Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
Luke seems tired as well when I shuffle out of the guest room to meet him in the kitchen. And since it’s a big part of whatever this breakfast thing is, there isn’t even coffee.
Jemma’s Café. Some miracle-worker named Callie.
That’s the extent of what I know.
“You sure you’re fine with me crashing your date?” I ask as I pull open the door.
“I told you, it’s not a date. She’ll be glad you came.”
“How do you know?”
He shrugs and starts down the hall. “Just do.”
Great. Well, hopefully this person talks more than Luke or we’re in for one hell of an awkward morning.
The elevator attendant, who can’t be more than sixteen, grins when we file inside.
“Morning, Mr. Craven,” he says as he pushes the lobby button.
“Hey, Aiden. How’s your brother doing?”
“Pretty good. He came home from the hospital last night. ”
“Really? That’s great.”
Aiden shrugs and makes a face. “Yeah, I guess. Except now he gets to watch TV and play video games all day, while the rest of us have to work.”
I hold back a snort, and even Luke’s lips twitch at the precocious gripe.
“Well, that part sucks, but it’s good he’s going to be okay,” Luke says.
Aiden nods and glances at me. “You Luke’s friend?”
Great question.
“ I think so. Not sure about him,” I say.
Luke shoots me an irritated look. “Casey’s my best friend… and drummer.”
Aiden’s eyes widen. “So you’re in the band too?”
“He sort of is the band right now,” Luke corrects.
Not by choice, I return with my own annoyed glance, but Luke doesn’t look at me to receive it.
Another hotel guest joins us at the second floor, ending further conversation.
Once we reach the lobby, we tip Aiden and head to the exit.
We step into the morning sunlight, but instead of climbing into a car, Luke makes a left toward the cross street.
I follow in surprise. “We walking to this place?”
“It’s not far. Just a few blocks.”
I’d complain if I didn’t suspect this might be the only time he sees the light of day. A piece of me is even more grateful for this stranger named Callie who’s managed to draw my vampire bandmate out into the sun.
We walk the rest of the way in silence. Had I known the exchange with Aiden the Elevator Attendant was going to be the extent of Luke’s interaction during the journey, I would have participated more.
The silence is magnified by everything we’re not saying.
So many unanswered questions and missing pieces to fill, but Luke’s expression makes it clear I won’t get them now.
He’s lost in his head, and all I can do is read him for any clues that could help make sense of everything I’ve seen and heard since showing up at his door last night.
By the time we arrive at a quaint diner with a vintage sign that says “Jemma’s Café,” I’ve reached a frightening conclusion:
Luke might still be alive, but he’s stopped living.
For the second time in two days, I’m intimidated by a door. Yesterday it was Luke’s suite. Today it’s a glass gateway into a mystery I’m eager—and nervous—to solve.
What is Jemma’s?
Who is Callie?
What role do they play in the strange transformation of my friend?
I bury those questions as I follow Luke through the diner.
He doesn’t stop at the host stand or acknowledge the dozens of eyes tracking us when we breach breakfast routines with our alien presence.
The gaping stares make it clear we don’t belong here.
The scowl from the man in the booth by the door lets me know we’re not exactly welcome, either.
Only one person—a young employee at the host stand—looks pleased to see us. Maybe too pleased by the way her dreamy gaze fixates on Luke, then me. Luke doesn’t give her a second glance, so clearly she’s not the guardian angel I’m here to meet.
That person would be…
Holy shit.
I play it cool as we approach a table set deep inside the restaurant.
The lone occupant’s lips lift in an adoring smile when she sees Luke.
Stunning hazel eyes skim my friend, then lock on me with a hint of concern.
Even without Luke’s description, the genuine aura surrounding this girl draws me in.
Damn. No wonder Luke keeps coming back. I’d love to start my day with that smile as well.
“Callie,” Luke says in a flat tone.
“Luke,” she replies with similar gravity.
They exchange a small smile that tells me this is some inside joke. Luke still has humor in him. Good to know.
“This is Casey,” Luke says, motioning to me.
“Hi. I’m Casey,” I echo with a grin of my own.
The young woman is too far away for a handshake, so I settle on a quick wave.
I feel her intense stare as I pull out a chair. She must be evaluating me, wondering the same things I wonder about her. What role do I play in her friend’s life? Am I part of the problem, or the solution?
I’m used to being gawked at. Lust, admiration, jealousy, resentment—I can handle them all. But this is different. This woman’s potent stare isn’t something I’m accustomed to. Questions, but not quite curiosity. Interest, but not quite fascination.
