Page 38 of To Love or to Lose
Winnie and Logan are standing in the kitchen laughing at each other. Eloise and Luke are sitting at the island, an empty barstool separating them.
“It’s almost time for you guys to leave,” Wren says, checking her phone for the time.
“Did you hear that, Genova?” Jameson asks quietly from behind me. I don’t look back at him. “The party’s just getting started.”
I thought Wren was kidding when she said Jameson would wipe everything I touch with disinfectant wipes, but it turns out, she wasn’t.
When I get in the limo, Jameson is already there. In one hand he was holding a pack of Clorox wipes, and his other hand was using the wipes to clean everything from the leather seats to the stripper pole in the center of the seats.
“Wow.”
He turns toward me. “I heard you were a bit of a germaphobe.”
I don’t reply, completely in awe.
“Are you okay sitting here?” He motions to the newly cleaned seat.
I swallow hard. “Yeah, this is fine.” I grimace at what I say next. “Thanks.”
When I sit on the newly cleaned seat, I’m even more aware of the fact that he did this for me.
He doesn’t have to be nice to me. In fact, it would probably be easier on him if hewasn’tnice to me. Nevertheless, he’s trying. He’s attempting to build the same bridges I’ve lit a match under, and that speaks more to his character than his motives.
Chapter Ten
The only thing accurate about the homecoming theme ofNight in Parisis the giant, glowing Eiffel Tower replica. Besides that, every other decoration is something out of an idealistic version of France, along with an assortment of pastries and strung fairy lights.
My hand lands on Genevieve's lower back as we enter the dance.
She smacks it away. “Do you mind?”
“Sorry.”
Logan has already found a baguette and is asking me if I feel at home yet. Every time, I answer no and remind him I am from London, not France.
Obviously, this Paris isn’t realistic, but nobody wants the theme of a dance to be the real Paris, which is littered with pick-pocketers and tourists.
If they had wanted the theme ofNight in Paristo be accurately portrayed, they would have done the smart thing and asked for my help. But they didn’t because they wanted the fanciful Paris.
Not much happens in the first bit of the dance, because soon after we arrive, Genevieve is nowhere to be found. She had darted off with Winnifred soon after we got inside.
And while Logan looked disappointed, I didn’t mind. If she doesn’t want to hang out with me at a cliche school dance, so be it.
“Where did the girls go?” Luke asks.
I shrug. “No idea.”
“Well, they’ve got to be somewhere. We should find them,” he says.
I’m shocked Luke is the most concerned out of the three of us about where the girls are, considering his date is less interested in him than Genevieve is me.
“They’ll find us when they’re ready,” Logan says, leaning back against the wall.
“When they’re ready?” I scoff. “Logan, our dates don’t like us like yours does you.”
“I say we find them ourselves,” Luke adds.
So, we do, and not long after we start our search, Luke, Logan, and I find the three girls a giggling mess in the courtyard.
