“Grayson, this is beautiful . . . but why?”
“Why not? I saw it and thought of you,” I answered. The last not-exactly-a-lie lie I swore to tell.
“I love it,” she said.
“Let me put it on you,” I said.
She pulled her hair away from her neck. I fumbled with the clasp for a few seconds before finally getting it to latch. Wherever it came from, the necklace was Wren’s now. Her hair fell from her hands, sweeping past her shoulders again. She turned to me, holding the charms out from her neck. I raked my hand through her hair. She looked up at me, wrapped her fingers around mine, and gently pressed her lips to the inside of my wrist.
“I love you.” The words sprang out so fast, so naturally, I hardly knew I’d said them. They hung there, between us. “I know it’s too soon to say that,” I said, touching my forehead to hers, closing my eyes, wishing she’d just say something before I blurted it out again. I could feel the L-word, right on the tip of my tongue, ready to tumble out, because it felt so good to finally say it—to mean it.
Wren took my hand and brushed past me, pulling me toward the hall. My mood flat-lined. Jackass. Being here was too much, too soon. She closed the door, then turned and leaned against it. The lock made a loud click as she pressed it down. I laughed. She tugged me closer to her.
“I love you, Grayson Barrett.”
I let it sink in.
My name.
Me.
Wren loved me.
A soft, flirty smile lit up her face. “Kiss me already.”
I was in love.
Me. Grayson Barrett. Head-over-heels-bona-fide-singing-power-ballads-in-the-shower-texting-Wren-24/7 in LOVE.
Four weeks ago I couldn’t have imagined having this kind of relationship. But that’s how love happens, isn’t it? You’re just minding your own business, tossing hot dogs in your mouth, and bam—you cross paths with a beautiful girl you can’t stop thinking about. I felt high. Everything was different.
School became less hellish; the prospect of connecting with Wren afterward made the day fly by. I even participated in class, surprising my teachers who didn’t know what to make of the guy who usually slouched so far into his desk, he became one with the seat.
It was a Wednesday, and the object of my affection had a yearbook meeting. We were getting together at the library after dinner, so I could go over arbitrary angles with her. At least that’s what we were calling it. It was hard to concentrate when her perfect mouth, ripe for a kiss was only inches from mine.
Naturally good old Sir Isaac and his pesky gravitational law F = mg would have to go and screw it up, since what goes up must come down. I was pretty damn high as I pulled the Chrysler into the parking spot in front of my house, only to come crashing to earth with a thud when I saw Luke sitting on my top step, waiting.
Reality was such a harsh drag force.
I took my time grabbing my backpack, closing the door, and wrestling my house key out of my pocket. I’d called him after the Allegra thing, but it had gone straight to his voice mail. I knew that sooner or later he’d want to talk to me about it. I’d only hoped it was later . . . or never.
“Ah, amor vincit omnia,” he said, standing as I got to the top of the stairs. He was holding some sort of flowered dish and smirking, black Ray-Bans covering his eyes.
Love conquers all. “Really, why do you say that?”
“My sources tell me you’ve been picking up a Sacred Heart chick after school, name rhymes with hen. Must be serious. You seem . . . happy.”
“‘Name rhymes with hen’? Why can’t you just act normal about this?”
He pushed his sunglasses up into his hair. “Normal? Really? Grayson, I’m standing here freezing my nuts off with my stepmom’s vegan lasagna for your father, and you’re as whipped as a housebroken puppy over some girl who saved you from choking. I feel like I’m living in a parallel universe. It’s gonna take some getting used to this new you.”
I decided to cut him some slack.
“Whipped by choice, my friend,” I said, putting my key in the door. “Not so bad; you should try it.”
“Ha, I’d rather try this vegan lasagna with a soy-milk chaser,” he said, holding up the dish. I stood between the front and storm doors, poised to go in, wondering when he was going to bring up Allegra and what happened on Saturday.
“Are you gonna ask me in?”
“You look like you have somewhere to go,” I answered.
“Nope, thought I’d swing by, drop this off before heading to Andy’s. I can hang for bit. Remember, like we used to do?”
“Fine, sure, come in.”
He followed me. I set my backpack down in the foyer and wandered into the kitchen. Luke opened the fridge, placed the lasagna on the top shelf, and grabbed two Cokes. He tossed one to me one and popped his open, taking a long gulp. I leaned against the counter.
“So what’s up?” I asked.
“Not much. Coach is still scouting for a new middie, but no one’s got your speed or reflexes, so we’re pretty much screwed without the Raptor,” he said, throwing in Coach’s nickname for me. It stung to hear, something I hadn’t thought about in a while. “It’s a shame Bergen Point doesn’t have a team. That must suck for you.”
“Yeah, it sucks,” I answered, cracking open my soda.
“What are you going to do with your gear?”
“I don’t know. I thought I’d pile it in the yard and host a bonfire,” I said, wanting to wipe the smirk off his face. “Just ask me what you want to ask me already, Luke.”
He swallowed another sip of soda before answering. “Seeing as how you’re not into our little arrangement anymore, I thought you could use some cash. Maybe sell your gear. But since you seem to think I’m here for another reason, well, okay . . . What happened on Saturday?”
“Allegra blew me off. I went in, talked to her a little bit, but she wasn’t interested, so I left, called you,” I said. He fiddled with the flip-top tab on his can.
“Christ, Grayson, you’ve really lost your edge. You can’t lie for shit.”
I stiffened.
“I’m not lying.”
“Really? Allegra said it was the other way around.”
“When . . . how—”
“What? Just protecting our investment. Had to go in and see for myself. Asked her a few questions, that’s all. Made it totally casual. I think you’re out of your mind to give up tapping that again, but whatever. That house was out of our scope anyway. What I don’t get is why you had to lie. It’s just me.”
Keys jangled, echoing through the hallway as Tiffany and Pop came in.
“Luke! It’s so good to see you,” Tiffany said, dropping her gym bag near my backpack and kicking off her sneakers. She padded over to us. Pop followed behind.
“Hi, Mr. Barrett, Mrs. Barrett,” Luke said, giving Pop a brisk handshake and Tiff a quick peck on the cheek.
Luke seemed unruffled by our whole exchange. If he had gone to see Allegra himself—why did I have to be involved in the first place? I stewed while Luke, Pop, and Tiff bantered back and forth about the vegan lasagna, Luke not being here in a while, and if his stepmom, Isabelle, was ready for Christmas or not.
“Luke, stay for dinner; have some lasagna,” Pop said, widening his eyes at me. I knew vegan anything sounded as appetizing to him as chewing on the bottom of his boot.
“Thanks, but I’m a carnivore, Mr. B,” Luke said, patting his stomach. “Have to get going anyway. I’m trying to get Grayson to come to Andy’s with me.”
“Go, Gray. Don’t worry about us,” Tiff said.