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But as I was packing up the last of my things, her words nagged at the back of my mind. I couldn’t quite dismiss all of it. The timing of his revelation that he had feelings for me was very convenient. I was living in Luke’s apartment. We spent almost every minute together.
A memory crept in. I remembered standing in my father’s office. I was probably six. Luke would have been ten. I couldn’t remember specifically what happened that led to us being called into his office, but I thought it involved a little boy who’d knocked me down or something like that. My dad had been furious. He lectured Luke about how special I was, and I was the most important person in the whole world. I smiled, remembering him telling Luke I was more important than the Queen of England. Luke had been scrawny and lanky but when my father told him he was supposed to protect me at all times, Luke had put his arm around me and very honestly promised to do exactly that.
I did remember him telling Luke he would give him an allowance if he walked me to the park and ate lunch with me. Was my father still paying him? I couldn’t imagine Luke needing the money. He made very good money already.
But greed was a huge motivator. Just because Luke had money, it didn’t mean he didn’t want more. The idea made me sick to my stomach. It couldn’t be true. I refused to believe it. I finished packing the last of my things and looked around the shithole I called home for a couple of months. I took the keys down to the super’s apartment. Just as I was about to knock on the door, I had a moment of doubt. Maybe I should keep the apartment—just in case. It might be a nice backup plan.
I shook it off. I couldn’t doubt Luke. He loved me.
ChapterTwenty-Three
Luke
Isat across from Leo at the bar, nursing a beer as I tried to make sense of what was happening with Emmy. She had been acting differently lately, withdrawn and distant, and I didn’t know what to do.
“I just don’t understand it,” I said, taking a sip of my beer. “She used to be so happy to see me when I got home, but now she’s barely talking to me. She makes dinner and we watch TV and have sex, but it’s off. It’s not like it was.”
“Shit, did you get married and not know it?” he joked.
“Stop,” I said. “This is serious. Something’s wrong.”
“It’s probably this stuff with her dad,” he said.
“I know that’s part of it, but usually she tells me about it,” I said. “She talks to me about what’s going on. She tells me stuff. Now, she doesn’t.”
Leo nodded sympathetically. “Have you tried talking to her about it?”
I shrugged. “I’ve tried, but she just shuts down. I don’t know what’s going on.”
Leo took a sip of his drink, thinking for a moment. “Maybe something’s been bothering her. Have you noticed anything out of the ordinary?”
I shook my head. “Not really. Everything seems to be the same as it’s always been. We haven’t had any big fights or anything like that. Like I said, our sex life is still hot. She doesn’t seem angry; she just seems off.”
Leo looked at me and shook his head. I was waiting for some divine words of wisdom. I wanted him to tell me I was overreacting and everything was fine. He was basically married. He should know how to handle women.
“Well?” I asked. “What do I do? How do I get her to tell me what’s wrong?”
“Are you sure it’s not in your head?”
“She’s acting weird,” I insisted. “I think it’s her dad. She hasn’t been right since my dad told her to move back home.”
Leo sighed and leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. “Look, man. You’ve got to give her some space. Maybe she’s dealing with some stuff that she doesn’t want to burden you with.”
I frowned. “But I want to be there for her. That’s what couples do, right?”
“Sure, but sometimes people need to deal with their own shit first,” Leo said, looking at me sympathetically. “Just give her some time.”
“Fine,” I huffed. “But I don’t know if that’s good advice. What would you do if Caroline was being weird?”
“Caroline doesn’t hide her feelings.” He chuckled. “I wouldn’t mind her not telling me how she felt when she was pissed at me.”
“How are the wedding plans going?” I asked, shifting the conversation.
Leo’s face brightened as he leaned forward. “Actually, they’re going pretty well. We found a great caterer and the venue is all set. Everything is settled.”
“That’s awesome,” I said, genuinely happy for my friend. “I can’t wait to see you and Caroline get hitched.”
Leo grinned. “Yeah, me, too. It’s about time.” He paused, then his expression turned serious again. “But seriously, man. Don’t stress too much about Emmy. Give her some space and time. If things don’t improve, then maybe it’s time to have a serious talk.”
