“No? Why?”
“Whew!” Ethan loses the sappy expression and bounds into my room like he’s already had at least two jacked-up iced coffees as it is. “I thought you might be miffed that I didn’t warn you about your mom finding out about the party.”
Oh, right. “You didn’t warn me, did you?” I frown but accept the drink he passes me.
He flops down on my bed and opens the bag of donuts before waving it in front of my face. How can I resist such an offering?
“I’m sorry. I was so freaked out when Dad called saying he wanted to take me out for breakfast and that I had to meet him.” Ethan lowers his chin and looks at me through his long lashes. “Besides, I was a little distracted with Malcolm.”
I’m eating my second donut and nearly choke on it. “You and Malcolm are a thing?”
“Well, not exactly.” Ethan sighs but he’s still smiling so I know nothing bad has happened. Malcolm hasn’t rejected him. “He’s super into me, that’s obvious, but we basically spent all night talking in his bedroom.”
“That’s what happened with Luca, too.” I warm up just at the memory of cuddling with Luca. “We talked all night, I mean.”
Ethan shoots me a look of utter disbelief. “After the way you were stripping? You looked hot, girl! I’m surprised he didn’t jump you as soon as he got you alone. Hell, I’m surprised he didn’t jump you when you were surrounded by people.”
“Shhhh!” I bounce up and quickly shut my door. “Mom doesn’t know that I’m with Luca yet.”
Ethan nods. “Cool, got it. She’s outside, though, doing something in the garage with Zach. She won’t hear us talking.”
“Oh yeah, right, I forgot.” I put my coffee on the nightstand. “They’re working on some kind of metal lightning rod or something for the cemetery. Or maybe it’s a lightning detector?” I shrug. “It’s a ghost rehab thing of some sort.”
“Better not to know too much.” Ethan has flopped himself onto his back and is staring up at my ceiling.
I nod, then snag his iced coffee and put it on the table, too. The last thing I need is spilled mocha java all over my bed. “Agreed.” Then I flop down next to him.
“Remember the Spring Fling last year?”
He turns to face me so I turn to face him. We’re so close that I can smell the coffee on his breath. It’s still fresh enough to be an okay smell. “Oh, you mean the only dance open to all grades, the one opportunity for me to showcase my costume styling skills to the max? Yeah, I think I remember that night.” He sticks his tongue out.
“Well, Luca told me that he saw me—like, really saw me—for the first time that night.”
Ethan’s eyes nearly bug out of his head. “And you looked a-ma-zing that night! No wonder he’s so into you. So you can thank me for dragging your sorry butt to that dance.”
I grin. “I guess so. Luca was really amazingly sweet last night.” My voice comes out all wispy and Ethan presses his hands to the side of his face in response and his eyes go all doe-like.
“Well, he is dreamy looking.”
I laugh. “Shut up! I just mean that he’s the total package.”
“That he most definitely is.” He takes my hands in his. “That body alone…whoa, mama!”
“Yes, he’s hot, but he’s also kind and thoughtful. He could have completely taken advantage last night but didn’t.”
He’s still smiling. “So maybe it was meant to be then.”
I sigh. Ethan sighs. Then we get quiet for a few minutes. I’m thinking about how wonderful Luca is. I don’t know what Ethan is thinking right now but he’s still smiling.
“Thanks for getting me an invite to Malcolm’s. I had such a blast. Best night of my life, I swear.” His eyes are sparkling and it makes my heart all squishy to see how happy he is.
“Are you going to see Malcolm again soon?” Luca has been at his grandparents’ house all day but he texted to tell me we’d vid chat later. I’ve been counting down the hours since he sent that text, trying to distract myself with other things, but yeah, I’m still checking the time every thirty seconds.
“Welllll,” Ethan drawls. “Actually, yes.” He flips over and sits up, then tugs my hands. “And I need you to cover for me if my dad comes looking for me again.”
I frown. “Why, what’s up?”
He presses my hands between both of his. “Malcolm has asked me to come with him to New York tomorrow.” His eyes are megawatt sparkling now.
