I shrugged. “Doing my best all things considering,” I told her.
She frowned and nodded. Jules had lost her grandmother to cancer, so I knew that being around my mom brought back memories. Bad ones. She’d offered to come over, but it seemed weird to saddle my young friends with this heavy task.
“I want to come see your mom. It’s been weeks,” she said.
More like months, but I nodded. Our friendship was in a funk. Nothing that couldn’t be fixed, but I didn’t think either of us had the time right now.
“Maybe you can stop by after she gets home her from surgery,” I told Jules.
She nodded. “I’d like that.”
My heart softened for my friend, and I wondered if I’d been pushing her away unintentionally.
“She’s here tonight. You can say hi after,” I added.
Jules’s mouth popped into a ring of surprise. I furrowed my brow, confused at her expression, when a familiar voice washed over me.
“Hannah?” Luke’s deep, husky baritone called over my shoulder, and my eyes went wide.
I would have known that voice anywhere, no matter how many years had passed.
Jules gave me an apologetic look, and then I spun to come face-to-face with my high school sweetheart.
“Luke!” I exclaimed, unable to hide the shock from my voice. “You’re in town.”
He nodded and then peered at Jules and the rest of the worship team. “Hey everyone.”
Jules, Mikey, Zachary, and Nadine all shouted their greetings. We had all grown up together, so everyone knew Luke Halston. And everyone knew our history.
“We will meet you on stage for prayer right before. You got five minutes,” Jules said to me.
And then, before I could think up an excuse not to be alone with the man who’d ripped out my heart, they left, keeping the door propped open.
I should have been warming up my voice, not dealing with this.
“I saw the flyers in town. Couldn’t resist a Willow Harbor worship night,” Luke said, but his eyes were roaming over me like there was something else he couldn’t resist.
Images flashed into my mind. Unbidden, seventeen-year-old Luke and me holding hands as we sang our hearts out to the worship songs we’d grown up with. We’d broken up five years ago, and sometimes it still felt like yesterday. The sting of his words floated back to me now.
“You don’t have any ambition. I want to be with someone who has a plan for the future.”At eighteen, he was going off to veterinary school in Texas and I was…planless. Waitressing, singing at church. Did everyone need a five-year plan at seventeen or eighteen years old? They did if they wanted to be with Luke Halston. I had dreams, like maybe opening a shop downtown or taking some classes at the community college, but no big step-by-step plan.
“Well, you’re here.” I shrugged.
Two years ago, he’d sent an apology email. It was long and sweet, but I was still hurt. I’d forgiven, but not forgotten.
He nodded. “And my mom told me some wealthy benefactor bought Vinnie’s and gave it to you? I didn’t believe it until I drove past the sign with your name on it an hour ago.” He grinned. “That’s incredible, Hannah.”
Wealthy benefactor. Yeah, I guessed that’s what Jack was.
“Yeah, it’s been a crazy year. Hey, I should start warming up.” I looked at the propped-open door. Seeing Luke was more painful than I’d thought it would be after all this time.
He’d come back for holidays over the years, and I’d expertly avoided him. His sandy-blond hair still swooped in front of his bright blue eyes, and for a crazy moment, I wanted to brush it back with my fingers like I used to. I needed to get out of here. Luke Halston was my kryptonite.
“Hannah, I…” Luke took a steadying breath and then stepped closer to me. “I want to be frank with you about something so that neither of us are guessing at anything.”
My stomach bottomed out. “Okay?”
“I’m moving back to town. I’m opening a vet clinic, and I intend to win you back,” he declared.
