Chapter Thirty-Four
Fallon
The car ride to Maya's cabin is quiet, but peaceful. Luke has my hand in his at every opportunity he gets. He has even started to drive with our fingers intertwined on the gear stick. I think my quietness is because I’m still in shock from what I walked into earlier. I knew Luke was expecting me; he had only texted me thirty minutes before. But his poor face looked distraught when I first walked into his office. It was clear to anyone that it wasn’t his doing. But thinking back on it now, well, it was bloody hilarious.
“What's so funny?” Luke asks, his brow raised.
“I can't stop thinking about what's just happened. I wish we recorded it,” I giggle. “Your face was a picture.”
Biting his lip, he shakes his head a little whilst looking back out at the road.
“This feels so strange, you know,” Luke says as we continue to drive down the winding road. “Seeing Maya and Tommy outside of the hospital.”
“I never thought of that,” I smile. “I’m excited for you to see us all in our natural habitat.”
“Yeah, me too.”
He's quiet again until we pull up on her front, but before he turns off the engine, he turns to me.
“Thank you for before,” he says, lifting our fingers to his lips and kissing the back of my hand. “For trusting me.”
With a small smile, I look into his eyes.
“I do trust you, Luke. More than I've ever trusted anyone.”
He leans his face close to mine, closing his eyes just as our lips touch, when a big bang comes from the hood of his car.
“Come on, love birds, get your arses in here,” Maya laughs, jumping up and down on the spot.
I feel his smile against my lips, before he leaves a chaste kiss there, shakes his head and gets out of the car.
“I swear to God, she had it all hanging out. But the best part was the look on Luke's face,” I giggle. “He was standing there like the police were about to barge in, his hands raised where Icould see them.”
“Good man,” Tommy says, leaning to fist pump him.
“I didn’t know what to do with myself,” he shakes his head. “Now I have to deal with her at work.”
“Do you think you might be best speaking to HR about it?” Maya asks. “So it never happens again?”
“I was thinking about it, but I don’t want her to lose her job because of me.”
I can see the conflict etched into his frown lines.
“Luke, it wouldn’t be your fault, it would be hers,” I say, squeezing the knee pressed up against me.
“She could just as easily spin the narrative on you,” Tommy adds.
“Fuck, I never thought of that,” his face falling. He contemplates for a moment before finally saying, “Yeah, I guess I'd better call it in tomorrow.”
“You have Dom and me as witnesses to it, so I wouldn’t worry.”
Although Maya replaced her old couch, it is still the same shape, which I have always loved. It’s U-shaped and huge. It could easily fit ten people, if not more, on it. Currently, Maya and Tommy are cuddling in one corner, whilst Luke and I are in the other. And I honestly don’t think I have ever felt so content.
It still feels strange to see my best friend and my brother together, though, but I wonder if that feeling will ever pass. I’m used to it, but it still gives me the ick.
“How is all the wedding planning coming along?” I ask Maya. “And most importantly, are you excited for your Hen party?”
After all of the drama the past year, I wanted Maya to have one night of pure unfiltered fun… but also to feel safe. So, we are going to Jenson’s bar, Xpressions, tomorrow night. Of course, Tommy can’t bare to be away from my best friend for more than an hour, so he is having his Stag do the same night, in the same place. Typical.
