Page 66 of Offsides

“You need to come home,” Ellie says breathlessly in my ear. “There’s a, uh, situation.” I hear noises in the background and familiar male voices. Not just Jackson, though.

My breath freezes in my chest.

Oh my god.

It’s Luke.

Luke’s at my fucking house.

How does he even know where I live?

Scalding rage and icy panic flow through my veins in alternating currents, making it hard to even move.

The background noises get abruptly cut off, and when Ellie speaks again, she’s quieter. “Did you hear that?” At my mumbled affirmative, she continues. “He says he won’t leave without talking to you. We called the cops, but since he’s just standing in the yard and yelling, it’s not a priority. After the snow last night, everyone’s working accidents. Their estimated arrival is still like forty-five minutes away.” She sighs, sounding frustrated. “I hate to ask you this, but he’s disrupting the whole neighborhood. Do you think you can come home and tell him to get bent? Or, you know, maybe a little nicer if you think that’ll work better. Just, maybe if you actually talk to him and tell him you’ve moved on, he’ll leave?”

“Right.” I clear my throat, already pushing my way out of Eli’s bed. “Yeah. I’ll be right there.”

“Where are you going?” I glance over my shoulder as I’m picking up my clothes to see Eli sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

Shit. I haven’t told him that Luke’s been messaging me. After I blocked his number, he started using different social media apps and even going so far as to message my sister to ask her to get me to talk to him. Of course, she’s entirely supportive of me blocking him everywhere possible and moving on with Eli.

But now he’s here?

And I have to go deal with his bullshit. And Eli has no idea.

He’s going to be pissed. If I tell him now, he’ll insist on coming with me, and that’s just going to make things worse.

“There’s some kind of crisis with my roommates,” I hedge. It’s not a lie, but it’s definitely not the whole truth. “Ellie called. I need to get home.”

“Is everything alright?” He throws back the blankets. “I’ll come with you.”

“No!” He gives me a funny look at my over-the-top refusal. Taking a breath, I calm myself down and offer what I hope is a smile. “It’s, uh, Piper. And it’s kinda personal? I don’t think she’ll want anyone else there.”

He frowns. “Is she okay?”

“Yes. I mean, I think? I’m not sure. That’s why I have to go home.” I hurry to get the rest of my clothes on and lean over the bed to give him a kiss. “I’ll fill you in on everything I can later, okay? Promise.”

That does nothing to ease his frown, but he murmurs, “Okay,” and watches me leave the room without further protest.

When I pull up outside my house, my roommates are standing in the open door of our house, arms crossed over sweaters and sweatshirts, staring at Luke, who’s pacing on the sidewalk.

He turns when I park and watches me climb out of my car, relief swamping his features.

“Dani-bear,” he says, his voice dripping with affection, but the old nickname makes me recoil.

“Don’t call me that.” The command comes out cold. Firm.

Good.

I’m trembling with the need to make him go away. To get him to leave me alone. Forever.

Crossing my arms, I stay on the street side of the car, using it as a barrier. “What do you want, Luke? Why are you here?”

He steps closer, into the crusty snow covering the grassy patch between the sidewalk and the curb like he means to come to me, but he stops when I hold up a hand. Stuffing his hands back into his coat, he lets out a harsh exhale like he’s frustrated, his breath forming a cloud in front of his face. “I came to see you.” He says it like that’s explanation enough.

I let out a dry chuckle. “Yeah, okay. But why, Luke? Why come to see me? You literally never have before. How do you even know where I live?”

“Your dad gave me your address.”

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