BOOK OF LUKE
MY BEST FRIEND’S BROTHER, Book 2
by Chrissy Favreau
My Best Friend’s Brother: Book of Luke
Copyright © 2015 by Chrissy Favreau
Distributed by Smashwords
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
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Other books in this series:
Book of Luke is the sequel to:
My Best Friend’s Brother
Next in this series:
FINDING TROY
MY BEST FRIEND’S BROTHER, Book 3
For updates on new books, including new books in this series, visit us on the worldwide web:
www.MyBestFriendsBrother.com
~ For Dave ~
CONTENT WARNING
Recommended for ages 16+ due to
bawdy humor, non-graphic sexual
content and some strong language.
Table of Contents
Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Chapter V
Chapter VI
Chapter VII
Chapter VIII
Chapter IX
Chapter X
Chapter XI
Chapter XII
Chapter XIII
Chapter XIV
Chapter XV
Chapter XVI
Chapter XVII
Chapter XVIII
Chapter XIX
I
I never thought I’d be the most envied girl in school. I never thought a guy as sweet, sensitive, and amazing as Luke would waste his time on me. I never thought I’d end up spending lunch daily by my locker, making out with my best friend’s brother.
I never thought I’d end up with a guy who looks like a freakin’ underwear model!
After another amorous, mind-boggling kiss, his forehead rested against mine. Bulging arms wrapped tightly around my waist, and his eyes pierced my own. His mouth formed a seductive, crooked grin, and his icy blues glided toward the girls that were staring, mouth hung, across from my locker. In a soft whisper he breathed,
“What are they staring at?”
“Uh… you?”
He grinned, ear-to-ear. “Why?”
I pulled a tiny compact mirror out of my pocket and placed it in his hand. “Here!”
“What’s this for?” he asked, holding it up.
I giggled. “Figure it out!”
You’d think a guy who looks like that would know he’s smoking hot. You’d think he’d be conceited. You’d think he’d be playing every girl in school.
You’d think he’d date someone other than me.
The bell rang and people flooded the hall. Within seconds Lilly appeared beside us, grabbed the compact mirror, and checked her lipstick.
“Hey, Rapunzel,” Luke called. “Wanna ask before taking stuff? I was using that!”
Lilly looked at it, knitting her eyebrows. “Really? It’s not cracked…” She folded it up and tossed it back to him. Then she walked off, her hips swaying, as every guy in the hall gazed. “See you in archaeology, Adonia!”
Those two don’t even belong in our school—they belong on the cover of Teen Vogue.
~ ~ ~
“Why’d you run off so fast?” I asked as I sat beside Lilly in archaeology. It’s one of two classes we share this semester.
“I figured you and my brother wanted space.” She pulled a fluffy pink flamingo pen out of her book bag. “Besides, that’s still kind of gross.”
“You saw us making out…?”
“Mmm-hmm.” She grimaced and shook the thought out of her head. “Did Lukasz tell you? Our dad’s flying in tonight!”
“Really? Luke didn't tell me anything. How long is he staying?”
“The weekend.” She started doodling hearts around Gino’s name on her notebook. “At a hotel,” she added. “Burke won’t let him stay with us.”
I don’t blame her stepfather for not wanting her mother’s ex sleeping in their house. “Well, at least you get to see him,” I mumbled, pulling a notebook out of my book bag. The room was filling up fast. “What made him come up all of a sudden?”
“He’s here to meet you.”
“What!”
People started looking. I slouched in my seat self-consciously.
She stared at me. “Lukasz did not tell you?”
When I found my voice, I said, “No…”
She rolled her eyes. “My brother’s weird.”
“I don’t understand,” I said. “Why is he coming up to meet me?”
She tickled her chin with the fluffy flamingo. “Lukasz wants him to.”
“Really?”
She nodded and ran her fingers through her long blond hair. “Yeah. Really.”
Our teacher walked in, set his stuff down and put an assignment on the board. I couldn’t concentrate, though; I was shocked that their dad was coming up to meet me, and I wasn’t even informed about it until the last minute.
Then again, Lilly has a twin brother—and I wasn’t informed about that in any timely fashion, either.
~ ~ ~
Since it’s our final semester and we have more than enough credits to graduate, Luke and I can leave school after third period—meaning we have ninety minutes to do whatever the hell we want. We take advantage of it.
And no, my dad doesn’t know. I’d convinced him I’m required to stay in the library during my “off period,” and I pray daily that he does not decide to pick me up from there.
At my locker, Luke’s hand hooked mine, and he pulled me out the school doors.
If we were to step into a freezer it would have been warmer than it was when we stepped outside: Fifty-one below zero.
Yes, fifty-one below.
The nice thing about the weather in Alaska is, once the temperature dips to twenty below, it all feels pretty much the same. We can handle it in just jeans, coats, and tee shirts beneath, because we Alaskans are badass.
