Grace loved this weekend—the way the town came together. But this year, she would watch from the sidelines as Luke Bennett was celebrated by everyone. The golden son of Crystal Lake.
CHAPTER 38
Luke
Luke stoodin front of the bathroom mirror in his dress uniform, doing up the buttons of his shirt.
Same mirror. Same routine. Same careful choreography he'd performed a thousand times before duty, before court, before town events where everyone expected Officer Bennett to look exactly like this.
Precise. Polished. Predictable.
The tie slid into place.
Today was going to be different.
Grace Hart, would you do me the honor of accepting my dinner invitation?
He winced. Too stiff. Sounded like he was about to serve her paperwork.
Grace, would you maybe want to go out sometime?
Absolutely not. He didn't sound like he even wanted her to say yes.
I'm in love with you, Grace.
Sure, if he wanted to scare her off.
He was going to have to save that revelation for the second or third date. Like a normal person.
Luke stared at his reflection.
Crisp uniform. Polished badge. Officer Bennett.
The town's golden boy. His parents' pride. The careful son who never embarrassed the family, never stepped out of line.
He was about to detonate all of it.
The thought sent a sharp, electric thrill through his chest.
On the counter beside him lay the sash.FESTIVAL MARSHALstitched across gold fabric.
Grace had asked him to the festival, curled against him in bed. Soft. Vulnerable. Brave.
And he'd said no.
Had told her people would talk. Acted like being seen with her would be something shameful.
Luke's grip tightened on the sash.
She'd been brave enough to ask.
And he'd humiliated her for it.
Luke slipped the sash over his shoulder, the fabric settling diagonally across his chest. Bright. Impossible to miss.
The festival marshal. Center stage. Every eye in Crystal Lake watching.
Grace had wanted to walk through the festival with him. Just walk. Hold hands maybe. Be together where people could see.
