Chapter 29
Luke, 2 weeks earlier
Melanie shows me around her one-bedroom apartment. Her cat, Sheeba, follows me from room to room—not that there’s many of them. It’s like she’s inspecting me, watching me with those yellow eyes of hers. I guess I pass the test because she wraps herself around my legs. If only she knew better. I pet her behind the ears and she purrs in return.
“She likes you,” Melanie says.
“She’s smart. And rather friendly for a cat.” I’m not usually a cat person, but I leave that to myself.
We get to the bedroom and before I have a chance to look around, Melanie suggests we test out the mattress. Melanie likes having sex, a lot. I have no complaints on that front, but our relationship is another story. To be honest I’m surprised I let things get this far with her. That night I met her at the benefit, she was a welcome breath of fresh air. She was flirty and fun and I needed that. What I didn’t need was another heartbreak, because when we met I was a broken man. I never thought I’d be the type to fall in love. But I fell hard for a girl I barely knew. Yet it felt as though I knew everything about her that was important. And then she was lost to me and everything changed.
Then I met Melanie. I made it clear I wasn’t looking for something serious. That’s the problem with women: they all think they can be the one to change your mind. But after our first kiss I knew for certain. The kiss was just a kiss. I never understood what that meant before—until Ms. Coffee. When I kissed her she flooded my senses, no, invaded them. She literally wiped out every thought from my brain. I could focus on nothing but the softness of her lips and the taste of her. And I craved more. I had no clue that a kiss could be as intimate as sex, but it became a way for us to communicate. With each kiss she revealed parts of herself to me. And I willingly took them. I wanted to soak her in, know everything about her. All of her secrets. I was consumed with an overwhelming desire to possess her. But it was so much more than that. She filled all of the hollow spaces inside until I felt whole.
When I kissed Melanie I felt nothing. Don’t get me wrong, it was nice and I can’t say that I didn’t enjoy it. But I knew right away we’d never have the intense connection I shared with Ms. Coffee. So I decided I had nothing to worry about. If anything, she was likely the one to get her heart broken.
I’ve tried to keep things casual. She’s fun to have around and the sex is great. I think I keep things going out of convenience. The pressures at work have been insane, and she’s a welcome distraction. Plus, with my busy schedule I don’t have time to date. And let’s face it, a guy has needs. But I’m finding the longer I stay with her, the harder it is to end things. In the beginning I needed her to hold onto my sanity. Her positive energy and her laugh helped me get past the darkness. I wanted to be with her because I didn’t want to be alone. That’s when my thoughts would torment me. It seemed we were on the same page until some circumstances in her personal life made things get heavy. Her parents announced they were getting a divorce. Then she had to put Otis down. So I figured I’d hold out a bit longer. What kind of guy breaks up with his girlfriend after her dog dies? I’m not that big of an ass. The bottom line is I like Melanie and don’t want to break her heart. I know what it feels like, and she doesn’t deserve that kind of pain, especially from me. So my plan is to pull away slowly. Do things to piss her off. Make her want to break up with me.
I’m a dumbass. Clearly things are not going according to plan. I’ve never been to her apartment before. I claimed it was because of my puppy, Martin, which is partly true, but frankly I just like doing things on my terms. At my place I can control how long she stays and drop her home when I want to be alone. But she’s been bugging me to come to her, so I agreed.
While she’s showering I take the opportunity to catch up on emails. Then I look around her room, which is filled with picture frames. The girl seriously has a picture filling every conceivable surface. I pick one up from her nightstand and check out her friends. Lots of girls in every picture—no men. Most of them are hot. Too bad I need to end things or I’d ask her to hook up my little brother, Patrick. As I’m putting a frame back on her shelf something catches my eye. It’s an old photo of Melanie with a raven-haired girl. They both look to be about ten. I stare at the girl’s feline shaped eyes, eyes I’d know anywhere, and a sense of relief mixed with dread fills my chest. It’s her. I can tell by her physical appearance that this is Melanie’s best friend she talks about constantly: Lucy.
I’ll never forget the first time I saw her at Starbucks. It wasn’t my usual coffee shop. There’s another that’s closer to my place, but I was trying to avoid Val. She’s in the industry and I’d run into her at various conferences. I needed some intel, so I seduced her to get it. I never mix business with pleasure. For me, it was all business. The pleasure part was just a bonus. Our arrangement worked for a little while, but then she caught on. I’d been avoiding her and let’s just say she was not too happy about that. She knew where I lived, so I decided I needed to find a new Starbucks.
