by Stacy Lane
Running around the desk, I lean down and quickly kiss his cheek. Almost out the door he stops me.
“Wait. What about Brielle?”
“I’m going to stop by and get her real quick.”
“Horny perv that I am,” he says, pointing to his lap “You are going to want nakey nakey time with Luke when you make up. I’ll pick her up when I get off. Matt and I will watch her until you get back.”
“Thank you thank you thank you.” I jog back to where he remains in front of my desk, grasping his cheeks and kissing him even harder.
“Go get our man!”
I’m laughing and shaking my head as his voice flies through the halls, making it more difficult to sneak out undetected.
~~~
As I sped down the interstate, taking full advantage of the passing lane and making it the speeding lane, I text Della asking her to meet me for lunch. Turns out she’s home today with a sick Ethan. Breaking laws that I never do when Brielle’s in the car, I made it to Calusa just over an hour.
Della offered to make us lunch when I arrived at her house, but I declined. That was my excuse to see her when I thought she would be at work. Now I only want to talk and get to Luke as quick as possible before I had to drive back home.
She carried two glasses of sweet tea to the living room where we took seats on the couch. I watched her elegance as I fiddled with my hands, stringing my fingers together. Floral yoga pants with mesh cut outs zig-zagging down the side, and matching bright lavender tank top. If someone were to spring a quick visit on me during the day while I took care of a sick child, they’d find me in a baggy tee with rips and stains.
Polar opposites. Despite all the odds, though, she’s my best friend.
“Did you come straight from work?” She asks, taking in my black skirt and green silk blouse.
“Yes.”
“Where’s Brielle?”
“My friend Gio is going to pick her up after work.”
“Oh. Luke didn’t mention you were coming down early for the weekend.”
“He doesn’t know.”
“So a surprise visit. That’s sweet.” She smiles, sipping her tea.
My heads tilts in query. “You don’t know, do you?”
“Know what?” She leans forward, about to set her glass down.
“Luke and I broke up last weekend.”
“What?!” Della’s stunned expression takes over her entire face, body, and hands, causing the cold brew to spill all over the table and rug beneath it.
I’m shocked as well. Luke hasn’t told Della something, for once.
“When? Why?” She spits out.
“The night after you left.” I relax in to the cushion at my back. “He told me everything. About you and Paul and Ethan; how y’all lived together for awhile.”
Della’s flabbergasted enough over this piece of news that she doesn’t bother trying to clean up the sticky mess.
“Liv, that’s why I pushed like I did that night. I wanted you to know everything, but I didn’t want it to split you and Luke up.” She stares at me with imploring eyes.
“It wasn’t because of you, Della. That was all me.”
“All I wanted was for him to see that keeping you in the dark was hurting you more.”
“He did realize that. It’s why he told me. It just took me a little longer to see reason.”
“I don’t understand. Why would you break up with him over something from the past?”
“My problem wasn’t with what happened, but his lie. I asked him before that night if you and him…were together ever again. I had my hunches y’all were, but for different reasons.”
“What do you mean?”
“I thought you still had feelings for him,” I say carefully, watching every word set and rise like a new dawn.
“Liv, god no! I’m in love with Paul,” she practically shouts.
“I know, but Della, even after you and Luke were done he remained in your life. You treat him like he’s still your boyfriend sometime.”
“That’s not true,” she straightens defensively.
“Della,” I say bluntly.
“Okay. I may have manipulated some of his relationships in the past, but never with you.” She sets a hand between us on the soft fabric of her couch, eyes trailing her fingers as they fiddle with a piece of lint. “After what happened, with Ethan not being his son, he was hurt and all I wanted to do was fix everything I screwed up. Paul forgave me. But Luke had no one.”
“I was a little jealous of you,” I admit. “The way he confides in you and discusses these important decisions with you over me drove me nuts.”
