Page 51 of Back To You

Neither of us acknowledge that he had that with his hockey scholarship—that he could’ve played on a Division 1 team, pursuing somethinghewanted—and gave it up.

“It’s not too late to find it,” I answer quietly, wishing I had something more to say to him.

“Yeah, maybe,” he responds before letting out an exhale. “Either way, I know I have to tell my dad. I just know that when I do, I’ll most likely never talk to my parents again.”

“Parents are overrated anyway,” I say it as a joke, but it’s the truth to me.

People deserve parents who want them, who love them, who cherish them. I’ve never had that, and neither has Luke. He just held on to the idea of them longer.

“So,” he starts after a few quiet moments, “what do you say we end this heart-to-heart here and get our dog some food and maybe a new toy or two?”

As always, Luke knows how to brighten a space, always being the one to lighten the mood when it begins to dim.

He’s like the North Star, shining brighter than everyone else around him, and you can’t help but follow him through the dark.

“She’s not my dog.” I laugh, but the argument feels moot at this point.

I turn to look at Luke, my heart feeling like it’s seconds away from bursting from my chest from how much I hope he never loses his shine.

“Whatever helps you sleep at night, honey.”

Chapter 20

Luke

What is it that people say about the definition of insanity? That it’s the equivalent of doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result?

Whatever it is, I think I am certifiablyinsanebecause the way Annie is looking at me right now makes me think that my years of trying to make her love me again have finally paid off.

I was joking before when I teased her about her feelings showing, but I know my Annie girl, and I know that she’ll always keep her feelings under wraps. I can appreciate it though, especially if she gives me glimpses like she is now.

Gone before I can think too much about it, she turns to look forward, pressing her feet up against my dash and leaning back in her seat. “I believe I was promised a matcha for running these errands with you.”

“Coming right up,” I say, putting the car into drive and pulling out of the ice rink parking lot.

***

“Remind me why we have to drive 20 minutes tothispet store for Rosie’s food?” Annie asks as we exit the store,taking the last sip of the iced matcha I got her on the way here before tossing it in the trash can we pass.

“Because,” I say, feigned offense in my voice, “our Ro-Ro deserves the very best.”

“I won’t argue with that,” she says, opening the backseat door of my car for me to put in Rosie’s big bag of food and the plastic bag of toys we picked out for her. “I meant it more as why did we pass threecloserpet stores to come out this way.”

I don’t have any other reason for coming out this way other than the fact I wanted to spend more time with Annie. Listening to the songs she played in the car, hearing her sing for the first time since she made us all go sing karaoke one weekend three years ago; I forgot how much I love her voice.

I kept driving, wanting to prolong the car ride, until she got suspicious as to where I was headed. I was lucky there was a place for us to stop at when I was only half-paying attention to where I was going.

“This one is Rosie’s favorite,” I lie, shutting the door and opening the passenger side door for Annie.

“She’s not here,” Annie replies, not missing a beat.

“Is there anything I can say that you won’t argue with?”

“Nope,” she answers with a smile.

“Brat.”

“You like it.”

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