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The air in my lungs evaporates.
“You love me?” I whisper.
“Yes,” his words sound in my ear. “I almost went crazy when I saw you’d left. Why would you go like that? Without saying anything to me?”
“Luke, I—” I stop, remembering why I had to leave. I pull away and turn to look at him, keeping my face expressionless. “No Luke. I told you I loved you the last time we were together, and you didn’t say it back. I know you’re emotional right now, but you shouldn’t feel forced to do something you’re not ready for. Change is hard, but—”
“But nothing,” he says roughly, those blue eyes angry. “I love you, and I don’t know why you won’t accept it, Patty. Maybe I didn’t say it at exactly the right moment, but what does it matter? Only a few days have passed.”
I take a deep breath, my cheeks flushing red. It’s time for the pedal to hit the metal, and I go for it. I stare at him, unwilling or unable to look away.
“If you love me, then why did you reveal our arrangement to your brother?” I cross my arms over my chest. “How could you tell James that I worked for City Girls? Do you know how cheap that made me feel?”
Luke’s jaw drops and he appears stumped.
“Patty, I never told him anything,” he begins. “If James knew, then he found out from another source.” I stare at him, letting my disbelieving expression convey my emotions. “No, I would never tell him about us,” he says firmly.
“Then how did he know?” I hiss. “You and I were the only people who knew! In fact, let me let you in on a little secret: James told me himself that you were the one who let the cat out of the bag.” I wrap my arms around myself and take a few steps back. “Don’t lie, Luke. I can’t… I just can’t do this.” Not when I have your baby to think about, says the voice in my head.
But the powerful billionaire won’t give up and shakes his head in fury.
“Tell me what he said to you.”
I look away from him and in a monotone, recount the actions of that dinner party. It feels so surreal now, like it’s something that happened long ago, even though it was a recent occurrence. It’s as if I have to pull the memory up from deep down within, like my brain’s been trying to bury it so it can’t hurt me anymore. By the time I finish talking, the color has drained from Luke’s face.
He takes my hand again and I make to jerk away, but he won’t let me, those blue eyes flaring.
“Patty, please, listen to me,” he rasps. “James lied to you. I swear it on my father’s grave.”
I hesitate, some of the rigidity leaving my posture. “Then how did he know?”
He runs a hand through his hair, looking conflicted. “I think I know what happened, but I don’t think you’re going to like this answer either.”
I sit down on the couch and cross one leg over the other. My head buzzes and I can barely think.
“Tell me,” I command.
“I never told my brother anything, but I think Jocelyn might have.”
I blink.
“What? I thought she was finally leaving you alone!”
Luke takes a deep breath and sits on the other end of my tiny couch. “I know I told you I hadn’t seen Jocelyn since we started our arrangement, but that wasn’t exactly true. I saw her the day before we went shopping in Long Island. It wasn’t on purpose. I was outside of Montgomery Holdings, and she just ‘happened’ to walk by.”
I stare at him.
“Why did you lie to me?” I ask, my voice brittle.
Luke turns fully and his expression is ravaged. “I’m sorry. I know now that I should have told you the truth, but at the time, I thought it was best not to mention anything. If I’d known things would turn out like this … well, I would have told you about that encounter.”
“Encounter?” I blurt. “What happened?”
He shakes his head miserably.
“She started talking. Jocelyn told me she’d found out about you, and how you work for City Girls. She said she was going to tell my family, but I ignored her. I walked away and then called building security on her, actually. But somehow, she must have gotten a hold of James and likely spilled the beans to him.”
My lower lip starts to tremble, and I bite it to keep myself from crying again. Hope and relief unfurl in my chest because I want to believe his words so badly. I’ve missed Luke terribly these last few days, and if this means I was wrong and that I can have him back, I’d do almost anything. But am I being naïve? Is it so wrong for me to hope against all hope?
