AllFreeNovel
Share Us
What was he supposed to do now?
He could climb into his truck and chase after her, but something told him that outcome would be similar to the one that had just taken place. He could call her, but confessing anything over the phone wasn’t the same.
Maybe it was time to follow his instincts and just let the whole thing blow over. He could let her pretend it never happened. He could vow to never bring it up again.
But could he ever forget?
No. He’d never forget what it felt like to hold Allie in such an intimate way. She’d lit a fire of longing within him.
His realizations only got worse after that. He wasn’t in the right headspace to start a relationship right now. He didn’t need the drama and he didn’t need the distraction. The complications alone with attempting to date Allie would continue to pile up.
Luke stepped outside into the cool evening air and leaned against the door to his office space. He glanced up at the stars overhead wishing the answer was easier to figure out.
He couldn’t just let her go on thinking that he didn’t care about her, either.
Hedidcare.
She was a friend. She might even have the potential to be more than that, but he knew better than to put either of them in that kind of position.
Once again, he found himself reeling from the pure and utter disappointment that Allie couldn’t be his. At least not yet. He had to figure out what was going on in his head and his heart first.
* * *
Over the nextfew days Luke probably picked up his phone to call or text Allie a thousand times. But each time, he simply couldn’t do it. What was he supposed to say to her at this point?
He wanted to kiss her again?
That sounded worse every time he said it out loud.
There was no way to explain why he hadn’t asked her out before now. She’d been friendly enough. And yes, the more he thought about it, the more he noticed the little things she’d do around him that he didn’t see when she spoke to other people.
If their kiss made anything more clear, it was that he was an absolute idiot. Four days of this realization and he still didn’t have any answers.
“Okay, I’m an idiot,” he muttered when he picked Molly up from Pippa’s place on Saturday.
“Yeah, I know.”
He shot her an incredulous look. “Excuse me?”
“I know you’re an idiot.” She said it with a matter-of-fact tone as she rested her forearms on the kitchen counter. A few yards away his daughter sat at the table with a sketch book. He hoped if he kept his voice low enough, she wouldn’t hear a word he was about to say.
“You were right about everything.”
She curled her fingers several times and laughed. “Keep it coming. I’m smart, amazing, beautiful… what is this about anyway?”
Luke glanced at Molly then inched closer to his sister. “Allie likes me.”
Pippa’s expression flattened. “Luke… youdidn’t.”
“Can you keep it down?” He shook his head. “What am I supposed to do?”
“What does that even mean? What are you supposed to do.” She palmed her forehead. “You’re an adult. You either have feelings for her or you don’t. That means you either go for it or you leave her alone. There isn’t anything else you can do.”
He sighed.
“Is there something else?” Pippa tilted her head. At least she didn’t look like she was judging him now. Instead, she almost looked concerned. “What’s the matter?”
Luke blew out a heavy breath and straightened. “Even if it wasn’t…her… What if I’m not ready.”
