her.
What the heck?
The aroma of bacon wafted through the air, making her stomach growl. A few minutes later, Luke appeared at her doorway. He looked hesitant. “Hey.”
He wore a white Henley t-shirt and perfect fitting jeans, making him look relaxed, like it was a lazy Saturday. The tension in his eyes told her otherwise.
A myriad of reasons as to why he’d ended things between them—besides the fact that he’d been unexpectedly deployed—began to wander through her mind, making her imagination wander. Had he cheated on her? Maybe he’d fallen in love with someone else. Maybe it didn’t work out. Maybe he realized what he’d lost. Maybe that’s why he was back, wanting to explain and make amends.
Or maybe he just couldn’t stand the idea of her and Troy being together. Was that what this was all about?
“Hey.” Jill already regretted her actions last night. The way she’d kissed him, as if all was forgiven.
Nothing was settled between them. And judging by Luke’s tense expression, he knew it.
Luke unlocked the handcuffs and massaged her wrist.
“Regrets?” he asked, reading her mind.
“About a million of them.”
He stepped away, putting space between them. “You’ll have all the answers you need today.”
“Should I be worried?”
“No. I’m the one who should be worried.”
“Am I going to be mad at you?”
“Probably.”
“Is it something I can forgive?”
Luke stared at the ground and shrugged his shoulders. “Not sure.”
Her spirits plummeted. “My heart’s racing.”
“Mine too. C’mon, breakfast is almost ready.”
“I’ll be quick,” she said as she made a beeline for the bathroom, thankful to have privacy. She stripped and entered the shower, letting the hot spray pour over her skin. The room filled with steam and she felt herself relax. Jill closed her eyes and again thought about the first time she’d met Lucas Graham.
10
Luke and Jill
August 2002
Eight Months Earlier
Darkness had fallen and the party in Troy’s backyard had died down. The remaining guests lingered around the fire pit. They sat in a circle, each telling a story about their most embarrassing moment—which was always followed by raucous laughter.
Luke and Jill sat on the outskirts, occasionally listening, but not participating with the group.
“What’s your most embarrassing moment?” he asked with curiosity.
“Probably the time I unlocked and opened the door of my neighbors’ house to feed their dog while they were on vacation, and realized I’d gotten the dates mixed up. They were still home. The TV played loudly over their surround sound. I quietly closed the door and they never knew I’d almost barged in on them unannounced. The ‘what ifs’ of that scenario have haunted me ever since.”
“I don’t think that one counts,” Luke said, chuckling. “It was potentially embarrassing.”
“That was enough, thank you.”
“Aw, c’mon. You don’t have anything worse than that?”
“Well, there was the time I peed in my desk chair in first grade. The teacher told us to not disturb her for anything and I couldn’t hold it any longer. It was during art and we were allowed to wander the classroom. When the other kids noticed the pee on my chair, I told them Phillip T. had sat in my chair and peed in it. I couldn’t admit to such a thing, it would’ve been social suicide. You know how first graders are.” Luke smiled at her wit. “I was wearing a dress and it hadn’t gotten wet in the process, but I distinctly remember rolling down my wet socks to my ankles and feeling very uncomfortable. It just so happens that it was the day our parents joined us at school for lunch. The moment I saw my mom and dad, I burst into tears. After explaining what had happened, my dad took me home to change and took me right back to school. The teacher apologetically told me I could always interrupt her for a restroom break. But she only said that because my parents were there. When she
What the heck?
The aroma of bacon wafted through the air, making her stomach growl. A few minutes later, Luke appeared at her doorway. He looked hesitant. “Hey.”
He wore a white Henley t-shirt and perfect fitting jeans, making him look relaxed, like it was a lazy Saturday. The tension in his eyes told her otherwise.
A myriad of reasons as to why he’d ended things between them—besides the fact that he’d been unexpectedly deployed—began to wander through her mind, making her imagination wander. Had he cheated on her? Maybe he’d fallen in love with someone else. Maybe it didn’t work out. Maybe he realized what he’d lost. Maybe that’s why he was back, wanting to explain and make amends.
Or maybe he just couldn’t stand the idea of her and Troy being together. Was that what this was all about?
“Hey.” Jill already regretted her actions last night. The way she’d kissed him, as if all was forgiven.
Nothing was settled between them. And judging by Luke’s tense expression, he knew it.
Luke unlocked the handcuffs and massaged her wrist.
“Regrets?” he asked, reading her mind.
“About a million of them.”
He stepped away, putting space between them. “You’ll have all the answers you need today.”
“Should I be worried?”
“No. I’m the one who should be worried.”
“Am I going to be mad at you?”
“Probably.”
“Is it something I can forgive?”
Luke stared at the ground and shrugged his shoulders. “Not sure.”
Her spirits plummeted. “My heart’s racing.”
“Mine too. C’mon, breakfast is almost ready.”
“I’ll be quick,” she said as she made a beeline for the bathroom, thankful to have privacy. She stripped and entered the shower, letting the hot spray pour over her skin. The room filled with steam and she felt herself relax. Jill closed her eyes and again thought about the first time she’d met Lucas Graham.
10
Luke and Jill
August 2002
Eight Months Earlier
Darkness had fallen and the party in Troy’s backyard had died down. The remaining guests lingered around the fire pit. They sat in a circle, each telling a story about their most embarrassing moment—which was always followed by raucous laughter.
Luke and Jill sat on the outskirts, occasionally listening, but not participating with the group.
“What’s your most embarrassing moment?” he asked with curiosity.
“Probably the time I unlocked and opened the door of my neighbors’ house to feed their dog while they were on vacation, and realized I’d gotten the dates mixed up. They were still home. The TV played loudly over their surround sound. I quietly closed the door and they never knew I’d almost barged in on them unannounced. The ‘what ifs’ of that scenario have haunted me ever since.”
“I don’t think that one counts,” Luke said, chuckling. “It was potentially embarrassing.”
“That was enough, thank you.”
“Aw, c’mon. You don’t have anything worse than that?”
“Well, there was the time I peed in my desk chair in first grade. The teacher told us to not disturb her for anything and I couldn’t hold it any longer. It was during art and we were allowed to wander the classroom. When the other kids noticed the pee on my chair, I told them Phillip T. had sat in my chair and peed in it. I couldn’t admit to such a thing, it would’ve been social suicide. You know how first graders are.” Luke smiled at her wit. “I was wearing a dress and it hadn’t gotten wet in the process, but I distinctly remember rolling down my wet socks to my ankles and feeling very uncomfortable. It just so happens that it was the day our parents joined us at school for lunch. The moment I saw my mom and dad, I burst into tears. After explaining what had happened, my dad took me home to change and took me right back to school. The teacher apologetically told me I could always interrupt her for a restroom break. But she only said that because my parents were there. When she
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