Page 81 of The Boyfriend Zone

"What are you two plotting?" I asked, joining them.

"Your father was just telling me I should handle all your celebrity press inquiries going forward," Lucas replied with a straight face. "Apparently I have more experience managing difficult athletes."

"That's not exactly how I phrased it," my father chuckled. "I simply said you seem to have a knack for getting through his stubborn defenses."

"A talent few possess," Lucas agreed solemnly, his eyes dancing with humor.

"I'm right here, you know," I pointed out, pretending to be offended.

"Oh, we know," my father assured me. "But it's much more fun to talk about you as if you aren't."

As my father moved off to speak with Coach, Lucas slipped his hand into mine. "Want to escape for a minute?" he murmured.

I nodded, allowing him to lead me toward the balcony doors, where we slipped outside into the cool evening air.

The moment we were alone, I pulled him close, my lips finding his in a kiss that conveyed everything I was feeling. Lucas responded with equal fervor, his hands coming up to frame my face as he pressed closer.

We stood there for a long moment, his head resting against my shoulder as we looked out over the campus where our story had begun.

"Hard to believe it's almost over," Lucas said quietly. "College, I mean."

"Yeah," I agreed, the reality of impending graduation both exciting and intimidating. "But some things are just beginning."

He looked up at me, a question in his eyes. "You heard back from the development camp?"

I nodded. "Got the official invitation yesterday. And the grad assistant position is still on the table if I want to come back next year instead."

"And the internship?" I asked, knowing he'd been anxiously checking his email every day for news.

A slow smile spread across Lucas's face. "I got it. Start date is two weeks after graduation."

"That's amazing," I said, genuinely thrilled for him. The prestigious journalism opportunity was exactly what he deserved after all his hard work.

"We both have options," Lucas acknowledged. "Good ones."

"Are you scared?" I asked, voicing the question that had been nagging at me. "About leaving here, I mean. We've had this bubble, you know? Where everyone's on our side, where things make sense."

Lucas seemed to understand what I was really asking—if he was nervous about heading into the wider world as a couple, about facing new challenges without the supportive cocoon of our campus life.

"A little," he admitted. "But we've handled scarier things, haven't we?"

As if on cue, music began playing inside, a nostalgic playlist of songs from our freshman year. Through the glass doors, I could see Zach dramatically twirling a laughing Nate on the impromptu dance floor, our friends gathering for one last celebration before we all scattered to our various post-graduation paths.

"Shall we?" I asked, offering him my hand with an exaggerated bow.

Lucas laughed, taking my hand. "Such a gentleman. How could I refuse?"

We rejoined the party, slipping seamlessly back into the circle of friends who had become our chosen family. We swayed together to a slow song, Lucas in my arms where he fit so perfectly.

Chapter 26: Lucas

"Are you sure we're actually studying?" I asked, eyeing the takeout containers spread across my coffee table and the textbooks that remained resolutely closed beside them. "Because this looks suspiciously like two people deliberately avoiding their responsibilities."

Sean grinned from his position on my couch, chopsticks poised midair. "I'm studying you," he countered. "Very intensely. Might be my favorite subject."

"Smooth," I laughed, settling beside him. "But that line won't get either of us through finals."

"Speak for yourself. My classes are practically done." He popped a piece of orange chicken into his mouth, looking far too relaxed for someone technically still in the middle of a semester. "Post-season perks. Professors get weirdly lenient when you bring home a championship."

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