“Here we go,” I muttered into my rocky road.
“Lukas!” Sam was exuberant. I simply gave him a tight smile. “Ben, Emily, this is Lukas Farren. Lukas, Ben is one of my best friends; he is the head librarian at Brookridge Library. Emily is his wife; she’s a nurse.” He cocked his head. “I don’t really know what you do, Lukas?”
I snorted. “Because I’ve never told you.”
He shrugged. “Mind if we join you?”
I wanted to say no, but I’d promised Vincent. “Very well.”
“Want some ice cream, hon?” Ben asked his wife.
“Yes, so much. I’m craving salted caramel ribbon with cherry sauce, and peanut butter chips. Oh, whipped cream, too.”
Ben kissed her cheek. “Your wish is my command. Sam?”
“Nah, I’m good.” And then he plopped next to me while Emily sat across. She’d said craving, and had chosen an interesting combination. I concentrated on her and…there it was, a second heartbeat.
“So, Lukas, since Sam can’t tell us, what exactly is it you do?” Emily was cute. Her hair was wheat blond, her eyes a light green, and she had a button nose. Adorable, one might say.
Ben joined us with his and Emily’s ice cream, and they were all gawking at me. I hated every moment of this.
“I suppose you can say I have my fingers in many pies.”
“You’re a baker?” I turned to Sam, and he had a mischievous glint in his eye.
“No.”
“You mean like you invest, do real estate, a lot of titles?” Ben helped me out.
“Precisely.”
“Interesting.” Emily pursed her lips. “Did you move to Brookridge to invest or build?”
I shook my head. “I came for the peace.” I side-eyed Sam. “That, unfortunately, hasn’t come yet.”
They all chuckled as if I were kidding. This was going to be a long afternoon.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Sam
Who’d have thoughtthat after a terrific lunch with Ben and Emily I’d bump into Lukas? This was the best day ever. He’d finished his ice cream about fifteen minutes ago but hadn’t asked me to push out so he could leave. Was he finally thawing?
“Do you have any family?” Ben was acting casual, but I knew him. Lukas was a mystery we were all desperate to unravel.
“Not really.” He looked at each of us and sighed. “I have a friend who is like a brother to me, but he lives in Spain currently.”
Oh wow, what a tidbit. “Is that where you moved from?” I rested my chin on my hand.
“No.” He didn’t elaborate.
“Why didn’t you opt to live near him?” Emily had a way about her that made it sound like she wasn’t digging but was genuinely trying to get to know you.
“Like I said, I wanted peace. Where Vincent lives is noisy and chaotic.”
I hummed. “Yeah, as much as I want to travel, I don’t think I could live with a lot of noise.”
Emily and Ben finished their ice cream, and I felt like our time was running out. I didn’t want to leave Lukas, not when he was finally opening up. As if Ben could sense my worry, he spoke.
