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Luke called me before I left work to ask if I could drop by Elixir and collect the new asthma puffer he had there for Sean and drop it off to Paris.
“Anytime,” I reply, handing over the medicine.
She waves me inside, and I follow her down the hall into the kitchen. I’m surprised to see Alanis there. She stares at me, her expression neutral.
“I’m just going to check on Sean to see how he is. His asthma has been playing up today,” Paris says as she leaves us.
Alanis and I stand in silence until I finally break it. I struggle with awkward silences. “How are you, Alanis?”
She ignores my question. “Let’s cut the pleasantries. I’m trying to figure out what you want from Luke.”
“I don’t want anything except him.” Not that it’s any of her business.
She places her hand on her hip. “Really? I’m wondering if you’re thinking you’ve found a rich guy who owns his own business, a gorgeous house, and a nice car and thinking you might want to get your claws into him.”
My blood boils and as much as this woman is a friend of Luke’s, I won’t stand for being spoken to that way. “I’m thinking you’re a bitch who knows nothing about me and what I want. And I’m also thinking you need to back off and leave us alone.”
Her lip curls up in a sneer. “I’ve known Luke for a long time, and I look out for him. His first wife was after his family’s money. I won’t ever let another woman do what she did to him.”
“I can assure you I’m not after his money, and I’m not a murderer. All I’m after is his body and his heart. Swear to God.”
Her eyes widen when I mention his body.
The woman clearly has no sense of humour. I should have said cock instead of body. We could have had some fun with that.
“Well, good luck getting his heart. Luke swore off love years ago.”
God, she is fucking infuriating. I’d like to just reach out and slap some sense into her. “Turns out you don’t know him as well as you think you do, then.”
“Oh, I know him very well. You’ll get his body all right. He gives that willingly whenever asked. But his heart isn’t on the table.” Lying bitch. I don’t believe her for a minute.
Paris joins us again, right after Alanis spews her venom. “He’s nearly asleep. Finally,” she says as she enters the kitchen.
Alanis’s sweet mask falls back into place. “That’s good to hear. I have to go now, honey, but please, if Luke needs me tomorrow, just holler and I’m all his.”
Oh, I bet you are.
“Thank you,” Paris says before hugging her goodbye.
She gives me a fake smile before leaving us. Not soon enough as far as I’m concerned.
“Why was she here?” I ask Paris once we’re alone. “Did she look after Sean today?”
Paris shrugs. “No, she didn’t, and I’m not really sure why she dropped by. I think she just wanted to see that we were doing okay and to ask if we needed help. Alanis is just like that—always looking out for Luke. It’s nice that even after she lost a best friend through all this, she’s still close with our family.”
I’m not sure what to make of Alanis. Maybe she really is just looking out for Luke, but I can’t help think that she’s interested in him. The less I see of that woman, the better.
* * *
Luke: I have tonight off work.
Me: You’re taking a lot of nights off lately. Your boss might get cranky.
Luke: He knows what’s at stake if I don’t have time off.
Me: Oh, what’s at stake?
Luke: You might get bored and take up internet dating again.