It’s alluring, confusing, and completely explains why Luke fell under her spell.
Hell, we’ve barely said a word to each other and I’m already intrigued. I’m also uncomfortable with the weird silence.
“Do you always get up this early?” I ask to break the tension. Also, I really want to know, because if their start time is negotiable, that’d be awesome.
“If you come later, you don’t get to eat. You know how it is once you’re spotted,” Luke says.
He’s got a point, but since when did we care about shit like that? We’re always noticed. And ever since Luke disappeared, I’ve had to endure even more of the spotlight. Maybe he’s been hiding so long, privacy is actually an option for him now.
“Welcome to our breakfast club,” Callie says with a quick smile. There’s a hesitancy to her tone, like she felt compelled to say something as well.
“Yeah, Luke was telling me about your little breakfast club. Pretty wild story.”
Her lips tip up in an adorable grin. “Then I’m sure he also told you about how incredibly witty and smart I am. I’m great company.”
Not gonna lie, my stomach does a small flip at the ease with which she settled into my presence. She’s nothing like the expertly polished women I’m used to. Maybe that’s exactly why she has my attention.
“He’s told me some things,” I say, not sure where this is supposed to go. Every instinct wants to flirt. Her mischievous glint and the way her stare runs over me again makes me think she might be up for it.
“How about you not be a jerk for twenty seconds,” Luke mumbles, shutting that down. I can’t help but smile at his defensive reaction. Maybe he wasn’t being as honest about his interest in this girl as he pretended to be last night.
“Don’t let his puppy dog eyes and sob story fool you,” I joke, testing him out. “This man is no boy scout.”
“Casey, not now.”
“What? I know you, dude. You get lost in your head and shut down.”
Luke snaps a glare at me. “Will you stop? It’s not your business. Not now!”
I flinch at the outburst. So much for keeping things light.
But the more I study his scowl, the more I wonder if maybe being pushed is exactly what he needs. It’s good to see something burning in his eyes, even if it’s anger. If this woman is the ally he’s led me to believe she is, together we might have a chance at getting through to him.
“I’m just looking out for you,” I say, more serious this time. “You have to move on. You can’t keep doing this to yourself. You screwed up. We all do. That doesn’t mean everything that happens from that point on is your fault.”
He looks ready to lash out again, and I don’t understand why. How can he not see how much I care about him? Even after what happened a year ago, I dropped everything to be here the second I could. Postponed my entire life to have coffee with a stranger because it was important to him.
“You agree with me, right?” I ask her, desperate for a breakthrough. God, anything to bring my friend back to life. “He needs to stop punishing himself. It’s been a year. He can’t torture himself forever.”
“Casey!”
“What? I’m just?—”
“She doesn’t know,” he snaps at me.
My blood goes cold. “What?”
“She doesn’t know, okay?”
Shit.
A heavy silence settles over us. She doesn’t know? How could the woman who pierced his impenetrable barrier not know the story that locked him there?
My mind spins as I hide behind the menu, wracking my brain for anything that can fix this. Part of me wants to apologize, but I don’t even know for what. This dynamic is exactly what landed us here in the first place.
Luke shuts down, and I fucking let him.
I drop the menu on the table. “Hey, man, I’m sorry. I just thought, I don’t know, after everything you said about her. I thought you were closer.”
His glare makes it clear none of this is helping, and I swallow the rest of my words.
“Um… Okay. I’m gonna shut up now,” I mumble.
“That would be a good idea,” he returns.
Old anger burns at his hypocrisy. He’s blasting me for being the asshole when all I’m trying to do is gain an ally in Callie and give him the best chance he’s had for support in months. But he’s clearly not going to be accepting a lifeline any time soon.
“So, Casey. Are you in Night Shifts Black too?” Callie asks.
I stare at her, not sure if it’s the question itself or the fact that she so effortlessly broke up the tension that surprises me more. Once it becomes clear her question was sincere, the shock turns to amusement.
I bite back a laugh when Luke lifts a brow with a told-you-so expression.
“What? What did I say?” she asks, scrunching her face in an enchanting mix of innocence and indignation.
Luke shakes his head. “Nothing. You’re fine. It’s just a funny question.”
Her eyes narrow at him. “Why’s it funny?”
He returns a quick shrug. “I don’t know. It’s not, I mean, it’s just that we’re not used to hearing stuff like that except from old people trying to be nice at charity events.”