Page 104 of Barefoot Dreams
“Sick?” Luke draws his brows in concern. Sometimes, I forget that he sees her as his little sister as well.
Guess I’m not the only one who didn’t get the memo and went and fell in love with her instead. But God, am I ever in love. I don’t know why I still haven’t come clean with her about it. Why I’m holding those words hostage when it’s as clear as a day that she’s it for me. Known it for the past six weeks since our blind date. No, scratch that, I’ve known it for far longer.
“Yeah, she’s been feeling off for a few days and threw up yesterday morning. Looks like food poisoning.”
“Food poisoning?” Luke asks, his voice holding a note of skepticism I don’t like not one bit.
“Yeahhh,” I draw out. “What else could it be?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” he mocks. “These things called babies in the bellies. You know, they make their mama’s sick in the morning too.”
“Bab—” I stop with a burst of laugher. “Julie’s not pregnant, Luke. It was one sick morning, that hardly classifies as pregnancy.”
“Are you sure?” I don’t get to tell himfuck, yes, I’m sure because the blood leaves my body at the next sound.
“You motherfucking fucker! No, scratch that! Sister fucker!”
I have to blink a few times to understand what—who—I’m seeing right now.
“Callum?” My voice is a hoarse whisper. The guy glaring at me only sort of resembles my best friend. The hair is the same dirty blonde shade and curls on top. So are the eyes, but those hold a cold gleam in them now as well. But the rest? The rest belongs on a lethal weapon instead of human.
I’ve seen Navy Seals before, obviously, but this is a whole other fucking level.
“Oh look at that, you do remember me. And here I thought you suffered some sort of amnesia and forgot everything.”
“Fuck me ten ways to Sunday,” Luke murmurs.
Oh, hell, he knows! How does he know so fast? When did he come back? Why didn’t Julie say anything?
But the questions have to wait when he starts walking toward me and as much as I’d love to just fight it out, we are two grown adults. We can deal with this as such, right?
“What the fuck happened to not touching my little sister, you asshole?”
“I tried. Callum, I swear I tried.”
“How hard?” He keeps advancing.
“Very!”
“Doesn’t sound convincing based on what I just learned? I warned you to stay away from Julie, didn't I?” All maturity flies out the door. Who’s he to tell us what we can and can't do?
“I’m talking to you, asshole,” her brother interrupts me.
“Oh, get fucked, Cal,” I snap.
“Did he just say what I think he said?” Callum asks Luke. “Did he just tell me to get fucked?”
“Mm-hmm, and what are you gonna do about it? I vote for skinning!” Luke raises his phone to his ear. “Grace, you better get here right this second. And get popcorn. Wait, never mind, do not get the popcorn, this show is too good to save our house from burning down right now.”
“Dude…you need help. So much fucking help.” I stare at the asshole I call my best friend who looks to be having the time of his life. “Callum, can we talk like grown-ups?”
“You always liked to play with all of my toys. Now, you moved on to my sister.”
Apparently, not… “What did you just say?” I step closer to him. “I think you need a time-out, buddy.”
“It's like kindergarten all over again,” Luke squeals excitedly. So. Much. Fucking. Help.
“Luke, go connect the hose,” Cal calls out.
