Page 70 of Bad Pucking Roommate

“I grew up on a farm.”

“So, you prefer cows to penguin suits?”

“Exactly.”This guy isn’t so bad to talk to. I’m still dying to turn around and look for Luca, but I can manage.“Is it that obvious I’m out of place?”

“Not to me, but I’m a little out-of-place too.”

“How so?” I sip the drink that’s way too bubbly for me and pretend it doesn’t make me want to sneeze.

“I’m only here because my wife took a job with the charity after her aunt got cancer. I didn’t buy a ten-thousand-dollar plate.”

The almost-sneeze turns into a cough. “Is that how much it costs? Wow. Um, at least it's for a good cause, I guess.”

“Oh my gosh my wife would love you.” Charles bites back a laugh. “Here she is.”

Spinning in the direction Charles indicates, I come face-to-face with Luca and the brunette. At the lastsecond, I manage to stop a goofy smile from spreading across my face, but only because Luca looks ready to commit murder.

Chapter twenty-five

Luca

“My wife would love you?” I parrot Charlie’s words.

One second Jessie’s gushing about something she and Charlie have to talk about, and the next I find my old friend repeating the same thing he told me all those years ago, when he talked me into being their third.

Hell no. Justus is mine!

“Are you serious, right now?” I hiss through gritted teeth as I ball my fists.

Charlie puts a hand on Justus’s arm and side steps them away from our friends and whoever they’re talking to, forcing me and Jessie to follow. “He’s a humble guy, Luca,” Charlie says when we’re several feet away. “You know she respects that about people. Of course, she’d like him.”

My heart is beating so fast it’s echoing in my ears. “Oh, so you’re not talking to him because he’s tall and lean with brown hair and brown eyes.”

“Luca!” Jessie whisper-shouts next to me. “Why would you say that?”

“Oh, you know. The fact that I know what your type is, but you’re supposed to be past that phase,” I reply.

A tiny crease forms between her brows. “We are past it. Charlie said he talked to you about that.”

“He did, but it sure doesn’t sound like he meant it.”

“What is—” Justus’s head ping pongs between the three of us until understanding dawns, and his shoulders seem to relax at the same time his face freezes.That’s…odd. Meanwhile, Charlie and Jessie are looking at me with identical scowls.

“I can’t believe you.” Charlie breaks the silence.

“I can’t believeyou,” I retort. “Propositioning Justus.”

Everyone looks at me with wide, astonished eyes. “I wasn’t,” Charlie says at the same time Jessie scoffs, “He wouldn’t,” and Justus gasps, “Me? I thought they were after you?”

Me? What the…I shake my head to clear it.Stay focused. They arenottaking Justus.

Recognizing our friends keep stealing glances our way, I lower my voice, speaking to Charlie. “You fed me the exact same line about what Jessie would love ten years ago. Are you really telling me you don’t have an ulterior motive, right now?”

Charlie darts a nervous glance toward Justus. “Could we have this discussion another time?”

“He knows,” I say curtly.

“He what?” Jessie whisper-shrieks.

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