I hold up my thumb and forefinger, pinched together. “I lost my contact.”
I grip Mateo’s shoulder and get to my feet, patting him on the head. “I told you we’d find it.”
His eye twitches as he looks up at me, giving me a look that clearly says I’ll pay for that later. It takes every last ounce of restraint I have not to smirk at him. If he wants to punish me, I think I’d be up for that. Mateo gets to his feet, a little stiffly, and brushes himself off like he was rolling around in the dirt instead of on top of me.
“Damn tiny thing.”
Lukas’ and Parker’s eyes bounce between us rapidly. Judging by the expression on both of their faces, they could be watching a confusing game of tennis at triple speed. After a long beat, Parker’s lips curl up but she squashes it, pressing her lips tight. Lukas squints at me suspiciously.
Parker clears her throat. “I thought you wore dailies,” she says, her eyebrows climbing despite her best efforts to maintain a straight face.
“I- I do,” I stutter, caught off guard. “But I didn’t want to leave it lying around. Tuna might eat it. And it’s all eyeball-y. Gross.”
“Says the nurse,” Parker laughs as she shuts the door behind her. “You do gross stuff all day every day.”
Lukas is holding two pizza boxes. “We figured we’d bring you dinner since you’re looking after Luis,” he says, eyeing Mateo’s duffle bag and the folded up blankets on the couch. “I didn’t realize you were staying here, man. I should have brought more.”
“No. No, it’s fine. Dad got really loopy on his pain meds last night, so I thought it would be a good idea if I was nearby.”
“Uh huh,” Lukas replies. There’s a calculating edge in his expression.
“I’ve got some salad stuff in the fridge.” I say, stepping around the couch and taking the pizza boxes from Lukas. “Why don’t I throw that together and you two can say hi to Luis. He should really wake up and eat, anyway.”
Parker grins at Lukas as they head down the hall to the guest bedroom. He cocks an eyebrow at her. I’m pretty positive they’re not buying one ounce of what I just tried to sell them.
I take the pizzas to the kitchen, Mateo following me silently. Setting them on the counter, I turn to look at him, trying to read his face. He stares at me, eyebrows furrowed like he’s grumpy about something.
“So… that was close…” I whisper.
He nods, folding his arms over his chest and making his muscles dance around.
“I don’t know if—”
“Maybe we shouldn’t—”
We talk over each other, both stopping short. I was trying to say I don’t know if they bought it, but “maybe we shouldn’t” isn’t exactly what I was hoping he’d say. That was the best two minutes of my life, but I can already see where he’s going. Mateo is loyal to a fault, and Lukas is his best friend. He isn’t the type of person to throw that out over one stupid kiss.
“Oh… Look, just forget it,” I say, trying to swallow the hurt and shame suffocating me.
His eyebrows draw together.
“I get it. We both got carried away.” I swallow hard.
“Jules—” He takes a step toward me, his voice gruff, but whatever platitude he’s about to offer is interrupted by the sound of Parker and Lukas opening Luis’ door. He stops short and I can hear them coming our way. I don’t want this to get more awkward than it already is, so I give him my most convincing smile and hold a hand up between us.
“It’s ok,” I mouth silently.
Mateo looks almost pissed but I sidestep him, reaching into the fridge and pulling out the lettuce and cut up veggies I prepped a couple days ago.
“Dude, how’s civilian life?” Lukas asks Mateo as he joins us in the kitchen.
“It’s… different. But good.”
“Yeah? How was the interview?”
“Good, I got the job. I’ll be starting after Dad’s up on his feet again.”
Parker joins me, leaning her hip against the counter and grinning at me broadly as I toss the veggies in a big bowl. “Doesn’t it bother you?” she asks.