Page 94 of Tempting Me

“Nothing,” I say and pull out my phone to text Shay.

Luca

How’s your day going?

Then I flipit face down on the counter. Maybe if I just have some sort of communication with her during the day, even if I can't see her, I’ll stop obsessing over this.

“Luca,” Declan repeats my name.

“Yeah?”

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

I nod again. “It’s been a long day in the sun.”

“I hear that. I’ve been playing outside with Susie all morning, and I think I got a little sunburnt.”

He taps his nose.

“Where is Susie?” I ask.

“Her mom is in town for the night, so they are staying at the lodge.”

“Oh, a free man tonight?” I joke.

“More like get shit done and catch up on sleep kind of night.”

“Productive. I like it.”

“The usual?” Hudson asks, appearing out of nowhere.

“Yep.”

Then, as if we planned it, Miles takes a seat next to me, Dutton walks in the door, and Linc walks in from the bookstore.

In just minutes, we are all seated together.

“What happened to Quinn?”

“She was meeting up with Sadie.”

“Cool.”

“Today is a weird day,” Linc says.

“Not as weird as my day,” Dutton chimes in. “Any chance any of you know how to get a woman to say yes to something without having to do something in?—”

“No,” we all say without hearing the rest of his questions.

He chuckles.

“Noted.”

“What happened to you?” I ask Linc.

This is good. If I focus on the problems of those aroundme, I can’t dwell on the idea that I’m only good enough as a secret.

Shit, did I really just think that?

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