AllFreeNovel
Share Us
When I realized Luke hadn’t moved, I glanced up and caught his amused gaze.
“Are you just going to stand there and watch me?” I asked after glancing around in confusion.
His eyebrows lifted. “Do youwantme to eat with you?”
Well, damn. That was such a trick question. If I said yes, he’d think I wanted his company. If I said no, he’d just continue to stand there and give me his uncomfortable and undivided attention.
Huffing out a growl, I said, “Just eat.”
Luke chuckled and turned away to get his own food. By the time he was slipping into the tall chair at the bar next to me with his own plateful, I’d made a sizable dent in my meal, but not enough to straight up leave yet.
“Oh, I forgot to mention…” he said as he settled in and picked up a fork. “I went in to talk to Pick yesterday about rearranging my work schedule, so I should be clocking out by eight every evening now.”
I glanced over in surprise. “What did you do that for?”
With a shrug, he took a bite, chewed, and then explained, “Your dad’s been talking about teaching me the more administrative side of the nightclub for a while now, and I feel shitty about alteringyoursleeping patterns, so I figured now was as good a time as any to begin my training from him and also be home in time for you to get to bed at more of your regular time. It’ll be easier for you to adjust once you go back to work again.”
Okay, that explanation was actually incredibly considerate of him. It made my heart wrench with gratitude. But I couldn’t let him know how touched I felt.
So I lifted a brow and asked, “Was this before orafteryou and he decided my future together and who I’d be marrying.”
“Before, actually,” he answered easily and sent me a big grin as he chewed. Then he scooped up more eggs and motioned to me with them. “But wasn’t it all husbandly of me and shit to give you a heads-up like this?”
“It was definitelyand shit,” I muttered dryly.
Shrugging past my unimpressed reaction, Luke added, “Well, I think we’re starting this relationship out just fine.”
“Trust me, bud,” I shot back, finishing my meal in record time and sliding off my tall chair. “There is no relationship here.”
“If that’s what you gotta delude yourself into believing to get through the day, then you keep telling yourself that,” he countered with a smile. “Hey, just set that plate on the counter. I’ll get the dishes.”
I was starting to roll my eyes at the first half of his retort, but then his offer to clean up caught me off guard. I set the plate next to the sink and glanced over my shoulder at him.
He smiled brightly as he chewed.
Releasing a breath, I shook my head, still refusing to let him get to me. “I’m going to head out for a while,” I announced, wiping my hands on my thighs. “Lock up when you leave, alright?”
“Sure,” he answered, then asked, “You’re off to confront Pick, aren’t you?”
I shot him a dark scowl, not liking the mind-reading trick he was perfecting. “Don’t you dare warn him that I’m coming,” I charged, pointing a threatening finger his way.
Luke shook his head. “I wouldn’t dream of it. Gotta side with the wifey, right?”
“Oh, brother.” I rolled my eyes for real this time and started from the kitchen.
But he called after me. “He’s probably at the club already if you need help finding him.”
That actually did help me. After dressing for the day, I drove over to the Forbidden Nightclub. It was closed and locked up, but I used my key and entered through the back, where I walked down the dark hall until reaching an open door, where light spilled out.
Inside, my dad was already at his desk, looking absorbed in his work.
I had wanted to be furious with him. To rage and scream. But as I peered at the man who meant so much to me and I knew would move mountains for me, all my anger just kind of melted into sadness.
Lifting my hand, I knocked quietly on the doorframe, and Dad looked up immediately.
“Hey!” He greeted me with a big smile and immediately rose from his chair to come toward me. “This is a pleasant surprise. It’s nice to see you out and about.”
But I backed away, shaking my head. “What were you thinking?” I asked, my voice sounding way more devastated than I’d planned for it to sound. I’d been going for an accusative hiss. But then my vocal cords shook, and a freaking sob followed the question. Hugging myself, I bent slightly at the waist. “How could you do this to him?”
