’t want you working all the time, Gi.” I mutter my words to the crown of her head. “I’ll talk with Dad. I’ll get it sorted out. I just want you to focus on getting as much schoolwork done as you can before the babies come and rest.” My lips meet hers in a soft kiss, the one that feels like fucking heaven when you love the other person with all you have. “Lots and lots of rest.”
Gigi’s hands reach for my hair. I groan into her mouth when I feel her fingers on my scalp. She always keeps them long and painted some shade of pink, and every time the nails graze my skin, I swear my I always get tingles between my thighs.
“Are you still going to cut your hair?” she asks, earning herself a smirk from me. “Don’t you dare, Luke.”
“I won’t do a buzz cut, I promise.” She actually fucking frowns, and I full out cackle at the sight. “It’s getting long, Gi.”
“I wonder if A and B will have your hair,” she thinks aloud as I gently bite the skin on her shoulder.
My hand is already doing its own thinking and going under her bra. Nobody told me how perky her breasts would get during pregnancy. Nobody told me how aroused she’d be all the time, despite the fact that she’s goddamn sad and tired 24/7. Nobody told me that my feelings for her would change, knowing she’s carrying a part of me inside of her. I thought I loved her before, but now? Now I have to talk myself out of proposing to her at least three times a day.
Yep. My health teacher definitely skipped those points in high school when he was teaching us about the reproductive system.
“Luke,” she calls out, her breathing heavy.
I just mumble something in return. My mouth is busy worshiping every single inch of skin on her chest, nibbling and kissing. Who knows what our lives will look like once the twins come? Nobody told me this either during biology class, but I have a good idea. Sleep deprived. That’s how our lives will look once they arrive. That and lack of alone time. So I’m using all the chances I can get.
“Luke, I have to pee.”
I drop my head on her stomach, putting my hands on her hips and kissing the swell under the belly button. “Alright,” I say, chuckling. “But we’re going to continue this once you get back.”
“You haven’t told Kai anything, right?” Gigi asks as she makes herself look decent in case she meets him on the way to the bathroom. “Because we should tell them all at the same time. They’re going to have a lot to say about this.”
“Nope,” I say. “He has zero clue. I’m keeping my mouth shut until our monthly potluck with Zach and Zoey.”
“A and B’s future aunt and uncles,” Gigi sing-songs as she walks out of my room.
While Gigi is out emptying her bladder, my mind brings me to a memory I thought was irrelevant for the longest time. Something I almost forgot. A conversation that I had over Christmas dinner when I was nineteen. I feel the food I had for lunch curdling in my stomach at the memory.
“Where’s your girlfriend?” I ask Andrew. My tone is sarcastic and I intend to mean it that way. Lately, he only gives me the time of day when Gigi is in New York, visiting her family.
He shrugs. “With her dad.” Count on Andrew to not pick up on my sour mood. This guy is so goofy, he thinks everyone has the best intentions. “And she’s not my girlfriend. Not yet, at least.”
“Immune to your charms, huh?”
“Nah,” he laughs. “I’m wearing her down.”
I can’t help but snort. “She probably has guys cooler than you waiting for her in New York.” I don’t want my cousin to get his heart broken. When people talk about the boy version of America’s sweetheart, it’s this fucking dude right here. “Don’t get your hopes up, man. She’ll probably be out of here the moment she graduates.”
“She likes it here,” Andrew says with a confident smile. “And I really like her, Luke. Like really, really like her.”
Well, that’s a first. Andrew doesn’t really date. Not because he’s too busy being a fuckboy, but because he’s waiting for the one. Not necessarily for marriage, but for someone he really likes. “Really, really like” is his prerequisite for dating a girl.
“She’s the one, is that it?” I ask, my amusement overpowering my jealousy of Gigi stealing my best friend away from me.
“Jury’s still out on that one. But I can see being together with her for long, yeah.”
I try to find something nice to say, but I can’t. I just don’t like Gigi, that’s all. We don’t have to fucking like everyone we meet. “Well the two of you will probably make cute babies, I’ll give you that.”
Andrew laughs at my half-hearted compliment. “Don’t you fucking worry, Uncle Luke. If it ever comes to that, you’ll be the first to know.”
I press the bridge of my nose and close my eyes.
Don’t do this to yourself, Luke. Stop comparing yourself to Andrew. You’re not second best. You’re going to do everything in your power to make this work.