She exhales like that’s some great gift. “You can bring someone if you want.”
I blink. “What?”
“Someone you’re dating,” she says delicately, as though the word might break her tongue. “If you have a… friend.”
Afriend.
I snort. “Sure. I’ll bring my entire harem of boy toys. Hope the pastor can make room.”
“Lucas.”
But I’m barely listening. My eyes have drifted back through the window, landing on Daniel—laughing at something Micah says, stealing fries off Will’s plate like he was born to causetrouble.
An idea sparks. Fully formed and one-hundred percent wicked.
Oh, we’re doing that.
I pull the phone back to my ear. “Actually,” I say, sweet as sin. “Iamseeing someone.”
Silence.
Then: “Really?”
“Mmhm. Super serious. I’ll bring him.”
Her voice goes tight. “Wonderful.”
I hang up before she can say anything else. By the time I slide back into the booth, I’m already smirking.
Ty raises an eyebrow. “You look like you just lit something on fire.”
“I might have.”
Will groans. “No arson on weekdays, Luke. We talked about this.”
Daniel eyes me warily. “What did your mom want?”
“Family dinner.” I grab a fry. “She told me to bring someone.”
Micah snorts. “You gonna take Coach? Let him meet the parents?”
Ty nearly chokes. But I’m not looking at any of them. I’m looking at Daniel. And I smile.
“Actually,” I say slowly, “I think I just found theperfectboyfriend.”
Daniel freezes.
Like full stop, chewing halted, one eyebrow lifted in pure, suspicious judgment. It’s honestly impressive how fast he puts the pieces together—faster than any of the idiots at the table who are still whooping and cackling like I just announced an engagement.
He doesn’t say anything right away. Just levels me withthat look.
That“What the hell are you up to now, Luke?”look.
Which is fair.
Because, yeah, I might’ve just implied he’s my boyfriend. And Imightbe doing it to spite my very Christian, very denial-ridden parents, who still think I’m just “going through a phase” and that a few more family dinners might cure me.
But I don’t flinch.
