Page 40 of My December Darling

Please kill me quickly.

I toss him the bag of LEGOs like it might catch on fire at any moment.

“Want me to open it for you?” The way he says it, his eyes glimmering from excitement, makes me want to say yes. I would like nothing more than to join him in building the LEGO set, but then I hesitate.

Isn’t this what you always wanted?

I think back to all those visits to the mall, watching couples pick out sets together, then going back to my empty apartment to build one by myself. But when I imagined finding a partner who would want to have fun building LEGOs with me, I never thought Luke would be that person.

It’s one night.

Yet it feels like a lot more than I’m ready for, so I do what I do best and pretend to be uninterested, rather than express the way I really feel.

Maybe you’re more like your mom than you think.

Shit. The thought hits me hard, and I’m struggling with an overwhelming sense of sadness for the two of us and our issues with expressing ourselves.

I’m set in my decision to steer clear of the Galactic Command Base right up until Luke rubs the back of his neck, looking more nervous than I’ve ever seen him before. His cheeks, which are usually pale, turn pink as he asks, “Will you help us out?”

Oh God.Is he acting this way because ofme?

I was so focused on myself that I didn’t consider howhewould feel by putting himself out there and asking me to help. Based on the wall behind us, it’s obvious he doesn’t need me, so that can only mean one thing.

He wants to spend more time with you.

It’s not a surprise, especially when he was clear about his interest the other day when we were in the car together, but the way I feel about him orchestrating all this just so he could hang out with me makes me feel…

Shit.

It—no, he—makes me feelgood, especially since I’m no longer plagued with guilt about liking Luke. It seems silly to do so after my sister and Aiden clearly went out of their way to have us spend time together.

It’s not like this can go anywhere.

No, but you can still enjoy yourself while you’re in town, a small voice in the back of my head challenges the louder one.

It doesn’t take much for Luke to have me reconsidering my choice tonight. Maybe it’s something about the way his whole face turns a bright shade of pink as he avoids direct eye contact, or perhaps it’s the small but noticeable slump in his shoulderswhen I don’t speak up right away that has me questioning everything.

The thought of turning him down makes me feel worse about the whole situation, so I grab the manual and open it to the very first page. “I’ll help on one condition.”

“What?”

“You promise not to build any of it without me.” My nerves make my voice shake near the end, but I straighten my back and exude more confidence than I feel.

If I’m going to start this project with him, then I’m going to see it through from beginning to end, even if it means spending endless hours with Luke in the process. It’s not like it would be a chore or anything, seeing as I’m starting to enjoy his company instead of avoid it.

Luke holds out his hand, and I reach for it while pretending the tightness in my stomach is from the anticipation of building the LEGO set rather than his touch.

“You’ve got yourself a deal.”

13

LUKE

Making a deal with Catalina to not build the set without her is a no-brainer. Since I bought the Galactic Command Base because of her, of course I’d rather spend the time building it together, but I’m not about to admit that.

Together, we spend the next thirty minutes sippingcoquitoand working while Gaby and Aiden hang out with us. Eventually, the couple disappears into his room, leaving me alone with Catalina. I expect her to get skittish once she’s alone with me, but she seems to not care about their absence and carries on with building.

We spend the next hour passing pieces back and forth, and I repeatedly ask her for the manual despite not really needing it, strictly because I enjoy the graze of her fingers against my skin far too much. A man like me could get addicted to a touch like hers. That much has become clear after tonight, along with my inability to stop myself from every opportunity to touch her.

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