Love Rewritten and Other Series

Chapter five

Sitting in a car with Lucas was the last thing I wanted to do.

And yet, here I was.

The drive to the bridal boutique was quiet at first. The air between us was thick with unspoken words, the kind that sat heavy on my chest and made it hard to breathe. I kept my gaze on the road ahead, determined not to let myself get caught in the trap of nostalgia.

Lucas, however, seemed less inclined to let the silence linger.

“You still fidget when you’re nervous,” he said after a few minutes, his voice breaking the quiet.

I glanced down at my fingers, which were tapping against my knee. Annoyed, I stilled them and shot him a glare. “I’m not nervous.”

His lips twitched. “If you say so.”

I huffed, turning my gaze back to the window. I could see the reflection of his smirk in the glass, and it only irritated me further.

“Why are you even here, Lucas?” I finally asked, unable to hold it in any longer. “You didn’t have to volunteer to drive me.”

He exhaled, gripping the steering wheel tighter. “Emma would’ve insisted.”

I crossed my arms. “You could’ve said no.”

He was quiet for a moment before answering. “Maybe I didn’t want to.”

That threw me off.

I turned to him, studying his profile. The strong jawline, the slight crease between his brows, the way his fingers tapped against the wheel like he had something on his mind.

This wasn’t the Lucas I remembered.

The Lucas I had fallen in love with had been carefree, charming, always full of witty remarks. But the man sitting next to me now carried something heavier. Something I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

Not that it mattered.

I forced myself to look away. “Well, don’t expect me to thank you for it.”

He let out a low chuckle. “Trust me, Claire. I know better than to expect gratitude from you.”

I stiffened. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

Lucas glanced at me, his hazel eyes unreadable. “Forget it.”

“No,” I snapped. “Say what you want to say.”

He sighed. “It just means you walked away and never looked back.”

Anger flared in my chest. “Are you seriously trying to make me the villain here?”

“I never said that.”

“You didn’t have to.”

Silence filled the car again, but this time, it was charged.

I could feel the weight of the past pressing down on us, all the unresolved pain and bitterness threatening to spill over.

Lucas exhaled sharply. “I’m not trying to fight with you, Claire.”

“Then what are you trying to do?” I asked, my voice quieter now.

His grip on the wheel tightened. “I don’t know.”

That admission—so raw, so honest—caught me off guard.

For a moment, we weren’t two people who had hurt each other. We weren’t exes caught in the web of a wedding weekend. We were just Claire and Lucas. Two people who had once loved each other, sitting in a car filled with ghosts of the past.

But that moment passed too quickly.

The bridal boutique came into view, and with it, the reality of our situation crashed back down.

I cleared my throat, straightening in my seat. “We’re here.”

Lucas nodded but didn’t say anything else.

When he pulled into the parking lot, I was out of the car before he could even put it in park.

I needed space.

I needed air.

But as I walked toward the boutique, I knew one thing for certain—this weekend was going to break me if I wasn’t careful.

The bridal boutique smelled like fresh fabric and expensive perfume. Rows of pristine white gowns lined the walls, shimmering under the soft lighting. Normally, I would’ve been excited to be here, helping Emma with last-minute adjustments to her dress.

But with Lucas standing beside me, the tension was unbearable.

Emma was already in the fitting room, chatting animatedly with the seamstress. I stood awkwardly near the mirrors, arms crossed, wishing I had insisted on coming alone.

Lucas, on the other hand, looked entirely too comfortable. He leaned against a nearby display, hands in his pockets, watching me like he was waiting for me to say something.

I refused to give him the satisfaction.

“So,” he said, breaking the silence. “Are we just going to pretend last night didn’t happen?”

I stiffened. “There’s nothing to talk about.”

Lucas let out a low chuckle, but there was no humor in it. “Right. Because avoiding things has always worked so well for us.”

I turned to him, eyes narrowing. “What do you want me to say, Lucas? That I regret how things ended? That I still think about it?”

He didn’t say anything, but his gaze darkened, his jaw tightening.

“I don’t,” I lied. “I moved on. Maybe you should try it, too.”

Something flickered in his expression—something that looked a lot like hurt—but it was gone before I could be sure.

Before he could respond, Emma emerged from the fitting room, beaming. “What do you think?”

I turned, grateful for the distraction, and felt my breath catch.

She looked stunning. The dress hugged her figure perfectly, the lace details delicate and intricate. It was the kind of gown that made everything feel real.

I swallowed past the lump in my throat and forced a smile. “You look beautiful.”

Emma grinned, twirling slightly. “I still can’t believe this is happening.” She turned to Lucas. “Well? What do you think?”

Lucas’s expression softened as he took her in. “You look perfect, Em.”

She beamed. “Okay, I just need a few adjustments, and then we’re good to go!” She turned back to the seamstress, launching into a discussion about minor alterations.

I let out a quiet breath, hoping the moment had passed. But as I turned, I found Lucas watching me again.

And this time, there was no mistaking the way his eyes lingered.

I felt my stomach twist, heat creeping up my neck.

This was dangerous territory.

And the worst part?

I wasn’t sure I wanted to escape it.