Dad nods. “Thanks for that, Lukas.”
“It means a lot,” Mom says. “I tell him the same all the time, but I think he needs to hear it from a man.”
Dad chuckles. “I don’t know about that.”
I reach forward and take a sandwich, even if my appetite has suddenly left me. Or, rather, a new type of appetite has woken, one that grows fiercer and more consuming every time I look at Lukas.
“How’s your son?” Mom asks.
Lukas smirks tightly. I feel the same tension take hold of me at the mention of Jamie. “He’s doing well, making his own way like he always does. I’m proud of him.”
“Has he found a nice girl yet?”
Mom smiles over at me, wearing her mischievous face. There’s no reason for her not to lightly tease me. She has no idea about all the unspoken things between me and Lukas.
“We’ve been trying to get Lorena to find a nice rich man and settle down so we can retire and live in her attic, haven’t we?” Mom giggles.
“Ha, ha,” I mutter sarcastically. “As if you’d leave the clinic. The animals would go crazy.”
“You’re right. I love my work. I’m only kidding.” She glances at Lukas. “So, has he?”
Lukas shrugs. “We don’t talk much about relationship stuff, to be honest. And, well, I guess if he did I’d feel a little awkward discussing it here…”
I freeze, looking closely at him. Surely he’s not going to tell mom and dad what happened between us. But I can’t think of another reason for him to make that comment.
Why should he feel awkward discussing Jamie’s love life?
If it’s about me, I get that. I can barely think about Jamie without almost falling into a pit of anxiety, finding it difficult to process what I did with his dad… and what I still want to do.
“Why?” I say when he doesn’t go on, praying I’m reading the situation incorrectly.
He narrows his eyes. “Um, well… because of you and Jamie, your history.”
“Our what?”
“You were together in high school.” Lukas is speaking almost through gritted teeth now. “I just didn’t want to make you feel uncomfortable.”
I exchange a look with my mom. She’s got her eyebrow raised, as though this is news to her.
“Lukas,” I say, turning back. “I was never in a relationship with Jamie.”
Lukas’s eyes widen as he leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. I can tell he’s trying to restrain his reaction, but there’s little he can do about the way his fists clench, the way his eyes fixate on me.
“I thought…” he trails off.
“Did Jamie say we were together?”
“No, but when I asked, he always gave the impression you were. He never came right out and said it.”
“That sounds like Jamie.” I shrug. “That was the rumor in high school, that he was my boyfriend. But it was never true. We were just friends. I let the rumor go on because it made the other girls nicer to me, weirdly. It was like I had more value in their eyes because I was able to get a boyfriend. And Jamie… you know, it’s weird, I’m not sure why he didn’t correct anyone. Maybe he was just being nice. He was Mr. Popular in high school, and he didn’t want me to be left behind.”
Lukas leans back. “It seems I don’t know my son as well as I’d like to think.”
“Kids, eh?” Dad chuckles. “You think you’ve finally got them figured out, and then they hit with the motherload.”
“Yeah.” Lukas laughs tightly. “Anyway, I should get going. Thanks for your hospitality.”
Lukas stands, shakes dad's hand, nods shortly to Mom, and then walks from the room with his shoulders pulled tight. He pauses only when Chirpy races after him, pawing at his legs.
“How could I forget about you, little man?” He kneels and runs his hands over the little dog. “See you again.”
After a quick word with mom and dad, I pull out my phone and shoot off a quick text.
Chapter Fourteen
Lukas
I sit behind the wheel of my car, reeling from the news.
They were never together.
All this time, I thought I was getting these feelings over my son’s ex-girlfriend. But it turns out she’s just his best friend.
Just. Friends.
Getting with my son’s friend is hardly the best dad move, but it’s a million times better than getting with his ex-girlfriend. It’s in a wholly different stratosphere, a completely different world.
I let my head fall back, close my eyes and draw in slow, deep breaths. It’s difficult to accept the truth, even if I know Lorena has no reason to lie to me.
But what I can’t figure out is why Jamie would lie. I understand him letting the rumor spread as a favor to his friend, but why not tell me the truth?
My phone buzzes in my jacket pocket. It’s Lorena.
Can you wait for five minutes?