“What then?” I ask, bracing for the answer.
He exhales through his nose. “More like a hate-love thing? I don’t know. We fought.A lot.But it never felt empty. We sparked.”
“Okay.” I try to stay casual even as my brain is whirring. “Do you think of him as a friend now?”
Silence for a beat, then another, until a weird feeling in my chest rises, but Luc’s eyes are on the street in front of us.
“You said you were stupid for me, but stupid for Greer too. Right?” he asks hesitantly after so long, I almost thought he didn’t hear me.
“I did,” I admit. And I still feel shitty for it, even though it’s the truth.
“What would you say if I told you I feel the same? About you…andMason.”
What?
I blink at him. “You do?”
“Yeah, I think I do, and I get it, what you feel for Greer, even while you still feel the same for me. I’m not going to ask you to choose,Petite. I don’twantyou to choose.” I stare at him, my heart swelling and breaking at the same time. “I want you to haveeverythingyou’ve ever wanted and needed in this life, Alaina. Everything that’s good because youdeserveit. Youneedit, and I need all the help I can get to make you the happiest person on this planet.”
I choke up, my throat tight with tears that sting but don’t fall.
“And if that’s with Mason beside me…” Luc says, voice softer now, “… as a friend, or more, that’s your decision.”
Wait, what?
“Why would that bemydecision?”
“Because I’m not puttingmyhappiness over yours.”
I stare at him in disbelief for a long moment, then snap, “Oh, shut up.”
He glances over, his brows lifting. “What?”
“Shut thefuckup, Luc.” I laugh despite the emotion clawing up my throat. “As if I don’t wantyouto be happy. As if I don’t wantMasonto be happy. As if I don’t…” my voice catches, “… as if I wouldn’t support the two of youtogether.”
He huffs, shaking his head, smiling now. “Yeah. That was fantastic, by the way.”
“What was?”
“Yourmedicated brainyelling at us to kiss.” He smirks. “Very subtle.”
“Shutup.” I laugh, then ask before I can stop myself, “Did you… kiss?”
I don’t know if I want the answer. Or maybe I do. I just don’t know whether I’ll like it.
Luc glances over, then back at the road. “No. I wanted to talk to you first. I didn’t want to hurt you.”
Of course, he didn’t. I should have known that Luc would put my feelings over his in this matter, but how stupid is it that I feel this burst of relief? Like I’m clinging to some piece of him I don’t want to lose.
Would I lose him to Mason?
What if I’m the one left outside?
Still, I don’t let it show, for his sake. “Theonlything that would hurt me is if youdidn’tdo that. Iwantyou to kiss him. I want you both to be happy together. Kiss. Date. Do whatever. Be in a relationship if that’s what you want.”
I mean it. I think I do. It’s just, God, it’s hot when I think of them together, but when it’s not just a fantasy anymore? When it’s real, and Luc might fall for Mason the way I fell for Luc? The way I’m starting to feel about Mason too? But only for him.
I shake it off and push it down. That’s not what this is about. This is about trust, choice, and not being afraid of love just because it doesn’t look like everyone else’s.
