Chapter 159
“I dabble here and there.” Lucas shrugged as he grabbed another plate and placed two pancakes on it. “But nowhere near as good as you, Buttercup!”
I hummed in response, stirring the sugar into my coffee.
“So I was thinking,” Caroline chimed in. “While Nat and I go sit on the beach for a while, you and Aiden can do whatever it is you usually do when you come up here.”
I flashed her a confused look when Lucas turned his back to us. I love spending time with Caroline, but I thought she would be all over Lucas this weekend. Ever since she made her college decision, she’s been just a tad bit extra needy towards everyone.
Unfortunately, Caroline, Brooke and I are all going to different schools – all in different
states. While I’ll be at Stanford in California, Brooke will be at the University of Michigan at
Ann Arbor and Caroline will be staying at Loyola in Chicago. The three of us knew this was
a possibility, but now that it’s actually happening – we’re cherishing all of our time together.
Even though I don’t know where Lucas is going to school, from what I gathered it’s as far
away from Chicago as possible. His relationship with his dad wasn’t great, and there were too many memories of his mom in Chicago.
While Caroline and I decided to spend the morning at the beach, Lucas dragged Aiden to
buy alcohol because he forgot his fake at home. After a lot of glaring and cursing at Lucas,
Aiden reluctantly agreed.
The temperatures this weekend were in the mid–seventies, and it was the perfect tanning weather. The breeze from the lake also made it more reasonable to spend hours under the
scorching sun.
While the boys went about their morning, Caroline let me borrow a bikini from her because I didn’t pack one. The two of us then lounged around on our towels until it got too hot and we were forced to go back to the house.
Once we got back and Lucas saw us, he burst out laughing. “Is there something funny, Lucas?” Caroline challenged.
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The Divorce Contract: Five Requests to Let YOU Go!!
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Chapter 159
“How long were you two out there for?” He continued to laugh. “You’re fucking red!”
Truth be told, Caroline and I both had very pale skin and we did burn easily. Despite putting on sun screen, our skin was now a bright red. “It’ll turn into a golden tan after this weekend, now shut up.” Caroline rolled her eyes at him while I held back my own laugh.
After a quick shower and a quick lunch, everyone else disappeared off somewhere while I stayed back to make the cupcakes I promised.
I was mixing the butter and the powdered sugar into the Kitchen Aid stand mixer when I noticed Lucas leaning against the door. “Yes Lucas?” I cocked an eyebrow at him, increasing the speed on the mixer.
“So,” He lazily pushed himself off the door and began walking towards me. “Stanford is a long way from Northwestern.” He gives me a knowing look.
“What?” Then it clicks. “Aiden…”
Lucas nodded, sticking his index finger in the frosting I was currently mixing. “But, it’s not
that far from UCLA.”
My head snapped up. “Really? UCLA?”
He shrugs in response. “Not all of us are Ivy League smart, Nat.”
“No- that’s not what I mean!” I quickly defended. “I’m happy for you Lucas. In fact, I think
it’s a great fit.”
“Try telling Caroline that.” He scoffed, shaking his head as he stepped back and leaned against the counter.
“She…. she doesn’t do well with goodbyes.” I smiled sympathetically. That was putting it lightly. When Caroline left for Puerto Rico last summer, she spent two weeks sulking and the day before when we were hanging out, she outright burst into tears!
“But it’s not goodbye.” He rolled his eyes. Despite him trying to play it off, you’d have to be blind not to notice the hurt evident in his voice, “At least not in my eyes.”
“I’ll talk to her.”
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Chapter 159
“You and I both know that’s not going to do anything.”
“Hey!” I reached across the counter and smacked his shoulder. “I’m her best friend- she’ll
listen to me.”
“Keep telling yourself that.” He nodded sarcastically. “Caroline will always do what Caroline
wants.”
I mean, he’s not wrong.
To this day, she has refused to put a label on their relationship – or friendship, friends with
benefits situation – whatever the hell they have going on together. I love Caroline to death, but sometimes it feels like she’s just stringing the poor guy along.
I know my best friend, and I know Lucas. Caroline can deny it all she wants, but she cares
about Lucas. It may not be to the same extent as him, but she does care about him.
I know that she’s hesitant to jump into another relationship after everything that happened
with Theo, but Lucas is a great guy – and he’s not Theo!
“I hate to say this,” I sighed as I crossed my arms and looked at Lucas. “But maybe Caroline
just isn’t ready for a relationship right now. I know you want something more than
whatever you guys currently have going on, but if she’s not ready you can’t force it.”
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