Page 41 of Tracing Holland (The Hold Me NSB #2)
Breakfast Club
“Callie.
“Luke.”
We exchange a smile, before I turn to the others.
“Casey. Holland.”
“So this is breakfast club,” Holland observes, glancing around the small diner.
“Well, I mean, it’s not Jemma’s, but it’ll do for now,” Callie explains.
“So what does one do at Breakfast Club?” Holland asks.
“From what I can gather, you awkwardly pick at your food, make even more awkward conversation, and pretend to read menus,” Casey quips, and Callie glares at him.
“No, we eat breakfast and make rash judgments about people based on what they order,” she corrects, and I laugh.
“All of that is true. We also hang out and spend time with the people most important us,” I add.
“Oh, shit, he’s feeling sentimental. He’s going to recite poetry,” Casey mutters.
“Chill out, man. No poems. I’ll leave that for Callie.”
She gives me a mock glare, before turning to Casey. “Oh my gosh. We should totally have our reception at Jemma’s!” she cries. “I’m sure they cater!”
“Uh, that would only make sense if you were marrying Luke, babe,” Casey returns, and Callie scrunches her nose.
“Ok, fine. Maybe you’re right.”
I grin and glance at Holland.
“Not a chance,” she snaps before returning my smile. “Does that mean you’re engaged?” Holland continues, focusing back on the couple across from us.
“We will be once he asks,” Callie answers, and Casey rolls his eyes.
“You act like it’s a mystery.”
“You haven’t asked.”
“We looked at rings!”
“Yeah. We also looked at gig bags, athletic shoes, and clearance swim trunks.”
“Ugh. Fine. Callie Roland, will you marry me? One day.”
Callie leans back and crosses her arms. “That’s your speech? You’re a freaking songwriter!”
“I didn’t plan a speech! You didn’t give me time!”
“Ugh! Fine! Yes, Casey Barrett. I will marry you. One day.” She turns back to Holland. “Great news. We’re engaged. One day.”
I can’t stop laughing and shake my head. “Oh my god, that’s the best proposal I’ve ever seen. Congratulations, guys. I think.”
Their grins are priceless as they exchange a quick kiss, their first as a somewhat engaged couple. One day. Holland finds my hand under the table and laces her fingers with mine. I squeeze, still enjoying the glow of the most unromantic semi-proposal of all time.
“What about you two?” Callie asks, eyeing us next.
Holland and I straighten in unison.
“Engaged? Heck, no,” she laughs.
I grin and shove her with my shoulder. “Well, you don’t have to be quite so passionate about it.”
“Ok, duh,” Callie says, rolling her eyes. “But some day?”
“Callie, please,” I scoff. “I just figured out yesterday and I’m still trying to work out today. It wasn’t so long ago I didn’t even have a future to think about.”
I glance over at Holland and something moves inside me. Something deep, something strong. Something freaking epic.
I smile. “But for today? Yeah. …Today.”
Holland squeezes my hand and gives me that smile that links my soul with hers. That makes me believe my life might actually be more than a maybe. That turns my future into a conversation instead of a punch-line. The smile that refused to believe my lies.
I steal a solid kiss from that perfect, inspiring, hypnotic smile. Return one of my own.
But I’m Luke Craven.
Dandelion.
Train-Wreck.
Liar.
Gravedigger.
Believer.
Beautiful Moment Destroyer.
“Besides, Holland warned me right from the beginning that she doesn’t hook up with other musicians,” I tease, ducking away from my girlfriend’s indignant swipe.
“Oh really? Hey, Luke.”
“Yeah?”
“I said, ‘I don’t hook up with other musicians.’ I never said I wouldn’t fall in love with one.”