Good things come to those who wait…
Lucas
It had been three weeks since the accident. Things had gone somewhat back to normal after laying my mom to rest. My dad, being the asshole he was, actually asked me to pay for everything.
I did without complaining.
And when Grace held my hand as I stared at my mom’s picture, I told myself the only reason I was able to do the right thing was because I had Grace by my side.
The rest of the guys came to the funeral, and so did CEO Siu and Assistant Solia.
I realized then that I had all the support in the world. I had just chosen not to use it because I felt weak that I needed it.
Grace was helping with that.
We were doing another performance for a US late-night show—remotely from Seoul—and I hadn’t been sleeping well, so I really didn’t want to perform, but I admonished myself it was worth it.
That any sort of traction we could get with the late-night hosts and their millions of viewers would be worth it.
I yawned for the tenth time behind my hand.
“Caffeine.” Kai elbowed me. “You need some; you’ve been hitting it hard.”
I almost laughed.
Every night since that one with Grace, I’d snuck into her room and talked with her for hours. Sometimes we just held each other, sometimes we talked about our families, life in general. Other times I kissed her, but I always stopped before anything got too crazy, and not because I wanted to stop but because I felt like if I didn’t, there would be no going back.
I’d be in her room every night stripping her naked, and eventually, the guys would find out, Rae would find out, and because of our friendship, it still felt like betrayal no matter how I looked at it.
I had to tell him about Grace and me.
Even though we were still “seeing where things went,” it wasn’t fair for him to think he had a chance when she was my whole world—when I was hers.
“Guys!” Grace barged into the dressing room; thankfully, we were all dressed. She looked gorgeous with her hair piled high on her head. A cute black tank top and ripped jeans added to the effect, along with her Nike high tops. “You have five minutes before the performance. Sookie, remember in that segment where you grab Jay’s hand, you have to pull it down, not across. Rae, try not to look directly into the camera at the beginning. You should be looking slightly away. And they added an extra, so just beware.” She looked at her notes on her phone again and shrugged. “Okay, that’s it. Have fun, boys!”
“We love you, Grace!” Kai shouted.
Jay laughed and did a little clap.
“Yeah, yeah, you guys owe me pizza.” Grace winked while Rae stopped her at the door and whispered something in her ear.
She blushed, looked over to me, and then shook her head no.
Hmmm.
“Soooooo,” Jay said to my right as he adjusted his mic. “Not that I’m prying—okay, I’m prying—have you guys…”
I squeezed my eyes shut. “I’m not answering that question.”
“What?” He smacked me on the arm. “I’m curious, all right? The sexual tension would make anyone feel horny, but she’s only here another few weeks.”
I sucked in a breath. “Wait, how many weeks?”
He frowned. “Three? Four?”
Kai and Sookie walked over, Sookie chugging an energy drink.
“Are we talking about Grace again?” asked Kai.
I groaned.
“What?” Kai shrugged. “You only have a few more weeks— Wait, does Rae know?”
“No,” Jay and I said in unison, while Sookie gave me a sad look, like he wanted to help but didn’t know how.
“You should tell him,” Jay said. “Before he puts a pillow over your head. Besides, you’re friends. He wouldn’t pursue her if he knew you were.”
But that was the thing.
I used to think that.
But now?
Now I wondered.
Did he know?
Did he see?
Was he still after her despite knowing how I felt?
My emotions were a mess as we walked toward the stage. Grace was behind the camera with her uncle and Solia. They all smiled at us.
I only had eyes for her.
The performance started and went off without any real issues, even though Sookie did forget part of the choreography in the middle. Nobody would know except us.
I tugged off my mic and handed it back in just as I saw Rae grab Grace and pull her away from her uncle and down the hall.
Like an idiot, I followed them.
Rae had her against the wall, towering over her. He leaned down like he was going to kiss her.
She shoved him away before I could yell stop.
“What are you doing?” she asked. “Rae, this isn’t you.”
His jaw flexed, and his blond hair was plastered with sweat like mine was. Finally, he sighed. “I was just testing a theory.”
