“Getting better, I guess. Word has gotten out about the engagement. My mom has been calling all day bugging me about getting engagement portraits taken so they can do a formal announcement in the paper. Oh, and she’s already set up a wedding website for me.”
“Really?”
She nodded and sipped her wine. “Yup. All the pictures on there of me are at least a few years old and there aren’t any of Lucah. It’s pretty ridiculous.”
I didn’t tell her that I’d love to have a mother that was that involved and supportive of my wedding. Even if I decided to get married, my mom probably wouldn’t even show up. If I invited her at all. Oh well, I didn’t have to think about weddings. I wasn’t getting married.
“Crazy,” I said, making sure the chicken was doing okay in the oven. Rory talked about her weekend with Lucah. They were going to head to his brother Tate’s house and celebrate the engagement, and then go upstate and stay at a cute bed and breakfast. Super romantic.
Lucah arrived, once again looking like he’d been through the ringer.
“Baby, you have to slow down,” Rory said, leaning against him. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and I mean it. I won’t let you have a heart attack when you’re thirty-five.” She pulled his face forward and kissed the dimple in his chin.
“I will,” he said. Not at all convincing.
“What if I said that I wouldn’t have sex with you until you stop working yourself to death?” Rory said with a gleam in her eye. Oh, she was good. Shutting the doors on the love factory was the easiest way to get what she wanted. Was it manipulative? Yup. But all was fair in love and war.
“You wouldn’t,” he said, narrowing his eyes. She did the same, and they stared at each other.
“Damn right I would.” The stare down finally ended. Lucah blinked first.
“Okay, okay. But what qualifies as slowing down? Who decides if I’m going . . . slow enough?”
“Me,” she said. “When you no longer look like you haven’t slept in weeks, and when you don’t fall asleep the second we get into bed, and when you don’t wake up every morning moaning and groaning. When you’re back to the Lucah I first met. Full of sexual innuendo and dirty talk, and ready for anything.”
“Soooo, I’m not that guy anymore?”
“No, that’s not what I meant. You still are, but you’re tired. I just want you to be healthy and live, okay? Is that too much to ask?” She was starting to get upset like she used to do before she met Lucah. He’d toned down some of her crazy, but every now and then she would revert to old habits. Lucah also sensed that she was getting ready to ramp herself up, so he put his arms around her and held her close.
“You don’t need to do that. I promise I’ll slow down.” She pulled back from him so she could look into his eyes. I wished I wasn’t here right now. I felt like an intruder. I busied myself with the food while they had a moment.
“We’re done now,” Rory announced as I looked up from the oven.
“Okay,” I said. “Good to know. Dinner will be ready in ten.”
“Nice,” Rory said. “We’ll set the table. She grabbed Lucah’s hand and used him to help her get the plates down from the cabinets. One of his greatest qualities as a boyfriend was his height. I was sure he had many other assets, but that was a big one.
I didn’t speak much during dinner because I was watching the clock and waiting for something to happen. It was nearly eight when I broke down and asked Lucah if he’d heard at all from Ryder that day.
“No, I haven’t. We used to talk every day, but I’m trying to give him some space. Apparently, I’ve been hovering a bit too much.” He chuckled. “I guess I can’t help it. He was such a wreck when we lost our mom and dad that I think I’ll always treat him like he’s a kid.” He sounded like a parent.
“Yeah, you were doing a really good helicopter impression,” Rory said, and Lucah started making whirring noises that were probably supposed to represent a helicopter. I would have found it funny if I wasn’t worried. Sure, he might not have called back because he wanted to end things. Or, he might be bleeding in a ditch somewhere. I had to know.
I pulled out my phone and sent him a text.
If you’re okay, text me back. I just need to know that your phone is working.
I sent the message and waited.
“Hey, can I talk to you for a second?” Rory said, jerking her head toward my bedroom.
“Yeah, sure.”
“Everything okay?” Lucah said.
“Yup, just girl stuff,” Rory said. “Periods and tampons and cramps.”
Lucah gave her a look that said he didn’t believe her.