Eric took off the hat and ran his hand through his hair so it stuck up on the end. I used tolovethat gesture when he was nervous, but now it looked dumb. His jaw tensed as his attention shifted on me. “Lo, could we—”
“Eric, baby!”
A beautiful, leggy blonde walked up to him and threw herself at him. He caught her, and his cheeks pinkened.
“Can we go? I want to watch Ted Lasso again,” she purred into his ear.
Ted fucking Lasso.
The show I made him watch with me. I felt like I was living in an Olivia Rodrigo song, and I hated it. I’d begged this guy to watch the show with me, and he’d complain because he’d rather do anything else. He thought soccer wasboring. But wow… not with this new girl. Eric paled as he rubbed the girl’s back.
“Continue with your night, Eric.” Ice laced my tone, and I bit my lip to prevent from saying anything else. Luca stepped closer to me, placing a hand on my shoulder and gently squeezing.
I needed that reminder to ground me, and damn, I liked it.
Eric nodded before walking away with the leggy blonde and I deflated. The anger swirled and billowed, like smoke coming from a grill, and I gritted my teeth. “That rat bastard.”
“I hate him,” Mack said. “Didn’t he complain about soccer the entire time you were together?”
“Yes.” I breathed hard, hoping to exhale all the negativity in my mind.
“Vent or fix?” Luca asked.
“What?” I snapped. His question made no sense.
“My grandma does this thing… do you want to vent right now about him? Or do you want a fix?”
“I’d love a fix for this.” I tilted my head to each side, cracking my neck and wishing I did another shot at the bar. “But I’m angry. I had tobeghim to watch Ted Lasso. Beg. Like, pout and he’d act like I was so irritating. He made me feel annoying.” I rubbed my eyes, irritated that I’d put on mascara so I surely had racoon eyes.
Luca squeezed the back of his neck and stared hard at me. Indecision clouded his face before he held out his hand again. “I have an idea. Let’s walk Mack home and then I want you to come with me.”
CHAPTEREIGHT
Luca
What am I doing?
Why aren’t I studying?
Why am I not at home, in bed, doing my routine?
My brain shouted the questions at me, loudly, and there was only a moment’s hesitation because Lorelei’s crumpled face became more important. Fixing those frown lines and the worry behind her gaze, the deflating of her shoulders and slight lip trembling she couldn’t hide from me.
How could the girl of my dreams be this sad from a prick like Eric?
The bar music thumped around us, and the smell of stale beer and fried food invaded my nostrils. It made me nauseous.
“Where are we going?” Lorelei asked, her voice small and unsure. Her fingers, intertwined with mine, tensed, and it was a reminder that we held hands. A part of me liked this, reminding me of a time back in high school where I allowed myself to have a girlfriend. It was fun to have a partner, someone to have your back. Plus, I enjoyed how small Lo’s hand was in mine.
After the two of them got one of their cards signed for the drink to complete the twenty-drink requirement to earn the T-shirt, we walked Mack home. Her friend eyed me the entire time, but I knew what Lorelei needed.
Once we got to Mack’s place, the two of them whispered and hugged. Mack glared at me for a beat before going inside. Now, it was just Lorelei and me. Without thinking, I held out my hand for her to take again, and she intertwined our fingers.
I could fix the ways I’d fouled up our initial meeting while helping her release some of the anger directed at that fuck face Eric.
A ripple of electricity danced along my skin up my forearm and to my neck, goose bumps bursting out from her touch. It was magnetic and bewitching. Wonderful and terrifying.
“We’re going to a field.”
