Page 12 of Secrets of Euphoria

“I did!” I swanned over, propping my hands on the surface across from her. “You did a great job.”

“He helped me.” She giggled.

Luke ambled to the coffeemaker as I kept my attention on my daughter. She told me about the breakfast he made for her before they went outside for a while. He set a cup of coffee in front of me with a kiss on my cheek.

“Thank you.”

“Of course. I saved you some food. I didn’t want to wake you, so I put it in the microwave, but it’s lunchtime now.”

I glanced at the clock to see it was exactly noon. “What time did you get up?”

He shrugged, taking his phone out of his pocket. “Maddie got me up around seven.”

“We wanted you to be able to sleep,” she chimed in, twisting herself back and forth on the stool.

That meant he got maybe two hours of sleep. I didn’t want him feeling burdened by getting up with her. I cherished my time with her since I already worked weird hours. I opened my mouth to speak, but he arched a brow at me as if he’d read my mind. He faced his phone at me.

You’re leaving at 5 this evening.

Need Jade here no later than 6.

Great. I sighed.

“What’s wrong, Mom?”

Just as I was about to respond, Luke’s phone rang. Confused, he placed it to his ear.

I was just about to text you back.

Yeah, one sec.

He held it out. “He wants to talk to you.”

I put the phone to my ear. Hey.

Why didn’t you answer your phone?

Patting my robe, I realized I had left it upstairs when I ran out of the room. Sorry, I woke up in a panic and left my phone upstairs.

Luke gnawed the inside of his cheek, squinting.

Do I even want to know? Ian asked.

Nothing newsworthy.

Alright, well, I need you at the club early. I have some guys coming and I need you present.

Which Dancers?

I don’t know, yet. Knowing them, I might have to sacrifice my wife or Amber.

Dare I ask who’s coming?

See you later, Jade.

The phone went dead.

“Seriously?” I exhaled.

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