Page 20 of Broken Promises

“I don’t want to go home. It’s going to be too silent. Too weird.” Lucy pinched the bridge of her nose between her fingers, closing her eyes.

“Then you can come to stay with me. I know you wanted some space, but I agree, it would be best if you didn’t stay alone.” I wasn’t stupid. I knew that after our kiss, she avoided me like the plague. Our meeting at the festival was purely coincidental. For the most part, I tried to respect her wishes, but right now, I figured it would be best if she were with someone. And I wasn’tplanning to make any moves or use this unfortunate situation for my own gain.

“Thank you, Luke. That’d be nice,” she responded softly. For once, I was thankful she didn’t fight me on this. We walked out of the hospital in silence and toward my truck.

Once I ensured she was inside and put on her belt, I shut the door and moved to the driver’s seat. I let her lead any conversation she may want to have, but our surroundings remained silent aside from the soft hum of the radio. The stars were particularly prominent tonight, twinkling in the night sky. Port-Cartier had a low level of light pollution, so the view of the night sky was always spectacular. I wondered if she ever missed it.

When I turned to ask her about it, I found that her eyes were already closed, and her head leaned against the window. She was asleep. I wanted to soak in the sight for hours, but I forced myself to focus on the road before us, comfortable with the silence and the soft snores that echoed through my truck.

As I pulled up in front of my home, I contemplated waking her up, but ultimately, I decided against it. She needed to rest—today had been a long day for her. I moved as silently as I could as I exited the truck and then moved to the passenger’s side. I wrapped my arms around her, scooping her in my embrace as I made my way up my front porch and into the house.

In moments like these, which, granted, didn’t happen often, I wished I had come along further with my renovations. I didn’t have any guest bedrooms finished yet, but that was okay. There was no way I was letting her sleep on the couch. As silently as I possibly could, I carried her to my bedroom, laying her down on my bed.

She stirred a little but didn’t wake up.

I watched her sleep for a few seconds. Now that I wasn’t driving, I could allow it.

Leaning down, I brushed the strand of her hair out of her face, overcame by the sudden urge to kiss her. Just like I used to do a decade ago. Back then, not a single night we spent sleeping by each other’s side ended without a kiss.

But I had yet to earn that privilege again, so instead, I tugged the blanket over her and let her get some rest.

Tonight, I’d be taking the couch.

lucy

. . .

As I wokeup this time, I was in a far more comfortable position. I was in an actual bed rather than a hospital chair, and I actually got a proper night’s rest. In the far distance, I could hear the birds chirping, which momentarily distracted me from thoughts of my mom being in the hospital.

Luke’s scent was prominent around me, to the point where it reclaimed my focus from the birds. I missed it and allowed myself another luxurious moment of inhaling his scent before I forced myself to sit up. The other side of the bed was untouched, which suggested that he didn’t spend the night by my side.

I know that was to be expected, but a slight pang of disappointment spread through me regardless. Slowly, I made my way out of the bedroom and into the kitchen, where Luke was already making breakfast.

Shirtless.

I swallowed at the sight. His broad back was turned to me as he scrambled some eggs at the stove, humming an unfamiliar tune. With each movement, his muscular arms tensed. It was a sight for my sore eyes—one that momentarily distracted mefrom the chaos in my mind. When he turned, a smile popped on his lips.

“Good morning, Luce,” he said.

“Morning.” I rubbed my head. “What time is it?”

“Eleven a.m. I didn’t want to wake you up. I figured you needed to rest properly.”

“But my mom?—”

“Landon called. Your mom woke up, and she’s doing okay. Ed is with her. We can go see her once you eat.”

I sat at a small kitchen island where three bar stools lined up, arching my brow. I tried to keep my eyes on him rather than on his bare chest, but the mission was only half-successful. “Bossy, aren’t you?”

“Not bossy. Just taking care of you.” He slid a plate across the marble counter. It had scrambled eggs, some fresh bread, bacon, and strawberries. Opening the fridge, he grabbed a carton of orange juice and poured me some, before he got to serving his plate.

“Thank you,” I said quietly. “For everything. I don’t even know how I would have gotten through last night without you.” Even after a decade of separation, he was the first person I wanted by my side in a moment like that. Luke smiled. He didn’t sit down beside me; instead, he nibbled on his breakfast from across the kitchen island.

“You don’t have anything to thank me for. I only wish I could have helped more.”

“You’ve already done enough,” I pointed out, digging into my scrambled eggs. “Especially with a delicious breakfast like this.” We ate breakfast mostly in silence. By the time I was nearly done with it, Luke started washing up the dishes. His back was turned toward me again, and I could stare at his physique. He only got more handsome over the past decade.

I wondered what it would be like to drag my hands down…

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