Crazy Beautiful (Crazy Beautiful #1)

by Jessica Huizenga

  I drop Kinsley off at the cottage a few hours later before heading to my dad’s house. We would have left earlier, but our sexy shower time turned into sexy get dressed—then undressed and dressed again—time, which also somehow turned into sexy dining room table time.

  Like I could say no to any of that?

  It’s like all of a sudden Kinsley couldn’t get enough of me, and I am more than willing to give her everything she wants or needs.

  I pull into the drive and see Ryan’s truck already parked. He often hangs out on Saturday afternoons with me and my dad. I walk around the back of the house to the garage and see Ry leaning on the picnic table while my dad sorts and unloads fishing gear from the back of his pickup.

  “Look who finally decided to show up. I dunno, Luc, I might just be in the lead for favorite son here.” Ryan and I often joke about who is my dad’s “favorite son.” He spent so much time growing up at our house we’re practically brothers anyway.

  “Fat chance. You’re just upset because you miss me.”

  “Now, now, boys. You know I love ya both the same.” My dad comes around the side of the pickup and winks at us before I lean in for a hug.

  “Hey, Pop. How was your trip?”

  “It was nice. Relaxing. Can’t complain. The fish weren’t really biting, but it was good all the same.” He walks one of his fishing poles into the open garage before going back to the truck for the next. “And what about you? What have you been up to the past few weeks? Did you take care of Kinsley?”

  Ryan snorts and I glare at him threateningly. “Yeah, he’s taking care of her all right.” He doesn’t know all of the details about Kinsley and I, but he knows enough to be able to give me crap about it.

  My dad looks between Ryan and me before directing a stern, albeit unsurprised, look my way. “Care to fill me in, Lucas?”

  I look at my shoes like a five year old who’s been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “She called with a small problem at the cottage so I helped her fix it, just like you asked. Turns out she’s cool and we sort of became friends.” Both my dad and Ryan stare at me, knowing there’s more to the story. “OK, maybe we’re a little more than friends. We’re sort of . . . friends plus?” I’m close with my dad and all, but this is not exactly something I want him to know all the particulars about.

  Ryan smirks. “I knew it. From the first time you talked about her I could tell something was up. Did you finally decide to wake up and stop with the whole ‘just friends’ thing?”

  “Shut up. You’re one to talk. When was the last time you had a girlfriend?” OK, that’s a low blow since I know Ryan’s rules about women. He makes sure each girl he’s with knows the deal up front: casual flings that only last one night with no chance at something serious. Hell, he’s never even let a girl into his apartment. It takes a lot to get to know the guy behind the laid-back smile. He’s been through some serious shit, so now he prefers to play it cool. It would take someone very strong and special to break through his defenses.

  “And that would be my cue to leave. Well played, bro.” Ryan chuckles and shakes his head as he pushes himself off the picnic table. “I’ve gotta get going anyway. Eli, glad you’re back. Luc, we’ll talk later.” We nod at each other and he makes his way to his truck.

  My dad claps Ryan on the shoulder as he passes, then comes to sit on the picnic bench next to me. He stares out into the distance and for a minute I think he’s going to change the subject. But then he says, “Start talking, kid,” and I know I’m not getting off that easily.

  I love my dad but I’m not in the mood for this particular conversation. I’m barely able to get a handle on my own feelings for Kinsley, let alone have anyone else weigh in on the subject.

  “What? It’s not a big deal. We became close friends and now I’m just trying to see where it goes.” I decide it’s best not to let him know I’ve been screwing her silly. Some things are better left unspoken.

  “Stop the bullshit, Luc. If you’re going to give this a shot with her you better be all in. I know you like to screw around, but I can tell this girl deserves a lot more than some silly casual crap you might try to pull.”

