“Shit! Where the hell’s my Mom?” I hear Luke mumble before he looks apologetically towards me. “It’s my little sister. She’s a bit of a handful.”
I nod in agreement, not sure what else to say. I can’t help noticing how different they look. The little girl has long jet black hair, wavy and thick compared to Luke’s bright blond. Even her eyes which I can see from here are unbelievably dark and couldn’t be more different to the light blue of her brothers.
“She's cute.” I say simply, noticing that we completely avoid her and navigate around her.
“She’s a nightmare.” A horrified look overcomes his face.
I know from my own experience how much of a nightmare siblings can be. I have my own older sister and younger brother. I’m hard work and I’m the good one so you can just imagine what they’re like. Amber’s a free spirit, travelling around the country and giving the men of America hell and Max, well Max is a different kettle of fish entirely.
We come to a stop at the corner of the dancefloor nearest the bar and I’m secretly thankful. This way, if things go pear shaped I can make a quick getaway and get a drink at the same time.
“So, Lexi isn’t it?” I’m not at all offended that he’s unsure of my name. I’m pretty forgettable.
“Yep.” I nod once and smack my lips together.
“You still live in town or you at college?” He asks.
“I work at the salon.”
“The salon?” He frowns before perking right up. It’s as if he just this second had a lightbulb moment. “Oh fuck, you work at the salon!”
“Um yes.” I narrow my eyes.
“And you’re a redhead.” He smirks and shakes his head.
“Apparently so.”
“I’m sorry, I know I sound like a complete fucking weirdo-“
“Pretty much.” I interrupt and laugh awkwardly, eyeing the bar.
“No, you don’t understand…” His eyes widen when he looks over my shoulder. “Oh fuck it, you’re about to find out.”
I’m about to back away and make my excuses. Luke Martin always looked so sane walking round town but I guess looks can be deceiving. I don’t have the chance to even open my mouth though.
“Luke!” There’s a growl behind me, low and animalistic.
I turn around at the sound and am met with the deepest blue eyes I’ve ever seen. I’m not too proud to admit they cause my heart to pitter patter in my chest and the breath to get blown right out of my lungs. They’re the kind of eyes you read about but never see, the kind that are unnatural, like the color on an artist’s pallet.
“Tuck, there you are man. You know Lex, right?” Luke wraps an arm around my shoulders and I can’t help but stare at it.
When those eyes aren’t glaring at the guy who is seriously taking liberties with his arm right now and move over to me it’s like a punch in the stomach. They visibly soften and a small almost shy smile takes over his face, showing off two adorable dimples at the corners of his mouth.
He could pass off as a knight in shining armor, maybe even the handsome prince that my Mom used to tell me about. I know this guy though. This guy is Tucker Jameson and he’s trouble with a capital T. His reputation proceeds him as a notorious ladies’ man. Now, I’m not talking the general guy having fun that you can expect from any college age guy, no. I’m talking about a guy who has literally banged half the female population in town. The other half are either married or of retirement age so they don’t even really count.
“Yeah, I know Lexi.” His voice rolls over me, causing the tiny little hairs on the back of my neck to stand up straight. His eyes snake up and down my body and whereas I’d usually be all sorts of offended, I’m surprisingly ok with it. It’s not as if he’ll find anything to write home about.
I’m just an average girl with boobs a little too big and a butt a little too wide. I’m not a statuesque blond or a perky little brunette. I’m just me. Good old, Lexi Chapman with hair too bright and eyes too murky.
“She works in the salon.” Luke states. I don’t know what his obsession with that is, but it's starting to look really weird. Not that he didn’t come off a total basket case already.
“I know that.” There’s a bite to Tucker's tone and I flinch a little. “Now beat it man.”
I expect Luke to take offense or at least argue the point. Instead, he just burst out laughing, slapping his thigh with the hand that’s not still sitting on my shoulder.
“Oh this is good. This is definitely fucking good. Where’s that dick Brady? I gotta tell him about this.” He pulls his arm away and winks. “Nice to see ya Lexi.”
I stand there speechless as he struts away.
“He’s very strange.” I say, shaking my head.
“He’s a freak what can I say. I gotta say there was me thinking this wedding was gonna be boring as hell. Thought they’d at least stick on a magician or something.”
“I know right?” I throw my hands up in the air, our eyes meeting.
If I was into all the romantic crap my Mom is, I’d maybe say this was the meeting of souls, that this is the moment I fall head over heels in love with Franklin's very own answer to Hugh Hefner. I’m not into all that though so all I’ll say is that maybe Tucker isn’t so bad after all.
Holly
I watch from a distance as Tucker Jameson struts his way over to my daughter, his eyes glued to her. I remember that look well. It’s a look I can remember seeing on a daily basis at one time. I sit up straight in my seat, giddy with anticipation as Luke Martin walks away, shaking his head while silently chuckling to himself. Seems somebody else knows that look too.
“Whatcha doing pretty lady?” I look up to see my sister Trish putting two rum and cokes on the table, throwing a wink over her shoulder towards some young man that’s at about the right age to be her son. “Hey, don’t look at me like that. You could do with some fun yourself. Is that our Lexi with that Jameson boy?”
“Uh huh.” I nod my head as I see my little girl look up to him with stars in her eyes.
“You sure you want him around her? He’s got quite the reputation Hol.”
That’s my darling sister, forever protective of my kids. I love her for it.
“Look at the way he looks at her. You remember that look?” I raise my brows as she squints her eyes.
“Ah, young love. Who’da thought huh? That boys got one hell of a battle on his hands with our girl. Not what he’s used to. I wouldn’t be surprised if she friendzoned him.”
“Oh, she will.” I smile. “We’ll just have to give her a helping hand in seeing the light.”
Trish throws her head back and laughs, patting my shoulder.
“I like the way you think sister. I like the way you think.”
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Forever Together (Forever Love #2) Page 31