Page 34 of Falling Hard
Alex's eyes opened wide, but for once, I couldn't read her telepathically.
"Get yourself a drink and mingle. Don't forget you owe each of us spinsters a dance," Demetria joked.
Luke nodded with that familiar half smile, then his lips brushed my cheek, leaving a warmth I couldn't shake, and worse, making me wish he wasn't walking away from our group.
"Olivia. Did you hear him?" Alex asked.
"Yes. He’s getting a drink."
She slapped my shoulder as if I had missed something. "What?"
"Solenne can't drink. Maybe she’s pregnant."
A thought came to me, but Mei said it first. "Maybe Luke doesn't love her as he claims. Instead, he’s doing the honorable thing."
Now, this theory I liked very much. Anything was better than Luke loving someone else.
"She isn't pregnant," Demetria, the killjoy, said. Maybe it had something to do with her being six years older. Demetria always had a level head. She'd never let us get carried away, not ever.
"You don't know for sure," Alex said. "If she’s pregnant, he doesn't have to marry her. People don't do that anymore. They can share custody."
Demetria sighed and gave an exhausted look. However, from the look on Mei’s face, she wasn't certain.
Tired of guessing, I left the group to find Luke. This was one question that wouldn't be difficult to ask.
I found him leaning against a bar in the back. His head was lowered on his phone, fingers moving quickly as he typed, completely absorbed in whatever held his attention.
"I've figured it out," I announced when I was by his side.
Luke slipped the phone into his pocket and smiled. "Huh? What mystery did you solve since I left you on the other side of the room?"
Pitying him, I took his arm. "Why didn't you just tell me?"
"Tell you what, Liv?" Luke asked with one brow raised.
It was time for answers. "That Samleni was pregnant." I spoke quickly and now waited, heart pounding. It felt like forever, but in truth, only a few seconds had passed.
"Solenne isn't pregnant. She's just on antibiotics."
Confusingly, relief shot through me. If Luke ever had a child, it should be mine. Which was interesting since I never wanted to have any.
"She isn't?"
"No. I'd be the one to know. Solenne isn't pregnant."
I looked back over at the girls and shook my head. Alex covered her mouth while Demetria just gave an all-knowing shake of her head.
"Oh, sorry," I said, ready to rush back to the safe part of the room.
Luke wouldn't let me flee; he reached out and held me in place. "Why did you think she was pregnant?"
"Well, it would explain you marrying her so suddenly. I figured you’re doing the honorable thing."
Briefly, we just faced each other, seemingly unsure of what to say.
Luke spoke first. "You can't just accept that I love her, can you?"
No! I can't. You loving anyone but me makes absolutely no sense.I chose not to say that. Instead, I said, "Guess I have no choice but to believe now."
