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“Hey. He’s still very manly. I don’t expect you to notice, because you’re his sister and that would be ick, but he’s built. And hot.”
Megan grinned. “I believe the word I’m searching for is, in fact, ick. But I’m glad you’re noticing these things. Or making them up. Either one is fine. It proves my point.”
“Oh? You had a point?”
She shot me a glare. “Go to the banquet with my brother. Okay? Maybe you’ll get a Valentine kiss out of it.”
I pushed that little fantasy right back out of my mind. I shouldn’t be kissing anyone until I was committed to an exclusive relationship with them. It was one thing to insist on being able to date whoever asked. But I wasn’t going to be getting physical with anyone until there was more to it than casual dating.
“Those are long thoughts.” Megan tipped her head to the side. “Do you not want to go out with Austin after all?”
I shook my head. “I do. I’m just not sure how much it’s going to bother Luke to have us right there under his nose.”
“Feels like that’s his problem. It’s not like he asked you.”
I sighed. No. He hadn’t. And I’d kind of expected that he would, since this was a fundraiser for the trip I’d agreed to help with. Although, it was looking like the trip might not happen, so maybe that was part of it. “You’re right.”
Megan tipped her head toward my cell phone. “Are you going to let him know? Put him out of his misery? You know he’s sitting there waiting for you to say yes.”
Honestly? I wasn’t sure about that. And there was a small, probably mean part of me, that wanted him to wait and wonder.
“Hey. This is my brother and your best friend.” Megan shot me an arch look. “Don’t be coy.”
“Yeah, yeah. You’re right.” I grabbed my phone and opened Austin’s text.
I’d like that a lot. Thanks for asking me.
I hit Send and set the phone back on the table. “Happy now?”
“Yeah. You?”
I had a real, official date with Austin coming up. Little butterflies danced in my stomach. Not as friends. I smiled slightly. He’d tacked that on to be sure I knew what he was asking. Because I’d made such a big deal out of things two weeks ago.
He could say we weren’t going as friends, but I knew we were. We’d always be friends. But now I could open the door and hope our friendship expanded to more.
16
LUKE
This was a terrible idea. Why had I let myself get pushed into chairing the Valentine’s banquet? Sure, the youth group could use a fundraiser, but I’d been investigating things we could sell—donuts and candy had been high on my list—and those would have been so much less awkward than this.
I tugged at the knot in my tie and looked out over the fellowship hall.
It looked like something had vomited pink and red everywhere.
“What do you think? Isn’t it gorgeous?” The pastor’s wife patted my arm. “I think the women outdid themselves this year.”
“It’s definitely something special.” I clamped my mouth shut. I couldn’t take back the words—wouldn’t even if I could—but she had to have heard my tone. And that tone was not happy.
“What’s wrong, Luke? This’ll get the youth program probably close to two thousand dollars. Surely you can put that to good use?” She tipped her head to the side. “It’s better than selling donuts no one wants.”
“What’s wrong with donuts?” I’d emailed the parents and asked about various things they’d be interested in buying and selling. Everyone loved donuts. Especially since one of the famous chains had a fundraising program. Sure, they wouldn’t be as fresh as timing a visit to the shop when the “Hot” light was on, but they were still delicious.
She wrinkled her nose. “So bad for you.”
“And spaghetti is healthy?”
She stiffened and sniffed. “I didn’t realize the menu didn’t meet with your approval.”
