Aiden’s smile faltered, gradually falling. “I was saying that if you’re done here, we could head out and grab a bite.” He paused, and I watched his eyes bouncing up, probably following the motion of my brows shooting to my hairline with shock. Was he… asking me out? He scratched the back of his neck. “I said that if you really didn’t mind the tux, or my fan club, I could take you. I was hoping you…” A strange laugh left him, and I was pretty sure he blushed. “But I think I might have read all of that wrong.”
Okay, he had been asking me out.
My cheeks flamed.
And Lucas was standing right there, not saying a word. Just… watching. In silence. Probably feeling awkward and thinking of a joke he’d make later on.
“I…” I scrambled for an answer. “No, you got that right, Mr. Castillo. The tux is great. You look really handsome.”
It was then that I somehow decided to look over at Lucas. And I couldn’t miss the way he tensed up. In fact, it was hard to miss how he looked down at himself. A quick glance down, as if checking for something.
And because my own gaze followed the motion, it was only then that I spotted the bag hanging off Lucas’s hand. I immediately recognized the takeaway logo on its side.
I looked back at Mr. Castillo, and as if he had been waiting for me to return my attention to him, he said, “Aiden is fine, remember?”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lucas’s fingers tightening around the handles of the bag.
My eyes returned to Lucas’s face, his expression neutral, his smile stiff.
“Lucas,” I said, hating the way his mouth pressed in something that wasn’t his smile. “Do you remember Aiden, the contractor?”
Lucas gave him a nod. “Yes, I remember.”
Aiden returned it. “Glad to see you again, Lucas. You’re Rosie’s…” He trailed off.
My heart seemed to stop, waiting, even though I had no reason to anticipate his answer.
It was after what seemed the longest five seconds of my life that Lucas said, “Rosie’s friend.”
I’d be lying if that didn’t hurt the teeniest, tiniest bit. Because it did. As much as it was true.
“Okay, good.” I clapped my hands softly, pushing down what I had no business feeling. “Everyone remembers everyone, that’s good. Really good.”
My eyes bounced from one man to the other, finally settling on Aiden, to whom I still owed an answer.
Rosie’s friend.
Lucas and I were friends.
So I could tell Aiden yes. I could go on this date. It wouldn’t be more than just that, dinner, but I could still go. Perhaps I should go. But every single cell in my body told me that there was food for two in that plastic bag Lucas held in his hand. That Lucas had already planned to have dinner with me, just like we did every day. And as much as it probably didn’t mean anything for Lucas, not more than sharing a meal with his roommate, his friend, it did for me. So much that I realized now how badly I wanted Lucas to be the one asking me out. Taking me, Rosie, out on a date. A real one.
But Lucas didn’t do real dates. Not anymore. Not now. He’d been clear about that.
“Thank you for the offer, Aiden.” I gave him a polite smile. “But I think I’m going to head home.”
I was busy gauging Aiden’s reaction, because disappointing people gave me anxiety and because I liked Aiden and I feared I was making him feel awkward, when Lucas spoke.
“With me,” he said, making my heart flap, flap, flap in my chest. “She’s going home with me.”
His tone hadn’t been loud, or brash. He hadn’t even injected any emotion in his words, which was so rare for him. And yet, that “with me” had been so powerful, so meaningful for me, that I knew it’d be imprinted in my memory for a long time.
Because he’d talked as if I were his.
“Yeah,” I felt the need to explain. To Aiden? Myself? I didn’t know. “We’re living together at the moment, while my apartment is being fixed.”
Understanding dawned in Aiden’s expression. “Oh, right. That makes sense.” He nodded his head. “Okay, so I guess Ed—Mr. Allen—will give you a call at some point this week to talk details about you moving back.” He gave me one last smile. “Have a good night, Rosie.” He turned to his left. “Lucas.”
And with that, Aiden disappeared through the door of the café.
When I finally looked over at Lucas, I found his eyes on me. His expression was still the same. Off. “Moving back?”