“What theory?” She laughed, though her smile didn’t reach her eyes. “This isn’t okay. What’s going on?”
“Oh, this? This isn’t okay?” He laughed. “Wow.”
“Why are you being like this?”
“Is it okay when it’s Lucas?”
Her face paled. “What?”
“I’m just making sure I know the rules,” he said casually. “I mean, hasn’t he been sneaking into your room every night for weeks?”
“Oh, my gosh!” Grace shoved him. “We’re talking.”
“Ohhhh… you’re talking?” He made air quotes. “Really? You expect me to believe that?”
“Yes.” She put her hands on her hips. “Get it together, Rae. I like you, but not like this, not when the sane one starts being an asshole.”
He hung his head, looking genuinely sorry. “I just thought—“
“Clearly, you need to stop thinking,” she snapped. “Go grab some food and stop being an ass, okay?”
“I’m not an ass. I just saw—“
“Stop.” Grace held up her hands. “Be professional here. If you’re still pissed, you can yell at me later, okay?”
“I can?”
“Why are you so happy about that?”
He shrugged and grabbed her hand and kissed it. “Just be careful, okay?”
“What do you mean?”
“Things aren’t always what they seem,” he said, and then he was gone, walking down the corridor, leaving her there staring at the wall.
I wanted to go to her, but I heard talking behind me and decided to go get out of my costume instead. I’d barely finished pulling on my shirt when a knock sounded, and Siu walked in.
“Good show.”
“Thanks,” I said. “Is everything good?”
“How close are you to Grace?” he asked.
My entire body went numb. “She’s a really good friend. Why?”
“Mmmm, nothing. I just—there was a tip sent to the label that you were dating one of the interns, and she’s pregnant.”
“What?” I roared. “Are you serious?”
“Relax.” He laughed. “We get them all the time from jealous fans; I just wanted to check this one myself since she’s my niece.”
“Right.” I gulped. “Well, you can relax about the pregnancy rumors.”
It was all I could say.
Because everything else?
True.
“Good, good.” He pulled the door open and looked over his shoulder. His salt and pepper hair gave off a shine from the lights in the room. “Thank you for being her friend.” He stepped through the opening.
The door shut.
And I collapsed onto the chair next to me, because yeah, I was her friend, but I was pretty sure the sort of friend I was… wasn’t what he was talking about.
I wanted her naked beneath me.
I wanted her laughing beside me.
I wanted her in my future.
Would he be smiling if I told him that?
I wiped my hands down my face then grabbed a wipe for the eye makeup, shutting the rest of the conversation out of my mind. It wasn’t something I could worry about now. It would just stress Grace out, and that wasn’t fair.
“Let’s go on a date,” I texted Grace later that night. “If Rae can take you to get toothpaste, I can at least say I need a new toothbrush, mouthwash, socks…”
From across the room, I watched for her reaction. She looked down at her phone and laughed.
“Something funny?” Rae asked, looking over her shoulder. The guy was constantly by her side.
“Just a funny text from my mom,” she lied smoothly. “Does anyone need anything at the store? I was going to head out real quick.”
“Actually…” I stood. “I have a list of things I’ve just been too busy to get. Can I go with you?”
“Sure!” She beamed. “Let me just grab the keys to the van.”
Rae looked between us. “Wear a disguise.”
I held up a hat and sunglasses. “I’m good.”
“That’s my hat,” Jay pointed out.
“Exactly,” I said. “So, if I get caught, I’ll just say I was you.”
“That’s smart.” Kai nodded. “And mean.”
“Thank you.” I put the hat on along with the sunglasses just as Grace returned, purse and keys in hand. “You ready?”
“Yup!”
“Don’t stay out late,” Rae seemed compelled to add, his eyes moving from Grace to me and back again. “Just the store, right?”
“I swear.” Grace nodded. “We’ll be back before you know it.”
“Okay.”
We were the epitome of friends going off to grab some things at the store… until the elevator doors closed.
And then I was all over her.
My mouth on hers.
My hands running down her body.
The elevator doors opened to reveal we hadn’t moved. Kai stood there, smirk in place. “You forgot your wallet.” He held it out.
