Page 128 of Unexpected

“Did Becky say why she needs you to watch her again? What was the last reason?”

Hazel sipped her wine, and I watched her slim throat bob as she swallowed. “She said she was doing last-minute Thanksgiving preparations. She didn’t give me a reason for this weekend, but I’ll ask her when she drops Emmy off. I don’t want to be too pushy, but something’s going on. Has she been acting strange from what you can tell, or what about Chris?”

I shook my head as Ronnie set two large plates with colorful food in front of us.

“Have you had a chance to review the dinner menu, or would you like a few more minutes?”

“We haven’t even looked yet. A few more minutes would be great,” I said.

“Of course,” he said with a bow of his head.

I placed a small appetizer plate in front of each of us and scooted both the larger plates toward Hazel, motioning for her to go first.

“Since staying with you, I haven’t been home much lately. I’ll ask Josh, though, and see if he’s noticed any changes.”

Hazel scooped a bruschetta onto her plate but worried her lower lip between her teeth. I knew it was bothering her that she couldn’t do more to help Becky, but we’d both agreed that helping when she asked for it was the best method to get her to open up.

“We’re doing what we can,” I said, pulling her lower lip free of her teeth with my thumb. “Try not to worry too much.”

She sighed and fell back into the booth. “I know, it’s just that…” She shook her head, another small piece of hair freeing itself from her bun. “I don’t want any woman to find themselves in the position I was in and not have anyone to turn to. They should all have a Luke, even if the person is grumpy and pushy sometimes. If I can be Becky’s Luke, then I want to be. I want to advocate for her safety and her needs like you did for me.”

I love you.

The words were on the tip of my tongue as her sentiment washed over me. My heart constricted in my chest, and the rest of the restaurant noise filtered away.

I wanted to tell her about all the emotion building in my chest and how I’d never felt it before, but expressing it was going to be difficult. But I knew she’d understand.

But I promised myself I wouldn’t push her and that meant not blurting out those three little words just because I felt like it. I wanted her to feel secure and want it just as much. Each step, she had been hesitant about giving more of herself, but we made it that far and I didn’t want to ruin it.

So, instead of saying anything, I kissed her. I put the words into the kiss and the way our lips moved against one another’s had to be enough in the moment.

“You’re too good at that,” she murmured against my mouth before pulling away and scooping up the bruschetta.

I also loaded my plate with the appetizers and dove in as my stomach yelled at me. “It’s not my fault. You’ve turned me into this monster.”

She laughed around the food in her mouth. “Okay, well, let’s change the subject then so we don’t get in trouble for doing anything in public that we shouldn’t be doing. How was your day?”

I paused with my third bite of strudel hovering near my mouth. Hazel caught the change and dropped her fork. “What happened?”

“This is the last thing I wanted to talk about tonight. I don’t want our first date to be all about the bullshit going on in our lives. This,” I said, waving my hands at the beautiful place around us. “Should be an escape from that.”

“Although that sounds amazing, I think that’s wishful thinking, Luke.” She laced her small fingers through my own and squeezed. “Our lives don’t just stop because we’re in a pretty restaurant withreallygood food. And besides, this date is already perfect because it’s us.”

Reluctantly, I agreed and raised her hand to my lips to kiss her knuckles. It would all be over one day.

“So, what happened? Another letter from Valerie?”

“Yeah, same as the past two times. It was typed on the computer, printed, and stuck in the clinic’s mailbox. I already texted Detective Bell and he picked it up before I left this evening.”

“What did this one say?”

Iscrubbed a hand over my face and downed the rest of my very expensive whiskey. I savored the burn as I remembered the contents of the letter. I hadn’t recounted every detail of each letter to Hazel; I had only told her the very basic plot points. “It was about a fight I got into at Murphy’s a few years ago. Then it said that my happiness was the most important thing to her and that’s it. I just don’t know what she’s playing at anymore.”

“Oh, crap, here comes Ronnie. I have no clue what I want,” Hazel mumbled as our waiter approached.

We both quickly ordered our meals and another round of drinks as well.

“It’s all mind games. She’s trying to keep your mind on her and thinking about what her next move might be. She wants you on your toes and cautious. At least that’s what I think.”

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