Don’t be a stranger? Had that been Eric’s way, he wondered, of saying I miss you too? The situation had been totally fucked up, but it had worked. At least, right up until the moment he had met Jenna. He couldn’t do that to Jenna.
Instead he had told Eric about how Winchester had fallen asleep in her arms. How Jenna knew how to make homemade pasta but hated tomatoes. He had begun detailing all the little things that she did or said that were making him fall in love with her and that he knew could make Eric fall in love with her too.
He knew it wasn’t fair to any of them, but after seeing how well they had gotten on all summer, he couldn’t help but hope for something more. He wanted the fantasy.
“Hey. You totally just zoned out there.” Jenna squeezed his hand and he looked up. “We don’t have to stay for the movie.”
“No. I want to.” It had become a monthly ritual, to head to his parents’ for dinner and a movie. “I promised Mom we’d watch The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel with her.”
“I know you’re really doing that for me.” Jenna snuggled into his side and kissed his cheek.
“You’re right. I’ll probably sneak away with Dad to watch baseball.”
“Totally acceptable, so long as you bring me a Nespresso from your Mom’s ‘off-limits’ coffee maker.”
“It’s only off limits to my dad. She totally loves that you enjoy the Nespresso. We can get one for home, you know?” Luke knew she found the coffee he made too weak. She liked her coffee like sludge. It made him shudder.
She shook her head, smiling. “Nope. This way it’s special.”
He had just brought her a cup of Nespresso and was going to join his father in the rec room to watch the baseball game he’d recorded that afternoon when he heard the crunch of tires on the driveway.
“I got it,” he called to his mom so they didn’t have to stop their movie. He pulled open the front door to see Eric ascending the steps.
Luke stared.
Eric looked just as startled. After a moment he stumbled over his words, “Your mom. That is, I mean, she invited me for dessert.”
“Eric, come on in. I saved you a piece of apple pie.” Luke’s mother, Maggie, called from inside.
0 comments:
Post a Comment