For a while, at least.
One annoying thing about fifty-below is car exhaust. If you’re walking and a car passes by, the exhaust lingers, crystalizes, and freezes to your face. It’s not exactly good for your lungs, either.
Outside Luke wrapped an arm around me, covering his mouth with his scarf. “You okay?”
I nodded, hugging him for warmth. My breath had already turned to frost, covering my face, eyelashes, and hair.
“It’s a bit nippy!” he screamed over the sudden gust.
I laughed. “I’ve survived worse!”
He opened the car door for me and I climbed onto the frozen seat—thank God he doesn’t have leather.
He unplugged his Jeep, got in and cranked the engine. After the initial hesitation, it roared to life
.
We pulled off the school campus a few minutes later, on our way to the McDonald’s drive-thru. He ordered our food and a bunch of coffees, and we parked and sat in silence.
He applied ketchup to his burger and eyed me. “Why so quiet, Beautiful?”
Automatic smile when he calls me that. “Not much to say,” I said coyly. “Have you any news?” I hinted.
Luke stopped chewing momentarily and looked at me. “Nothing major,” he said quietly. “Why?”
I shifted in my seat. “Just wondering.” I hate it when he gets secretive—it’s obviously just about the big stuff.
After a thoughtful minute he said, “What are you doing for lunch tomorrow?”
“Well, it’s Saturday. I was hoping to go to the mall, if my car will start.” I grinned and our eyes locked. “Why?”
“Just wondering…” he breathed. A second later he added, “…if you want to meet my dad.”
I could see it in his eyes: he knew I’d known. “He’s not coming all the way up here just to meet me, is he?” I asked breathlessly.
He broke eye contact for a second. “Yeah.”
“Why?”
“Because I want him to meet you before I—” He hesitated.
Silence.
“Before you…?” I nudged.
“Before we move in together,” he finished.
“I guess he’d better like me, then” I said, suddenly feeling queasy.
“I’m the only one who has to like you, Beautiful. He just has to meet you.”
I bit my lip. “Yeah…”
“But,” he said as his mouth formed a grin, “I’m sure he’ll love you.”
Our hands touched. “I can’t wait to move out,” I understated, mostly to get my mind off his dad.
“Me, too,” he breathed. “Did you tell your dad yet?”
“Not yet,” I said.
Not ever. ‘Cause he’ll freaking kill you.
“When are you planning to tell him?”
“Soon,” I lied.
Mom said she’d warm Dad up to the idea, but I told her not to bother—it’s not going to work. Dad babies me. It’ll just make the next few months even more difficult.
Luke broke into a devilish grin. “Wanna do something fun?”
I finished my fries. “Here?”
His grin grew. “Yeah.”
I looked about. There weren’t many people around, but I grew kind of nervous. “I guess…”
“Awesome!” he said, glancing at my chest. He reached for the coffees on the dashboard. “We’ll be needing these!”
“Huh?”
He undid his seatbelt and looked at me. “We have to leave the car for a minute.”
He slipped into the cold. I saw his breath as he sat on his hood, in his baggy jeans and black jacket.
I zipped my coat, gripped the cold handle and opened the door. Brutal dry air stung my lungs, and frosty breath immediately gathered on my face. I sat beside him. “What are we doing out here?”
He handed me one of the coffees. “Be careful, it’s hot.”
I took it, confused.
He popped the top off of his, held the cup to an angle and tossed the coffee into the air; it steamed and instantly froze before hitting the ground.
I giggled and did the same to mine.
“Pretty sweet, huh?”
“Not what I expected!” I admitted.
He grabbed another coffee, removed the top and thrust the liquid into the air. It fell as ice. “Yeah, fifty below can be pretty cool.” He looked at me and shrugged. “Who knew?”
That’s honestly not what I was talking about. I didn’t expect “Wanna do something fun?” to mean “Wanna spill coffee?” But I think it’s cute. He’s always such a gentleman.
My mind’s always in the gutter. But with a boyfriend like that, who can blame me?
~ ~ ~
Mom sat in the kitchen with a coffee and pastry, planning a museum exhibit. “Hi, sweetheart,” she said, adjusting her glasses, not looking up. “How was school?”
“Good,” I said, pouring myself some orange juice.
“Wonderful! I mailed out the deposit for college, and made you an appointment with a gynecologist.” She looked up and saw my glare.
“You did what?” I spat.
“Well, you’re eighteen and moving out soon; I figured you’d want to get on birth control. The doctor’s also doing an ultrasound to make sure everything’s okay, with the cramps you’ve been having and such. I told him you’d rather do that than get blood tests, since you’re scared of needles.”
From the topic I could tell Dad wasn’t home. “Blood tests for what?” I demanded.
“To make sure you’re not pregnant,” she said bluntly.