We were still attached to each other.
“Th-thanks.” I grabbed with a muttered curse.
“Lucky it was me and not Rae…” He laughed. “Carry on.”
I flipped him off as the elevator doors closed, and then after making sure it was actually moving, I drew Grace into my arms, her legs tangled with mine, wrapped around them as the elevator descended.
I forced myself to forget why it wasn’t just about Rae and me, but about so much more that Grace didn’t know.
About his parents.
Mine.
About a past we both refused to discuss even as it was coming full force to the surface.
I drowned in her instead.
It was better that way.
Right?
“Missed,” she said between kisses, “you.”
“So much,” I breathed, cupping her breasts with my hands, squeezing her nipples, my mouth jealous of my fingers. “Damn it.”
She stumbled back as the elevator hit the parking garage level and adjusted her hair.
I was a hot mess.
A glance in the elevator’s mirrored walls revealed my hair was spiked in every direction.
I think she actually stretched my T-shirt out of shape.
And let’s just say that every part of me was straining against my fly in a way that would be super obvious if anyone wanted to snap a picture of us and guess what we’d just been doing.
“The store.” Grace sighed. “Just the store.”
“Just the store,” I agreed, wanting instead to strip her bare and fuck her against the van.
We’d done things backward. Kissed first, made things physical, then after my mom’s death and Grace’s accident, we’d reverted to just talking, getting to know each other.
The problem now was that I knew everything about her and craved more, along with wanting to just lay claim to the love of my life.
Something I hadn’t said to her yet.
Something I needed to tell her before I exploded.
Before Rae killed me.
She was it, though.
Completely.
“We should get in the van.” Her lips were bruised, swollen from their time against mine. “Yeah?”
“No,” I grumbled. “Yes. I’m driving.”
“I’m better now!”
I just laughed. “Yeah, okay.”
“You’re such an ass!”
“That’s why you love me.” I winked.
She grabbed my hand and kissed it. “You’re right.”
A bomb could have landed on the van in that moment, and my body would be found still smiling at her answer.
She talked, and I drove to the nearest store. I really did need stuff and had made sure of it so nobody could question me when we took off, but I did have a plan. Next to the store was one of my favorite places to get takeout.
They had the best tteokbokki I’d ever tasted, and if we brought some back for the guys, was it really a date?
After we grabbed everything and put it back in the van, I shut the door and pulled her toward the small restaurant.
“What are you doing?” she smiled.
“Taking you on a date,” I said triumphantly. “One day, I’ll make it official and proper, but for now, we’re getting takeout, and you’re going to kiss me; it’s so good.”
“I always kiss you.”
“And I appreciate that.” I winked.
She shoved me lightly. “So, what are we eating?”
“Spicy rice cakes,” I announced. “You’ll love it.”
“Ooo, I’ve been wanting to try more Korean food!”
“You’ve been working too hard.”
“Says the guy who fell asleep face first on the piano the other night with a Red Bull still in his hand.”
I glared. “You swore your secrecy!”
“You had a potato chip stuck to your cheek.”
“See if I ever buy you more food…” I started walking off.
She grabbed my hand and pulled me close, then pressed a kiss to my mouth.
“Mmm,” I moaned softly. “That’s better.”
“Will you feed me now?” she asked in a coy voice and gave a sexy smile that I had no ability to say no to.
I rolled my eyes. “Yes.”
The place was dark inside but packed as we walked to the register and gave our order. Grace’s eyes were wide as she slowly spun and took everything in.
The person helping us kept stuttering, then dropped a pen she was holding, then finally blushed and leaned in and in Korean said, “Can I have your autograph?”
Grace smiled warmly.
“Oh.” I took the pen and signed my name. “Of course.”
I signed the piece of paper then handed it over, pleading, “Just don’t tell anyone?”
She held the paper close to her chest and shook her head, then finally noticed Grace standing next to me, her eyes narrowed a bit.
“Our intern,” I said quickly in Korean. “She’s working for the group.”
“Ahhhhh.” The girl nodded in understanding.
That had been close.
Our food was ready after ten minutes. We grabbed the bags and were walking to the van when I stopped and looked up.
