Meet Your Match (No Match for Love)

by Lindzee Armstrong

  Luke rushed out of the locker room to look for Brooke, but she must’ve already left for her next class. He gave up and went to history. He looked for her after that class too, but didn’t find her before the tardy bell rang. He slipped into the last class of the day late, which earned him a glare from the teacher, but he didn’t care. He had to get to Brooke before Chris did.

  With minutes left until final bell, Luke packed up his backpack. The other students sat on top of their desks or chatted in small groups, waiting for the bell to ring.

  A hand settled on Luke’s desk. “Can I talk to you for a minute?” Mr. Daniels asked.

  Really, this has to be right now? He hoped he wasn’t going to get in trouble for being late. “Sure,” Luke said. He followed Mr. Daniels back to his desk. The teacher slid Luke’s most recent chemistry test toward him and complimented Luke on his excellent score. He threw around words like AP chemistry and working the tutor lab, but Luke barely paid attention. The bell rang, and students streamed out of the classroom.

  “Think about it,” Mr. Daniels said, holding out a packet to Luke. “Registration for next year will be here in just a few months.”

  “Thanks, Mr. Daniels,” Luke said. He snatched the paper and ran from the classroom. He found Brooke and Zoey outside, sitting under some palm trees.

  “Hey, ladies.” Luke sank onto the grass next to them. Chris was nowhere to be seen. Hallelujah. “What are you doing?”

  “Homework,” Zoey said.

  “It’s such a nice day, and I don’t want to go home,” Brooke added. “Dad and Mom have another counseling session, so she’s going to be in a rotten mood.”

  Luke frowned sympathetically. “Care if I join you?”

  Brooke’s brow creased. “Don’t you work today?”

  Crap. “Uh, yeah. Thanks for reminding me.” He had three appointments to install phones for hearing impaired customers that afternoon. He felt like an idiot for forgetting. “I’ll just sit here until I have to leave in a few minutes.”

  “Aren’t you going to tell him, Brooke?” Zoey asked.

  Luke’s heart constricted. He didn’t. “Tell me what?”

  “Chris asked her to the winter formal.”

  He did. But when?

  Luke swallowed hard. Some friend Chris was. “When? And what did you say?”

  Brooke blushed. “Just barely, right before you showed up. I was flustered. ‘Yes’ sort of popped out before I really thought about it.” She turned to Zoey. “Why did you let me say yes?”

  “Chris is kind of cocky, but he’s fun,” Zoey said. “And you need to have fun. It’ll be good for you.” But Luke heard the undercurrent of jealous in Zoey’s voice.

  “It’s weird. I can tell you like him, Zo.”

  Zoey made a psh sound with her mouth. “You’re going as friends, and Mike already asked me. Go. Have fun. We get to ride in a limo and eat a fancy meal.”

  “If you don’t feel comfortable with it, tell him no,” Luke said. “I’ll take you myself if you really want to go.”

  Brooke’s eyes pierced his soul. “You mean like a date?”

  He rubbed his neck uncomfortably. “If you’re okay with it.”

  Brooke pursed her lips. “I think casual dates are okay, but only if we’re helping each other out. Like if you have a work party or something.” She flushed. “I mean, once we get real jobs.”

  She sees us remaining friends after high school. His heart soared. “So you’ll go to the dance with me?”

  Slowly, she shook her head. “I don’t want you and Chris to fight. He’s your best friend.”

  “I think you fill that role now.”

  She smiled shyly. “I’ll go to the dance with Chris. I already told him yes. Is there a reason I shouldn’t feel comfortable with him?”

  “Chris is a ladies man.”

  “So are you.”

  Zoey pointed a finger at Luke. “Girl has a point.”

  Luke sighed. “Just be on your guard, okay? Don’t let him slobber all over you.”

  Brooke made a face. “Ew.”

  “Well, you’re going out with Chris. He’s not exactly an old-fashioned gentleman.”

  “Good thing I’m not a loose woman, then.”

  He had been too late. Brooke was going out with Chris, and there was nothing Luke could do about it.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  “I don’t want to go,” Brooke said. The flutters in her stomach felt a lot more like icky moths than happy butterflies.

