Page 25 of Sweet Harmony

“Wasn’t it?”Lucas raised an eyebrow at him.

“Fuck, I don’tknow,” Connor said. “But can you blame her? I ruined her life,Lucas. I made one stupid mistake and ruined mine and Lisa’s livesforever.”

“Bullshit,”Lucas said. “Maybe your life didn’t turn out the way you planned,but you didn’t ruin it or Lisa’s. She couldn’t accept that shewasn’t going to be married to a famous baseball player and haveeverything her greedy little heart wanted and that isn’t yourfault. Frankly, it’s good that she showed her true colours beforeyou married her, right?”

Connor justshrugged. What Lucas was telling him wasn’t anything he hadn’t saidbefore, but like always, it didn’t lessen his guilt or convince himthat he wasn’t a world class screw-up. Nausea bit at the edges ofhis stomach. Christ, would he ever not feel guilty about what hedid?

Lucas leanedforward. “Hey, you okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Sorry, Ididn’t mean to bring up bad memories, but you can’t live your lifeswallowed up by guilt. It’s not healthy. You started datingyet?”

Connorhesitated before shaking his head. “No.”

Lucas ateanother bite of burger. “What’s her name?”

“There isn’tanyone.”

Ketchup drippedonto Lucas’ finger and he licked it off before pointing the fingerat Connor. “I’ve been your best friend since grade fucking one,Connor. You think I can’t tell when you’re lying? Spill it,asshole.”

Connor took asip of his water before glancing around the diner and lowering hisvoice. “Her name is Kira and we’re notreallydating.”

* * *

“Let me getthis straight,” Lucas leaned back in the booth, “this is all fake,but you keep grinding on her like some horny frat boy wheneveryou’re alone?”

“Keep yourvoice down,” Connor said.

“How was themeal?” Their curvy redheaded server stopped at their table to taketheir plates.

Lucas gave hera flirty grin, his gaze dropping to the nametag pinned above oneample breast. “Well, Georgia, that burger might just have been thebest damn thing I’ve ever put in my mouth.”

Her lipstwitched. “You’re not putting the right things in your mouththen.”

“Is thatright?” Lucas said with another flirty grin. “Maybe you havesomething else I could put in my mouth.”

The redheadleaned closer to him, her smile warm. “Oh, sweetheart, you’re justa Willington boy. You couldn’t handle what I have to give yourmouth.”

She pinched hischeek and winked at him before turning and walking away. Lucasstared at her ass and swallowed hard. “Fuck, I think I’m inlove.”

Connor laughed.“You realize you were just shot down, right?”

Lucas was stillstaring at the redhead’s ass. “Hell, I’m starting to rethink mybelief that Willington girls are better than the Falls girls. Howdid she know I was from Willington?”

“No idea,”Connor replied.

“Anyway, backto you,” Lucas said. “You’re really gonna bring a fake girlfriendto Mandy’s wedding?”

“Yeah. Kiraneeds someone to make her crush jealous and it’s the only way tostop my parents and the rest of my family from trying to get me andLisa back together.”

“Yeah, but…this isn’t like you,” Lucas said. “Maybe you should rethink yourdecision.”

“It’s too late.I already told Mom and Mandy that I had a girlfriend named Kira whoI was bringing to the wedding.”

“What did yourmom say?”

“Not a lot,”Connor said. “I think she was stunned into silence.”

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