Page 69 of Drunk on Love

Pete broke in.

“The doctor said that she shouldn’t drive for three weeks minimum, maybe six weeks. Or more. It’s more than just abroken wrist, she has a few sprained ribs, too.” Pete glared at Luke’s mom. “And she said you had to rest.”

“I know,” his mom said, “but I have the inn, and while Beth is lovely, and I like her so much, she’s still new. I have to be on hand to do all of the hard stuff. I’m just not confident enough in her, that’s all.”

Pete shook his head.

“Well, you need to get confident. I don’t want you to run yourself down, Lauren.” He turned to Luke. “Your mother wants me to drop her off at the inn every day. Maybe she’ll listen to you.”

Unlikely.

“Mom, if the doctor said that you should rest...”

His mom sighed.

“I know, I know. If only I had Samantha still, but she moved to Los Angeles. She was so detail oriented.”

Pete frowned at her.

“What if you call Samantha? See if she could come back up here, fill in for you for the next month or so?”

His mom brightened up.

“Oh, that’s an idea. And I bet she could live with her sister.”

And then it hit him. The solution to both of their problems.

“I have a better idea,” Luke said. “Mom, what if I took over for you at the inn for the next month? I already know how stuff works there—well, most stuff—and you trust me to take care of things. Would that keep you at home, make you rest?”

Her whole face relaxed, and then she shook her head.

“Of course that would be wonderful, but you can’t do that. You’re working for Noble—I’m sure they need you, too.”

He tried to keep his face neutral.

“I’m sure the Nobles will understand. I’ll talk to them. What do you think?”

He could see the relief in her face.

“If you’re sure, then... yes, that would be perfect. You’ll check in, let me know how everything is going, right?”

He nodded at his mom as Pete clapped him on the back.

“Thanks, Luke.” He lowered his voice. “She never would have agreed to take the time off otherwise.”

“I heard that,” his mother said. “But Luke, promise you’ll tell me if the Nobles need you?”

He nodded.

“Yeah, I’ll tell you.”

Thirty minutes later, he walked into Margot’s office. How would she feel about what he was going to tell her? Had he just made a bet that he was going to lose?

Margot and Elliot were standing in there, laughing together. If he hadn’t desperately wanted to see Margot alone, he’d be glad to see that, after everything Margot had told him last weekend.

“Oh good, I’m glad I found you both here together,” he said. What else could he say?

Margot turned and smiled at him, and then her smile dimmed, maybe because Elliot was there next to her, maybe because of the way Luke was looking at them; he didn’t know.

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