Page 98 of The Mechanics of Lust

Holden mostly just stared, looking stunned, like the penny had only dropped. God bless the man’s inability to see much beyond four legs and a woolly coat. Emily simply patted my arm, but the sparkle in her eyes was... disconcerting.

Goddamn station life and small towns.

Well, they could all think what they liked. I was beyond giving even the smallest of fucks. I was tired as hell, my stomach churned with bile from the lack of food coming its way, and my head pounded with the might of an entire percussion section on steroids. Gil’s infamously arched brows, albeit expertly wielded, had lost all power over me, and if Holden’s gaze didn’t stop bouncing between Luke and me soon, he was going to break something.

“Here, get this in you.” Luke sat down and handed me a sandwich and a bottle of water from the vending machine down the hall.

“I’m fi—”

“Eat it—” He glared. “—or so help me god, I’ll feed it to you piece by piece until you choke.”

I held that intense look for a few seconds, then grinned and took the sandwich. “Your bedside manner could do with a little work.”

He huffed. “I’ve had no complaints so far.”

I shot him a sideways glance but he’d already looked away.

Holden, sitting opposite, seemed to suddenly reach the end of his patience. He scooted forward on his plastic seat and beckoned me close. “Can we talk outside for a minute?” He flicked his head toward the foyer where the elevators were located.

Knowing full well he wanted to ask about me and Luke, I straightened in my seat and said, “No. Next question.”

Gil snorted, and Holden rolled his eyes. Then he dropped his bottom lip in that cute-as-fuck pout that usually got him his way. “Please.”

I was about to flip him off when Gil shot his boyfriend a look and groaned, “For fuck’s sake, Holden. Leave the poor man alone.” But then his gaze slid to Luke and a sly smile stole over his face. “But you, on the other hand—”

“Nope.” Luke waggled the fingers on his left hand. “Oh, look at that. See? Not married to you anymore.” And the cool look he levelled had Gil’s eyes widening.

I swallowed a smug smile.So, sue me.

Gil considered Luke for a moment, then his smile broadened and he simply nodded. “Okay.” And something passed between them in that look that sounded like a page turning.

Holden looked between them like he knew he’d missed something, but when Gil said nothing, he turned back to me. “Why didn’t you say anything about...?” His gaze flicked to Luke.

“Because it’s none of your business, and because there really wasn’t much to tell. Besides, it’s finished.” In my tiredness and my effort to shut Holden down, the whole thing came out far more dismissive of Luke and my...relationshipthan I’d intended. And it was too late to haul it back by the time I noticed Luke had gone quiet, too quiet, his expression shuttered.

After a few awkward seconds, he broke the silence to say, “What Zach said.”

But I didn’t miss the flash of hurt in Luke’s eyes when they caught mine and I knew I needed to make that right.Fucking fuck, fuck.“Look,” I began. “It wasn’t quite—” But my apology was interrupted when the door opened and the charge nurse poked her head inside.

“The team will see you now. Only the family please.” She beckoned the three of us forward. “They’re waiting for you in Paddy’s room.”

My mother and Jules followed the nurse, but I hung back a moment, motioning for Luke to join me in the hall. He hesitated, then sighed and slipped through the door, closing it behind him.

“I didn’t mean it to come out that way,” I said, taking his hands. “I’m sorry. They’re nosey fuckers and I only wanted to shut them down. I’m sick of people being worried about me.”

He snorted. “Tell me about it.”

I managed a smile, adding, “We both know what we had was a lot more than I made it sound.”

His eyes softened. “Yeah, it was. Although I’m surprised to hear you acknowledge it.”

“Zach, hurry up,” my mother’s voice rang from down the hall.

Luke pulled his hands free and made shooing motions at me. “Go. Be with your family. I’m a big boy, Zach. I’m fine. I understand.”

I wasn’t so sure about that, but I needed to go. “Can we talk later?”

“Zach!” my mother called again.

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