  It’s no use trying to hide it from him. My dad, much like Ryan, can always see straight through me. “I would never hurt Kinsley, Dad. Yeah, I haven’t exactly been the best at any sort of real relationship with a girl, but she’s different. She’s smart, funny, and she makes me want things I didn’t even know I wanted. But we both agreed to keep it casual. I really don’t want to fuck this up but I don’t have a clue what I’m doing. Hell, she’s too good for me. I don’t deserve her, but she makes me want to be a better man and at least try.”

  “Listen, kid, I’m not going to tell you what to do because that’s for you to figure out. But if I can give you one piece of advice, it’s that life is short so there’s no use wasting it. If you found a girl who makes you happy—who makes you better—well then you hold onto her and let her know every single day just how much she means to you. I knew that girl was special the minute I met her. She reminds me a lot of your mother, which is why I rented her the cottage.” He gets a wistful look on his face, as if recalling a particular memory.

  “It’s all happened so fast. We’ve only known each other a short time and I don’t want to scare her off by getting too serious.”

  My dad starts to chuckle at that.

  Great—here I am pouring my heart out and he’s frigging laughing.

  “Luc, did I ever tell you about when I asked your mom to marry me?”

  “No, I don’t think so.”

  He smiles and leans forward, resting his hands on his knees before looking over at me. “I asked her the day I met her.”

  “And she said yes?”

  “Hell no. She told me I was crazy.”

  I laugh at that, thinking about how Kinsley and I seem to share the same sentiment toward each other.

  He continues, “But that was OK. I knew she wasn’t ready yet. But from the moment I laid eyes on her I knew she was the one for me, so it was my job to reassure her of that every chance I got. No matter how many times she said no, I kept on asking. She once told me that it was my unwavering persistence that finally won her over. She knew that if I could be so certain and patient about us, she would never have to worry. That our whole relationship would be that way. That she could count on me, and that she could feel safe.”

  “But how were you so sure?”

  “Kid, when you know, you know. Don’t overthink it.” He nudges me in the shoulder and gets up to resume emptying his truck.

  I continue to sit for a second, contemplating my dad’s words.

  When you know, you know.

  I think back over the past few weeks, from the first time I heard Kinsley’s voice on my phone—hell, to the first time I noticed her at the wedding before I even knew a damn thing about her—to holding her in my arms last night.

  I know she’s different.

  I know I can be myself around her.

  I know she really has become my best friend.

  . . . and fuck it, I know I love her.

  Kinsley

  It’s been a few hours since Lucas dropped me off, and while I’m supposed to be working, I just can’t seem to focus.

  Waking up in his bed really threw me for a loop. I think it was the best sleep I ever had, and that’s not something I should get used to. I made breakfast thinking it would be a last meal of sorts, but just couldn’t bring myself to leave. When he invited me to see his dad it took every bit of willpower to decline, but then he invited me to hang out with his friends and seduced me with his dirty shower talk.

  And I gave in because he’s made me weak. I find myself clinging to any piece of him I can, even if it’s only his body. I’m like some sort of junkie and my drug of choice is a brown-haired boy with hazel eyes.

  And I really need to quit before I get hooked for good. It’s just not as easy as I thought it would be.

  A knock at the
door just about makes me jump out of my skin. I look at the clock—it’s nearly five. For a minute I get disturbingly giddy when I think it might be Lucas, so I rush to answer it.

  I pull open the door to find Eli standing on the porch. While not who I was hoping to see, it’s really good to see him.

  I push open the screen. “Hey, I heard you were back. How was the trip?” I step aside so he can come in.

  As he passes through the doorway he says, “It was good, but it’s nice to be home.” He pauses for a moment when he sees the paintings hanging on the wall. A nostalgic smile lights up his face, and for a minute I think he’s going to tear up. But he clears his throat and turns to look back at me. “I wanted to stop by and make sure everything is OK. Lucas said he’s been keeping an eye on you, but I had to see for myself.”

  I feel myself blush, hoping Lucas didn’t tell his dad too many details about our newly formed friendship. “He’s definitely been a huge help.” I put a little too much emphasis on the word huge.

  Crap. Jeez, Kins, why not tell him all the dirty details about the past month.

