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He’s mocking me, and I feel the heat of anger rising in my face.
“Don’t pull that crap on me, Luke. We were both drunk, and—”
“I wasn’t that drunk,” he interjects. “I was driving, remember? I just thought it seemed like a good idea at the time.”
I shake my head and stay silent, except for another deep sigh.
Why does he have to be so difficult? This all seems like a huge joke to him, but this is my future I’m talking about here.
And he doesn’t even know about the baby.
Reflexively, my hand goes to my tummy. Luke notices.
“Hungry, huh?” he says. “The hummus and falafel at this place are to die for, I promise you. I go there all the time.”
I just nod, feeling sick.
We step off the elevator, and I practically run through the lobby so that he has to jog a little to keep up with me. It’s a lame attempt to try and distance myself from him, but I’m certain that the gossip about the two of us has already spread all the way throughout the company. Probably got down here faster than the elevator did.
I feel a little better once we’re out of the building. A busy lunchtime crowd is spilling onto the streets, and it doesn’t feel like everyone is staring at us.
Luke leads me into a little restaurant down a little side street. A young, bearded waiter’s eyes light up when we duck inside.
“Mr. Alder,” he exclaims in a thick accent. “My favorite customer. Please, come this way. Your usual table is available.”
“Thanks, Abdel,” Luke says.
We’re led to the back of the small restaurant, into a little private booth with soft cushions. Luke quickly orders, and we’re left alone.
For a little while, we sit in silence, me sipping my water, him with a Diet Coke. It feels strange to be alone with him again.
His striking emerald eyes pierce mine. There’s real intelligence there; he’s not just a spoiled rich kid, that much is for sure. He’s the CEO and he deserves that position.
It’s funny—ever since I remembered that I’d married him, it has been so easy to forget what a good time we actually had that night. I’ve been so wrapped up in trying to fix the mistake of the marriage that I’ve forgotten just how much I actually like him.
“Look, Luke,” I begin.
But before I can finish the sentence, our food arrives. Thick, creamy hummus, wet with olive oil, pieces of red pepper sprinkled on top. Steaming flatbreads, straight out of the oven. Little spiced lamb kebabs.
“Eat first,” Luke says. “No point in having such a serious conversation on an empty stomach.”
The food is amazing, and it’s only once I start eating that I realize how hungry I am. My little episode of morning sickness earlier, plus the generally frenzied start to the day, means I didn’t even have time for breakfast. The delicious, hearty food perks me up.
“It really is good,” I admit begrudgingly. “Good choice.”
Luke smiles, his mouth full of lamb.
A little while later, our plates empty, he leans forward and puts his interlaced hands on the table.
“Okay,” he sighs. “Let’s talk. You first.”
I take a deep breath. “Well . . . don’t get me wrong. I really did have a great time that night. Honestly, it was amazing. It’s just a shame that it had to end the way it did. It was a silly, drunken mistake.
“I’m sure you’re a great guy, really, I am, but I’m just not looking for anything serious right now. My life is kind of . . . well, really a mess. This new job was meant to be a fresh start. Getting married to a complete stranger was not a part of my plan.”
“It was your idea,” he says matter-of-factly, although I think I see hurt flashing in his eyes for a split second—I could be wrong, though. “You were the one who told me to drive there, you were the one who took me by the hand and led me in, and you were the one who picked out your dress and the flowers. I was just along for the ride.”
My eyes widen. “And do you just get married to every single girl who asks you?” I say. “You could’ve said no at literally any point. What was I going to do, force you to marry me at gunpoint? I was drunk, and I got carried away. Things never should have gone as far as they did.”
He’s silent for a few moments, contemplating. The clock on the wall noisily punctuates every second with a loud tick.
“You’re right, in a way,” he eventually says. “It was a crazy thing to do. Probably the craziest thing I’ve ever done, and I’ve sky-dived naked. But I just felt this . . . energy from you. All night long, you were coming up with these wild suggestions that I never would’ve even considered, and we had an absolutely awesome time. By the time we pulled up to that chapel, I was just along for the ride.”
