Maybe his mother had seen something Grace couldn’t. Or maybe mothers just believed what they wanted to believe about their sons.
Luke Bennett did not do loving. Luke Bennett did not wake up one morning and decide to risk his career and his reputation and the town’s opinions because he suddenly realized she wasn’t the trash he had always considered her.
Luke Bennett fucked. Exceptionally well. With focus and attention and a devastating understanding of her body.
And when she had foolishly thought there could be more, he had been clear.
She squeezed her eyes shut.
She had asked. Plainly. Bravely. Embarrassingly.
He’d rejected her.
He didn’t want to date her. Didn’t want to be seen with her. Didn’t want her on Main Street, at the fall festival with his hand in hers.
He wanted her in private. At his convenience.
That hadn’t changed just because he’d kissed her one time on her porch.
Even if it had felt different.
Even if he had held her like she was something fragile instead of something secret.
Grace exhaled slowly and stared at the wall.
Maybe Luke sent mixed messages.
Or maybe she was just very, very good at finding hope where there was none.
She rolled onto her back again, tugged the blanket higher, and stared at the ceiling until her eyes burned.
He could be protective. He could be kind. He could show up when things were scary.
None of that meant he was willing to choose her.
She had her pride.
She had her boundaries.
And she was done reading too much into this.
CHAPTER 36
Luke
Luke didn’t startthe cruiser right away.
He sat there in the dark, hands resting on the steering wheel, porch light glowing faintly.
The night pressed in around him, quiet and clear. Jake’s comment drifted back to him, uninvited.
It’s not easy. It’s simple.
Luke hadn’t grasped what he’d meant. Not really. He’d thought about logistics and expectations and career paths and family reputation. About how life was infinitely complicated.
But sitting here now, watching the faint outline of Grace’s porch, he understood.
It wasn’t complicated.
