Page 55 of No Ordinary Love

As Lucas walked away, I couldn't prevent feeling the tension knotting in my stomach. Being alone with Rena Covington was like being with a lioness—regal, poised, but also dangerous. The claws may be sheathed right now but she could pull them out at any minute.

I settled next to Lucas's grandmother, trying to maintain some semblance of composure even though my nerves were on edge.

I should never have come, I thought warily. Kath, Rena, all my colleagues, people who had seen Lucas pull that picnic stunt the other day and had been asking me non-stop what was going on between us—everyone was here. I couldn't stand the idea of being humiliated again as I had been the last time I'd seen Lucasright after our break up. That had led to interminable gossip that had hurt my heart.

Jax squeezed my hand after he greeted Rena. She wasnotrigid with him—she was just as affectionate as she was with Lucas. Since she had tried to set me up with Jax, maybe she didn't hate me, right?

Rena didn't speak right away; just studied me with her sharp, assessing eyes that seemed to see straight through all my defenses. For a moment, the silence stretched, and I wondered if she was waiting for me to crack first. But then she sighed, a sound so soft and unexpected that it caught me off guard.

"I've watched Lucas struggle," she began, "He's been pulled in every direction by the family, by expectations that were set long before he was even born. It's not an easy path, and it's certainly not one he chose for himself."

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak just yet. There was a hint of vulnerability in her tone, which I hadn't expected, and it made me listen more intently.

"Lucas has always been strong-willed," she continued, her gaze drifting across the table before settling back on me, "But even the strongest can be worn down by the pressure to follow a path that doesn't feel right to them. He's been fighting it more than I think anyone realizes. And he's been fighting his family's expectations, Amara, for you."

I blinked, surprised by the directness of her words. "For me?"

Before she could respond, a server came to ask us if we wanted red or white wine. Rena chose white for both of us and simply said in explanation, "The first course is scallops."

Since I'd read the menu that was placed on the table, I knew, but I simply smiled once my glass was filled.

I raised it in a toast.

"To raising money for the college." I decided not to be provocative.

"To new beginnings," Rena pressed, clinking her glass with mine. She took a sip and made a face. "It's decent. It could've been better, but Kath is managing the budget for this gala, and she's a stingy bitch, which is why we have the cheap stuff."

I was glad I swallowed the wine I had just drunk, or I'd have sprayed it all over Rena's well-made face. I couldn't believe she'd called Kath a stingy bitch!

She went back to what she was saying as if we were not interrupted. "You've been good for my grandson, Amara. You've shown him that there's more to life than duty and tradition."

"But has he been good for me?" I challenged.

"That's a question you must answer for yourself," Rena replied, unfazed, "But don't punish yourself and Lucas for what he's been expected to do all his life. Breaking away from living your life for your family isn't easy. When he first started dating you, I was shocked. When he asked you to move in, I applauded. When he fucked up, I was ready to rip him a new one."

This elegant woman cursing was so out of place that I chuckled.

She smiled at me, and I blinked. That was one hell of a genuine, captivating smile.

"Just remember that Lucas is a product of his circumstances, as are you. He's only thirty years old and has a lot of growing up to do, just like you."

Before I could fully process what I was hearing and respond, the room quieted as the evening's host, the Chancellor of the College of Charleston, stepped up to the podium, announcing how much money had been raised and how grateful she was to LPC and the Covington family; especially Rena.

The air buzzed with congratulatory murmurs, but all I could focus on was Lucas and Kath, standing side by side like a perfectly matched pair.

The Chancellor called Lucas to the stage, offering him the microphone to say a few words about LPC and to thank him and all the attendees for their generosity. I watched in horror as Kath stepped forward with Lucas, slipping her hand into his as they faced the crowd together.

He held her hand until he got in front of the microphone and then let it go, giving her a soft and intimate smile. My heart began to pound so hard that I thought it would leap out of my chest.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Lucas's voice carried through the room with authority and his consummate confidence, "thank you all for being here tonight to support this incredible cause. Your contributions make a real difference in preserving the history and culture of the College of Charleston."

Lucas moved a little, and Kath leaned over to the microphone. "As CFO of LPC, I'm thrilled to be here with Lucas, our CEO. We've been partners at work and in our lives, and I'm so grateful to have him by my side professionallyandpersonally."

The words left me reeling. I struggled to reconcile the Lucas who had made love to me, swearing he wasn't getting back with Kath, with the man now letting her announce their relationship in front of the entire city.

"That little witch," Rena muttered angrily.

I felt sick! The room began to spin around me as the distant and hollow applause echoed in my ears. Kath beamed beside Lucas, leaning in to kiss his cheek, and the sight of it shattered the fragile hope I'd been clinging to.

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