Back to Lucy. After I paid for my muffin I turned around and there she was, standing in line. She looked like a fucking angel, with her shiny black hair setting off pale, creamy skin, flushed cheeks, and pouty pink lips. She had the most mesmerizing eyes. I couldn’t tell if they were green or blue. I guessed they were the kind that would change based on what color she was wearing, like a chameleon. But it wasn’t just the color that was unnerving. When she looked at me I felt this tightness in my chest. It was the way she looked at me, like she knew me. I felt as though she saw past the bullshit, past the cocky exterior to what lies beneath. I don’t know how to explain it. But I knew that I needed to know more about her.
I noticed she bought two coffees, so I figured she had a boyfriend. Disappointing, but I saw it as a small hurdle. I always get what I want. I looked out the window and watched as she handed the other coffee to a homeless guy. Shit. She really is an angel. Normally I don’t go to Starbucks every day. I make myself a protein shake most mornings, but on my off days I’ll grab breakfast there. Ever since I saw her, I made it my business to go to that Starbucks every single day even though it was out of my way. I normally don’t go out of my way, especially for someone else. But there was something about her.
I watched her, looking for clues to learn more. I could tell she was shy and I liked that about her. I could also tell she didn’t realize the depths of her beauty. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been with plenty of beautiful women. But they were all groomed to a T, almost too perfect. Hers was a natural beauty that seemed more than skin deep. Good thing she seemed oblivious or she’d probably use it to her advantage—have me at her beck and call. That’s what I would do. But somehow I suspect I would’ve done anything she asked, and willingly. So I took my time. I didn’t want to scare her away. My plan was to have her approach me, get to talking on what she thought were her own terms. And it almost worked. Until fucking Val found me.
I paid for Lucy’s coffee that day. I knew she’d feel compelled to thank me. I attempted to look busy after she ordered, but I could sense her evaluating her options. And then I saw Val walk in. Damn it all to hell! I quickly pulled Val into the hall near the restrooms. I didn’t need Lucy to witness our confrontation. It would have scared her away for good. I wanted her to make her own judgments about my character. Val had some choice words for me. I tried to say all the right things to appease her. But she wouldn’t let it go. By the time she finished biting my head off, Lucy was gone. I figured she could thank me the next day but realized I was headed to New York. I never saw her again after that.
My travel schedule picked up and my breakfast fixes at our Starbucks became less frequent. I figured it was payback for being such an asshole.
I’ve never believed in God. Ever since my mom left us. My dad never made us go to church. I wouldn’t have gone anyway. Because what kind of God would allow a mother to leave her children and reward her for it? My mother is a successful actress. I’ve never told anyone that. But it’s true. Still, I prayed I would find the girl with the blue-green eyes again. And then I saw her at The Tin, and I couldn’t believe my luck. I knew I had to seize my chance, so I vowed not to leave the bar until I had her number. The Michigan State game was on, but I couldn’t take my eyes off her. I could tell she and her friend were talking about me, so I approached. She seemed nervous, and I liked knowing I had that effect on her. Her friend told me about their bet and said that she chose me. I thought, “Hallelujah. There actually is a God.” And He just answered my prayers.
“Luke?” Melanie is standing in her doorway, wrapped in a towel.
“Oh, hey. I was just looking at your pictures. I pick one up at random. “Who’s this?” I ask.
“That’s Lexi. I’ve known her since high school. And here’s the rest of our posse. Liv, Sydney, Emily, and there’s Lexi again.”
I feign interest. She goes on to show me her college friends and her family.
“And here’s Lucy,” she says as she pulls the photo down from her shelf.
“Ahh, let me see the infamous Lucy.” I study the picture. It takes all my restraint not to swipe it and stuff it in my bag. “How long have you two known each other?”
“Since we were ten. We met at summer camp. We’re as close as sisters.”
I inwardly wince. “If she’s important to you I’d like to meet her.”
“Really?”
I nod.
“We could go on a double date.”
“Didn’t you say she was seeing someone?”
“Mmm hmm.”
“Are things serious with—what did you say his name was?”
“James. And I don’t know. Remember she’s the one who got her heart broken from that one-night stand. Well, it was technically a weekend. But I’ll ask her. Anyway, do you want to order in?”
“Nah. I’ve got work to do.”
“On a Sunday?”
“What can I say? I’m a hard-worker.”
“You sure are,” she says, planting a kiss on my lips as she lets her towel slide to the floor.
I pick it up and wrap it around her shoulders. She pouts but I stand firm.
“I gotta go. I’ll call you later.”
She got her heart broken. I figured she’d be upset, but it kills me to find out I caused her pain. Considering how I felt after, I should’ve known. Hell, we’re two broken people who need to come together to be whole. And now we have a chance. I was never one to believe in signs, but what are the chances of my meeting Melanie, Lucy’s closest friend?
As I wait for the elevator I decide it can’t be a coincidence. We’re meant to find one another. I just hope Lucy sees it that way.