Page 22 of This Much Is True
Luke gives me the sweetest, sexiest grin that melts me to my core. “Come on.”
Chapter Seven
Luke
“It’s me!” Gavin shouts from the entryway moments before Laina and I come around the corner. “Wow. She really is here.”
Laina giggles and runs toward my brother. He thrusts a pizza at me and drops a few bags to the floor just in time to catch Laina in a huge hug.
“Sure. Leave me here holding the pizza,” I mumble.
Gavin looks at me over Laina’s shoulder and winks.
“My gosh, Gavin,” she says, pulling away from him. “It’s so good to see you.”
“I’m as handsome as ever, right?”
She laughs, her cheeks rosy. “How are you? What have you been up to?”
“Oh, the regular. Working at Steele’s Farm during the day and The Wet Whistle some nights for shits and giggles.”
“Sounds downright delightful,” Laina says. “Are you seeing anyone? Married? Kids?”
“Guess you haven’t been following him online,” I say under my breath.
She hears me and casts me a smile.
“Me?” Gavin asks. “Hell, no. Kids are a hard limit. I remember what a pain in the ass I was growing up, and I have absolutely no interest in offering the universe a chance to pay me back.”
“Fair,” she says.
“And no lady friend at the moment. I’m kinda enjoying my freedom.”
Laina crosses her arms over her chest. “Trust me. Be careful in relationships because, before you know it, you can be standing in a church about to get married and realize it’s the worst thing you could ever do.”
Gavin makes a face. “Yeah. That’s a hardnofrom me.” He bends down and picks up the bags. “I came bearing gifts.”
“Ooh, you did?” Laina asks.
“Luke asked me to round up a few things for you, so I worked some magic.”
She looks over her shoulder and gives me a soft grin. It hits me square in the heart.Oof.
“I have a couple of shirts and shorts, courtesy of Kennedy, who now thinks I have a woman trapped in my house or something.” He shakes his head. “I told her she was sick and couldn’t go home, and she just kind of smirked at me.” He looks at me. “How does she do that?”
“Because she’s us, Gav.”
He snorts. “Poor Chase. Anyway, I also brought you a prepaid cell phone.” He hands a box to Laina. “You’ll have to activate it. All the stuff is in this bag. And I also didn’t ask for this, but Kennedy sent shampoo and face wash and stuff. Apparently, she thinks I’m a heathen and have no toiletries.”
“Do you?” I ask.
“Hell, no.”
We all laugh.
It’s so nice to stand here with the two of them, talking about stupid shit. Gavin and I see each other just about every day at some point, but it’s different tonight.
I take in Laina and observe her interaction with my brother.
