Page 57 of Tempting Me

I could never be just friends with Luca.

My immature response to everything he says or does is how I keep him in the spot we are in. How I keep him from getting too close and vice versa. If it weren’t for the way we are together, I’d have forgiven him a long time ago.

Any other spot, including so-called friends, sounds complicated.

I don’t want anything in my life to be complicated.

I nod at my best friend. “I’ll think about it.” And then I wave goodbye.

Want it or not, it’s what I have.

I’ve chosento go with the path of not speaking to Luca tonight.

Mature, I know. Let’s just say that this summer isn’t filled with my best moments. I guess that saying about how desperate people make bad decisions is more accurate than I thought.

But also, I feel like not speaking and saying something snarky could actually be the mature way to go. We are choosing not to bicker. It’s new for us.

Yeah, I’m going with that.

Has it crossed my mind that perhaps because he’s also unusually quiet, something is bothering Luca? Yes, but I’m not going to ask him about it and chance him bringing up my not date from yesterday.

Tonight is actually not a bad night, so I’m not going to jinx it. We have music playing to fill the silence. Every now and then I hear Luca sing along, and I absolutely do not think it’s cute that he knows every word to a Swifty song.

I’m sorting through the paint swatches I picked for each room so that I can get an order together. Luca is proficient, and even though we are currently ignoring each other, the fact that I can be doing this stuff instead of watching his every move is refreshing.

Maybe this is what it’s like to just be normal.

I’ll be sure to tell Grace that I took her advice.

And yet, when Luca’s phone vibrates against the table, for what feels like the hundredth time in ten minutes, I’m ready to snap.

“Oh my god, does your phone ever stop going off?”

He groans, sits back on his heels, and grabs it from the table.

His face wrinkles as he reads whatever is on the phone. I’d ask what’s wrong, but I don't really care. I care about the work we’re getting done tonight.

Well, that’s what I tell myself anyway.

“I just love that someone else on your phone is more important than what I’m paying you to do right now.”

Luca tosses his phone onto a stack of boards and goes back to work. He’s cutting the boards to make the arch. He said he'd have it done before he left tonight.

Not thirty seconds later, his phone is vibrating again.

“I’m going to smash that thing with my hammer.”

“Chill, okay. It’s a wrong number issue, and this guy clearly doesn’t get the hint. Actually, you’d love this.”

He tosses me his phone, and I start to read.

Unknown

Come on, baby. Stop acting like you didn’t want me to text you these things. Do you want more details? You said you love detail. After I kiss you goodnight, I’ll?—

I stop reading instantly and turn to face the opposite wall as I do my best to compose myself, but it’s hard. My lips instantly spread into a smile and my eyes sting with happy tears.

This. Is. Awesome.

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