Page 71 of Reluctant Chemistry

It was at that moment Luka looked over and noticed her. His eyes widened, but he quickly corrected his body language. As butterflies swarmed in her stomach, he gave a polite smile and returned his attention to the conversation he’d left only seconds before.

Luka’s parents came over to greet them, followed by Mitch and Tayla—her baby bump rounded under her gown. They made pregnancy small talk for a while, and as Tayla led CeCe and her parents to their table a little later, CeCe felt a longing for the man who’d flown her along the South Pacific coastline.

Luka and CeCe might not have been seated together, but he could see her, and she could see him. And he watched. Not in an obvious way, but with brief peeks and the odd glimpse out of the corner of his eye.

Once or twice, he offered a slight smile, but otherwise, his dark eyes seemed to hold her all over with barely a glance. She merely picked at her food, listening to the conversation around her with only mild interest.

As the waitstaff cleared their plates, she found herself glancing Luka’s way yet again until Tayla leaned in close and whispered, “You’ll never guess what Mitch told me earlier.”

“Give me a clue.”

“Luka’s broken up with Annabelle.”

“Really? When was this?”

“I’m not sure, but Mitch said he’s known for a while.”

“And he never mentioned it?”

“Not until tonight. Luka asked him not to tell anyone.”

“My brother always has been good at keeping secrets.”

Tayla chuckled. “Yes, but not usually from me.” She followed the direction of CeCe’s gaze. “Are you doing okay? You hardly touched your meal.”

CeCe selected a baby eclair from the dessert platter. “Just being in the same room as Luka makes me nervous. Brings it all back.” She popped the treat into her mouth and moaned as the cream and chocolate danced across her palate.

“Yeah, Mitch used to make me nervous too. On our wedding night, we went to Little Brown Barn. He ordered the shoulder of lamb for two, and I just about ate the lot.”

CeCe laughed. “Why were you nervous on your wedding night?”

A blush bloomed on Tayla’s cheeks. “You know, it’s nerve-racking, getting married.”

CeCe let that comment slide. She still wondered about Mitch and Tayla and how they got together, but neither of them had ever talked about it. “Yeah, I guess.”

Tayla rubbed her baby bump. “Now I’ve got something else to worry about, and I honestly don’t think I’ll relax again until this little button is earth-side and screaming her lungs out.”

She squeezed Tayla’s hand. “I’m so happy for you both, well, the three of you.”

“Thanks. But enough about me. What are you going to do about Luka?”

CeCe glanced back at the man in question, still engaged in conversation with the other guests at his table. Before she left home that evening, she hadn’t anticipated the pull she’d feel when she saw him again, but he hadn’t even come to say hello, so…

“Nothing. We had our time, and over the years, I built up a resentment toward him that he probably didn’t deserve. I know now that his lack of contact was simply his way of encouraging me to stretch my wings. But at the time, it didn’t feel that way.”

“Do you think he still loves you?”

A definite ‘no’ surged to the tip of her tongue.“We never said those words to each other. It was just a fling. Besides, love stings like a bee sometimes.” CeCe picked up a second eclair.

“Yes, but it can also soothe and inspire and make you feel fantastic. You should give it another whirl.” Tayla helped herself to a lemon tart, plucked the blueberry off the top, and ate it. “But not with that Nick guy.”

CeCe feigned offense. “Why is it that no one in the family approves of Nick?”

Tayla covered her lips with her hand while finishing her mouthful of pastry, then scrunched up her nose and giggled. “He’s a perfectly nice guy. But you must admit, he’s a bit of an old woman.”

“You sound just like my brother. Besides, we’re just friends,platonicfriends. Although, he has asked me to go hiking with him next month.”

“Are you keen?”

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