Reality || L.H.

Chapter 42

"Have you guys picked a date yet?" my mom asks gently as she scoops pasta onto my plate.

I set my plate down in front of me, glancing over at Luke to find him looking back at me. We hadn't really formed any solid plans on what we wanted for our wedding. I looked back at my mom and shook my head. "Honestly, we haven't planned anything yet," I say as I take a bite of my food.

"I want to get married in the spring," Luke says quietly.

My eyes meet his and he blushes, ducking his head shyly.

"That's kind of soon," my mom says slowly, but there's a huge smile plastered on her face. "Usually people are engaged for one or two years."

"I don't want to wait," Luke says quickly, like he's made up his mind. "I just want to make it official."

I smile at him, squeezing his hand gently. If my mom wasn't sitting across the table from us, I probably would've kissed him, which would have probably lead to moving into the bedroom. I blush, dropping my gaze to my lap. It's super awkward to think about having sex with your fiance while your mom's sitting not even five feet away from you.

"April, then?" Mom suggests helpfully. "It's not too hot, but it won't be cold anymore. If you wanted to have the ceremony or the reception outside, you could."

"That sounds good to me." I lock eyes with Luke and add with a slight smirk, "Can you wait five months, babe?"

"It'll be a stretch, but I think I'll manage," he says with a grin.

"Aww you guys are so cute!!" my mom squeals.

I laugh at her, blushing. "Mom, god, you sound like a middle schooler."

She smiles, her expression turning mischievous as she says, "The sooner you two get married, the sooner I get grandchildren."

I feel my cheeks heat up and Luke awkwardly shifts in his seat. "Mom, please, it's way too early for that," I say, clearing my throat.

"You never know," she says with a wicked grin.

*

I crawl up onto the bed, being careful with the boot on my foot. It doesn't hurt as much any more, but I'm still limping wherever I go. Luke glances up from the book he was reading for one of his classes, tossing it aside.

"Hey, you," he says with a smile as he pulls me in for a kiss. It's slow and deliberate and I have to physically restrain myself from jumping into his arms. Luke breaks away, a slight frown on his face and the cutest little crease between his brows.

I slide under the covers, resting my head on my hand. "Go on," I murmur gently, smiling softly up at him. "Tell me what's bothering you."

"How'd you know something was bothering me?" he asks, his frown dissolving into a lighthearted smile as he shifts to face me. "I didn't say anything."

I reach a hand out to brush his hair up into the styled quiff he likes it in. "You didn't have to. You always get a little crease on your forehead when you're worrying about something. It's kind of cute."

He ignores my little tease, swallowing hard. "I was thinking about my parents... We haven't seen them in like five months. I was thinking... I know I have to tell them at some point about us, but I'm not sure how. I don't know what to do, Kat."

"Well, lucky you, I have an idea," I say gently, intertwining our hands over the blankets. "What if we invited them and your brothers - Celeste can come to - for dinner here one night? You can try to bridge the gap a little and tell them."

"And if I don't want to fix things between us?" he counters, looking down at our joined hands to avoid looking me in the eyes.

I tilt his chin up, forcing him to look at me. "I know you do. I know how much it hurts you that you're not the big, happy family you were last year. I know how much you miss them, Luke. It kills me to see you so upset about it and not know what to do to help."

My words unravel whatever part of him was keeping everything together. His grip on my hand tightens as he breaks down into tears. "I don't understand why they still don't want me," he says in a broken voice. "I cleaned up my act. What is it about me that they can't love?"

I throw my arms around him, rubbing circles on his back soothingly. "I don't know, Luke, I don't know," I murmur. "All I know is that you have your friends that love you. Calum, Michael and Ashton are your brothers just as much as Ben and Jack are. Joy is your mom in all the ways that count. They love you so much, Lu. They don't have to, they choose to."

That makes him cry harder and he clutches me closer. "I just don't understand what I did wrong," he sobs, his breath warm on my neck. I shiver and have to force myself to focus.

"If they can't love you for the absolutely amazing person you are, then they're the ones who have a problem." I pull back slightly to look him in the eyes, kissing his cheek gently as I go. Luke ducks his head, leaning down to rest his forehead on my shoulder. He's so beautiful, even when he's falling apart. "And when we come face to face with them again, I'll be right here with you. I promise."

"Good," he whispers back in a low, husky voice after a second. "I don't think I can do this without you."

xx

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- A