He stood near the curb outside the municipal building with Mercer, both of them in uniform, talking with Mr. Wilson.
Grace’s heart did the stupid thing it always did when she saw him.
It jumped.
As if her body hadn’t learned yet that this Luke was off limits.
She should keep walking. She should pretend she didn’t see him.
Instead she found herself crossing the street. Like she couldn’t help it. Like she was pulled toward him by something soft and traitorous in her chest.
For a split second, his eyes met hers—dark, steady, too aware.
And for an even smaller slice of time, something flickered there. Recognition. Heat. A memory.
Then it vanished. His face smoothed into something polite. Professional.
Oh. This had been a mistake. She should have kept walking, chin up, eyes forward.
"Grace!" Mr. Wilson said, warm and friendly. "How are you?"
Grace forced a smile. “Hi, Mr. Wilson.”
Officer Mercer smirked at her. “Well, if it isn’t the lovely Miss Hart.”
“Hi,” she said again. She didn’t know what to do with her hands, with her pulse, with the way Luke was right there, ignoring her.
His mouth was curved into a frown.
"Miss Hart," he said at last. Polite. Professional. The same tone he'd use with any citizen on Main Street.
Except that wasn’t true, was it? Mr. Wilson had gotten the laugh. The warmth. The ease.
It was just Grace who got nothing.
She cleared her throat, clutching the strap of her tote. “Um… busy day?”
Luke’s expression didn't change. Didn't soften. Didn't give any hint that last night she'd been wrapped around him, her thighs around his neck, his face between her legs.
“Same as always,” he said.
She stood there a beat longer than she should have, waiting for something—anything—that wasn’t polite distance. A shared look that saidthis is hard for me too.
Just smile at me, she thought, desperately.Acknowledge me. Please.
Mr. Wilson was looking at her with something like pity now.
Grace shifted her weight. "Well, I should let you get back to?—"
“Tom,” Luke said, turning back to Mr. Wilson, "did you ever get that gutter fixed?”
And just like that, she was dismissed.
“Right. Of course. I’ll just—” She gestured vaguely, helpless.
Luke’s gaze flicked back to her. Brief. Blank. Impersonal.
Her cheeks burned.