“Mom,” I growled. “I’m not pregnant. They’re menstrual cramps.” I never admitted Luke and I even did stuff—she was assuming a bit much!
She sipped her coffee and glanced at me. “It doesn’t hurt to double check!”
I rolled my eyes. To think a few months ago I actually missed this woman as she wandered the desert with the Aborigines.
My hands rested on my hips. “Can we please cancel it?”
She waved a hand at me. “No time, Adonia, the appointment’s been made. And I don’t think you need a baby ruining college for you, so getting on the pill is a good idea.” She looked at me. “How’s Luke?”
I sat in the seat beside her. “He wants me to meet his dad.”
Her eyes widened. “That sounds big!”
“Yeah, that’s kind of a weird thing for a guy to do,” I said. “What do you think it means?”
She looked thoughtful for a moment. “It can mean a lot of things. Maybe his father requires to meet you, with the two of you moving out… or… well, you know.”
My face hit my hands. “Mom, we haven’t done that,” I lied, red as a lobster. “And now I’m even more nervous.” With the way I was feeling, I knew I’d end up thinking with my mouth sooner or later—with his dad there!
She tapped my hand. “It’s okay, sweetheart, I doubt his dad will care. About that.”
Clearly I need to work on my lying skills.
On television guys get pats on the back, and congratulated for scoring. I hoped that wouldn’t happen with me right there. Realistically, though, Luke would probably just get a weird look, and his dad would say,
“You can’t get better than this Amish girl?”
Yes, I do feel that plain.
II
When Luke picked me up at a quarter to noon, I was a bit shocked that Lilly was not with him. Okay, I was more than just a bit shocked—I was devastated.
I thought, if this man does not like me, surely my best friend would come to my rescue, or at least offer some distraction. I was too worried about Luke wanting approval, and dumping me when his dad doesn’t like me; because when it comes to approval, guys are different.
At least, I thought so.
Luke gripped my knee as he drove. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” I said simply.
“You don’t look okay…”
“I’m afraid he won’t like me,” I confessed.
“Your dad doesn’t like me—yet, here I am.”
But you’re hot. And sweet. And perfect. I’m just me.
We were meeting him at a seafood restaurant, one of the upscale ones in our town. I trembled as I left the car, and it wasn’t because of the cold.
A minute later we stood before him, and it was too late to turn back now.
Mr. Pawlak sat at a table in the center of the restaurant, wearing a crisp black suit, a partially unbuttoned white shirt, and loosened tie. From the look of him, I wondered if that suit tears right off. Clean-shaven, blond, Lilly’s shade of aquamarine eyes, a strong chin, and a hot body.
“Wow!” I blurted. “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree!”
Both Luke and his dad stared at me in such a way that I wanted to turn around, walk outside and freakin’ DIE.
> Mr. Pawlak glanced behind him, maybe to see what I was talking about.
And I thought I had problems breathing before…
Luke cleared his throat and gripped my waist. “Dad, meet my girlfriend, Adonia Morrison.”
I don’t think I took a single breath that whole time. The man just stared at me, occasionally chewing something.
I looked to Luke, who looked at him in the most demanding way. “Dad,” he growled.
Mr. Pawlak cleared his throat. “Just this one?” he asked in a hot, accented voice, with a small hand gesture.
I cringed just a bit, and bit my tongue.
“Yeah, Dad, how many do I need?”
After a small shrug his dad put his hand out for me to shake. “Apoloniusz Pawlak.”
“Apollo?” I shrieked. “Like the Greek god?!”
That just made too much sense—I must have misheard.
Mr. Pawlak’s eyes slid over to Luke for a moment. Luke pulled out a chair for me and then sat himself, dragging his inches from mine.
“Apoloniusz,” Mr. Pawlak repeated. “I was actually named for the Polish painter, Apoloniusz Kedzierski.” He frowned, solemn. “Best known for painting a peasant lady carrying a water bucket.”
“But sure,” he continued, his spirits lifting. ”We can say I was named for a god! That’s all right with me.”
Luke squeezed my hand and leaned into my ear. “It’s okay, Beautiful.”
I exhaled. Luke winked.
“And what’s your name?” Mr. Pawlak asked, finally smiling.
Again I looked to Luke, confused. I thought Luke had already said my name. “A-Adonia Morrison,” I stammered.
Mr. Pawlak snapped his fingers. “Ah, that’s right! Sorry, I forgot.”
In three seconds?
“So how’s my son treating you?” Mr. Pawlak asked a few uneventful moments later.
“He’s wonderful!” I gushed, growing slightly more comfortable.
His smile evaporated. “Hmm. Well I see you like him more than I do.”
I was taken aback.
Luke chuckled. “Thanks, Dad.”
Mr. Pawlak nodded and raised his hand for the waitress. “Hey, gorgeous,” he called. “I’m starving here!”
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