He huffs. “Very much so. From her text messages, she is very much on Team Rachele.” Luke kicks some snow in front of him. “She cheated on me…” My stomach sinks. Who the hell would be stupid enough to cheat on this man? “With my best friend.”
“What! Oh, no.”
“Yep.” He shoves his hands into his pocket.
“That’s the worst kind of disloyalty because they both betrayed you.” He nods. “Why?” I don’t understand why people cheat with best friends.
“I don’t know. I didn’t stay around long enough to find out.”
Guess we’re more alike than I thought.
“Did you love her?”
Luke contemplates that question for a couple of moments. “I thought what we had was love, but I realize now that it was just what was expected of us… to be together. I guess like you and Rob, our families are friends and had been for a very long time, and everyone just assumed we’d one day get married.” I know exactly what he means. “Like you, I had to get away, and I’m glad I have. It’s given me a new perspective on my life.” Luke holds out his hand to me, I take it, my cheeks warming at the simple gesture.
We both sit together in silence, at one with nature.
After a short time, my body starts to shiver, so I declare, “I’m so cold.” I am trembling all over when we finally make it back into the warmth of the cottage.
“Let me run you a bath.” That sounds like a fantastic idea.
As I slowly take off my frozen outer clothing, then hang it on the clothes rack near the door, I hear my phone ringing in my room and make a mad dash to it as I haven’t heard from Lauren yet.
“Hello,” I answer, grabbing it before it rings out.
“Merry Christmas, Lilly,” Lauren and Alistair shout. Hearing their voices today makes the holiday feel right.
“Merry Christmas, guys. Where are you?”
“We’re in Zanzibar,” Lauren squeals.
Oh, wow!
“It’s beautiful there… very romantic.”
“I know…” there’s a pause, then she continues, “… it totally was because Alistair proposed,” she screams down the phone.
“No way,” I squeal back.
“Yep, yep, yep… I’m going to be a bride.” I can feel Lauren’s enthusiasm, and it warms my heart.
“Oh my God, guys, I’m so happy for you.” Tears are falling down my cheek because I miss my sister and wish I could give her a big hug to celebrate this momentous occasion with her.
The line crackles. “We better go. The line isn’t too good,” she says, now fading in and out.
“Love you.”
The phone goes dead, and I’m not sure if she heard the last part. I sit on the bed, tears rolling down my cheeks.
“Lilly, are you okay? What happened?” Luke asks, wrapping his arms around me, not realizing it’s exactly what I need at this moment as I cry into his chest.
“My sister is getting married.” I sniffle.
“That’s good… no?” he asks, confused by my reaction.
“It’s good. So good. I’m so happy…” I burst into tears again.
Yeah, poor Luke is most definitely out of his depth at the moment.
“Come, come… a hot bath will do you good.” He picks me up in his arms and walks with me to the bathroom. I like the way he just picks me up as if I weigh as much as a feather. It’s so manly being shifted around like this. He slowly undresses me, not in a sexual way, but in a caring way. He too undresses, and we both ease into the hot water, my extremities burning at the heat until I sink in and lay back against Luke’s chest. He runs his fingers through my hair, soothing me.
“I’m so happy for her…” I start, holding in my emotions. “I just wish I was there to celebrate it with her.” I close my eyes as Luke massages my head.
“I understand you want to celebrate with them. But they are in Africa, a very romantic place. It’s nice that they have this moment between the two of them.”
He’s right.
I’m being selfish.
They need this time together.
I can celebrate with them both when they get back. I don't have to do it seconds after she announces her news.
I sink deeper into the water. “You’re a wise one, Mr. Luke.”
I hear him chuckle beside my ear. “That would be a first.”
We lay in the warm water and talk. Luke tells me all about his travels abroad, and I tell him about the exciting things I did while in Kenya, funnily enough, most of the time without Rob. He wasn’t interested in the culture of the country unless there were diplomats or ambassadors coming to visit, and we were being invited to VIP dinners. Working in Africa was a once-in-a-lifetime achievement, something I’d never trade in a million years.
Maybe fate does have a hand in things.
Oh, no, is Lauren’s influence sinking in? Am I seriously contemplating fate?
Maybe that’s why Luke was brought into my life, to pull me in another direction, to show me there are other options.
Perhaps there’s something to be said about fate.
12
Luca
After our bath, I took Lilly to my bed where I showed her how much I appreciated the Italian Christmas she put together for me. I showed her repeatedly. She’s currently snoring softly beside me, her light brown hair spread out all around her. The sheet has fallen, exposing her breast, and all I want to do is suck on that nipple, but that would wake her, and she’s exhausted after our hike earlier in the day.
I didn’t mean to tell her about Rachele because if she googles our names, my cover will be blown and, in all honesty, I know things will change between us once she knows who I am.
My phone rings, and I pick it up. “Ciao,” I answer without looking to see who it is.
“Lilly?” the male voice says down the line.
Oh shit! This is Lilly’s phone which I have picked up by accident. Looking down at the screen, I see the word ‘Rob’ staring
