When we finally stopped laughing, I took in a deep breath. “May I ask you something, Ari?”
Ari looked into my eyes with nothing but love. “Of course, Libby. I’m always here for you, sweetheart.”
I began chewing on my lower lip. “Did you ever feel scared? What I mean is, by your love for Jeff. Did it ever scare you? I love Luke so much it scares me. I keep wondering if the floor is going to fall out from underneath me or if he is going to change his mind and leave me. I’ve tried to push these stupid feelings away but the thought of losing him—I don’t think I could stand a day in this world without him.”
Ari looked away quickly and then slowly turned back to me. Her eyes were filled with tears. She wiped a tear away and squeezed my hand. “First off, Luke is one lucky son-of-a-bitch to have a woman like you love him.”
I felt the tears building in my eyes as Ari smiled at me. “Yes, Libby. I was scared to death and I still am. There are days that Jeff will be gone and I won’t see him and I feel like I will burst if I’m not in his arms soon. It doesn’t have to be sexual, Libby. It’s about sitting next to a fire while he holds you in his arms and talks about his day. When you walk into a room and he looks at you and his smile lights up like his whole day just got brighter. His unexpected touch ignites your body on fire and all you want is for him to kiss you like it’s your last kiss. The feeling of him making love to you and you’re so overcome with love that it brings you to tears.”
I felt my tears rolling down my face. “Yes,” I whispered.
“Love is a crazy emotion, Libby. Hang on, baby girl.” Ari chuckled. “Hang on for dear life!”
I SET THE last box down in Grace’s room and collapsed onto her bed. “Holy hell, Grace. Did you bring everything you own?”
Giggling she fell onto the bed next to me. “I thought about it, but decided not to.”
I smiled at my baby sister. “Are you happy, Sweet Pea?” Her smile faded but she quickly plastered on a fake one. “Of course I am, Luke. I’m glad we are here together. I hated UT with a passion. I think I’m really going to like A&M.”
Nodding my head I said, “I think you will. Plus, I can keep my eye on you.”
She reached over and slapped my arm. “I’m a big girl you know. The cherry was popped a few years back.” Grace jumped up and headed toward her closet.
I sat up and balled my fists. “You know, Grace, you can’t say shit like that to me. It makes me want to kill someone.”
She looked over her shoulder and winked. “You know what I think is funny?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “What?”
“That Alex moved most of her stuff in here, and Libby moved most of her stuff in Lauren’s room, yet they have no intention of ever staying in their rooms.” Grace used air quotes around the word rooms.
I smiled. “We’ll try to keep it down for you since my room is right next to yours.”
Grace’s mouth dropped open as she stared at me while I backed out of the room with a smile on my face. “I hate you, Luke Johnson. I hate that you just put that in my head!”
I turned and headed back downstairs to help Lauren with her stuff. I thought back to the night our parents all sat down and talked to us about our living arrangements.
WE ALL LOOKED at each other as our parents sat across from us. Gunner and Ellie were holding hands. Josh and Heather were sitting on the sofa with Heather snuggled into Josh’s side. My father and mother were sitting on the love seat. Dad’s arm was wrapped around my mother and they both oozed love.
Gunner spoke first. “Since Colt is going to be in the dorms because he’s playing football, we have decided to go ahead and just stick with the one house. Will, Luke, y’all will still have your rooms and the girls have decided to bunk up together.”
Heather spoke next. “Libby and Lauren are bunking together and Alex and Grace will be in the fourth bedroom.”
Josh was staring at me, kind of like how Gunner was staring at Will. I swallowed hard. Surely they had to know that was not how this was going to play out.
Josh cleared his throat. “One thing y’all need to know is we’re not stupid. Will, Alex you’re engaged.” Turning, Josh looked at Libby and then me. Libby squeezed my hand tighter. “Luke, Libby—you’re dating each other and I get that. Just know if anything happens, Luke, I will hunt you down and hurt you.”
I SHUDDERED JUST thinking about the look in Josh’s eyes. Lauren walked up and handed me a box. “Here ya go!” She turned and skipped back to her car. I smiled as I turned and headed back into the house. Alex was coming down the stairs when she stopped and smiled at me.
“Hey!” she said with a smile.
She looked beyond happy. “Hey there, little
cousin.”
She had a worried look on her face as she looked over my shoulder. “Are you nervous about living with Libby?”
I tilted my head and looked at her. “No. Are you nervous about living with Will?”