I yank my hands away and push myself up. “Are you serious?”
“Yeah, his family has a condo there and his parents are in Europe. He said we could go there for a few days.” He’s practically bouncing off the bed.
“No way!” Even though I don’t want to go with Ethan to New York after grad, I kind of thought one day, maybe this summer, we’d make the trip there just to experience it together.
“He’s so loaded, Ro.” Ethan flops back onto my bed again and waves his hands around. “Like filthy rich loaded. I was telling him about how much I want to go and study in New York and he asked me if I’ve ever been.” Ethan traces the pattern on my bedspread with his finger, looking a little sheepish as he avoids eye contact. “I told him I’ve been there a few times but I’m pretty sure he saw right through me.” He laughs. “Anyway, he asked me if I wanted to go. Of course I said yes!”
“What about school?” I don’t know why I’m even asking that. I know a trip to New York is way more important than school to Ethan.
He rolls his eyes. “Nothing I can’t catch up on later.”
“And your dad? What will you tell him?” Why do I sound like a mom right now?
“Well, that’s where you come in.” Ethan pushes himself up again. “Ro, my sweetest, bestest bestie.” He flutters his eyelashes and makes a goofy face. “He’s working double shifts all week so when he comes home, he’s going to crash. I don’t think he’ll come searching for me but if he does, you need to make excuses for me.”
“What if he comes to talk to my mom?”
“You’ll be here, right? Neither one of them will think we’re apart for longer than a few hours. If you say you’ve been with me all day then they’ll believe you.” He crooks his neck and gives me his best puppy dog eyes. “Please, Ro, just cover for me if needed. This is a trip of a lifetime! I can’t not go. Say you’ll cover for me, please!”
I sigh. “You know I will.” But I want to ask, doesn’t it seem odd that we’re not going to New York together? Isn’t this the kind of trip that best friends do? But I keep my mouth shut because, really, I’m not leaving after we graduate. And if I’m being honest, the thought of leaving town for a few days when I could be spending time with Luca, figuring out just how real this thing between us might be, isn’t at all appealing. If this is what will make Ethan happy, I’m happy, too. “But you have to text me and let me know you’re safe.”
“Got it.” He lifts his pinky finger. “I swear. I’ll text you every hour.”
I laugh. “Isn’t that just a normal day for us?” But then I entwine my finger with his.
“You’re the bestest bestie ever.” Ethan crushes me to his chest, our fingers still latched together. “I can’t believe this is really happening, can you?”
No, it definitely seems unbelievable.
Just like magic.
…
Ethan leaves after dinner so he can pack. I trudge up to my room to wait for Luca to call. I’m happy for Ethan, and yes, slightly worried about him, too. I don’t know anything about Malcolm, not really. He’s popular, rich, and I guess seems like a nice guy? I don’t know. Maybe I should ask Luca. Ethan has always had a crush on him so I should just be happy that Malcolm seems to be crushing back, in a way. Or at least that he’s willing to be friends with Ethan.
Mom is off doing her experiment with Zach, so I’m home alone. I’m not going to lie—I
totally dabbed on a bit of lip gloss and also found a tank top that looks less sloppy and cuter than my usual lounge wear.
I don’t understand why people say they have butterflies in their stomach because when I’m nervous or excited, I don’t feel anything even remotely whimsical. No, my stomach feels like there’s a murder of crows inside of it, scavenging for shiny things. They scratch and poke and generally make me uncomfortable.
As the minutes tick by I give up trying to keep distracted and instead I lay on my bed, arms flung to the sides, staring at my ceiling. This is so crazy. A few days ago, Luca wasn’t even on my radar as someone who might ever be in my life and now—
My phone chirps. I snatch it from my bed just as Luca’s image pops up.
My hands shake a bit.
I hit accept.
“Hey,” he says with a sweet smile. “What’s happening?”
I try to play down how much I want to talk to him but I can’t keep the smile from my face. It’s possible that I look too eager. “Nothing much. Just doing some homework. How was your grandma?”