“Liv, that’s more me than him. Don’t blame Luke. I’ll back off,” she pleads. Then eyes twinkling with humor, she says, “You may need to put me in my place a few times, but I’ll get the hang of it. Just don’t leave him. He’s so in love you.”
“It’s wrong, but I’m grateful every day that I fell in love with your boyfriend,” I smile with my confession, staring into my full glass of sweet tea, sweat dripping down the sides and onto my fingers. “I haven’t felt like myself in a really long time, and Luke makes me feel it. I’m everything I’ve ever wanted to be when he’s by my side.”
She swallows hard, green eyes brightening. “I wanted to do everything possible to keep you around. I’ve never had another girl friend like you, Liv. They don’t like me all that much.”
She shrugs, nonchalant, and I can’t help but to laugh a little. Catching on, she joins me in the self inflicted ridicule of how alike we are with our lack of friends. See, nothing is wrong with us. It’s the rest of the world’s problem.
“He doesn’t know I’m here,” I say with the laughter dies off. “I wanted to see you first.”
“I need to back off. Got it.” She nods, but I can see the wheels still turning. I’d put good money that Della is weighing options on how she can help get Luke and I back together.
“Not just for that,” I go on. “I want you and me to be okay. I can move back and be in love with Luke, but none of this life will be the same if I don’t have you as my best friend. I needed to cleanse myself of the thoughts I’ve been having and hope that you can still accept me.”
“I’ve held onto some resentment, as well. Not because you and Luke fell for each other, but because you left me. I was ready to move out of my parents house and get that apartment with you, Liv. To help you with the baby. You thought of yourself as a burden and took off without consulting me. I never saw you as a burden. When you talked about being all alone in Tampa for these last six years, I wanted to shout at you because you didn’t have to be.”
“But I did, Della. I needed to go my own way. I was tired of handouts and pity and feeling so lost. You don’t know what it’s like to feel unstable. You have great parents and you knew the career you wanted to take right after high school. All I knew was that I wanted better for my daughter and the only way to get it was to break away from what was safe. Safe doesn’t always mean it’s the best plan for someone.”
“I’m not as brave as you, Liv. Maybe that’s why it was so hard for me to understand your reasoning.”
“That’s not true. Bravery isn’t determined by the circumstance. Living life to the fullest is what is truly spectacular.”
Resting her arm on the back of the couch, Della smiles at my words. “I take it you being here in the middle of the week is your way of filling more holes in said life?”
“If that’s a euphemism for getting Luke back, then yes.”
“Can’t go wrong with a naked surprise.”
“Oh my god! You and Gio are going to get along great.”
We fall back on the couch, laughing just like the old days.
Chapter Twenty Eight
Roger’s Rentals went out of business when we were in high school. The store sits directly across from Neilands Garage. Roger used to rent everything from costumes to DVDs to yard tools. If you weren’t a permanent resident in Calusa it was an odd store to walk in and
shop at. Didn’t help that Roger would pitch to people they could role play while mowing their lawn. Needless to say, the costumes hardly ever got rented out when there was a high concern of contracting an STD.
Paul bought the space without talking to Della first. This was also before Luke decided to go into business with him. It’s a running joke between the locals on Paul’s behalf. Luckily their business is majority out of town companies. Their clients would turn tail and leave if they saw how many people try returning lawn mowers and costumes from a decade ago.
After leaving Della’s house I came straight here. I’ve been to their office before, but Kris is on maternity leave now and the temp at the front desk barely acknowledges my existence when I step through the door.
The place looks nothing like the old rental store it used to be on the inside. Sunlight hits from every angle with the front consisting of all windows. Reception sits right up front when you walk in. Off the right is a small waiting area with a couch and two matching leather chairs. A very masculine atmosphere, but I can see where Kris has added the comfort of a feminine touch.
The young girl behind the desk flips through an open magazine in front of her. Curly black ringlets frame her face down to her shoulders. Her pierced, button nose scrunches when she asks in a snarly tone, “Can I help you?”
Help is a bit of a stretch if her expression is anything to go by.
