Play The Part (Player Next Door Book 3)

39 | The Grotto

Chapter 39: The Grotto

I felt this crazy sense of deja vu. 

When my hand fit softly in his and his fingers wrapped securely around me. 

When Luke led me down the corridor, past Gloria baking in the kitchen and Joe snoring in the living room. I followed Luke, my right hand in his and I reached out to softly press my left hand against his back.  

He's real.

This isn't a dream. 

We stopped at a white cupboard. 

And the past flashed before me. 

I remembered how he mocked me for my fake British accent, how I waved a magic wand and pretended to be Harry Potter and how he had convinced me to look into the cupboard. 

It felt like so long ago. 

Before I knew Austin. Back when Luke was insufferable. 

Oh, he still is.

Luke pushed open the cupboard door and I heard the heavy music for the first time, pumping through the floorboards and voices that wafted up the stairs - a total contrast to the tinkling, classical music Gloria had playing on this level. 

I could see the flames of tiki torches line the basement stairs but, other than that, darkness. 

"I can't believe you convinced me to walk down here the first time," I said quietly to him. 

Not letting go of my hand, he started to walk down the stairs, "I forgot how much you trusted me back then."

"I had a debt to pay," I reminded him.

I followed him, letting go of his hand and preferring to place both my hands against his shoulders instead. 

The air was damp as we descended and I watched the flames from the torches cast shadows on the wall around us. I leaned forward and my arms on his shoulders slipped around his neck as I leaned forward to kiss his cheek from behind. 

He raised his hand and traced my arm back, almost keeping me stable as we walked down the stone steps. 

The party was in full swing and I admired how quickly Austin could get a couple hundred people to show up at his house with such short notice. This whole idea started six hours ago. 

Luke led me through the grotto, knowing every turn, and I thought about how many times he must've been down here before. 

The fact that a grotto existed in Austin's basement still surprised me every time I came down here. And I couldn't help but think of Dr Taylor in a different light for knowing that she created this cave. 

What did the generation before us get up to?

And then a quieter thought settled into my mind:

What will the next one do? 

I squeezed Luke's hand, hoping, really hoping, that the next generation wouldn't see us apart. 

I want us to be like Gloria upstairs one day.

"Luke! Man, I was wondering when we'd see you!" someone shouted as we walked past and Luke clapped him on the back in a quick greeting, continuing to guide me forwards.  

As we descended deeper into the damp grotto, the torch flames flickered erratically, casting shadows that danced across the slick stone walls. Sweaty faces I didn't recognize bobbed in and out of my vision, many of them firing quick comments or glances in Luke's direction.