The Certainty of Violet & Luke (The Coincidence #5)(36)
Author: Jessica Sorensen

‘Wow, way to lack originality,’ I remark, pulling a face at what I think is supposed to be chicken but it’s covered in this weird looking sauce.

‘Awe, I think it’s sweet,’ Trevor says. ‘Albeit a little cliché.’ His gaze slides to Mr Price and he gets this goofy love-induced grin on his face. ‘Definitely not a candlelight dinner in my favorite art gallery, but still sweet.’

‘Is that how he proposed to you?’ I wonder, taking a sip of my Coke, the one and only thing I recognized on the menu.

Trevor nods, tearing his attention away from Mr Price and taking a bite of his salad. ‘So tell me Violet, in your opinion, is there really a non-cliché way to propose?’

Luke clears his throat several times while I squirm in my chair. His question seems to be packed with this alternative meaning, like he’s wondering if I ever think about marriage. Yeah, right. I can barely think about the next breath I need to take, let alone five years down the road and if I’ll be making promises to be together forever with someone. Another thought occurs to me then that Luke kind of already did this when he started rambling about being with me forever and loving me. It makes me panic, my mind racing with an answer to give Trevor, so he’ll leave me alone because I can’t think about this right now, not when I’m doing so good. ‘Out in the middle of nowhere with nothing but truck headlights for lighting and the sounds of crazy animals.’

‘That actually does kind of sound nice.’ Trevor smiles with that dazed look again. ‘Out in the mountains, under the stars. Only instead of the crazy animals, your favorite song would be playing song from the stereo.’

He’s making my lame scenario sound kind of good. Dammit, I need a subject change. I want to look at Luke for help, but am scared shitless of what I might see in his expression. ‘‘The River’, by Manchester Orchestra.’

They give me a confused look. ‘What is that exactly?’

‘One of my favorite songs,’ I say over the applause of the crowd as the girlfriend says yes. ‘And trust me, it wouldn’t be romantic – none of my favorite songs are. They are tragic, depressing, and angsty.’

‘Still, it would be a beautiful way to get engaged.’ Trevor must get the hint, though, because he lets the subject go. ‘So what are you kids up to tonight? I remember when I was your age, always doing something crazy on Halloween.’

‘We’re going to a concert,’ Luke says, the first words he’s utter since the uncomfortable marriage thing. He reaches for his water and takes a few long gulps. ‘You guys can come too, if you want.’

His dad appears apprehensive as he dabs his face with his napkin as he speaks across the table to Luke. ‘Are you sure you’re going to be okay with going to a concert, considering … well, there will be alcohol.’

‘We actually won’t be drinking,’ I tell him truthfully. Seth informed me that despite the epic fun the night will hold, The Silver Moon Grill is super strict with their fake IDs and that we should probably just chill in the twenty-one and under section, especially since Luke will be there. It was actually a really nice gesture, especially coming from Seth, the King of Drinking. ‘The place we’re going is too hard to get alcohol from.’

Luke’s father gives me a grateful look, like he’s thanking me for this, even though I didn’t do anything. ‘Good. I’m glad.’

‘It wouldn’t matter anyway,’ Luke says as he picks at one of his side dishes that looks like some sort of soup. ‘I’ve been doing good – been sober for almost two months.’

‘I know you have,’ Mr Price says. ‘But it doesn’t mean I don’t still worry … you’re not even going to meetings.’

‘That’s because I don’t have time,’ Luke replies in a tight voice. ‘Nor do I need to – I’m doing fine on my own.’ This isn’t just about the drinking anymore and I decide I should intervene before things get really ugly.

‘We actually really need to get going.’ I glance at my phone to check the time. ‘The doors open in an hour and we still need to go home and change.’

Luke nods, but is still tense. His father looks upset and Trevor appears to be as uneasy as I am. He flags down the waiter for the check, then we leave the restaurant and hopefully the tension behind. But the silence of the drive proves otherwise.

‘So tomorrow’s the game then?’ Trevor asks as we’re pulling up to the hotel to drop them off, the first words anyone has uttered since we got into the car.

‘Yeah, it starts at six,’ Luke mutters, shoving the car into park. He doesn’t look at his father, staring ahead. ‘But you guys don’t need to come if you don’t want to. We can meet up afterwards or beforehand.’

‘I already told you I want to come.’ His father scoots forward in the seat, dithering before reaching forward and placing a hand on Luke’s shoulder. ‘I know it’s not even a start, but I want to attempt to make up for all the things I missed while you were growing.’

I can tell Luke’s fighting to stay mad at his dad, the big softy that he is, despite the fact that he’ll never admit it. ‘Fine. Okay. See you there then.’

‘Do you want to ride with us?’ Trevor asks me as he opens the door to get out.

I’ve never actually been to a game before – not really my thing. ‘Oh, I …’ I trail off, not wanting to say that I don’t go, even though it’s the truth.

‘We’ll pick you up at, say, seven?’ Trevor says even though I didn’t even answer his question.

Not knowing what else to do, I nod. They get out and shut the doors and Luke pulls away and onto the road. He’s quiet as we drive toward our apartment, the streetlights reflecting in his brown eyes and giving them the similar glow the stars gold. I’m assuming his silence has to do with his father and what he said at dinner, so he startles me when he asks, ‘So are you really coming to my game?’

‘Um … yeah, I guess I’m going.’ I chew on my fingernail. ‘I’ve never really been to one. Not my thing, but I guess I can pop that cherry.’

The corners of his lips twitch, probably because he’s thinking about the first time we had sex, which was my first time ever. ‘Yeah, I guess it’s about time then.’ He gives me a sidelong glance. ‘But you don’t have to go if you don’t want to.’