brick building she was in front of, hoping her legs were steady enough to get her back to the office. Her knees wobbled, nearly buckling underneath her.
“Ma’am,” a college-aged guy said. “Are you okay? Can I help you?”
“I–I’m not feeling well,” she said weakly.
He peered at her through kind brown eyes. “You’re white as a ghost.” He jerked his chin toward a bench. “Let me help you sit down.” He grasped her by the elbow and led her to the bench.
“Let me run inside there and get you a Coke.” He pointed at the Subway restaurant across the street. “I’ll be right back, ma’am. Just sit tight.”
Summer had never been more thankful for well-broughtup Southern boys. Although she could’ve done without the “ma’ams.” She took a deep breath and wondered what she should do next. Confront Luke? March right inside the restaurant and act surprised to see him?
“Here you go.” The young man walked up clutching a fountain drink. “Maybe your blood sugar was low.”
“Yes. . .maybe.” She took the drink and smiled at him. “Thank you so much for your help.” She dug through her purse and came up with a five-dollar bill. “Here you go—this should cover the drink.”
He shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. You can be my good deed for the day.” With a wave, he was gone.
Her blood pumped so quickly, it thundered inside her head and drowned out the street sounds around her. The thought of Luke with another woman made her physically ill. Sure, they’d been going through a rough patch, but she’d never dreamed he might turn to someone else.
Summer kept her eyes glued to the door of Toast.
After what seemed like an eternity, Luke and Sherry exited the restaurant. They stood on the sidewalk, talking and laughing.
Sherry reached up and gave Luke a hug and hurried off down the street.
Summer stood. Had they made another date? She quickly crossed the street and stopped in front of her husband. “Fancy meeting you here.”
She watched as Luke’s eyes grew wide. And couldn’t help but see the flicker of guilt flash across his face.
Chapter 14
L uke couldn’t believe his luck. He must be cursed or something.
“Hi there, honey.”
Summer narrowed her eyes. “Don’t ‘honey’ me. Do you have lunch with groupies often? Or is the redhead special?”
He groaned, wondering if he could talk his way out of this disaster. “No. I ran into her, and we were both headed to the same place.” He shrugged. “No big deal.” He looked closely at Summer’s face to see if she believed his fib. Clearly she did not.
“I saw you meet up with her on the sidewalk. It was a planned meeting. Don’t lie to me, Luke. We’ve been through too much for that.”
He swallowed. Maybe it was time to come clean. “I’m parked in the lot on Queen Street. Come with me, and I’ll explain.”
He put his hand on the small of her back to guide her, but she sidestepped away from him.
“I don’t want to go anywhere with you.” She looked at her watch. “Besides, I should be getting back to work.”
Luke sighed. Her life revolved around work. “Ashley can cover for another hour.” He faced her and put his hands on her shoulders. “Please. Trust me. There’s something I want to show you.”
She didn’t speak for a long moment. “Fine. But I need to be back to the office in an hour.” She locked eyes with him. “Promise?”
He nodded. “Come on.”
They walked silently to his truck. It took all his restraint not to let his anger out. The idea that he was the kind of man who’d sneak around on the sly and meet up with random women really annoyed him. Summer had been the absolute center of his universe since he was barely seventeen. Seeing the accusation on her face and hearing it in her voice ran all over him.
“Where are we going?” she asked once they were in the truck.
He shook his head. “Nope. Just be patient.” He cast a sideways glance at her. “Please?” This
“Ma’am,” a college-aged guy said. “Are you okay? Can I help you?”
“I–I’m not feeling well,” she said weakly.
He peered at her through kind brown eyes. “You’re white as a ghost.” He jerked his chin toward a bench. “Let me help you sit down.” He grasped her by the elbow and led her to the bench.
“Let me run inside there and get you a Coke.” He pointed at the Subway restaurant across the street. “I’ll be right back, ma’am. Just sit tight.”
Summer had never been more thankful for well-broughtup Southern boys. Although she could’ve done without the “ma’ams.” She took a deep breath and wondered what she should do next. Confront Luke? March right inside the restaurant and act surprised to see him?
“Here you go.” The young man walked up clutching a fountain drink. “Maybe your blood sugar was low.”
“Yes. . .maybe.” She took the drink and smiled at him. “Thank you so much for your help.” She dug through her purse and came up with a five-dollar bill. “Here you go—this should cover the drink.”
He shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. You can be my good deed for the day.” With a wave, he was gone.
Her blood pumped so quickly, it thundered inside her head and drowned out the street sounds around her. The thought of Luke with another woman made her physically ill. Sure, they’d been going through a rough patch, but she’d never dreamed he might turn to someone else.
Summer kept her eyes glued to the door of Toast.
After what seemed like an eternity, Luke and Sherry exited the restaurant. They stood on the sidewalk, talking and laughing.
Sherry reached up and gave Luke a hug and hurried off down the street.
Summer stood. Had they made another date? She quickly crossed the street and stopped in front of her husband. “Fancy meeting you here.”
She watched as Luke’s eyes grew wide. And couldn’t help but see the flicker of guilt flash across his face.
Chapter 14
L uke couldn’t believe his luck. He must be cursed or something.
“Hi there, honey.”
Summer narrowed her eyes. “Don’t ‘honey’ me. Do you have lunch with groupies often? Or is the redhead special?”
He groaned, wondering if he could talk his way out of this disaster. “No. I ran into her, and we were both headed to the same place.” He shrugged. “No big deal.” He looked closely at Summer’s face to see if she believed his fib. Clearly she did not.
“I saw you meet up with her on the sidewalk. It was a planned meeting. Don’t lie to me, Luke. We’ve been through too much for that.”
He swallowed. Maybe it was time to come clean. “I’m parked in the lot on Queen Street. Come with me, and I’ll explain.”
He put his hand on the small of her back to guide her, but she sidestepped away from him.
“I don’t want to go anywhere with you.” She looked at her watch. “Besides, I should be getting back to work.”
Luke sighed. Her life revolved around work. “Ashley can cover for another hour.” He faced her and put his hands on her shoulders. “Please. Trust me. There’s something I want to show you.”
She didn’t speak for a long moment. “Fine. But I need to be back to the office in an hour.” She locked eyes with him. “Promise?”
He nodded. “Come on.”
They walked silently to his truck. It took all his restraint not to let his anger out. The idea that he was the kind of man who’d sneak around on the sly and meet up with random women really annoyed him. Summer had been the absolute center of his universe since he was barely seventeen. Seeing the accusation on her face and hearing it in her voice ran all over him.
“Where are we going?” she asked once they were in the truck.
He shook his head. “Nope. Just be patient.” He cast a sideways glance at her. “Please?” This
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