The sky was full of stars.
My chest didn’t feel so tight.
And I wanted to laugh.
Smile.
To kiss the girl I loved under those stars and not feel like I had to hide it.
“Hey, Grace!” I jerked my chin upward. “Pick one.”
“Huh?” She looked up. “Pick what?”
“A star,” I said. “Pick one. One that’s just for us, that no matter where you’re at or where I’m at, you can wish on… so pick one.”
“Stars are different depending on where you live.” Grace sounded sad. “But can I pick the brightest one every time? And imagine it’s the same?”
My chest tightened. “Yeah, Grace. I think that’s a good idea.”
“That one.” She pointed at the brightest star. “That’s ours.”
“Ours.” I wasn’t looking at the star, and without thinking, because it felt natural, I leaned down and kissed her across the mouth.
She leaned up on her tiptoes and kissed me back.
We kissed for a good minute before pulling away.
I didn’t realize we had an audience until a gasp reached my ears and then. “Is that Lucas from SWT?”
I quickly covered my face with my hand and shoved Grace into the van, then drove off as fast as possible.
“Did they see me?” she asked in a panic.
“No.” My throat tightened, and my stomach rolled. I took a deep breath and prayed I wasn’t going to throw up. “No, I don’t think anyone took pictures or anything.”
But this did mean I needed to warn the guys.
Just in case.
Which sucked.
My mood was dark when we got back to the apartments. The guys were pumped about the food, but I was too worried about Grace to care.
Everyone ate their meal, and Grace said she was going to go to bed. Jay decided to do some writing and went into the music room while I chatted with the other guys.
After it got dark, it was just Rae and me.
“Would you lie to me?” Rae asked once we were alone. “To protect someone?”
I frowned. “I guess it depends on the lie and the person.”
“Hmmm.” Rae stood and moved to the fridge where I was standing. “How important is this group to you?”
I laughed. “Rae, it’s my life. You know that.”
“Things change, though, right?”
“What the hell are you talking about?” I asked. “Are you okay?”
“Are you?” He seethed.
“Rae, this isn’t like you…”
“Wow!” He laughed. “I’m the one acting different? All right, sure, how was it, Lucas?”
My stomach dropped. “What?”
“When the intern got on her knees in front of you. When she saved your life. When she gave you everything. How was it? Addicting? Nice? How does she taste?”
My fist went flying across his jaw before I could stop myself.
He stumbled back, wiping blood from his chin.
“You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”
“Oh…” He laughed to himself, putting his hands on his hips. “I don’t? All right.” He tapped the fridge with a finger and walked off.
I frowned, staring at the reflection.
Mine.
And then Jay’s near the piano.
No.
No.
He had watched, just as I’d wondered about.
He knew.
He’d known this whole time.
And we’d kept it from him.
I’d kept it from him.
“Make your choice,” Rae said from the other side of the room. “Before you nearly destroy this group again with another scandal.”
“That’s not fair!” I shouted.
“Neither is this!” He threw his arms wide. “You’re lying to yourself if you think this can be anything more than a summer fling. We can’t let people down. And you owe us. You owe it to all of us after everything—not to fuck up!”
“And you? What if it would have been you?” I asked in a small voice. “Would you have walked away?”
“Yes,” Rae said. “For the betterment of the group, yes, but my ass isn’t the one that’s always in trouble. Imagine what this will do to her. Her reputation? The fans will destroy her after everything that happened, and that’s on you, not me. That’s all you. So, if you can still look yourself in the mirror after taking everything from her and abandoning us, sure go for it. If not…” He jerked open his bedroom door, stepped inside, and slammed it.
I jumped.
My stomach rolled.
Was he right?
The fans wouldn’t be happy.
Would it destroy our group?
I squeezed my eyes shut.
Could we survive another scandal so close to the last one, even if in the last one I was proved innocent?
It didn’t matter, did it?
It wouldn’t.
She would be crucified.
She would never forgive me.
With shaking hands, I grabbed my cell and made the call I knew I would regret for days, months, years from now.
But one that would fix it all.
Leaving me with a broken heart.