Second Chances

thirty-five

a l e x

"Not happening."

I was helping my boyfriend figure stuff out at his place because I couldn't be with him when he came back home from the hospital. It was his first official day back alone at home because he spent his Friday and Saturday at his family's house.

Apparently his mom offered for him to stay at their family's house first so he could ask for help in doing things with a cast on his arm, but he insisted that he was fine.

Of course, he was just saying that. He was a little baby, and he needed all the help he could get.

"Well, that's what Ashton told me," he dropped his backpack of clothes on the couch and raised his arms up in defense. "I'm just telling you."

"I've stuck with the idea that I didn't do anything wrong, and I'm not apologizing," I argued. "I don't care if Lexi won't talk to me until I do, but I don't have a reason to apologize. She'll talk to me eventually when she realizes she stepped out of line."

Luke awkwardly wrapped his arms around me, careful not to accidentally knock his arm against something. "At least try talking to her so you can give her your side, baby."

"I've given my side just fine at the hospital. I don't have to repeat it, Luke," I maintained. I wasn't going to just give up like that and apologize when I didn't do anything wrong. "And we always make up eventually. Come on, let's just figure out how you're going to prepare food without burning your cast accidentally."

"Okay, but can I have a kiss first?" he requested. "I haven't seen you in two days."

I rolled my eyes and kissed him briefly. "Is that good?"

"Nah, I was thinking more..." he kissed me again, this one longer and with a little more need. "More like that."

After I got over that slightly mind-numbing kiss, Luke and I went to the kitchen to check out what he had in the fridge so he wouldn't have to live off takeout until he got his cast off. It was totally okay with me having to live with him so he had someone to cook for him, but I couldn't really do that.

My dad checks up on my apartment every week and calls to make sure that everything's fine with the person at the front desk, and if he ever finds out that I wasn't going home, he'd flip. He wouldn't be happy hearing a guy was coming to my place everyday too.

Luke's lease was ending soon though, so we agreed that he could live with me after that finishes. That would give me enough time to convince my dad to allow me to live with Luke. I know I was a grown adult, but with these things, I needed a parent's approval, and I knew my mom would never say yes.

"I can do everything with my right hand," Luke assured me; although it didn't really convince me. "Besides, I have like three fingers on this hand that work just fine. The other two basically can't move with the cast, but the three are fine."

"Yes, my boyfriend has eight working fingers and one moving wrist," I laughed. "That's very comforting, Luke. You'll do just fine."

He grinned at me. "See? Just fine."

"It was sarcasm," I smacked his chest. "It isn't fine at all. We have to make sure you're really okay handling knives and pans and whatnot."

"Yeah, fine," he sighed, picking up a pan and putting it on the stove.

"Do you have any bread? I know the perfect thing for you to test this on," I inquired.

Luke looked through a few cupboards and finally pulled out some bread. "Here you go. Not moldy yet, bought it on Wednesday. I was gonna have some after I got home, but I got into an accident, so that didn't really work out."