“Yeah. Can you let Luke know Liv’s here?”
I’m buzzing with jitters. I miss him, I’m nervous he’ll turn me away, and I’m praying he’ll run right at me and lift me into his arms.
For three days I’ve been angry. A rollercoaster of frustrations because I knew the anger wouldn’t last. I beat myself up for wanting it to last, though. Why was I determined to destroy the only other good thing in my life besides my daughter? Fear. But no more. It was Wonder Woman pose time. Feet spread, hands on hips, chest held high, and chin up. I was going after what I wanted.
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No. I’m his…just tell him I’m here, please.”
“He’s in a meeting.” Her reply is sharp and quick. “Please” wasn’t even completely off my tongue before she started talking over me.
Gazing past her, I listen at the voices carrying from the back of the office. Two I’m quite familiar with. Wrap her in the Lasso of Hestia and I bet the real truth would have to be pulled from her.
“Then let him know I’ll be out here waiting.”
“Nooo, because he’s in a meeting.” Little Miss Sunshine speaks slowly as if I’m a halfwit. “I’m not supposed to interrupt unless there’s an emergency. And another one of Luke’s admirers is not an emergency.”
“Luke’s admirers?” I repeat.
“You’re not the first to try and get his attention, lady. He has a girlfriend. So turn around and walk right back out the door you came in. You’re just wasting everyones time.”
My lips twitch. I dislike her a little less now. I gave her my name which means she doesn’t know I am Luke’s girlfriend.
“I hope he’s paying you extra to fend off his conquests.”
She sends me a bored stare.
“As his girlfriend, I’ll gladly put in a request for the raise if he’s not.”
Her head tilts. Inspecting. Sizing me up. “Since your boobs are covered unlike the others that walk in here, I’ll take your word for it and let him know. What’d you say your name is again?”
“Liv,” I respond, peeking down at my covered chest in a green silk blouse.
She presses the phone between her ear and shoulder, tapping a button, and speaking into the receiver. “Luke, there’s a Liv out here for you. Says she’s your girlfriend, but if she’s not I’ll gladly kick her out myself.” She pulls the phone away from her ear and stares at the plastic device like it’s offended her somehow. “Rude.”
My heart falls. I don’t know what he said but it couldn’t have been good for me.
The temp turns her piqued expression on me, ready to bark orders and kick me out. But the look on my face stops her. I don’t have a mirror but if I did I’d expect to see a wounded puppy.
A door opens down the hall. Luke steps out. My eyes snap up as he pauses where he stands, burning those dark chocolate eyes in to mine from twenty feet away. The butterflies swarming my stomach lifts my heart from where it fell and puts it back in place. It beats, beats, quicker and quicker as seconds pass.
He hasn’t shaved. His hair is a mess. He’s never looked more handsome in my eyes.
“Hi,” I call out toward him. “Can we talk?”
“Yeah,” he breaths.
Paul comes out behind him, stepping around his frozen stance in the narrow hallway.
“C’mon, Temp, I’m buying lunch.” He playfully smacks the back of her chair, jolting her forward. Stopping next to me, he leans in to kiss my cheek. “Glad you’re here.”
I nod, swallowing emotion lodged in my throat at his kindness.
“I already took my lunch,” new girl responds.
“Well it’s your lucky day. You’re getting another one.”
“I don’t…”
“If you want to stay and listen to these two have make up sex, go right ahead.” Paul walks to the door. The young girl springs from her chair, running after him. “That’s what I thought. Remember you two, keep it behind closed doors.”
The door softly closes behind them. I turn to Luke. He’s halfway down the hall. I walk and meet him the rest of the way. Taking my hand, he pulls me along until we’re inside his office and he’s locking us inside.
Licking my lips, I croak out on a dry tongue, “I’m sorry.”
