chapter two

The Problem With Having a Crush

I didn't sleep.

Not even for a minute.

The entire night was spent staring at the ceiling, replaying every little interaction I had with Luca Bennett.

The way he smiled.

The way he teased me.

The way he still called me Evie like I was the same fourteen-year-old girl who used to hide behind Noah whenever she got embarrassed.

Except I wasn't that girl anymore.

And that was the problem.

By the time my alarm rang, I was already dressed.

Which was honestly ridiculous because my first class wasn't even that early.

But who was I kidding?

I hadn't slept. My brain had been too busy having a full conversation with itself about a man who didn't even know he was the reason I couldn't sleep.

I grabbed my bag and quietly opened my bedroom door.

The mission was simple.

Get downstairs.

Leave the house.

Avoid Luca.

Easy.

Except nothing involving Luca Bennett was ever easy.

I slowly walked down the stairs, holding my breath like I was escaping a crime scene. When I reached the bottom, I peeked around the corner.

The living room.

Empty.

The kitchen.

Empty.

The hallway.

Empty.

"Clear," I whispered to myself.

I didn't waste another second.

I grabbed my shoes and escaped before my heart could betray me.

---

By the time I got to campus, I was exhausted but somehow still nervous.

College was supposed to be my fresh start.

A place where nobody knew me as Noah Carter's little sister.

A place where I could be Evelyn.

Unfortunately, my first thought every morning was still Luca.

I walked through the school hallway, searching for my best friend, completely distracted.

"Ariana!"

No answer.

I looked around.

Nothing.

"Ariana?"

Still nothing.

Then suddenly—

"Evelyn!"

I almost jumped out of my skin.

I turned around and saw her standing a few feet away, waving dramatically like she was announcing my arrival to the entire school.

There she was.

Ariana Blake.

My best friend, my personal therapist, and the only person who knew about my embarrassing five-year obsession.

I ran toward her.

"You are not going to believe what happened."

Her eyes widened.

"Wait. Did Luca finally propose?"

I stared at her.

"What? No!"

She shrugged.

"I don't know. With the way you've been talking about him since we were teenagers, I thought maybe he finally realized you exist."

I groaned.

"Ariana, he's living with me now."

Her mouth dropped open.

"Excuse me?"

"Because his apartment got damaged, Noah offered him the guest room."

She grabbed my shoulders.

"The Luca Bennett is living in your house?"

"Yes."

"The same Luca Bennett you've been secretly in love with since you were fourteen?"

"Please don't say it like that."

"Because it's true."

I sighed.

"That's the problem. What if Noah finds out?"

Ariana rolled her eyes.

"Evie, relax. Your brother will only find out if you tell him."

"He's going to figure it out."

"How?"

"Because I'm terrible at hiding things."

She thought for a moment.

"Okay, fair point."

I glared at her.

"You're not helping."

She laughed.

"Listen to me. The only reason you're panicking is because Luca still sees you as Noah's little sister."

I looked down.

And unfortunately, she was right.

To Luca, I was still the girl who stole his fries and annoyed him during family dinners.

Not a nineteen-year-old college student.

Not a woman.

Just Evie.

"The solution is simple," Ariana said.

"Which is?"

"Make him realize you're not the little girl he remembers."

---

By lunchtime, I was trying very hard to focus on anything other than Luca.

Unfortunately, my college seemed determined to test me.

Because that's when the four most talked-about guys on campus walked into the cafeteria.

David, Isaac, Daniel, and Zeke.

Everyone called them the Charming Four.

And honestly?

It wasn't difficult to understand why.

David was the calm one. The kind of guy who didn't need to raise his voice to get attention. He had a natural confidence that made people listen whenever he spoke.

Isaac was the funny one. Always making jokes, always surrounded by people. He could turn the most boring situation into something entertaining.

Daniel was the gentleman. Polite, respectful, and somehow able to make every conversation feel important.

And then there was Zeke.

The troublemaker.

The one who walked around like the entire world was his playground.

The moment he spotted me, he smiled.

Oh no.

"Evie!"

I closed my eyes.

Of course.

He walked over like he hadn't just interrupted my peaceful lunch.

"You ignored me this morning."

"I was trying to survive my first class."

"Without saying good morning to me? Cruel."

I stared at him.

"You're dramatic."

"And you love it."

"I really don't."

The other three laughed.

David shook his head. "Zeke, she rejects you every day and you still come back."

"One day she'll appreciate my dedication."

"One day I'll move to another planet," I replied.

Everyone laughed except Nimah, who was sitting across from me with a look that could freeze water.

And honestly?

That was another reason I stayed away from Zeke.

Nimah clearly wasn't interested in sharing his attention.

The four boys were charming. Everyone knew it.

But my heart was already occupied.

And unfortunately, it belonged to someone who didn't even know he had it.

---

When I got home that evening, I was prepared for anything.

Except Luca.

I walked into the house and froze.

He had just come from the shower, his hair still damp, towel around his waist and with a bear chest as he walked down the hallway.

For a second, my brain completely stopped working.

Because this wasn't the fourteen-year-old memory I had carried around for years.

This was Luca Bennett.

The man who had somehow become my biggest distraction.

And the worst part?

He looked completely unaware of the effect he had on me.

"Hey, Evie," he said casually.

I blinked.

"Hey."

Smooth.

Very smooth.

He smiled.

"You okay? You look like you just saw a ghost."

I quickly looked away.

"No. I'm fine."

A lie.

A very obvious lie.

Because the truth was simple.

Luca was finally close enough for me to see him clearly.

And that was much more dangerous than loving him from a distance.