Sweet Harmony (Harmony Falls #1) - Elizabeth Kelly Page 0,19
Lucas shook his head. “I can’t believe you’re eating at Ted’s mortal enemy’s diner. If he finds out, you’ll be banned from his diner.”
“Nan’s food is so good, I’ll risk it,” Connor said.
“You even go back to Willington anymore?” Lucas asked.
Connor popped a fry into his mouth. “What have you heard?”
Lucas grinned. “The shit I’ve heard, buddy… you wouldn’t believe it.”
“Try me,” Connor said.
“My favourite one is the rumour that you go back every weekend and sit outside of Lisa’s place, playing emo music and crying.”
Connor groaned and Lucas laughed. “It’s better than the one that circulated a few weeks ago.”
“I’m almost afraid to ask.”
“You should be. That one had you going crazy at work and yanking out some poor dude’s teeth without any provocation. You got fired and are now living in your mother’s basement in shame.”
“You’re fucking kidding me.” Connor pushed his plate of food away. “What the hell is wrong with people in Willington?”
Lucas ate another fry. “They’re bored. Besides, you’re the tragedy that just keeps giving. You were the town’s golden boy, about to become the biggest name in Willington since… ever. And then poof… you blow your knee and lose your baseball career and the girl.”
“I didn’t lose the girl right away.” Connor could hear the edge in his voice. “She stuck around for another few years.”
“Yeah, well, she was a right bitch to do that. She should never have dragged it out like that, buddy. She made your life miserable.”
“It wasn’t like that,” Connor said.
“Wasn’t it?” Lucas raised an eyebrow at him.
“Fuck, I don’t know,” Connor said. “But can you blame her? I ruined her life, Lucas. I made one stupid mistake and ruined mine and Lisa’s lives forever.”
“Bullshit,” Lucas said. “Maybe your life didn’t turn out the way you planned, but you didn’t ruin it or Lisa’s. She couldn’t accept that she wasn’t going to be married to a famous baseball player and have everything her greedy little heart wanted and that isn’t your fault. Frankly, it’s good that she showed her true colours before you married her, right?”
Connor just shrugged. What Lucas was telling him wasn’t anything he hadn’t said before, but like always, it didn’t lessen his guilt or convince him that he wasn’t a world class screw-up. Nausea bit at the edges of his stomach. Christ, would he ever not feel guilty about what he did?
Lucas leaned forward. “Hey, you okay?”
“Yeah.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories, but you can’t live your life swallowed up by guilt. It’s not healthy. You started dating yet?”
Connor hesitated before shaking his head. “No.”
Lucas ate another bite of burger. “What’s her name?”
“There isn’t anyone.”
Ketchup dripped onto Lucas’ finger and he licked it off before pointing the finger at Connor. “I’ve been your best friend since grade fucking one, Connor. You think I can’t tell when you’re lying? Spill it, asshole.”
Connor took a sip of his water before glancing around the diner and lowering his voice. “Her name is Kira and we’re not really dating.”
* * *
“Let me get this straight,” Lucas leaned back in the booth, “this is all fake, but you keep grinding on her like some horny frat boy whenever you’re alone?”
“Keep your voice down,” Connor said.
“How was the meal?” Their curvy redheaded server stopped at their table to take their plates.
Lucas gave her a flirty grin, his gaze dropping to the nametag pinned above one ample breast. “Well, Georgia, that burger might just have been the best damn thing I’ve ever put in my mouth.”
Her lips twitched. “You’re not putting the right things in your mouth then.”
“Is that right?” Lucas said with another flirty grin. “Maybe you have something else I could put in my mouth.”
The redhead leaned closer to him, her smile warm. “Oh, sweetheart, you’re just a Willington boy. You couldn’t handle what I have to give your mouth.”
She pinched his cheek and winked at him before turning and walking away. Lucas stared at her ass and swallowed hard. “Fuck, I think I’m in love.”
Connor laughed. “You realize you were just shot down, right?”
Lucas was still staring at the redhead’s ass. “Hell, I’m starting to rethink my belief that Willington girls are better than the Falls girls. How did she know I was from Willington?”
“No idea,” Connor replied.
“Anyway, back to you,” Lucas said. “You’re really gonna bring a fake girlfriend to Mandy’s wedding?”
“Yeah. Kira needs someone to make her crush jealous and it’s the only way to stop my parents and the rest of my family from