Page 108 of Faking it For Summer

Ifinish taking the photographs and head back upstairs to the hotel room. When I walk in, Luke is sitting on the bed with a serious expression on his face.

“Hey,” he says, gazing up at me. “You doing okay?”

“I’m fine. The photos went well. Everyone was really nice. To be honest, I didn’t even see Rex. He went to do something with some of his football buddies from high school, and I guess that was more important than the breakfast with his fiancée. But that doesn’t surprise me because he doesn’t seem like he’s going to be an amazing husband.”

“Yeah, he seems like he’s going to be a bit of a jerk. I just want to see how we are.”

“We’re fine, Luke,” I say, putting my camera down on the table and going to sit next to him on the bed. “We’re still going to go and look for the clue at Kona Ice, right?”

“Yeah. I figured we could go in an hour or so. There is something I wanted to speak to you about.”

“Is it about the bear costume again?”

“No, unless you wanted to speak to me about it.”

“No, I’m not mad at you or anything.”

“I know.”

“Maybe I should be because I acted like a fool, going on and on about how Rex was such a great guy when it was really you. But it doesn’t surprise me that you did that for me because you’ve always been a stand-up guy and you’ve always looked out for me, and I guess … thank you.”

“I appreciate it. I was worried you would be mad at me, and you would think I was a liar or that I deliberately held it back from you, and?—”

“Hey, I know you better than that. You’re not ill-intentioned.”

“I know, but I couldn’t help but think that you might be upset.”

“I’m more surprised, and I feel foolish. Thank you, Luke. You are one of only two men in my life who has really been there to protect me.” He smiles, one of those breathtaking smiles that makes my heart stop. “Don’t tell my dad or grandad that I said that, though.”

“Who’s the other one?” he asks me, and I see a flash of what appears to be jealousy in his eyes.

“Rafe,” I admit.

“I didn’t know Rafe had ever protected you. What happened?”

“I don’t know how to tell you this,” I say softly.

He shifts so that we’re face-to-face. “What is it?”

“I haven’t told you because I didn’t want you to get upset, but a couple of summers ago, I had been hanging out with this tourist who was in town. One night, he wanted to go dancing at Cocktails & Chaos. We were dancing and having fun when he asked me if I wanted to go for a walk on the beach. Rafe saw us about to leave, and he kind of made some comments to me, like ‘I don’t really think this guy is good,’ and I just brushed him off. Anyway, we went down by the ocean, and the next thing I knew, this guy was pushing me to the ground.”

“What?” Luke is pissed. “What happened, Mia?”

I sniffle, remembering that night. “It was horrible,” I admit. “He wouldn’t let me up. He was trying to pull my skirt up. I was telling him no.” I close my eyes in remembrance. “I don’t really like to think about it or what could have happened.”

“But did he hurt you? Do I have to find him and kill him?” The steel in Luke’s voice is venomous, and I know in my heart that he would do exactly that if he had to.

“No, it was fine. Nothing happened.” My eyes fly open, and I reach over and grab his hand. There’s such care and concern in his expression that it melts my heart. “Rafe had a weird feeling, so he followed us, and basically, he ran up, and he grabbed this dude and punched him and told him to get out of town, or he’d make him. And then he told me off for ignoring his advice and said I was his sister, and he loved me, and he didn’t want to see me get hurt, and that I should listen to him because he knows better than me.” I roll my eyes. “He thinks because he’s my brother, he knows everything.”

“That’s why he’s been such a jackass about us?” Luke questions, nodding slowly. “Does he think I’m going to break your heart or something?”

“He thinks that I don’t meditate and deliberate things through properly or rationally, and he’s worried about me. He’s nervous for me because he loves me and he wants to protect me. He’s my older brother, and I love him for that, but I’m also so aggravated. I’m not a kid anymore.”

“I know, but I’m glad he was there for you when I wasn’t.” Luke frowns. “I’m fucking pissed that I wasn’t there to help you.”

“Luke, you don’t even live in town anymore. What would you have done from New York?”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”