A tear slipped down her cheek as she got back in bed. I am so stupid.
Lake knew you only ever got one first kiss in your life, and it had been wasted. She finally realized how she felt about it. Complete and utter regret.
* * *
“Mom made breakfast, so wake up!”
Lake felt groggy as Adalyn forced her awake. She had no clue how long she had even slept. Her eyes felt swollen from the silent tears she had shed throughout the night, and she made sure to wash her tear-stained face before she went down for breakfast. The only reason she was going was because she figured Vincent wasn’t going to wake up until the afternoon.
Lake took a seat at the table, thankful she had been right about Vincent. I dodged a bullet there.
She started to fill up her plate with pancakes and bacon. “Thank you, Carla. It smells—” Her attention was drawn toward Vincent shuffling in, wearing nothing except shorts.
Or not.
Lake snapped her head back toward Adalyn’s parents. “Delicious.”
Carla smiled at her. “Thank you.”
When Vincent took a seat beside her at the head of the table, she tried not to look at him. Just eat your bacon.
“So, what were you two up to last night?” Vincent said, making a plate.
Lake and Adalyn quickly looked at a smiling Vincent. What the hell?
“Oh, we just went running around. You know, to the mall, to eat, then the movies,” Adalyn said.
Lake noticed he looked like shit. Well, shitty-looking for a god. Hmm, two can play this game.
“Long night, huh?” Lake stared at him as she popped a piece of bacon in her mouth.
Vincent started to chew his food slowly, looking right back at her. “Yeah.”
Lake wasn’t going to break eye contact; she wanted to see his reaction. “Did you leave in the middle of the night? Because I could have sworn I saw someone leaving when I looked out Adalyn’s window on the way to the bathroom.”
Vincent leaned back in his chair. “Nope, wasn’t me.”
She saw a slight hint of anger appear behind his blue eyes before it vanished.
“You saw someone in the yard?” Sam asked in concern.
“Oh, I’m sure she—I mean it—was nothing. Probably just imagined it.”
Vincent started to cough from choking on his orange juice.
Lake desperately tried not to laugh, but a few chuckles managed to escape. She proudly stared at him, proving she had won.
“You don’t mind, do you?” He snatched the last piece of bacon off her plate.
“Oh, not at all.” Lake mumbled the next part under her breath. “Wouldn’t be the first thing you’ve taken from me.”
“Well, if it didn’t look so good, I wouldn’t have.”
Well … shit. She had no clue if that was a compliment or not.
Deciding to be done with the arguing—well, if that was what someone called deciding not being able to think of a response—she finally noticed Sam, Carla, and Adalyn looking at her and Vincent like they were crazy.
She began to feel embarrassed and hurriedly took a few more bites before setting her fork down. “I better go call my mom to pick me up.”
“I’ll take you home,” Vincent spoke.
“No, that’s okay.” Lake gave him a no-freaking-way face. “No point in you getting out.”
Vincent smiled. “I was going back to Dad’s, anyways.”
“Mom won’t min—”
“No point in getting your mom out.” He got up from the table and started heading out. “Going to take a quick shower. Be ready in five.”
He was taking back the win she had thought she’d gotten. Lake had no other option than to cause more of a scene.
God, I hate him.
Chapter Seven
Vincent Vitale is Dead to Me
Lake took a deep breath at the passenger side door. She wished she could sit in the backseat, but that would make her look childish. Wait, maybe not too childish? Yep, it definitely would. Okay, fine!
She went ahead and opened the door, sliding into his dark car quickly then buckling her seatbelt. Lake stared straight ahead, unwilling to even look at him. He never asked to take me home before, and now he just has to do it.
When the car didn’t begin to move, Lake looked out of the corner of her eye. Five seconds later, she turned her head to face him.
Vincent was merely sitting there, staring at her. She felt uncomfortable with that.
“Well, are we going to leave today?”
“Yeah, but I kind of have to know where to go first.”
Oh, shit, right… She was clearly nervous.
“Um, it’s…” Lake contemplated what to do. She didn’t like telling anyone where she lived, and that was why she always ended up having her parents come pick her up.
Vincent looked confused. “Do you want me to take you to your dad’s, instead?”
“No!” Lake tried to laugh. “I mean, no, my mom is probably already upset I didn’t see her yesterday. Do you know where Magical Cupcakes is?”
He was looking at her like she was crazy. “Uh, yes.”
“Okay, just drive like you’re going there.” Lake smiled.
“All right, then.” Vincent put the car in drive then headed off.
Lake sank into the seat, looking out the window. She knew he probably thought she was crazy, but she didn’t care. She had to make a choice on which house she wanted him to see, and no fucking way was she going to pick her father’s house. She hated that she had ended up in the situation to begin with. Yeah, all because he couldn’t keep his delicious lips to himself.