Last Chance: A Second Chances Novel by L. P. Dover

cute. He looks just like you.”
    She snorted. “But he acts like his father.” We both laughed and I saw why she was my best friend. Her smile was infectious and I could see myself in her. It was almost like we were sisters. “What do you want to do today?” she asked.
    “Don’t know. What is there to do around here?”
    “Since it’s summertime, we can always lay out by my pool and talk. Usually, we’d run together every morning, but since you’re still recovering, it might not be a good idea.”
    My muscles were a little sore and I still had a headache that hadn’t gone away yet. “The pool sounds great. I just need to find a bathing suit.”
    “Need help? I’m sure you could use an extra set of eyes.”
    I chuckled. “Got that right. I don’t even recognize most of the stuff I have.” I finished my coffee and she followed me up to my room. I had two dressers so she took one and I looked through the other.
    “Who all have you seen since being back home?” she inquired.
    “Only you, my parents, Evan, and Summer. Why?”
    She glanced at me over her shoulder. “Just asking. I was curious if you’ve seen Luke or Grayson.”
    Clearing my throat, I turned back to my drawers and kept looking for my bathing suit. “Not yet. I’m a little nervous about seeing them.”
    “Why?”
    I pushed my pajamas aside and found a stack of magazines hidden underneath. When I pulled them out, my heart raced. “Because I don’t know what I’m going to find.”
    “I can tell you I just found you a bathing suit,” she exclaimed happily.
    “And I found something else.” Turning around, I dropped the magazines on the bed. She handed me my bathing suit, then sat beside the magazines, flipping through them. There was a common theme . . . they were all sports magazines with Luke on the cover.
    “I didn’t know you had all of these,” she said.
    “Neither did I. I didn’t realize he was so famous.” His name was plastered on all the magazines, with pictures of him in various poses. Some showed him in his gear, sailing through the air off different jumps. Others had close-ups of his face, his emerald gaze making me shiver.
    “Oh yes, he is,” she informed me. “He’s one of the best dirt bike riders in the country.”
    I stared at his picture, recollecting the way he sounded on the phone; his voice gentle and concerned. When I’d seen his name flash up on my phone screen, I had to answer. I was curious about both of these mystery men. There was a story there, and I was determined to find out the truth.
    Taking a deep breath, I blew it out slow. “Luke called me last night,” I blurted.
    Kate’s eyes went wide. “He did? Did you answer?”
    I nodded and looked back down at one of the magazines. “He was going to just leave a message, and I caught him off guard. I could tell he wasn’t expecting me to pick up.”
    “What all did you talk about?”
    “Not much,” I said with a shrug. “He said the night of the accident he’d told me he loved me. Is it wrong that my whole body shivered when I heard it? My heart literally jumped at his voice.”
    She smiled, but it was sad. “You were in love with him for a long time, Lara.”
    “What happened between us?”
    She opened her mouth to speak, then shut it. “A lot of things, I guess. It’s probably best if he explains everything to you. Though, I will tell you he’s grown up a lot this past year.”
    “What about Grayson?”
    A giggle escaped her lips. “Evan told me what happened between those two buffoons. I must say, you have a challenge on your hands. Looks like you’re going to have to make a choice.” Then her gaze turned serious and she stood, handing me my bathing suit. “Or you could pick neither of them. Luke is a dear friend of mine, and Grayson is an amazing man. My opinion is biased, so I don’t want to say anything to sway your decision. It’s something you’re going to have to do on your own.”
    Kate was Evan’s sister, so it was