Page 57 of Playing for Keeps

I picked up the camo-pattern gumboots and, as I stared at my name stenciled on the back, a memory slammed into me with such force it took my breath away.

I’d been in Year Five and I’d just got in trouble for the umpteenth time. I’d lost my sweatshirt and was late for class because I’d had to search through the lost property pile.

“What do you expect when none of your things are named?” Mrs. Jansen had said crossly.

I can’t remember how I reacted, but I do remember Luke and I rode to my house on our bikes that afternoon instead of going to his place as we normally did. But we didn’t head to the PlayStation or outside to throw a ball. Instead, Luke found a marker pen and went through my drawers, writing my name on the labels of all my clothes. Luke’s concentrating squint as he carefully focused on doing his best printing was ingrained in my memory.

“Now you won’t get into trouble,” he’d said triumphantly when he’d finished, his fingers stained with marker pen.

And so, until I grew out of them, my clothes all had my name written on them in Luke’s neatest handwriting.

A lump rose in my throat.

“Do your gumboots fit?”

The sound of Luke’s low voice in my ear caused my heart to thud.

I whirled around to face him.

And my breath left me. Holy shit.

Luke in a suit. Reminding me that the boy I’d just been thinking about was all grown up now.

I saw Luke in his Marauders traveling suit all the time. But now he was wearing a charcoal pinstripe with a dark blue shirt. He was clean-shaven, his dark hair styled with product, his eyes a warm brown under his strong brows as he grinned at me.

Maybe it was partly because of what I’d just recalled, but fuck…right now I could think of only one word to describe him.

Beautiful.

I’d never thought of a guy as beautiful before, but it fit Luke. Inside and out.

I swallowed, trying to pump enough moisture back into my mouth to answer him. “Yeah, they fit. Do yours?”

“Yep.” Luke held up a foot to show off his gumboots in a different camo print.

I couldn’t help my gaze traveling back up the length of him before I met his eyes again.

“I like your suit.” I don’t think I managed to hide my appreciation, because Luke’s eyes grew even darker before he broke eye contact and glanced away.

“Thanks,” he said. “Jonathan picked it out for me.”

It was as if he’d tipped a glass of cold water down my back.

What the fuck was I thinking? Luke had a boyfriend. I should be respectful of that. And okay, my cock hadn’t been last night but the rest of me could be right now.

I forced a smile onto my face. “Where is Jonathan?”

“He has to work late. He should be here for the reception.”

“Oh, cool.”

I suddenly regretted my decision to turn up stag. Maybe I should have found a date, someone to distract me away from my confused feelings for Luke.

He looked around at our surroundings. “This is not what I expected.”

I seized on the subject change. “I know. Aiden Jones is a wannabe farmer. Who knew?”

“He keeps it well hidden.”