Chapter 16
Later Wednesday morning – Ellie
All right, Meg might be in Milwaukee at the moment, but that’s what phones were for. I hit call on her contact in my phone, twisting at my ring finger while I waited for her to pick up.
“Hello.” Her face came on my phone’s screen.
“Thank goddess, you’re available. How is Mrs. Timms doing?”
“She’s taken a turn for the better. She’s out of the hospital, but Jeremy still wants to stay here for a few days and keep an eye on her.”
“Understandable. Understandable.” I nodded. Exactly how long did I have to wait until I told her the real reason for my call?
Thankfully Meg broached the topic, so I didn’t have to. “So, how’s it going with Luke? Is his arm still ok?”
“Yep. He’s alive and well.” And super-hot. Gah. Not helping.
“Good.” Suspicion crept over Meg’s face. “Please tell me you’re not calling to say you’re fighting again.”
“No, but I have to tell you something. But first you’ve gotta agree to pretend that Luke isn’t your brother.”
“What? Why? Did he say something to make you want to quit? Hand him the phone, I’ll tell him right now that he?—”
“No, it wasn’t like that. It was, er…” Oh, great, now I was awkward in front of Meg, and I was never awkward in front of Meg. I took a deep breath. Might as well just blurt it out. The facts weren’t going to change no matter how much I procrastinated. “I know this is going to come as a total shock to you. So, brace yourself.”
Meg narrowed her eyes. “Go ahead.” She drew out the words.
“Luke and I kissed last night.” I squeezed my eyes shut and waited for… I don’t know, a high-pitched shriek or something.
“I’m not surprised,” came Meg’s calm voice instead.
I snapped my eyes open and plunked my free hand on my hip, glaring at the phone. “What do you mean you’re not surprised?”
Meg shrugged. “I mean…you two have had the hots for each other since high school.”
My jaw dropped straight open. “What? No, we haven’t.”
Meg rolled her eyes at me, hard. “Uh, you totally have. Only neither of you would admit it.”
I frowned harder. “Are you joking? Luke has always driven me crazy.” But the memory of me being angry at him for the kitchen step-away was gnawing at my conscience.
Meg snorted. “Yeah, I know. It’s called foreplay.”
I gasped, pressing my hand to my throat like an old lady clutching her pearls. “No, it wasn’t!” But even as I said it, I was remembering every single interaction I’d had with Luke over the years. They’d all be charged with…something. Oh, goddess. It had been lust, not hate, hadn’t it? “If you knew this, why didn’t you tell me?” I asked accusingly, pointing a finger at the screen.
Meg shrugged. “I thought you knew. I figured it would happen eventually.”
“Well, it’s not going to happen again,” I declared.
Meg looked mighty skeptical. Both brows lifted. “Whatever you say.”
I was still scowling and still wagging my finger at the phone. “I mean it. It was a mistake. He’s not acting like himself. Parts of this house seem unfairly romantic and there was tequila.”
“Tequila?” Meg’s brows shot up again. “I’m surprised all you did was kiss.” A sly smile covered her lips. “Was that all you did, Ellie-phant?”
“Yes. All we did was kiss!” I insisted far too loudly. Okay. There had been some a lot of touching too, but I wasn’t about to tell Meg that. Not now.
“Have you ever considered that maybe he is acting like himself, and you just never knew him that well? Luke’s a great guy. He always has been.”
“He discards women like used tissues.” It was an old argument that was no longer feeling true to me, but it was a comfortable one, nonetheless.
Another shrug. “Personally, I have always thought he just hadn’t found the right woman yet.”
I began shaking my head before she’d even finished her sentence. “Oh, no. Don’t start that. Don’t start hoping we’ll end up together. I am not falling for Rockabilly of all people.”
Meg stuck her nose in the air. “Hey, you called me. And if you’re so set on it never happening again, why did you tell me in the first place?”
My scowl deepened. “Because you’re my best friend, and I need my best friend’s advice in this situation. Even if the man in question is your brother.”
Meg’s grin was positively devilish. “Fine. My advice? Kiss him again. He needs it. And frankly, girl, so do you.”