  I stand up a little straighter, trying to muster some level of indifference and control. “As you can see, the place is still standing.” I wave my hand around, hoping to redirect his attention anywhere but on me. I’m sure my face is giving a lot more away than I intend it to these days.

  Eli smiles and says, “Well that’s good. Glad to hear it.”

  We stand there in an awkward silence before Eli gathers himself and takes a few steps back toward the door. I find it odd that he came all the way out here just for that, but he pauses before turning back to me.

  “You know, Kinsley, I’m really glad to hear you and Lucas are friends now. I can tell you’ve been a good influence on him.” Eli beams, and I can’t help but feel like a fraud.

  “Me? I’m not so sure about that. He was doing pretty well on his own, I think.” I’m not sure what to say without giving away all the specifics of our time together. I’m sure Lucas is more . . . satisfied since meeting me, but that’s not something I can explain to his dad for crying out loud.

  He shakes his head. “You might not see it, but I do. I’m sure he told you about his mom, right?”

  I nod, swallowing thickly. It’s one thing to hear Lucas talk about his mom, but hearing Eli talk about the love of his life might be too much for me to take.

  “Well Luc has had a bit of a rough time with that, and for a while nobody could get through to him. I’ve done my best, and so has Ryan, but he hasn’t had a lot of female influences in his life.” He looks down at his shoes, as if feeling guilty for that. It’s not like it’s his fault, though.

  He takes a deep breath and looks back up at me. “I wanted to come by and say thank you. I know you may not think you did anything particularly special, but I want you to know that I see a change in him. A good one. And for that I will be eternally grateful.”

  I can’t think of anything to say. I can barely move. I can feel those stupid tears prick the backs of my eyes again and I’ll be damned if I let them loose on this poor, unsuspecting man.

  He finishes by simply stating, “I’m really happy you’ve been able to help each other out,” and with that he smiles and lets himself out.

  As soon as the door closes, I give in and allow a couple tears to fall.

  Lucas

  There are few things better than spending a cool afternoon at the beach, nursing a beer and watching Tristan make an ass of himself.

  Currently he is trying to convince a pair of blonde twins that he and his brother would be a perfect fit for them—in every sense. Sadly, I think they’re buying it. Tristan motions toward Logan and whispers something, and all it takes for the girls to nod enthusiastically at whatever T says is for Logan to flash his dimpled smile.

  “Well, kids, looks like I’m needed elsewhere. Don’t wait up.” Logan winks and grabs another beer on his way over to his brother, leaving Ryan and me to stand by the makeshift bar, which is really just a couple of coolers filled with beer bottles and ice.

  Ryan shakes his head. “Why girls fall for that guy, I will never understand. I mean, sure, him and Logan are good looking, but when T opens his mouth they must realize what bullshit comes out of it.”

  I take a swig of my beer. “I don’t think they spend much time talking. From what I hear, more things are going in mouths than coming out.”

  “Dude, I so did not need that visual.” He shuts his eyes as if trying to un-see something.

  Ryan is no prude, but he more or less lives by a never kiss and tell policy. Tristan, on the other hand, likes to talk about nothing but all the kissing he does. They’ve always butted heads, but it’s mostly in good fun.

  After we shoot the shit for a little while, Ryan points out that Kinsley and Kelley are here. I must look like a damn fool with a giant grin plastered across my face when I see Kinsley, but fuck if I care.

  They walk over to us and I casually grab Kinsley’s belt loop to pull her close to me. “Hey, I’m glad you could come.” And then I lean down to whisper so only she can hear me, “And I plan on making you come again tonight.”

  She blushes in her adorable way and gently pushes me away, but I know she secretly loves it by the way she squeezes my arm a second later. We’re by no means exclusive—yet—but I’ll take any small victory I can get.

  Then we see Tristan and Logan openly making out with the two girls from earlier. “Jeez you guys, get a room.” Ryan pretends he’s disgusted by their PDA. I can tell he’s joking, but that doesn’t mean I won’t still give him a hard time about it.

