Page 73 of The Heart

I’m suddenly a little jealous at whatever they’re going to get up to in here tonight while I’m all alone across the hall. I study the beds, thinking of just that…

I’m still busy pouting at the thought when Sebastian plants a kiss on my forehead as he squeezes past me and heads down the hall. I turn my glare at Luke, finding him looking guilty and apologetic.

My gaze softens. I don’t like seeing him like this.

“I’m sorry, I should have told you this would happen. I honestly didn’t even think about it,” he says, stepping closer and grabbing my hand.

“I know. It’s alright. I can handle myself, truly.” I look up at him, wanting to reassure him, because I realize this is probably a lot more stressful for him than it is for me. Sure, I want them all to like me, want to make a good impression, but Luke’s the one who is wrestling with how much he’s going to tell them. And by the sounds of it, that won’t be much at all.

When we make our way downstairs to the large dining room for lunch, Mrs. Campbell and two other women are busy bringing dishes out from the kitchen and setting them down the center of the table. The women I haven’t met yet stop and smile when they see me. They both look to be about my age, so I have to assume from what Luke has told me that they’re the oldest of his three younger sisters.

“You must be Leena!” the one that looks to be closest to Luke’s age says, putting her hand out. “I’m Chelsea, it’s nice to finally meet you!”

“Hello,” I say, wondering at the word “finally.”How long ago did Luke tell them about me?

“Move! It’s my turn!” the other one says, struggling around her sister, a hand on her very pregnant belly as she reaches out the other to me. “Hi! I’m Jessica!”

I shake it, smiling. I’m surprised at how excited they seem.

“It’s so nice to meet you both. Can I help?” I offer, gesturing to the table.

“Nope! We’re nearly finished. But we’ll take your help come dinner. You should see the mess Ma has planned for it.” Jessica rolls her eyes.

“She really overdid it this time. But that doesn’t surprise me seeing as it’s the first time Lu’s ever brought a girl home,” Chelsea says.

I turn to look at him with wide eyes.Really?He shrugs.

“What, he didn’t tell you?” Chelsea says. “Way to blindside the girl, bro,” she lectures before heading back into the kitchen.

“Really, Lu?” Jessica chastises as well, then shakes her head before turning back to me. “Please, sit!” She gestures, trying to do the same. Sebastian is there in less than a second, helping Jessica slowly settle her pregnant self down into the seat across from me.

Luke pulls out my chair and I give him a little bit of a side-eye, one that he avoids as I sit. I’m once again confused by this newfound information.

I know for a fact I’m not the first woman Luke has slept with, not even close. I can give it a wild guess as to why he wouldn’t bring home one of the girls he and Sebastianshared,but what about the others? Why hasn’t Luke ever brought anyone here?

Has he never had a real girlfriend and just stuck to the one-night stands? I can’t picture him being the kind of person who has issues with commitment. He’s the most committed, attentive man I’ve ever been with. Probably even more so than Sebastian.So, what am I missing?

I glance over at Luke again, who is making himself busy taking a large gulp of the water sitting in front of him.Huh.

Sebastian comes to sit by me, and I stare at him next, seeing if he’ll give up whatever the fuck that was. He shakes his head, the motion subtle, and I figure he’s right.

We can talk about this later.

In fact, we maybe should have gone over this long before now. But talking about my men’s past relationships was never particularly high on my priority list of conversations.

A younger woman walks into the room, earphones in and her eyes glued to her phone. Which can only mean that this is Addison, Luke’s brooding teenage sister.Hisdescription, not mine.

“Addie, are you going to say hi?” Jessica lectures.

“Oh. Hey,” the girl says quickly, her eyes meeting mine for half a second before going back to her device. Jessica looks frustrated, but I just smile, remembering the days before I left home when I acted exactly the same.

“Sorry,” Jessica apologizes for her.

“No need.” I smile with a chuckle just as Chelsea comes back into the room dragging a man by the arm to come meet me.

“Leena, this is my husband, Mark,” Chelsea tells me, then turns to go after her children, who just ran screaming through this room and into the next.

Mark offers out a hand to me.

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