“Well…” I begin, feeling the need to let Luke off the hook. “Do I need Luke to do that?”
“Uh, yeah,” Michael says. “He knows all our family and friends, so he should know who to sit by whom. Plus,” he adds with a chuckle, “he loves puzzles. You should take advantage of that.”
“Shut up.” Luke shoves his brother, his cheeks tinged with pink.
“I can email you the guest list,” Alex says. “I’d love to get this sorted so we can make the place cards and things. Michael and I could probably look at it soon, but he’s working on his pitch for the next few days, and we—”
“No problem,” I interrupt, seeing the stress line Alex’s face. I glance pointedly at Luke. “We can do that. Right?”
He blows out a breath and nods. “Yep. We can go to my place.”
“Great!” Alex beams. “Thank you, guys. That will help a lot.”
The way her shoulders relax with relief reminds me what really matters here. I pat her arm, smiling. “Of course. We’re happy to help.”
Our meals arrive, along with another round of drinks, and we eat in silence for a while. It’s good to have something else to focus on and, finally, the tension inside me starts to ebb away. Maybe, just maybe, I will be able to do this.
After dinner, Alex goes to the bathroom and Michael insists on going to pay, and I have a second alone with Luke again.
He leans in to speak to me. “I’m sorry that this is so awkward. If I’d known who you were when we met…”
“What, you wouldn’t have had sex with me?” Whoops, probably shouldn’t have said that. But he’s close enough that I can smell his cologne and it’s doing something to my brain.
Amusement dances across his features, then he looks serious. “No, not… Well, it would have been very hard to say no.” The intensity in his eyes makes my blood heat, and desire surges through me.
I open my mouth to say something, but I don’t know what. If only—
“You ready?” Alex appears at my side, grabbing her bag off the table.
I nod and tear my eyes away from Luke, trying to steady my breathing as we file out the door onto the pavement.
Remembering my manners, I turn to Michael. “Thank you for dinner.”
He smiles warmly as he slips an arm around Alex. “No problem. You flew all the way over here for our wedding, it’s the least we can do.”
“Oh, that reminds me,” Alex says, angling herself to face Luke. “Is Dena coming to the wedding? You never RSVP’d for her.”
Luke stiffens. “Um… yeah.”
I glance at him, puzzled. “Who’s Dena?”
He keeps his gaze fastened on the sidewalk and an uneasy feeling settles over me.
“Oh,” Alex says breezily, “she’s Luke’s wife.”
10
Ifeel like I’ve been punched in the gut. All the oxygen around me has vanished and I stand there, blinking in shock.
His wife? He’smarried?
Alex is chatting about the wedding but I can’t hear a word. I stare at Luke, waiting for him to say something. After what seems like an eternity, he drags his gaze back to mine. I silently beg him to tell me it’s not true, but his face tells me it is.
Fuck. I feel sick.
“We could try that place a few blocks over for dessert?” Alex’s voice cuts into my thoughts.
Michael kisses her on the head. “That’s a great idea.”