After our night at Malcolm’s, I know that Luca spends a lot of time with his family. His grandma, especially. She lives over an hour away, so when he goes to visit, it’s usually an all-day thing.
“She’s okay. Likes her new condo and stuff. She was teaching me how to play Bridge. You ever play that?”
I scrunch up my face. “I haven’t played many card games.”
“Maybe I’ll teach you, or maybe I’ll bring you over to meet my grandma and she’ll teach you.”
The crows in my stomach all take notice. They jump up. They stomp their feet in a dance that makes me wrap my arm around my waist and hope they chill. Luca wants to introduce me to his grandma? What? I try to play it cool. “Yeah, that would be fun.”
He grins, clearly seeing right through me. “Did you get to chill today?” Before I can answer he adds, “I missed talking to you.”
I duck my head and my cheeks heat. “I missed talking to you, too.” When I look back at the screen, Luca is smiling in that way he has that makes me think he likes making me blush or something. “I didn’t do much. Read for a bit, chores, Ethan came over.”
“Oh yeah? Cool.” Luca adjusts himself so he’s lying down. I can see part of his bed and a bit of his bedroom in the background. There aren’t posters or sports things hanging on the walls that I can see. It makes me wonder if he has trophies for things or if that kind of stuff has been put away now that he’s finished with football.
“Hey, strange question but…” I know it’s weird asking my boyfriend about another guy but I want to make sure that Ethan isn’t getting himself into anything he can’t handle. “Is Malcolm cool? I mean, is there anything about him that I should know? Ethan is hanging out with him a lot lately.”
Luca makes a face that is half meh and half not meh. “He can be a little over the top sometimes but he’s not a bad guy. Pretty generous when it comes down to it.”
I let out a breath. “Good. That’s good.” Some of my Ethan tension dissolves on the spot. At least I’m not quite as worried that Malcolm will leave him stranded in New York.
There’s a beat of silence that doesn’t feel weird because Luca has that disarming smile creeping on his face again. “So, do you think it would be okay for me to pick you up for school tomorrow?”
Yes! No! “Uh, my mom usually drives me.” I want to suck those words back the instant they’re out.
Luca’s face kind of crashes but he covers it immediately. “Oh, right, in her Caddie. I love that car.” He clears his throat.
“If you don’t mind picking me up a bit early, I can just tell her that I have a thing to do. I’d much rather drive to school with you anyway.” I don’t even feel a twinge of guilt saying that. “I’ll meet you outside at seven?”
And just like that, he beams and my stomach flips the crows upside down because, oh man, that smile is a killer. I love making Luca happy.
“Awesome. I’ll be there.” He lifts his arm and rests it behind his head. “So, I finished that book you recommended. Loved it.”
I settle myself back, relaxing into my pillows and smile. Where has Luca been all my life?
Chapter Fourteen
My mom is barely awake when I barge into her room first thing to say that I don’t need her to drive me to school.
She’s got her eye mask on and lifts a corner to look at me. “Who’s driving you?” she mumbles. She was busy with Zach all night. She didn’t come home until after two, which I know because I was still chatting with Luca. I had to get off the phone fast.
“Abby,” I lie. “I’ll see you later.” I start to shut her bedroom door. “Love you.”
“Love you, too.” Mom rolls over and pulls the covers up. “Knock ’em dead.”
I close the door. Luca is waiting in the driveway. He showed up earlier than I expected, which is fine because I was too excited to sleep much anyway. I was up and showered way before the sun came up. Abby wanted me to wear something light and cheerful for the first day of our marketing project, so naturally I dressed head to toe in black. I’m guessing she will not be amused, but it’s not like I’m going to change who I am just to please her.
“Hey.” My breath comes out in a puff as I hop into his truck. It’s still freezing in the mornings but he’s got the heat cranked. I close the door to shut out the cold and by the time I turn to face Luca, he’s right there, leaning in for a kiss.