  Zoey sighed. “Why can’t you accept that this will be fun?”

  “It feels like a lot of pressure.”

  “There’s only pressure if you put it there. It’s a date, not a proposal.”

  “I know. I’ll try to have fun.” Brooke fussed with her dress, adjusting the skirts for the twelve hundredth time.

  “Stop touching the dress. You look perfect.” Zoey turned Brooke around so she faced the full-length mirror. “Luke won’t be able to keep his eyes off of you.”

  Brooke had to admit, she did look good. The navy blue dress shimmered in the light, hugging her body and flaring at the hips into an a-line skirt. Her hair was swept up on top of her head, with rhinestones pinned so that it glittered when she moved. There was only one problem. “Did you already forget that Chris is my date?” Brooke asked.

  “’Course not. But we both know it’s Luke you really like.”

  “We’re just friends.”

  “So you say.”

  Brooke chewed on her lip, then quickly released it so she wouldn’t mess up her lip gloss. They were just friends. But sometimes she wanted to be more.

  The doorbell rang, and Zoey clapped her hands. “They’re here!”

  Brooke groaned, and Zoey whacked her with her clutch.

  “Be nice,” Zoey said. “We’re going to have a fabulous time tonight.”

  “That was my last complaint, I promise,” Brooke said. She pasted on a smile. “I’m ready to have fun.”

  Brooke followed Zoey down the stairs. Brooke’s mom had wanted to see her off to the dance, but hadn’t been able to get out of work, so Brooke had gotten ready for the date at Zoey’s. Zoey’s parents were already at the door, welcoming the boys and telling them how handsome they looked. Brooke took a deep breath and put on her happy face. She didn’t need to be so freaked out by a date.

  “Wow.” Chris let out a whistle, wrapping his arms around Brooke and kissing her on the cheek. The kiss was sloppy, but Brooke smiled, playing her part. “I’m a lucky man to have you on my arm tonight.”

  “You look nice too,” Brooke said. His suit fit him well, and he did look handsome. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Zoey greet Mike with a hug.

  Zoey’s parents took photos, and then they were out the door. Brooke climbed into the limo first. Her eyes immediately landed on Luke. She hadn’t realized how amazing he’d look in a tux. It made his shoulders look broader and matured his appearance by at least five years. Even sitting down, she could tell the tux fit like it was made for him.

  “Hi, Brooke.”

  Brooke tore her gaze from Luke. She gave his date a weak smile. Brooke couldn’t remember the girl’s name—Tiffani or Brittani or Staci. Some such name that ended in an “i” dotted with a heart. The girl was in student government and popular, which meant she was Luke’s type. “Hey,” Brooke said to i-with-a-heart.

  Zoey sank into the leather seats and giggled. “This ride is amazing.”

  Amazing was the dimple in Luke’s cheek every time he grinned. Amazing was the dark plum of his vest, which complimented his complexion perfectly. Amazing was the way her heart fluttered when he smiled at her.

  Luke’s date reached out and placed a hand on his knee. Brooke looked away.

  The limo filled with excited chatter as the driver pulled onto the road. Brooke’s stomach swarmed, and this time they were definitely happy butterflies. What is wrong with me? Yeah, Luke was hot. But so was Chris, and he definitely didn’t elicit the same response. Thank
heaven for the rules that stopped her from doing something stupid like falling for Luke.

  Fun was allowed, but a relationship was not in the cards right now.

  “You look nice,” Luke whispered, his leg brushing hers as he leaned forward to say the words.

  Brooke shivered, curling her fingers into her hands. “Thanks.” The words were barely a whisper.

  I-with-a-heart placed a hand on Luke’s arm, bringing his attention back to her.

  Chris said something to Brooke, and she smiled and nodded. Time to focus on her date and not Luke.

  Dinner was loud, the restaurant teeming with overly excited teenagers on their way to the dance. Chris kept touching Brooke possessively—her knee, her back, her hand. Brooke tried to ignore him and involve herself in the conversation at the table, but Luke kept distracting her with his sexy voice and luscious lips and warm eyes.

