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I smirked and took another bite before sucking on each of my fingers. “So what are your plans today?”
His gaze searched mine, and his fingers trailed a path over the inside of my wrist. “I booked the room for an extra night, so we can stay here all day if you want.”
“Oh yeah, and do what?” My cheeks warmed, and a flush crawled up my neck.
“There’s countless things I’ve been craving to do to you,” he rasped, his voice full of promise, and a shiver ran through me.
Okay, yeah, I could get down with that. I poured a cup of coffee and blew on it before taking a sip. My face scrunched up as I grimaced at the bitter taste.
“That’s disgusting.”
Lucas took it from my grasp and shuddered at the taste. “I’ll run down and grab us some coffee from the shop at the corner.”
He disappeared into the bedroom and reappeared wearing a hoodie and ball cap. My breath hitched, wanting nothing more than to push him onto the couch and curl into his lap. He stopped in front of me, guiding a hair behind my ear. “I’ll be right back.”
After a few moments, I grew restless and hunted for my phone. I couldn’t remember grabbing my purse last night, but I found it on the small entry table. I returned to my spot at the table and sank my teeth into a chocolate chip muffin, humming in the back of my throat. A girl could get used to this. I curled my feet underneath me, tucking the robe closed, and flipped through the notifications on my phone. I sent quick messages to Misty and Shana, telling them I’d fill them in when I got back. Then I ran my thumb over the Grief Anonymous app.
Me: I can see you look at these, so I just wanted you to know that Lucas and I are finally together and I’m so happy. I wish I could tell you all about it.
Lucas’s phone vibrated and lit up beside me, and I couldn’t stop myself from leaning over and seeing the notification. An unread message from the Grief Anonymous app took up the top of the screen. My brows pulled together as my mind swirled desperately, not wanting this to have been happening.
Me: Is it you?
Lucas’s phone lit up again, and my chest caved. The truth snapped into place like puzzle pieces fitting together. He’d been lying to me this entire time. I pressed my palm into my chest at all the things I’d told him. My eyes burned, and I stood from my seat, determined to get out of here before he came back. I wasn’t ready to face this.
I searched through the bag Lucas had packed and found one of my dresses and a cardigan sweater. I pulled them on, along with a pair of black boots he’d included, and hit the elevator call button. My toe tapped restlessly on the ground as my hand tightened on my phone.Come on. Come on. Come on.
The door dinged, and I let out a sigh of relief, but it caught in my throat when Lucas stood in front of me. His head tilted to the side as his gaze roamed over me, but he froze when he saw the tears pooling in my eyes. Lucas’s hand reached up to cup my cheek, and I flinched away.
His eyes widened, and he went to move closer, then jerked to a stop when I stepped back. “Baby, tell me what happened.”
I sniffed and raised my chin, eyes locked on his expression. I freaking dared him to lie to me. “You should have told me who you were.”
“You know who I am.” His brows pulled together.
“Oh yeah? Well then, I guess Anon13 should’ve told me who he is.”
“I can explain.” His face fell, and he took a step closer.
“Explain, then. Explain how you told me I could trust you while you’ve been lying to me for a year.” My voice grew louder with each word until I was just shy of screaming.
“I…I can’t.” His shoulders slumped, and his chest caved as the words left his lips.
“That’s what I thought.” I ran my hand through my hair and ground my teeth as he stood there silent. My gaze snapped to his. “I told you things I never would’ve. That you didn’t have the right to know. Oh God. I told you everything—you knew.” I sucked in a breath that burned my lungs as the truth settled over me. “You knew how much I needed you. How bad it got, and you didn’t come back.”
Lucas stepped closer, his hand ghosting over my cheek but not touching me. “I tried to be there for you the only way I could.”
“You let me worry about him… You…you haven’t been answering.” Tears flowed over my eyes, and I slowly built a wall, blocking my emotions, cutting each one off one by one.
He shook his head. “I didn’t want to lie to you anymore.”
I straightened, facing him dead-on. “Were you even going to tell me?”
“I don’t know.” His words sealed the wall inside me shut.
I nodded and stepped around him, happy that the elevator was still waiting on our floor. I didn’t look back as I stepped in, and he didn’t try to stop me.
The moment the doors closed, I crumpled to the floor, taking in ragged breaths as everything I wanted crumbled around me. I pulled out my phone and texted Shana. I was going to need somewhere to stay that Lucas wouldn’t find me.
