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“Why are you so dressed up?” I blurted, immediately regretting the way it sounded. Luke wasn’t the least bit offended at my outburst.
“I have to go by the office and clear some things up. I might scare people if I showed up in leather with a nine down my pants.” The thought of Luke wearing a gun scared me and I quickly changed the subject.
“So, what’s the plan?”
“I’m gonna go with you to your office first, and let you do some catching up, then swing by my office for a few, then stop by the hospital and visit the PROSPECT.” Just the thought of seeing Marty lifted my spirits, and abruptly I couldn’t wait to leave.
We rode in Luke’s truck to town and I stared out of the window at the beautiful scenery, noticing that the leaves on the trees were beginning to turn a lovely shade of orange and yellow. Fall was in the air, and I knew that my days of sunbathing were coming to an end, until next spring. It was amazing how fast time seemed to fly. It felt like only yesterday when I had first met Luke. I looked over at the man I loved so much, watching as his lips moved in tune with the lyrics of Hank Williams Jr.’s song “Outlaw Women”. I thought of how perfectly that song fit the lives of the women I had encountered over the past several weeks. Red and Brooklyn, especially. Thoughts of Red, led me to thoughts of Regg and the sacrifices that he had made on my behalf.
“Any news from Regg?” I asked cautiously. I didn’t want to put a damper on Luke’s mood, but I had not seen Regg’s face in some time and I was beginning to miss having him around.
“He is good. Just worried about Red and trying to piece all this shit together. He won’t rest until blood is spilled. He is beyond pissed and Red’s making it worse by acting as if it’s not a big deal.”
“But it is a big deal!” I countered, unsure of why Red would act like it wasn’t.
“We all know that, babe. Even she does. This affects her too, but she thinks the more she shows it, the more it’s gonna bother Regg. She knows what she’s doing,” Luke said, reaching over and grabbing my hand performing his knuckle kissing signature move. I thought of how selfish I had been by not dealing with my own grief in a different way. The more I showed Luke that I hurt, the more he hurt. “I didn’t mean anything by that, babe. Regg has a temper much worse than my own, although when it comes to the woman you love, you will do anything.” I knew Luke was trying to tell me it was okay to cry and depend on him, but it still didn’t make me feel any better. Luke read my melancholy mood and reassured me once again. “Babe, you have dealt with this much better than I could have imagined. This is all new to you and instead of running, you have embraced it. Don’t beat yourself up about it. I like that you turn to me.” He smiled his heart warming, panty dropping, I’m a fucking stud and I know it, smile and I melted. So what if I was a big baby? I would suck my thumb and wear a diaper if it got me in the arms of Luke every night.
My large, corner office was located in one of the oldest buildings in Downtown Hattiesburg. The old brick road beneath us made the ride bumpy and the familiar sound the tires made riding over it was music to my ears. I loved this part of Hattiesburg. From sidewalk delis to grand theatres, it was definitely the most exciting place to be. It reminded me of my home in Atlanta. The buildings were not as tall, and the streets were not as busy, but the feeling of home was still there.
Luke pulled the truck smoothly onto the side of the road and I felt a twinge of nervousness. It had been weeks since I had stepped foot in my office. What if things had gone to shit? What would I do if Lindsey wasn’t running things as I had hoped? How big of a bitch would I be if I just waltzed in and took over?
“Babe,” Luke said, pulling me from my thoughts. I was breathing a little harder and the look on his face told me that he understood my rising panic. “It’s gonna be fine. Come on, I’m sure they will all be excited to see you.”
I rolled my eyes at his comment. The last thing I was worried about was whether my employees missed me or not. I was sure they had cocktails at lunch and wore jeans everyday just because they thought they could. When the cat’s away, the mice will play. That was a saying that I found to be true a long time ago. I walked up the brick sidewalk with my head held high, not even having the opportunity to enjoy the view or the smell of downtown. I really missed this place.
