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“Well, I’ve got to get to my car,” I eventually said, nodding in the direction of the parking lot. “There’s always a risk Shane will leave without me if I rock up too late, but I’ll see you on Monday.”

“Oh, of course.” He moved back, giving me room to walk by him.

I’d barely taken a step forward when he started speaking again. “Do you want to go out some time?” The words blurted out of him in a tumbled rush causing me to freeze mid-stride.

It took me a moment to realize what he’d asked, and my face paled as I connected the hope in Luke’s eyes to the question he’d put to me. “Like on a date?”

He brushed a nervous hand across his chin. “Yeah, if you’d like…”

I stared at him silently as thoughts whirled through my mind. I’d once thought that Luke would be the perfect guy for me, but when faced with the chance to date him, I couldn’t seem to stop myself from thinking about Chase.

Chase was stubborn and irritated me constantly, but he also intensified my every emotion. He made me come alive in a way I’d never experienced with anyone else, and as I stared at Luke, I realized that I felt none of that when I was near him.

Luke was handsome and kind, but he filled me with the same warm feelings I got when I was around friends and nothing more. There was no electrifying attraction between us; there was barely a dull buzz. I wanted a guy who challenged me and who made my heart race and my soul soar.

I might have only been pretending with Chase, but some of my feelings toward him were very real and impossible to ignore. I couldn’t even contemplate dating the sweet guy standing before me. My heart clenched as I realized I was going to have to let him down. But I had no idea what to say. How did you reject someone you genuinely like?

I gave him a sad smile as I shook my head. “You’re such a great guy, Luke, but things are really complicated with me right now, and I think we’re better as friends.”

His shoulders slumped at my response. “Oh, okay.”

“I’m really sorry.”

“I know you are. I just hope the guy who is complicating things for you realizes how lucky he is.”

I wanted to correct him and say it wasn’t because of a guy, but that would have been a lie.

“I should let you get to your car. Have a good weekend, Ally.” Even when rejected, the guy was a sweetheart.

I watched him walk away with a heaviness settling on my heart. Letting him down didn’t feel good, but what troubled me the most was how his question had shaken me, how quickly Chase had popped up in my mind, and how easily I had rejected the thought of dating Luke. I might have been committed to getting Chase to leave, but my heart kept reminding me it didn’t share that same dedication.

* * *

When Shaneand I got home from school, Dad’s car was already parked in the driveway. I frowned and glanced at my brother, who had a similar look on his face.

“That’s weird,” he muttered.

I nodded. “Why do you think he’s home early?”

“Maybe he ran out of work?”

I laughed and shook my head. “Couldn’t be that. I’m pretty sure Dad took on pro bono work on the side of his normal work just so that never happened.”

“True,” Shane agreed.

We made our way inside, but things only became stranger once we stepped through the door. Dad was actually cooking in the kitchen and it took me several moments to believe my eyes when I saw him.

“Please don’t tell me you lost your job?” Shane groaned.

Dad smiled and shook his head. “A little hard when I’m the boss,” he said with a chuckle. “No, we have some special guests coming over tonight.”

“Who?” I asked.

“Chase’s parents,” Dad explained.

“They’re back already?”

Dad nodded. “Yes, they were going to try and get home once a month. I thought I’d make dinner for us all to welcome them back.”