I will never get enough of this. Goose bumps ripple over my skin, partly from seeing Luca and partly from lying to my mom, but I don’t hesitate. Kissing Luca is one of my new favorite things to do. His lips touch mine, soft and tender at first, and then he slips his hand into my hair to hold the back of my neck and deepen our kiss. Incandescent heat spreads through my body and I melt into him. I want to touch him, feel his warm skin again, but we’re wearing coats and sitting in my driveway. My mom could see us and I’m not ready for that.
I sigh inwardly and pull back, ending our kiss before we get too carried away.
“Good morning,” he says. Even though we were up late, he doesn’t look tired. His hair is damp and he shaved. He smells good, like cloves and cinnamon, warm scents that remind me of happy things. My thoughts flash to our night on Malcolm’s couch and I go all gooey inside. He puts the truck in reverse and gets us out of the driveway. “You cool with popping in at the Den?”
Holy crap! “The Den? Sure.” The Den is the common room for the football team. Totally off-limits to all other students unless personally invited. Ethan would die.
He shoots me a lopsided grin. “The team meets there every Monday morning. I feel like I should go.” He shrugs. “At least they can’t complain about me missing that.”
“You sure it’s okay for me to come with you?” I’m not exactly one of them. Not really. “I’m not on the team.”
“All the girlfriends come.” He entwines his fingers with mine. “I want you there.”
Warmth fizzes through my body. “Okay.” I wish I could tell Ethan but texting him would mean giving up holding hands with Luca and I don’t want to do that. If he were holding Malcolm’s hand, he’d absolutely feel the same.
Still, I can’t wait to tell him later.
Once we’re at school, Luca carries my bag. It seems kinda old fashioned of him, but I like it. He takes my hand again once we’re inside and that makes me feel like this is the real deal. He wants everyone to know we’re together.
It’s early enough that there aren’t a lot of people in the building but all the same, the people who are around notice. I mean, most people notice Luca on a regular day, but as we’re walking, everyone is turning, looking at us. Some of them are smiling. Others look a little surprised.
Not that I blame them. I still don’t totally understand what Luca sees in me. We have way more in common than I expected—I lov
e talking books with him—but I can’t get past how I’ve always seen guys like him versus how I see myself. I shove down that niggling doubt when Luca squeezes my hand. He wants me at his side. And I need to let myself believe it.
The Den is the old faculty lounge on the third floor, which is a total slog to get to—and probably why the teachers stopped using it ages ago—but well worth it just to say I’ve been. I don’t know how the football team managed to convince the principal to let them have the room in the first place, but it’s been the hang out for as long as anyone I know can remember.
“Hey, man! Nice of you to show up.” Del sits on a ratty looking couch. His words are harsh but he’s smiling, so I guess he’s not trying to be a total jerk.
“Yeah, well, with all your complaining lately, how could I not come?” Luca bumps fists with him before ditching our bags on the floor. “You want a coffee or something?” He shrugs his jacket off and tosses it on top of our bags.
“Sure.” I take my jacket off, too, and put it with Luca’s. For some reason, I was kind of expecting to come in, say hi, and then leave. Seems like we’re sticking around.
There are a few seniors that I don’t know in there, sitting at the table in the kitchen area, talking about Malcolm’s party. Luca moves around them so he can grab some mugs.
“You and Abby have some kind of thing happening today, don’t you?”
It takes me a few seconds to realize that Del is speaking to me. I look over at him. “Um, yeah, the marketing fair starts today.”
The door opens and, as if summoned by Del’s question, Abby walks in, chatting away with Bella. She catches sight of me and pauses for a second, an eyebrow quirking.
I suddenly feel exactly as I expected—out of place.
Luca hands me my coffee, then nudges me to join him on the other couch.
Abby shakes herself out of her surprise and then swoops in to give Del a kiss. “Hey, babe.”
Luca nudges me again, then he puts his arm around my shoulders and pulls me closer.
“Ro, right?” Bella asks. She’s smiling. “You drink your coffee black? That’s intense. I’ve never really liked the taste of coffee. Hey, I love your sweater! It’s so old school.” And just like that, the weird tension that Abby brought with her is gone.
Love Spells and Other Disasters Page 13
