Page 10 of Summoning my Grumpy Demon Boss

I hastily throw a few things in a bag. By twelve thirty, I’m on the road headed for Kraken Cove. Once I get onto the highway, I put on the cruise control and slip off my black pumps, kneading the arches of my feet with my toes. I should have changed before I left, but I was too keen to get out of Sydney. With a touch to the car’s dash screen, I select my upbeat workout playlist. A smile tugs on my lips when the first bars of Beyonce’s “Love On Top” play and instantly lifts my mood.

Soon, I’m singing along, dancing around in my seat as I turn off onto the M1. I pick up drive-through McDonald’s onthe way, because fuck it. There’s no one to judge me or tell me I’ll want to look my best on my wedding day.

By the time I arrive in town and turn into the little cul-de-sac where the coast house is, there’s a chill in the air. As I step out of the car, I shiver. My heels clack on the concrete driveway, making me feel out of place in this sleepy little town. I definitely look like a fish out of water in my tailored skirt and blouse.

Hurrying inside, I rummage around in the bag I packed, looking for a change of clothes. Unfortunately, I forgot my warm jumper. And I definitely don’t have my track pants. Damn.

I throw on my pajamas and slippers and turn on the heater. I’m waiting for the kettle to boil to make a cup of tea, when I spot a big grey hoodie on the kitchen floor. It looks so cosy I immediately pick it up and press it to my face, inhaling the warm, masculine scent. I close my eyes for a moment and smile. It smells good. Must be one of Oliver’s.

It smells amazing, actually. I wonder if he’s changed his deodorant or aftershave since last time we were here. Slipping the hoodie over my head, I sigh. This is what I needed. This is my happy place.

I jump at a knock on the door. Then I remember it will be Luke, the builder Oliver hired to do the renovation. I can’t believe I never thought of it until now, but what if this Luke—builder Luke—is the same Luke...

It’s completely ridiculous to even think it might be my Luke. The tall, gorgeous local surfer guy I crushed on so hard. Luke, my summer secret all those years ago at eighteen. That night when he kissed me and touched me like I was somethingspecial. Only, I never asked his last name. I never got his number. And the next day, we left Kraken Cove.

Of course he’s not my Luke, is he? He can’t bemyLuke, because next year I’m getting married and, up until recently, I thought I was marrying my dream guy. On paper, Oliver is my perfect match. He grew up in the same suburb of Sydney. He was my high school boyfriend. My parents love him. God, he and Mum have been talking baby names for months!

The doorbell rings again, breaking me out of my irrational train of thoughts.

Hurrying over, I open it to find myself staring into hazel-flecked green eyes that send me right back to that summer ten years ago. Up at the handsome face of the guy I remember. Though he’s a little more rugged and with a little more facial hair.

But no question: he is my Luke.

The Luke I thought I’d never see again.

The guy who was my first.

I open my mouth and try to make words come out, but they won’t. My cheeks heat and I press cold fingertips to them to stop the blush. There’s no way he remembers me. I was just some summer fling to him.

“Ms Sinclair? Hi. Thanks for coming. Ah, I mean thanks for coming all the way from Sydney.” He looks a little taken aback and I wonder if he recognized me. Then his eyes drop to my chest and I second guess myself. The guy I remember wouldn’t be checking me out so blatantly.

His face colours and his eyes snap back to mine. “Is that my jumper?”

TWO

Luke

“Hey, loser, are you even listening to me?” My younger brother, Noah, elbows me roughly and I blink. He’s right.I wasn’t really listening. I was too busy remembering the sight of Mia Sinclair all grown up standing in the doorway and looking up at me like she had just been waiting for me to get home. Standing there wearing my jumper over the tiny shorts I didn’t even see until my second look—OK, my fifth.

God, her bare legs were practically inviting my hands to slide the hem of the jumper up and reclaim all those hidden treasures. The things I wanted to do to her right then made me speechless for a good minute while I drank in the sight of her.

Things Ididdo to her all those years ago! Another lifetime.

I can’t believe she ever gave me the chance.

I’d been watching her for weeks. I’d seen her around town with her parents. She had a great body—God, she still does from what I saw of it—but the thing that really hooked me was her smile. I only saw it a few times, and it was hidden just as quickly. Her brown hair tucked behind an ear and her eyes instantly flicking to the ground like she was afraid of her own beauty. I couldn’t take mine off her.

Well, that hasn’t changed either.

Now, hours after seeing her again, I can’t help wondering if she’s all tucked up in bed in that big old place all by herself, or if her dickhead fiance came to stay with her. God, dealing with Oliver over the phone is enough to make me want to punch the guy in the face. What’s a guy like that doing with my girl?

“Luke!”

“Huh?”

Noah rolls his eyes. “I said do you think you can do it this month?”

I frown. We were talking about some renovations he wants done on The Snapper. It’s the restaurant attached to my parents’ motel, but it’s been closed the last few years. Noah has a plan to reopen it. Since I wasn’t paying attention, I missed the details of what he asked me to do.

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