Shit. It’s definitely weird that we’ve been sleeping together. And it’s even worse that now it’s gonewaypast the point of just sex.
“You must be looking forward to getting back home after all this,” Alex says.
Against my better judgment I let my gaze slide to Luke, but his eyes are riveted to his glass. I give Alex a mute nod, trying to ignore the way my heart feels strangled. I guess I thought Luke might be, I don’t know, at least alittlebummed about me leaving. But after seeing him with Dena, everything feels off. Her presence has totally thrown me. Before, it was like Luke and I were inside some kind of invisible forcefield, safe from the chaos of the outside world. We had this shield around us, protecting us from all the shit that could be thrown our way. But Dena has broken the spell and now shit’s flying everywhere and I have to be extra vigilant in case something suddenly spears me through the heart.
“We saw Paula the other day,” Mum says, glancing at me. “She mentioned something about selling the cafe.”
I twist in my chair to face her. “What?”
“She said something else too. What was it, Clark?” Mum leans towards Dad, tugging on his sleeve.
“What?”
“What did Paula say? She was selling the cafe, but she said something else.”
“Audrey,” Dad says, his eyes bouncing between Mum and me, “she asked us not to say anything until she’d had a chance to talk to Harriet.”
Mum’s cheeks flush and she turns back to me. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I didn’t think.”
Okay. Well. This is unexpected.
Anxiety pools in my empty stomach as I process Mum’s words. If Paula is selling the cafe, am I out of a job? My pulse climbs as I stare down at my plate, trying not to panic. Maybe the new owners will keep us on. They could keep running the place as it is, with us there—that’s also possible, right? But for some reason, that idea doesn’t reassure me any more.
I glance at Mum again, twirling her glass, eyes dancing as she listens to the others talk. Her cheeks are pink from champagne and I make myself take a deep, soothing breath. She probably misunderstood Paula. Anyway, Paula loves the cafe. She wouldn’t sell it. Although she did mention something about wanting to travel when I told her I was going to New York, didn’t she? But—no, she was excited for me, that’s all. I can’t let myself worry about this now.
I catch Luke watching me from across the table and send him a brittle smile as our meals are served.
“Didn’t you mention something the other day about an idea you had for your own cafe?” Alex asks me, her fork in the air. “When we were at the salon. I’m sure you did.”
My eyes stray to Luke’s again and he nods, his expression encouraging.
“Er, well… I have had some ideas,” I admit, taking a bite of my steak.
“Really?” Mum chimes in. “You want to run your own cafe?” There’s a hint of disbelief in her words and my shoulders slump. Even my own mother thinks it’s unrealistic. But I shouldn’t be surprised; she didn’t believe Alex could become an author, either.
“I think it’s a great idea,” Luke says. He gazes at me warmly and, for a moment, I feel the forcefield there again. “I’ve been trying to convince her to do it, helping her come up with ways to make it work.”
Oh, shit. I suddenly remember what I told Alex at the salon—that my mystery man has been encouraging me with this—and glance at her in alarm. But she’s oblivious, gazing at Michael across the table.
“Well, you know a thing or two about working for yourself,” Michael says. His voice is tinged with brotherly pride, and Luke grins.
“Speaking of work, how’sthatgoing?” William asks, joining the conversation with sudden interest. He has one eyebrow cocked, his question underlined with what almost sounds like sarcasm.
My irritation ratchets up a few notches. What is wrong with this guy?
But Luke ignores his tone, smiling. “It’s good, actually. I’ve had the past couple of weeks off, but before that I had a meeting in Houston with a company we’re looking to partner with, to expand into virtual reality. I’m just waiting to hear back from them.” His whole face is animated now. “It’s a big shift, but if we can incorporate VR into the game, we can—”
“Ugh, isn’t Houston airport the worst?” Dena says, cutting Luke off mid-sentence.
He sighs and stuffs a piece of steak in his mouth. I make a mental note to ask him more about virtual reality and this opportunity with the Houston company, if I get the chance. He seems really excited about that.
Dena continues, oblivious. “I was there for work last year and had theworstlayover.” She shakes her head to emphasize what an absolutetragedyshe endured at Houston airport.
“Didn’t you fly into Houston, Harriet?” Michael asks.
I nod, crunching on a green bean.
“That would have been around when Luke was there,” he adds thoughtfully.
