Lucky Break (Lucky 3)

“Despite everything, I meant what I said last night.” Lauren’s voice softened as she changed the subject. Her beautiful eyes focused on him.

There was no mistaking what she meant.

“I love you, Jason.” She said the words anyway.

His heart swelled and broke at the same time.

They were the words he’d wanted to hear and she deserved to know he felt the same. “I love you, too.”

She reached for him and he came over her, his lips settling on hers, kissing her deeply, knowing in his heart they’d never have this moment again.

He paused only to grab a condom in the nightstand. Then they c

onnected and he savored every moment, holding her, joining his body with hers.

They loved each other. And for this brief time, it was enough.

AN HOUR LATER, Lauren had showered and met Jason in his kitchen for breakfast. He’d run out for coffee and doughnuts. Since they’d never eaten dinner last night, she was starving.

Although she was emotionally drained, her body still tingled from making love with Jason. And that’s what they’d done. For the first time they’d made love with no emotional barriers between them. She’d felt it in every fiber of her being. Felt him.

Just as she felt his regard on her now. “What?” she asked, focusing on his steady stare.

“I was just wondering what’s got you so distracted?”

While showering, she’d been thinking about where they could go from here, and she spoke before she could chicken out. “Come with me,” she said to him.

“What?”

“Come with me to Paris,” she said, her excitement building now that she’d let herself say the words aloud.

Stunned, he slowly lowered his cup to the table. “And then what?” he asked, his enthusiasm nowhere in sight.

Panic enveloped her, hammering away at the heart she’d just given to him so openly. “Well, you could be with me when my designs debut. We could see Paris together. And then…” Her voice trailed off.

He reached out and placed his warm, strong hands over hers. “And then I come to New York and do what while you soar to the top of your profession and achieve your dreams?” he asked gently.

“We’ll figure it out together.” But even as she spoke, she saw the light in his eyes dim.

“I know what it’s like to have goals and a dream. And without those things now, I’m lost.” He spread his hands in front of him. “Before you showed up, I was grumpy and nobody wanted to be near me. I thought I’d pushed past it, but lately I’ve been forced to admit…I don’t know who I am or what I want. But I do know I can’t live off your money and your success. I need to define my own.” His tone implored her to understand.

“I get it. And I respect what you’re saying, but-”

She’d learned at a young age not to push people for more than they were able to give.

Bracing her hands on the table, she rose to her feet. “I feel sorry for you, because you don’t know what you’re missing.” She wrapped her pride tightly around her and strode from the room.

It was so ironic. There had been too many people in her life who’d found her lacking, and now here was Jason, the love of her life, telling her she was too much for him. She couldn’t take it. Because though his reasons were different from her sister’s and her parents’, he was still doing the same thing. Rejecting her, who she was and what she offered him.

To hell with all of them. She couldn’t get out of this town fast enough.

LAUREN SPENT the rest of the day in a frenzy of activity. She called Sharon, who picked her up at Jason’s. Together they ran errands in town while Jason headed to the house to meet up with his crew.

First Lauren called on the real estate agent who’d arranged the original sale. The woman agreed to contact the buyers, explain the situation and ultimately refund their escrow money. Then once the insurance company inspected the new damage, Lauren arranged to relist the house-as is. On Sharon’s recommendation, Lauren hired a service to clean out the house, box the remainder of her grandmother and sister’s items, and give them to the Salvation Army.

A whirlwind morning and she’d accomplished more than she’d thought possible. In fact, she could get away from this town and its memories by nightfall.

Sharon accompanied her back to the house so she could fill Jason in.