I nodded, realizing full well that I was probably a pioneer in that department. I had in fact seen Lukas for longer than anyone. He’d let people mistake me for his girlfriend and he’d come to meet my family. We’d covered weeks ago that he wasn’t sleeping with anyone else. But despite his displays of affection, despite his loyalty and care for me, I had zero confidence that he was interested in a relationship. There was still a doubt lingering in the air and after the weekend we’d just had, it dug at me harder than usual.
And, of course, there was whatever odd moment we’d just had in the shower. I couldn’t explain it if I tried.
“So… what is he doing in there right now?” I asked, craning my neck to look inside the apartment.
“He’s just packing up his suitcase to go home,” Tess said, sinking a dagger into my heart.
“Oh.” My eyes fluttered because right on cue, I watched Lukas come downstairs with a rolling suitcase and several black garment bags tossed over his shoulder.
“That was fast,” Tess exclaimed.
“Well, I’m pretty excited to get back to my own apartment. It’s been too fuckin’ long.”
Another dagger. I watched in quiet disbelief as Lukas shot me a quick smile before heading down the hall with his things.
“You have a car waiting?” Tess called after him.
“Called it before I started packing,” he called back as he headed down the stairs. Once the front door of the townhouse swung open and shut, Tess rolled her head back and let out a little sigh.
“It’s nice to be back,” she said, closing her eyes for a second. “It’s been quite a month.”
“I’d have to agree,” I gave a weak laugh.
“Anyway, I know you’ve got lots of stuff coming up with the business,” Tess said with a smile. “But I hope we can find a day to hang out and catch up. We can go to the coffee shop across the street or maybe I can join one of your Sundays with Sara.”
“Oh, she’s been a workaholic with no time for me lately, so it might just be you and me.”
“That’s okay! I can be your chocolate sampler then,” Tess said brightly before we said our goodbyes. Once she disappeared into her apartment, I stood in the hall for a moment. It had been a very eventful hallway in the past five or so weeks but suddenly, it looked just like the one I’d known for years before Lukas crashed into my life. It was so quiet it hurt my ears, and it was so still I could feel a panic starting to rise in my chest.
Was it over?
I for some reason thought that if this day came, it would do so with a warning. But apparently not.
Floating into my apartment, I walked like a zombie back into my bathroom, turning off the light and wandering around several more seconds till I processed the sound of honking outside. Irritated, I looked out my window just in time to see Lukas sticking his head out the back of a black SUV.
When I saw he was on the phone, I grabbed mine, answering before it even rang.
“What are you doing?” Lukas asked.
“What are you talking about?” I countered, rattled with confusion.
“Are you getting dressed or what?”
I blinked. “What? Am I coming with you?”
Lukas laughed for longer than I could handle because I was in desperate need of an explanatio
n. “Jesus Christ. I guess you were tired last night,” he said. “I was talking to you while you were falling asleep. I said Tess was coming back today and we should hang out at my apartment before you went to your meeting. Could’ve sworn you heard because you were smiling.”
I was already dressed by the time he finished speaking, my heart bursting with such relief I could’ve cried. But I had too much pride for that.
“I’m coming,” I said breathlessly, rushing out my door
“My two favorite words out of that mouth,” Lukas chuckled as I flew out into the hall and down the stairs.
28
LUKAS