“No.” He shakes his head, a fierce glower pinned on his sexy face. I roam every inch, every minuscule wrinkle lining his sun kissed skin. Three days feels like a lifetime when its embedded you’ll never see someone again. That’s dramatic, I know, but I really did believe we were over. I’m not that person who gets dealt a good hand often. And Luke is a royal flush, aces, full house, every single winning card in the entire deck.
“I shouldn’t have ran. Again.”
“There’s no place you can ever run that I won’t follow, Liv.”
Luke touches me. Firm hand around my waist, steady fingers stroking along my neck, and gentle lips pressing onto mine. I refuse to allow my eyes to close, too afraid of missing another second of the intense love filling his eyes.
He kisses me once, twice, and pulls back. “You weren’t supposed to come here. I was going to come to you.”
“When?” I ask with honest surprise.
“By the end of the week. I was working some things out with Paul before telling you.” Luke separates more to see me better, but holds tightly with his grip. “I’m moving to Tampa. Going to work remotely for a while, drum up some business out there, but I’ll be able to be near you and Brielle all the time.”
“Luke, you can’t do that. Your home is here.”
“You’re my home. I could never be happy living in that house if you are not living in it with me. I feel like I screwed up Calusa for the both of us. There’s too much history. If you’re not comfortable you’ll never be happy here.”
“You’re wrong.”
“Liv, Brady will never leave Calusa. Della’s got her life here, too.”
“Seems I work faster than you,” I smirk. “While you were sorting out business I’ve talked with Brady and Della.”
“I may have heard about you and Brady having breakfast over the weekend.”
That earns his slap across the stomach. “If you ever take Jessica and Stephanie’s word over mine I will torture you so bad you’ll be taking cold showers for a month.”
His lips tilt up with a grin. “Never believed them, babe. But I don’t trust my brother. When you started ignoring my texts I went over to his house.”
“Uh-huh.” I cross my arms.
“I overreacted. He told me I was an idiot and it felt so good because I haven’t been chastised by my
brother since after mom died. I don’t know if that makes sense.”
“I get it,” I smile. Brady acted like the older brother for once.
“When did you speak with Della? Paul hasn’t told her about me moving. It’s killing him, but I made him swear.”
“Today. And you’re not moving. I am.” I step around him, setting my purse in one of the chairs facing his desk. Resting a hip on his desk, I face him. “Her and I going to be okay. Brady is going to be a good father to Brielle and if he’s not she’ll always have you. I want to be near my dad. And I want a life with you, Luke.”
“Is this a one drawer at my house kind of life, or are you finally going to move in with me?”
“First step should be a drawer, but you kinda cheated by already giving my daughter a bedroom.”
“No such thing as cheating when we both win in the end.”
Shaking my head, I laugh and bite the corner of my mouth. He stares at me expectantly. Greedy jerk knows he’s got me hooked already.
“I have a proposition.” Oh lawd this is harder than I thought it was going to be! Anxiety is clawing at my chest, begging I don’t allow the vulnerableness to set all the way in. But I’ve learned it’s okay to be a little vulnerable when taking chances. Strength rises from our weakest moments. “I want to go back to school.”
Luke takes a step toward me, smiling with joy. “That’s great, Liv.”
“It would be easier to do so if Brielle and I lived somewhere with a cheaper rent.”
Luke’s eyes sparkle with understanding. “Free rent.”
“Then I’ll cover groceries. And electricity.”
“Electricity only.”
“That’s cheaper than groceries.” I throw my hands up.
“I know.”
“Luke.”
“Take it of leave it.” He stops in front of me, hand lifting to brush hair away from my face.
“Fine. Then I get to decorate your house.”
The place needs to look less like a bachelor pad.
“Deal. When are you moving in?”
I laugh. “I have to get my job sorted out first.”
“Easy. Quit.” He shrugs. I open my mouth to argue and he holds a hand in my face to stop me. “I don’t expect you not to work. Of course, that offer is being throw out there since you want to go back to school and not holding a full time job would be a lot easier, but I also know you, Liv. I’m saying quit and then find something near here.”