  Brooke was relieved when they finally left the restaurant and headed to the dance. Surely she couldn’t be distracted by Luke there. She’d always loved dancing, and if the Halloween party was any indication, Chris was great at it. They’d only danced for one song, but it’d been fun. In the limo, Chris rested his hand on Brooke’s thigh. She pushed it off, but all that resulted in was him taking her hand in his.

  At the school, Zoey and Mike quickly disappeared onto the dance floor. Luke and i-with-a-heart soon followed, leaving Brooke and Chris alone.

  “Let’s dance,” Chris said, taking Brooke’s hand. A slow song came on, and Brooke let Chris wrap his hands around her waist while she put her hands on his shoulders. Brooke tried to relax and enjoy the moment, but her eyes kept following Luke and i-with-a-heart, who rested her head on his shoulder as they danced. Did Luke like his date? Did he have feelings for her?

  What does it matter? You’re just friends.

  And that’s when she felt it—Chris’s hand on her butt. Brooke reached back and grabbed his hand, placing it on her back where it belonged. “What was that about?” she asked.

  “What?” His face was the picture of innocence.

  Brooke narrowed her eyes. She broke away from Chris and walked off the dance floor. Chris followed, laughing. “Don’t be like that, Brooke. I was playing around.”

  “It was not playing around,” Brooke said, her breath coming hard. “It’s called sexual harassment, and I don’t appreciate it.”

  Chris grabbed her hand, tugging her toward the gym doors. Brooke pulled her hand away, but Chris grabbed it again. “You’re making a scene,” he said. “We can talk about this in the hallway.”

  Brooke glanced around. Sure enough, people were starting to stare. She reluctantly followed him from the dance. The sounds of the gym faded away as they headed toward his locker.

  “I am not someone you can manhandle,” Brooke said when the music had all but disappeared. “Don’t ever touch my butt again.”

  Chris laughed. “You liked it and you know it, Brooke. You’ve been playing hard to get for months, and I’m sick of it.”

  “I’m not playing hard to get. I really don’t like you like that.” And not really at all.

  “That’s because you haven’t gotten to know me.” Chris grabbed Brooke around the waist, pulling her close. His lips were on hers before Brooke knew what was happening, rough and wet. He pressed her against the lockers, one of the dials digging into her spine.

  Brooke pushed against his shoulders, desperate to move away from his oppressive weight. When that didn’t work, she brought her knee up, connecting hard with his crotch.

  Chris let go, and Brooke ducked out of his grip. “If you ever try something like that again, I will have you arrested,” Brooke yelled at Chris. He hunched on the floor, groaning. Brooke turned to leave and nearly ran into Luke. His jaw was clenched, his face a mask of fury. He grabbed her by the shoulders. “Are you okay?” he asked.

  Brooke nodded. “Did you see that?”

  “I got here in time to see you knee him.” Luke grabbed Chris by the shoulder and hauled him into a standing position.

  Chris let out a groan. “She’s a crazy chick,” he said. “You saw what she did.”

  “Yeah. I did.” Luke pulled back his fist and hit Chris hard in the face. Blood gushed from Chris’s nose, and Luke’s knuckles came away red.

  “Luke.” Brooke grabbed his arm, keeping him from landing another punch. “He’s not worth it.”

  Chris swore and called Brooke a foul name. He spit and blood spattered the floor. “You can have her,” he told Luke.

  “Get out of here, before I find a teacher. If I ever see you near Brooke again, I’ll jump you.”

  Chris walked by them, glaring. He spit again, clearly aiming for Brooke. She jumped back just in time, and the blood-laced saliva landed to the left of her shoe.

  Chris disappeared around the corner. Luke’s arms wrapped around Brooke, and she leaned into him. She wanted to stay in his embrace forever, safe and protected.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  “Yeah. Chris didn’t do more than kiss me.” She brought a hand to her lips and wiped. Her shoulders started to shake, a reaction to the adrenaline wearing off.

  Luke cursed. “I should’ve seen it coming. He’s always been a jerk to girls.”

  “I’m sorry I ruined your night,” Brooke said. “Where’s your date?”

  “She’s the one who saw you leave with Chris and told me something looked off. She told me to come find you.”