  “Hey, man, you’re just jealous.” I tilt my beer toward him. “Someday you’ll know what it’s like to be in love just like they are.”

  He snickers. “Yeah, I wouldn’t hold your breath on that my friend.”

  “Quite the optimist, aren’t you?” Kelley chimes in.

  Ryan looks at her without missing a beat. “Just a realist. I don’t like to set up unrealistic expectations. In business or my personal life.” He shrugs as if it’s just true facts.

  This is usually where girls will get all doe-eyed as if Ryan is simply some poor, misguided bastard they can change, but Kelley actually looks like she agrees.

  “I think that’s smart.”

  “Gee, Ry. Maybe you’ve finally met the female version of yourself.” I nod toward Kelley, who looks just as easy-going as Ryan usually is. They even have the same shade of dark brown hair, although hers is long and straight compared to his short, messy mop.

  Ryan studies her for a minute, almost sizing her up, before asking, “And I’m supposed to believe you aren’t looking for true love or anything, right?”

  “Oh, no, I am. I just also happen to think there’s no sense in wasting anyone’s time if you know it isn’t going to go anywhere.”

  If I didn’t know better, I’d say Ryan looks caught off guard, but he calmly raises his bottle of water and says, “I’ll drink to that.” He leans down to grab a bottle of beer and hands it to Kelley.

  He motions toward Kinsley to ask if she wants one, but she politely declines.

  “I’m going to go grab my phone from the car. I’m expecting an important message from a client.”

  “I tried to tell her even God took a day to rest, but she wouldn’t listen to me.” Kelley holds her arms up and shrugs as if she’s not responsible.

  Kinsley’s face lights up playfully. “Clearly he never ran his own business.” She takes a few steps back before adding, “I’ll be quick, promise.” She turns to make her way toward the driveway and I take the opportunity to admire the rear view.

  Ryan laughs, “I think you’re actually drooling.”

  I give his arm a light shove. I subtly wipe my chin, though. Just in case. That only makes him laugh harder.

  Kelley takes a sip from her bottle before turning toward me. “So, Lucas, that was a pretty great party for DSGN the other week. I’m glad things worked out . . . with the office and everything�
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  “Yeah, you guys were a big help. Thanks again. The launch went well and we even have a couple of big media companies sniffing around. It’s only a matter of time before they hit it big.”

  “It’s great that these startups can trust you to take care of them.”

  “I try.” I take a drink and look out at the water.

  “I bet they’re often scared of taking that next big step, but you’re there to help them take it slow, knowing you’re working in their best interests.” She looks straight at me with serious eyes. Not threatening exactly, but suddenly I sense we’re not really talking about my business.

  I proceed cautiously. “I do my best to make it as easy as possible for them, but ultimately they have to take the leap themselves.”

  “But you would never intentionally mislead them, right?”

  Realizing her true meaning, I match her stare, not backing down. “I always do what’s best for them. I live, sleep, eat, and breathe thinking of them. I would never let anything bad happen, let alone hurt them.”

  Ryan looks at me, then back at Kelley, then back to me like some sort of confused bobble head.

  Kelley’s intense gaze finally relaxes. “Then they’re lucky to have you.”

  “I’m the lucky one.”

  Ryan chuckles and shakes his head, as if amused by Kelley’s passive aggressive interrogation.

  By her pleased expression, I’d say I passed.

  Kinsley finally returns, completely unaware of what just happened. “Sorry. Did ya miss me?”

  “I sure as hell did.” Ryan interjects dryly before I have a chance to respond. Now I know he’s just egging me on.

  “Don’t mind him. He’s just cranky because you get all my attention lately.” I pat Ryan’s shoulder. “But don’t worry, bro. You’re still my main bitch.”

  “Sorry, Luc, you know I won’t play second string for anyone. Time to go find me a new piece of ass.” He finishes his water with one final swig and moves to head toward the house.