Best Friends Don't Kiss(57)

“I can’t believe no one else helps you,” I comment, glancing pointedly at my mom. “It’s a travesty.”

My mom rolls her eyes. “Like he’d let me or your sisters touch any of his precious decorations.”

I grin. That’s also true. I’m the only one he trusts to help, but I think that’s more because I let him make all the decisions and just follow whatever instructions he tosses my way. My mom and sisters try to make suggestions, but when it comes to big Guy’s Christmas decorations, you never suggest. You acknowledge that he is the expert and just follow his lead.

“And I see you’ve brought Luke with you,” my dad comments and reaches out to shake Luke’s hand. “Good to see you, son. How have you been?”

“I’ve been good, Mr. Lucie.”

“Please, just call me Guy.” He waves him off the same way my mom did mere moments ago.

“Luke is Ava’s boyfriend now,” my mom whispers to my dad, but it’s not quiet at all.

“Is that right?” My dad feigns surprise. “You two crazy kids are an item now?”

Luke nods, and a handsome smile touches his lips. “Sir, I don’t know how it happened, but somehow, I convinced your beautiful daughter to be my girlfriend.”

My dad smiles proudly. “My Avie is the best.”

“You won’t find me denying that.” Luke winks at me and leans forward to whisper to my dad, “But how about we keep it between us that she’s too good for me, yeah?”

Guy chortles.

My mom sighs this dreamy, far-too-loud sigh and tsks her lips. “My goodness. I just…I don’t think I could be any more excited than I am right now. The only thing that would make me happier is if the two of you decided to tie the knot.”

“Mom,” I chastise. “Good Lord.”

“What?” she questions, looking between the three of us. “What did I say wrong?”

My dad just chuckles and wraps his arm around my mom’s shoulder, leading her through the door and down the hall toward the kitchen, and he gestures for us to follow them.

Luke just grins the whole damn way, but my mind is off to the races, mulling over the way my mother appeared so quick to sell me off like I’m a prized pig at the freaking county fair.

I mean, we’ve been here all of ten minutes, and my mom is already trying to plan our freaking wedding!

You think that’s bad? Just wait until she finds out it’s all a sham…

That thought sits like a rock in my stomach. A heavy, firm mass of guilt.

Man oh man, what have I gotten myself into?

A big fat web of lies.

“Avie, you want hot chocolate?” my dad asks, and all I can do is nod, my mind still reeling from things I’d prefer not to think about right now. “What about you, Luke? You like hot chocolate?”

“That’d be great, sir.”

While my dad makes us some fresh cocoa, we sit down at the kitchen table, and my mom doesn’t dillydally with the usual small talk. Oh no, she dives right into the relationship questions.

“So, I just have to know,” she begins, and internally I sigh, already knowing what’s about to come. “How did you two go from best friends for years to in a relationship?”

Boom. There it is. She drops the bomb right in the middle of the Christmas-décor-covered table.

“Well, Rose, I’ve always had a bit of a thing for your Ava,” Luke begins to answer and reaches out to casually wrap his arm around the back of my chair. “It just took about fifteen years for me to convince her to have a thing for me too.”

What? That’s our story? That he’s had a thing for me for fifteen years?

My jaw nearly hits the little snowmen embroidered into the tablecloth. That is not at all how I thought he’d answer that question.

But my mom, on the other hand, well, she looks like she’s about to swoon out of her freaking chair.

“Oh my goodness,” she says through a sigh and then smacks her lips together, shaking her head slightly. “I just… That is…” She meets my eyes, and I swear to God, it looks like she’s about to cry again. “Ava, honey, this has to be the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard. I am so happy for you two.”

I glance at Luke, and he’s just sitting there, arm still comfortably resting on the back of my chair, a smile etched on his face.

My pits are sweating like someone shoved a geyser inside my sweater, and my cheeks feel ready to burst into flames.

How on earth is he being so cool about all this?

Seriously. Is he internally freaking out like me?

Or is that just me? Am I the only one who feels like I’m one more relationship question away from being triggered into a panic attack?

“Rose, honey, mind helping me with the cocoa?” my dad asks, and thankfully, my mom hops up to assist, giving me a much-needed break from the interrogation.

“What in the hell was that?” I whisper toward Luke and tap him on the stomach with my elbow.

“What was what?” he questions back with a half shrug. “I was just answering her question.”

“That was not at all how I expected you to answer.”

“What? You don’t like the idea of me secretly pining over you for the last fifteen years?” he asks and flashes a little smirk in my direction.