“What the…?”
“Goodnight.” She quickly turned on her heel while he was still in shock. Lake wasn’t dumb; she knew when to run the hell away. Especially after poking a bear.
She went back up the stairs again and into Adalyn’s bedroom, lying on the bed beside her. It was quiet for a few minutes.
“Lake, are you sure you’re okay?”
She turned on her side, not wanting to face Adalyn. “Yes, I’m fine.”
She was thankful when Adalyn turned off the lamp and decided not to question her anymore. Lake didn’t even know how she could start a conversation about that. Oh, hey, your brother and I just made out. No, Lake was going to take that to her grave.
She lay in bed for hours before she couldn’t take it anymore. She figured it was the guilt which wasn’t letting her sleep, but that truthfully wasn’t it. Vincent had sparked a fire in her and he hadn’t put it out, causing the flame to burn higher. Lake had never felt like that before, and that was how she had come to the conclusion of guilt.
She couldn’t stop replaying the moment again and again and again in her head. The way Vincent felt…
Stop it!
Lake got out of bed, careful not to wake Adalyn. She simply needed to stretch a bit.
She took a seat at the bay window, looking out at the night. She didn’t know how to feel or what to think about her first kiss. She was pretty sure she was supposed to be happy about it, though.
Something started to draw her attention in the yard. She couldn’t make anything out other than something really shiny moving. When it reached the lit driveway, however, her heart sank to her stomach.
That something shiny was a gold, sparkle dress. She knew the dress from earlier because the girl wearing it was the one Vincent had taken on a date. Lake might have thought their date had been cut short, but it had merely been put on hold. The girl was carrying her heels to the parked car down the street and despite being naïve, Lake knew the infamous walk of shame when she saw it.
A tear slipped down her cheek as she got back in bed. I am so stupid.
Lake knew you only ever got one first kiss in your life, and it had been wasted. She finally realized how she felt about it. Complete and utter regret.
* * *
“Mom made breakfast, so wake up!”
Lake felt groggy as Adalyn forced her awake. She had no clue how long she had even slept. Her eyes felt swollen from the silent tears she had shed throughout the night, and she made sure to wash her tear-stained face before she went down for breakfast. The only reason she was going was because she figured Vincent wasn’t going to wake up until the afternoon.
Lake took a seat at the table, thankful she had been right about Vincent. I dodged a bullet there.
She started to fill up her plate with pancakes and bacon. “Thank you, Carla. It smells—” Her attention was drawn toward Vincent shuffling in, wearing nothing except shorts.
Or not.
Lake snapped her head back toward Adalyn’s parents. “Delicious.”
Carla smiled at her. “Thank you.”
When Vincent took a seat beside her at the head of the table, she tried not to look at him. Just eat your bacon.
“So, what were you two up to last night?” Vincent said, making a plate.
Lake and Adalyn quickly looked at a smiling Vincent. What the hell?
“Oh, we just went running around. You know, to the mall, to eat, then the movies,” Adalyn said.
Lake noticed he looked like shit. Well, shitty-looking for a god. Hmm, two can play this game.
“Long night, huh?” Lake stared at him as she popped a piece of bacon in her mouth.
Vincent started to chew his food slowly, looking right back at her. “Yeah.”
Lake wasn’t going to break eye contact; she wanted to see his reaction. “Did you leave in the middle of the night? Because I could have sworn I saw someone leaving when I looked out Adalyn’s window on the way to the bathroom.”
Vincent leaned back in his chair. “Nope, wasn’t me.”
She saw a slight hint of anger appear behind his blue eyes before it vanished.
“You saw someone in the yard?” Sam asked in concern.
“Oh, I’m sure she—I mean it—was nothing. Probably just imagined it.”
Vincent started to cough from choking on his orange juice.
Lake desperately tried not to laugh, but a few chuckles managed to escape. She proudly stared at him, proving she had won.
“You don’t mind, do you?” He snatched the last piece of bacon off her plate.
“Oh, not at all.” Lake mumbled the next part under her breath. “Wouldn’t be the first thing you’ve taken from me.”
“Well, if it didn’t look so good, I wouldn’t have.”
Well … shit. She had no clue if that was a compliment or not.
Deciding to be done with the arguing—well, if that was what someone called deciding not being able to think of a response—she finally noticed Sam, Carla, and Adalyn looking at her and Vincent like they were crazy.
She began to feel embarrassed and hurriedly took a few more bites before setting her fork down. “I better go call my mom to pick me up.”
“I’ll take you home,” Vincent spoke.
“No, that’s okay.” Lake gave him a no-freaking-way face. “No point in you getting out.”
Vincent smiled. “I was going back to Dad’s, anyways.”
“Mom won’t min—”
“No point in getting your mom out.” He got up from the table and started heading out. “Going to take a quick shower. Be ready in five.”
He was taking back the win she had thought she’d gotten. Lake had no other option than to cause more of a scene.
God, I hate him.
Chapter Seven
Vincent Vitale is Dead to Me
Lake took a deep breath at the passenger side door. She wished she could sit in the backseat, but that would make her look childish. Wait, maybe not too childish? Yep, it definitely would. Okay, fine!
She went ahead and opened the door, sliding into his dark car quickly then buckling her seatbelt. Lake stared straight ahead, unwilling to even look at him. He never asked to take me home before, and now he just has to do it.