Page 31 of No Ordinary Love

"Yeah. I'm going to go drink the minibar," I said slyly, "And live to regret it tomorrow."

Chapter 12

Lucas

Ilay in bed, staring up at the ceiling.

It had been a long day—a blur of meetings, a tense conversation with Hugh and Kath that left a sour taste in my mouth, and the constant, suffocating weight of expectations I was beginning to despise.

I'd been angry with Kath for trying to manipulate me, but now I was left with a cold, undeniable truth. I didn't want this life, this path that everyone else seemed so desperate for me to follow. I wanted something different, something that felt real, something that felt like…Amara.

I was just about to turn off the bedside lamp when my phone buzzed on the nightstand. I grabbed it, not expecting much—maybe an email or a late-night notification—but when I saw Amara's name on the screen, my heart skipped a beat.

It was a text, and as I opened it, a small, crooked smile tugged at my lips.

Amara:You must be thrilled, Mr. Perfect. Your perfect life, the perfect girlfriend. Bet you're already planning your perfect wedding. Enjoy your perfect damn life.

She was drunk; that much was clear. There was no way Amara would send a message like this sober. The text was snarky and biting, but underneath it, I could sense the hurt. And I hated that I was the reason for it.

Without thinking twice, I hit the call button, hoping she'd pick up. The line rang a few times, and I was starting to think she might not answer when her slightly slurred voice came through the line.

"Lucas?" She sounded surprised like she hadn't expected me to call.

"Amara." I leaned back against the pillows. The sound of her voice made my heart hurt in a way that I couldn't explain. "You're up late."

She went to bed at a decent hour; my girl prioritized sleep.

Amara let out a soft laugh and I knew for sure she was drunk. "Could say the same for you. Isshewith you?"

"No."

"So, are you up thinking about yourperfectlife with Kath?" She slurred the word perfect.

There was that bite again, but it didn't bother me. I deserved any of the snark Amara threw my way. "I'm not thinking about Kath." I ran a hand through my hair. "I was thinking about you."

There was a pause on the other end, and I could almost hear her brain trying to process my words through the haze of alcohol. "About me? Why?"

"Because," I exhaled slowly, "I miss you. I miss talking to you. I miss everything we had, and I'm starting to realize that I've been fucking up left and right since you walked out of my life."

She let out a snort that was somehow both adorable and heartbreaking. "I didn't walk out—you forced my hand. And don't give me this bullshit about missing me."

I chuckled, even though the sound was tinged with regret. "Tesoro, I'm telling you the truth."

Another pause, longer this time. I could hear her ragged breathing on the other end. "You really miss me?" she asked, her voice losing some of that snarky edge.

"Yeah," I admitted, the words coming more easily now that I'd started to spill my guts. "I miss you more than I thought was possible. And I've been trying to figure out why I've been such an idiot about…well, everything."

"And have you figured it out?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes."

"Tell me."

"I don't think you want to know." I didn't want to hurt her any more than I already had.

"I do. I do want to know. I deserve to know." I could hear the tears in her voice, the agony.

"Kath…fuck, Amara, she reminds me of my childhood and teenage years, and we were together for seven years. When she left me…it hurt a lot. I imagined all kinds of scenarios of how it would be if she wanted me back."

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