  Brooke raised an eyebrow in surprise. Maybe she’d misjudged i-with-a-heart. “I’m glad she did.”

  “Me too. I’m more worried about you than ruining my date. Are you sure you’re okay?”

  Brooke nodded, but her eyes clouded with tears. Luke pulled her into a hug, and Brooke rested her head against his chest. For just a moment, she was going to ignore the three second rule she’d made and enjoy the feel of his arms around her.

  How had she found herself falling for Luke? It wasn’t fair.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  It had been all Luke could do to stop himself from beating Chris to within an inch of his life. When he’d seen him pressed against Brooke, his mouth all over hers …

  If Brooke hadn’t stopped him, Luke would’ve gone all Jackie Chan on Chris.

  “I really am sorry,” Brooke said, pulling away from the hug. It wasn’t lost on Luke that she’d let him hold her for significantly longer than three seconds. “Tiffani must hate me.”

  “Brittani,” Luke corrected. “I’ll explain it to her, and she’ll understand. She’s really nice.”

  “Okay, then Chris. I’ve ruined your friendship.”

  “I don’t want to be friends with someone like that.” He linked her hand with his. “Stop apologizing. You did nothing wrong.”

  “I should let you get back to your date,” Brooke said.

  Luke shook his head. “Not a chance. No way I’m leaving you alone.”

  “You’re not being fair to Brittani.”

  Luke let out a growl. “You were just attacked.”

  “You make it sound so dramatic.” Brooke grabbed his hand. “C’mon, I’m getting you back to your date.”

  Back in the gym, it didn’t take Luke long to locate Brittani. She was on the dance floor with some friends, and didn’t look any the worse for being abandoned by her date. Luke tugged on Brooke’s hand, eager to take advantage of the opportunity. “C’mon.”

  Brooke shook her head. “Brittani—”

  “—is having a good time,” Luke finished. He pointed to his date. “Give me one dance.”

  Brooke nodded, a smile turning up her lips. “One dance, then you go back to Brittani.”

  Luke didn’t say anything, just pulled Brooke through the crowd and onto the dance floor. He held up his hand for Brooke to take, and rested his other around her waist.

  Brooke smiled shyly, swaying with him to the music. “You take the traditional dance pose, huh?”

  “Of course. None of this dancing-in-a-circle crap for me.” Luke spun her out, t
hen back into his arms.

  “A true gentleman,” Brooke laughed. Then she became serious. “Thank you for saving me tonight.”

  “Chris is a creep. I hope I never see him again,” Luke said. “Besides, what are friends for?”

  “Right. Friends.”

  Luke pulled Brooke close, his cheek touching hers. “I was so angry when I saw him all over you. You’ve come to mean a lot to me the last few months.”

  “I feel the same way.”

  Luke took a deep breath, then plunged. “We don’t have to be just friends. We can get rid of the rules. I’m not like Chris or your dad. I’d be a good boyfriend.”

  Brooke was quiet for a moment, and Luke thought she might agree. His heart raced in anticipation.

  “No,” Brooke said finally. “I’m sorry, Luke. But we can only ever be friends.”

  “Why?” he demanded. He tightened his hold on her hand. He didn’t want to ever let go.

  “That’s how I want it to be.”

  Luke growled in frustration. “I think you’re lying. I know you’re attracted to me.”

  Brooke touched his cheek with her hand. “What we have is so much more important to me than a high school romance. I won’t ruin that by dating. I know you don’t understand, but this is how I want it. Please.”

  “I like you, Brooke. I could easily like you as more than a friend.”

  “I know. But if we go down that route, it’ll ruin everything.”

  “Or it could be the beginning of everything.”

  Brooke sighed and rested her head on Luke’s shoulder. “Can’t we just enjoy being friends?”

  Luke wanted to argue. But he was learning to read Brooke. Her tired sigh, the way she tapped her fingers in a rhythm against his back, the firm set of her jaw. She wouldn’t budge, and if he pushed too hard, he’d lose the friendship they were beginning to build.

  “Friends,” Luke agreed. For now. Maybe if he was patient, something would change. He had to believe that.

  “The song’s almost over,” Brooke said. “Time to get back to your date.”