Page 43 of Lies and Lullabies
But something always held me back. At first I’d told myself that I was too busy with the baby. And then I’d told myself that a Maine/Boston relationship would never work.
Now here he was, on the verge of moving to my own city.
Raising my chin, I looked him right in the eye. I saw warmth reflected back at me. Luke was comfortable and familiar. I could get used to that kind of affection, couldn’t I?
“Maybe you can help me figure out where to look for an apartment,” he said, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “You know the neighborhoods.”
“Sure,” I said easily. “I’ll help you.” I tried to imagine what it would be like having Luke around. We could meet for dinner or a movie.
There hadn’t been any men in my life since Vivi was born. I’d gone on maybe three dates in four years. The hurdles were just too high. Dating meant time apart from Vivi, and more babysitting hours from Adam. As it was, my brother stayed home whenever I had a night class or an evening shift at the library circulation desk. Any date I went on meant yet another night chiseled from Adam’s social life.
For a single mother, dating was an impossible luxury.
But with Luke, it would be easier. He and Vivi already knew each other. And with him, I didn’t have to pretend to be a typical twenty-five-year-old. He knew my story already, and he kept showing up.
“I’ll probably have to rent a real shithole at first,” Luke said with half a laugh. “Entry-level jobs won’t pay very well.”
“We’ll find you something.” I took a sip of my beer. A second later, the first two bars ofYou Are My Sunshinefloated toward the porch on a breeze.
And just like that, the hair on my arms stood and my heart lodged in my mouth.
Oblivious, Luke smiled at me over the lip of his beer, and I tried my best to return it. Even so, I withdrew my hand from Luke’s as the whistling got closer.
“What’s the matter?” he asked.
I didn’t know what to say. And I didn’t have a lot of time to figure it out. Footsteps sounded on the stairs, and the door swung opon, revealing Jonas’s outrageously handsome face illuminated in the candlelight.
My heart did a back flip.
Jonas said nothing at first, taking in the candle and the beer. He frowned, and I wondered whether he was having a flashback to the nights we’d spent in this very spot. “Evening, Kira.”
“Hi,” I squeaked. “You were looking for me?”
He stepped all the way onto the porch and eased the door shut behind him. “Yeah, Adam said you were out. There aren’t that many places to look.”
“You went to myhouse?”
“Easy.” Jonas gave me a sad smile. “Adam was out on the front steps, smoking. I didn’t have to knock.”
“He wassmoking?” I gasped. Adam had quit ages ago. What was that about?
“Hey,” Luke cut in. “Have we met before?” My glance cut over to my ex-boyfriend, who looked unhappy about the intrusion. “You look familiar.”
“People say that all the time,” Jonas muttered without so much as a glance in Luke’s direction. “Kira? I was hoping to hear from you tonight. Can we talk?”
“This is a private party,” Luke said in a curt tone of voice.
Jonas chuckled. “Sorry, man, but I’ve only got fourteen hours to visit with Kira and my little girl.”
Luke stiffened. He jerked his thumb at Jonas, but kept his eyes on me. “Kira, if you’re keeping it a secret, this asshole didn’t get the memo.”
“Easy, Luke.” I sighed.
“Nah. You want me to beniceto him?” Luke turned a glare on Jonas. “He disappears forfive years, and now he wants your time?”
I tensed, but Jonas didn’t look the least bit worried by this show of rudeness. “Yeah, that’s exactly the kind of asshole I am. You’ve got me pegged. And, by the way, you’re in my seat. Kira put that chair here for me.”
“No way.” Luke’s jaw went dangerously tight. “How about you fuckoffnow right back to wherever you came from?”
