Page 69 of The Rebound
Rory turns back to me, eyebrows raised, but I ignore him.
“That would be great,” I say. “If you’re heading that way.”
Luke only nods and disappears back into the changing rooms. Rory lets out a low whistle.
“Luke Bailey, huh?”
“I do not appreciate your tone.”
“My knowing tone?”
“You think you know.”
“I know I know. Use protection.”
My fingers skim the side of his arm as he dodges my hit and I step out after him as he jogs over to Sinead. Sean and Harry drive away, rock music blaring from the car with Beth chatting animatedly in the back seat. A moment later Rory follows them, waving as he speeds off with Sinead, leaving Luke and me alone.
The noise of a grate closing makes me jump and I turn to see him emerge from the clubhouse, dusting his hands and looking just as wary as I am.
The car lights flash behind me as he unlocks it.
“You ready?” he asks.
I’m not ready at all. But I only nod and open the passenger door, sliding inside.
15
My body stays cold despite the heat of the car, and I don’t so much shiver as I do shudder every few seconds. Chilled to the bone is what my mother would say, my toes tingling almost painfully as the warmth seeps back into them.
I tie my damp hair back as best I can and hold up my fingers, clenching and unclenching as the blood works its way through them.
“You okay?” Luke asks as I watch them turn a mottled red and purple.
“Cold hands, remember? I have terrible circulation.”
“You should have said something.”
“I didn’t even realize,” I say truthfully as he turns the heater up further. “Thanks.”
He shrugs, concentrating on the road, which gives me plenty of time to watch him.
It’s hard to believe the last time I was sitting here I thought he was a stranger. A sexy, godlike stranger. Now he’s a sexy, godlike Luke. And it’s so confusing I can’t even begin to explain it to myself. It doesn’t help that his car feels smaller, more cramped than last time. Probably because of all the picnic stuff in the back. Probably because we’re both cold and wet. He’s different too. More serious for one. There’s no joking this time, no teasing or smiling. Maybe he’s just full of angst. Maybe he’s thinking about me in the water like I’m thinking about him. Maybe he can’t stop thinking about me and he’s two seconds away from pulling over and—
“So how often does Sean come back to visit?” I ask, before my fantasy can go any further.
“All the time.” He responds immediately, like he’d been waiting for me to say something. “He and Harry have a place in Galway.”
“Oh great.”
“He designs video games.”
“That’s cool.”
“Yeah. Do you play?”
“Me? No. I never had the time. Do you?”
He shakes his head.
