Page 132 of Their Cruel Play
“I don’t want you to have to sneak around.” Her gaze goes to Luke and he straightens. “I know your home life isn’t the best. Anytime you want to stay here, you should. I’m not condoning other activities, but as long as you are being—er, just don’t?—”
She puts her hands on her red cheeks. “I’m a nurse. I should be able to discuss sex with teenagers like a professional. This is normal and healthy.”
“Nothing about this is normal.” Luke’s voice is gentle. “I don’t think any of us woke up one morning and thought hey, why don’t we date the same girl. But youknowHarper. She’s amazing and any time we get to spend with her is worth everything. We value her.”
My heart skips a little, and warmth flushes through my system. My fingers tingle where they touch his.
“We’ll respect your rules and your house.” Luke squeezes my hand, and a little jolt of something I don’t recognize courses through me. It’s warm and comforting. “And thank you for letting me stay here. We’ve all worried about Harper with everything that’s been going on.”
Mom nods and lifts her coffee mug. “Thank you for keeping an eye out for my girl. What’s on the agenda today at school?”
“I’m going to apply to a few more colleges.” I take a bite of my eggs. Now that I know she’s not going to hand me condomsin front of Luke, or worse, make me prove I can put one on a banana, I can relax and eat.
“Yeah? Do you need to put more application fees on my card?”
I shake my head. “The fees are taken care of.”
“Cool.” She glances at Luke suspiciously.
We haven’t even discussed the colleges they want me to apply to yet. But I’m sure that talk is coming up.
“Where have you applied?” she asks Luke.
“My dad wants me to go to Harvard, so I’ve applied early action. But I’m also applying to a few others that have talked to me about scholarships to play football.” Luke takes a bite but doesn’t release my hand.
“Harvard. Wow.” My mom pours herself more coffee.
“I think Harper should apply there too.”
My coffee goes down the wrong pipe, making me cough. When I’m able to breathe again, I wheeze, “Harvard?”
Yeah, that’s way out of my price range. Not to mention, how would I even get in? Sure, I’ve got the single mom thing going for me. My grades are up there, but overall I have nothing to offer them that would make them say, hell yes, this kid is Harvard material.
“Like I said, when you go big,” Mom says out of the corner of her mouth.
I shake my head. “That one might be a hard sell to all those involved.”
Luke smiles. “You just have to wow them. But there are a few other schools nearby that might work for you too.”
Fuck, butterflies in my stomach? Seriously? For Luke? Maybe I should ask Mom about a therapist because my brain has to be broken somewhere.
“It doesn’t hurt to apply, Harper. You never know. Maybe you’ll get in, and Luke won’t.” She winks.
“I hope she does.” Luke chuckles. “I’d love to see my father’s face when I tell him that.”
The rest of breakfast, we eat and discuss Harvard. Luke talks about when he went to visit the campus. Mom seems to buy into me going to Harvard, but I don’t even know what I want to get a degree in.
“We need to go.” Luke touches my back, and I jolt out of my thoughts.
I almost forgot we had school today. “I’ll see you tonight at dinner.”
“Okay, have a great day at school. I love you.” Mom’s already cleaning up the dishes.
“I love you, too.” I call over my shoulder. Luke’s gaze collides with mine, and I almost stumble at the softness in them. Yeah, my heart is stupid.
He takes my hand as we walk to where he parked his car.
It’s still fall, and the leaves are just starting to turn. It’s not quite jacket weather yet though. Fall means football, parties, and dances. This year I get to participate in everything. I can go to all the dances.
