Page 28 of Stuck With the Billionaire Grump

Mabel easily keeps pace with me as I march across the lawn to deposit the ice in the punch bowl.

“So, that’s it?” she asks.

“What do you mean? Of course that’s it.”

“You two don’t know each other at all?”

I shoot her a glance. “Nope.”

She snorts. “I don’t believe you.”

“That’s your prerogative, Mabel.”

“I’m just saying, he really seemed like he—”

“There you are!” crows Eric, practically appearing out of nowhere. “Got that ice, didn’t you?”

Mabel snickers quietly. This time, it seems, she’s not going to rescue me from being trapped in another conversation with the chattiest man alive. She floats away before I can think of a reason to keep her close.

“Yeah,” I deadpan.

Eric furrows his brow. “Are you okay?”

“Totally.”

“Well, that’s good. Hey, by the way, you’ve got a bit of dirt on your sleeve I think. Here, let me help.”

Before I can insist on helping myself, Eric steps closer and carefully touches the frilly blue sleeve of my jumpsuit. It must have gotten dirty when I spilled out onto the kitchen floor. With a gentle touch, Eric brushes some stray dust and small bits of gravel out of the fluttery layers of my sleeve. He smells nice, at least. And heishandsome. That much is true.

It’s just… I don’t know. I guess whatever attraction I felt to him when I was sixteen is gone now. Or perhaps it was never really there in the first place. Those memories are hazy.

Unfortunately, the memories of what happened with Theo a mere week prior to meeting Eric are still crystal clear. It’s like a curse.

While Eric chivalrously fusses over me, my gaze wanders over his shoulder.

As if my eyes are automatically drawn to him, they land on Theo hovering by the grill. He’s made his charcoal delivery and, instead of retreating to the edges of the crowd like he always used to do at camp, he’s right in the thick of it.

And he’s looking directly at me.

Or rather, he’s looking directly at Eric, who is still leaning suggestively close to me. It’s hard to tell from the distance, but I swear Theo’s mouth tightens with distaste. When he realizesthat I’m staring right back at him, he yanks his gaze away and turns to say something to my Aunt Carol. She laughs brightly and pats him on the shoulder affectionately.

Seriously?

“I think you’ve got it, Eric,” I say, stepping away from him. “Thank you.”

He grins. “No problem, Lucy. By the way, you look especially beautiful today.”

“Thanks. You look nice, too. I’m afraid I don’t have much time to chat right now, though.”

Eric’s lips part, no doubt to offer a protest, but I give him an apologetic smile and step away swiftly. The crowd consumes me like the ocean and I let out a relieved sigh, floating among them like I’m swimming out to sea.

And yet, it’s suddenly a lot more difficult to ignore Theo’s presence nearby.

Chapter Ten: Theo

[Twelve Years Ago]

“Come on, Theo,” groans Brandon. “It’s our last night. Live a little.”

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