Page 21 of Crash

“You look cold.” I point to the goosebumps along her arm.

“I’m fine. I don’t want your stench on me, rich boy.”

“Okay, suffragette,” I say, pointing at her shirt. “The patriarchy thanks you for serving lunch and for bringing this box to my car.”

She opens her mouth to speak but shuts it. Her cheeks turn pink, and she spins on her heels and walks back towards the bakery. As she walks, she sticks up her hand and gives me the middle finger.

“As if I’d ever fuck you,” I shout at her retreating back. “I don’t put my dick in hostile environments.”

I claim victory for this round when she doesn’t respond.

CHAPTER 7

VIVI

I’ve only seen him twice in the two weeks since he showed up at the bakery. I avoid him as much as possible. He’s everywhere. When he’s here, I hide in my room as much as I can, but his smell lingers in the hallway or the bathroom we share.

That’s the worst part. He wakes up earlier than I do, and I end up smelling him for the entire day. Even now, I hear him grunting. Both guys are grunting, but he’s the loudest as they use the home gym. With Sandy at her hot yoga class, I’m left here alone with them, but not for long.

I throw on a sweater and jeans and search the closet for a pair of sneakers. Despite not being needed at the bakery for another few hours, I’m going now. The last time I was here when they were working out, he walked upstairs with nothing on but a pair of gym shorts. Sweat was glistening off his body and I could do nothing but stare as he drank from his water bottle. From the fit of his clothes, I knew he was in good shape, but I didn’t expect the wide chest, chiseled abs, and muscular arms.

I’m cursing myself because I haven’t been able to get that scene out of my head since that day. I see it all the time. Hell, I saw it the night I went out with Blake, and when he kissed me, all I could see was Lucas Clark. My mind played so many tricks on me that night, I could have sworn I smelled him too.

Since then, I’ve stayed away.

It was bad enough when he showed up at the bakery with a baby in his arms. I tried to put him down, but I could tell that Travis adored him, and that the feeling was mutual, but I refuse to believe he’s not the spoiled, self-centered, rich jerk I met a couple of years ago. The jerk who nearly ran me over in the parking lot, and who tortured me with Zeus. The same jerk who laughed at me at Jake and Sandy’s wedding.

We were supposed to be paired together to walk down the aisle. While at the church for the rehearsal, I was on my way once again to try and extend an olive branch and to apologize for the parking lot incident. As I approached him, he walked away and whispered something to Jake. Luke then went and talked to the wedding planner, and I was told I was being paired with Steve.

I never told anyone, but the rejection hurt, and I’ve never forgotten about it. Another person rejecting me, this one without even taking the opportunity to get to know me first. I shake the memory out of my head. It doesn’t matter. I’m surrounded by people who love me. My extended family adore me. It doesn’t matter if Lucas Clark hates me.

I tie my sneakers and put on my coat. I stuff some books and my laptop in my backpack so I can study for finals before I start work. I’m walking down the hall towards the door when my nemesis comes walking up the hallway. Just like last time, he’s shirtless, drinking from his bottle of water. He has his AirPods in his ears and doesn’t notice me. I try to go around him, but he bumps into me, forcing me into the wall.

“Oh, shit.” He finally notices me. “Oh, it’s just you.” He continues to walk away, not bothering to offer an apology.

“Jackass!” I yell at his retreating back. I find a sharpie in my jacket pocket and throw it at him. It hits him in the middle of his back. He turns his angry, green eyes on me and is standing in front of me in three long strides.

“What’s your problem?” he fumes.

“You! You’re my problem. Watch where you’re going, oaf.”

“Or what?” he asks, getting in my face. “What are you going to do, pipsqueak?”

“Get out of my face.” I poke my finger in his chest, but he doesn’t move. So, I place both palms on his damp flesh and push as hard as I can, all to no avail.

“You’re all talk.”

“Why are you always here? You live in a mansion. Go home!”

“This is my brother’s house, soyougo home. Oh, that’s right. You can’t. You don’t have a home. You better play nice before I get him to kick you out.” I can feel the threat of tears, but I blink hard, not allowing them to pool in my eyes.

“It’s Sandy’s house too, and she would never put me out.”

He just shrugs at me.

“Is it? My grandparents gave Jake this house years before he met Sandy. The house is his. The patriarchy is alive and well here.”

Not believing a word he’s saying, I decide to call his bluff.

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