Page 172 of Wish You Were Mine
“I know.” I nodded slowly, the ache in my chest tightening again. “And I would never purposely hurt Lucy. That’s the last thing I’d ever want. Maybe I am too old for her… I don’t know. I don’t really know the rules anymore.”
Theo gave me a look. “You’re not too old. I mean…sure, seven years is a lot. But it’s not unheard of. At least you two are in the same decade of life. That’s more than I can say for Alisha’s grandpa who had a thing for twenty-somethings when he was seventy.”
“Well, at least I can’t say I’m trying to be a sugar daddy.” A breath of laughter escaped me before I could stop it. “Hard to do that on a chemistry professor’s salary, anyway.”
Theo snorted. “Seriously.”
We both chuckled, a lightness threading between us, and for a moment, I felt…almost okay. But then I scrubbed a hand over my face, the weight of it all catching up again. “Man, I sure made a mess of things, didn’t I?”
“Not too big of a mess,” Theo said, a slow smile tugging at his mouth. “I mean, at least you didn’t get her pregnant. Unlike another science teacher we know.”
“Go me!” I lifted a hand in a mock cheer as I remembered exactly who Theo was referring to—a previous science teacher at Eden Falls Academy. The one I’d been hired to replace.
Yeah. At least I hadn’t crossedthatline.
Though…waiting to be a professor in a college setting before I fell for a student hadn’t exactly turned out much better.
“It’s good to see you here, though.” Theo clapped me on the back, his voice gentler now. “I don’t know if Lucy noticed you in the crowd, but…I’ll tell her I saw you. Anything you want me to tell her?”
“Just that…” I hesitated, my throat tightening since there were about a hundred things I wanted to say. “I’m so proud of her.” I cleared my throat. “And that…she’s incredible.”
Our eyes met again, and when I saw the shift of understanding in his expression, I knew that Theo knew.
He knew I was a goner for his sister.
“I’ll tell her,” he said quietly, patting me on the back.
“Thanks,” I managed to say, suddenly feeling choked up for some reason.
Which was kind of ridiculous.
But I guess not being able to be with the person you love in their biggest moments just kind of sucked.
55
OWEN
I was dryingglasses behind the bar the next night, trying not to stare when Lucy walked into The Garden with a group of friends.
What is she doing here?I wondered, my stomach dropping like it always did whenever she was near these days.
Had she heard I’d been picking up extra shifts on weekends—my pathetic way of staying busy now that I couldn’t spend my downtime with her?
Had Theo mentioned spotting me at her meet yesterday, and this was her way of returning the favor? Showing up in my space, teasing me with even more of her presence.
Only this time, instead of showing off her power and talent on the gymnastics floor, she’d get to show me just how desirable all the guys in the club found her, too. Since yep, right behind Lucy and her girlfriends, were Brody and several guys from the hockey team.
Great.A knot tightened in my gut.I get to spend the evening watching other guys try their luck with her.
At least The Garden closed at ten on Sundays, so I’d onlyhave to endure watching the guys fight for Lucy’s heart for two hours max.
The group of college athletes made their way to the same corner where Lucy had been sitting the first night we’d met. Lucy slid in between Nora and a petite brunette, laughing at something one of them said. And I allowed myself to study her for a moment, careful not to be too obvious about it.
Maybe Lucy didn’t know I was working tonight.
Maybe she’d only come here on a Sunday because she knew I usually worked Saturdays.
She shrugged out of her jacket, and when her black corset top came into view, my pulse didn’t just stumble—it crashed hard. Because it was the kind of top that turned heads. The kind that would have every guy in this place taking notice.
