“Wow, sounds familiar,” I said, giving him a look. He sighed and got up from the floor where we’d been playing cards.
“Yeah, yeah.” He held his hands out to help me up and pulled me close for a quick kiss. Instead of glaring at us, or making a comment, Sloane wore a wistful look on her face. But as soon as I saw it, she hid it and went to put the cards away. I wondered if we were going to have another conversation where she cried about being a broken puzzle piece.
But she said goodnight and I gave her an extra-long hug and promised we’d do another spa day on Sunday.
“She’s so sad,” I said as Lucah locked the door of our place for the night. “I don’t know what to do to cheer her up. I feel like she’s been slowly getting sadder and sadder and I’m just now noticing it. I should have seen it sooner. I suck as a friend. I’m that girl who forgets about her best friend when she gets a boyfriend.” Lucah folded me into his arms and rocked me back and forth.
“You’re not a terrible friend. You’re one of the best friends I’ve ever seen. The best you can do is be there and listen, I guess. What would you do if it was me?”
“I’d give you coffee.”
“Okay, bad example.” And then he looked as if an idea had struck him. I could figure out exactly what that idea was.
“Perv.” I poked him in the ribs.
“No, wait, I think we need to discuss this further.” I pulled away from him and started walking to the bedroom.
“You can fantasize about me and Sloane, or you can come and have just me. Right now.” I pulled at the hem of my shirt, lifting it up over my head and tossing it on the floor.
“I’ll take the second option, please,” Lucah said, taking off his shirt as well. “I just want you, Sunshine.”
Sweeter words had rarely been spoken. So I let him take me to the bedroom and have me. Several ways.
~*~*~
I got to work a few minutes early the next day, partially because I was hoping to get a glimpse of Violet and maybe say hello before she got carted off for orientation. As luck would have it, Mrs. Andrews was chatting with her at the front desk when I got off the elevator.
“Rory, have you met Violet yet?” Violet’s hair was held back with a clip, but little tendrils escaped all over her face in a casual-yet-put-together way. Effortless, as was her pearl silk top and gray pencil skirt.
“No, not really. Welcome to Clarke Enterprises.” I got another great handshake.
“Thank you so much, I’m ecstatic to be here. Sorry, I’m a little nervous.” Bullshit. She didn’t look nervous in the least.
I was about to ask her something else when the elevator opened and Lucah stepped off. He went directly for me.
“Miss Clarke, you dropped your phone—” he abruptly cut off and stared at Violet. All of the color drained from his face, making his freckles stand out.
“Vi?” he said.
“Lucah?” she said with an equal mask of shock.
What. The. FUCK.
Eight
“You know each other?” I said and they both stared at me as if I spoke a foreign language.
Neither of them answered for a second and then Violet started to laugh.
“Oh my God, I can’t believe you’re here. I had no idea. How long has it been?” Her face went from white to red and Lucah’s did the same.
“Uh,” Lucah said, clearly flummoxed. I waited for him to get his bearings. I’d never seen him so off balance before, except the time when he was confronted by an ex-girlfriend. “It’s been a really long time.”
“Since high school,” she said, nearly finishing his sentence. Oh. Wow. She knew teenage Lucah. I’d gone through the photo album and there had been a few pictures of him as a gangly teenager (I still would have found him attractive, though), but apparently this girl had been there. Known him. How well? That was the ultimate question I was waiting for the answer to.
“Uh, Ror-Miss Clarke, Violet and I went to high school together. We, ah, we were friends.” I almost felt bad for him, because clearly he was freaking out. I’d never seen Lucah freak out like this before.
“Wow, small world,” I said.