Love Story (Love Unexpectedly 3)

“That’s putting it mildly. Wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if Mom’s had your wedding invitation picked out for a decade, and if Dad plans to give you my grandfather’s watch instead of me.”

The thought of being a part of the Hawkins family for real…being connected through marriage to Lucy…

The vision nearly chokes me, not with horror so much as with…

I shove the thought away.

“Well, they’re going to be disappointed,” I say.

“Because she’s driving you nuts,” he says, bringing our conversation full circle.

“She’s gotten all fancy-pants since she went off to school. Thinks that because she has a piece of paper about hospitality that she’s better than the rest of us.”

“She said that?” he asks.

“No,” I grumble. “But she’s out shopping right now for work clothes for the new job.”

“And?”

“My work clothes are boots, jeans, and my oldest shirts. Hers are high heels and…I don’t even know.”

“Never bothered you before.”

I take in a deep breath. Maybe he doesn’t know me as well as I thought he did. “It’s always fucking bothered me,” I say quietly.

Craig is quiet for a minute. “Spock’s always been a little…driven,” he finally says. “She announced when she was like, ten, that it wasn’t enough for her to know wine, she wanted to teach other people about wine. You knew that about her.”

“Sure,” I mutter. “I just didn’t know how annoying it would be.”

How inferior it would make me feel.

“Just tell her to shut up,” Craig says. “That’s what I do. Spock’s passionate, that’s all.”

You have no idea, I think, remembering how generous and eager a lover she is.

Craig’s right. Lucy’s passionate, and not just between the sheets. She’s passionate about everything. Work. Love. Life.

I want some of that. I want to absorb it and claim a little bit of it. I want to beg her to save some of it for me.

She won’t though. Lucy’s a girl with a plan. And I’d bet serious money that her long-term plan involves someone who’s not satisfied with minimum wage.

“What’s going on with you?” he asks. “You’re not usually wound this tight.”

“She’s so fucking complicated.”

He snorts. “They all are.”

“I just wish I knew what she was thinking,” I say, cringing at the sound of the whining coming from my mouth.

“I’m surprised she hasn’t told you. She’s always been the blurt-it-out type, at least around me.”

Yeah, well, you didn’t break her heart, I silently add.

I’d give just about anything to know what Lucy’s thinking these days.

“Hey, hold on one sec,” Craig says. “Boss is calling on the other line.”

“?’Kay, ’kay.” I sit back down on the bed, then immediately stand, unable to shake the restlessness.