Luke steps into the waiting room, still in his work clothes. His eyes are bloodshot; his hair mussed. He’s not wearing a coat. He must be freezing.
I open my mouth, then close it again. The sight of him brings a fresh wave of tears. I want to run to him, but I’m frozen. I cast my eyes at the dingy floor, then look up again. It’s him. He’s here.
“Hey.” He takes as few tentative steps toward me, searching my face with burning blue eyes.
“Hey.” I cradle my head in my hands, too ashamed to meet his gaze. I don’t deserve this man. He shouldn’t be standing in a hospital waiting room with me.
Luke moves toward me. It feels like years before he’s close enough to pull me into him. He wraps his arms around me and holds me so tight, my feet are no longer touching the ground. Shaking, I clutch his back, his arms, his shoulders. I breathe him in, the spicy scent of his skin mixed with the New York chill. I’m afraid to let go.
When my sobs subside to shaky breaths, he lowers me gently to the ground.
“I called Gwen after she dropped you off. She told me what happened, and I caught the next flight.” He cups my face in his hands, brushing tears away with his thumbs. “Don’t be pissed. I couldn’t let you go through this alone. I’m so sorry, Elle.”
“How could I be pissed?” I wrap my arms around him. “I thought
you
were pissed. I thought you never wanted to see me again.”
Luke shakes his head. “I—”
“Miss Halloran?” The woman behind the counter calls my name gingerly, and I turn. “The doctors are with her now, but you can see your sister in a few minutes.”
“Is she… awake?” I choke.
“I’m sorry. I don’t have any information for you. You’ll have to speak with the doctors.”
I shudder.
“Hey.” Luke kisses me gently on the top of my head. “Let’s sit for a second. Right over here, okay? I’ll sit with you.”
Fiercely, I shake my head. “I’m staying right here. I’m not leaving until I see her. Luke, I’m not—I can’t—”
“I know. Come on.” He cradles me, his breath steady and warm on my neck, his hands gathering me as I crumble. “I’m right here. Right here, okay?” he murmurs.
“Okay. Okay.” I take a slow, deep breath. I let him lead me to my seat.
Silently, the nurse crosses the waiting room with two paper cups of coffee. She hands one to me and one to Luke, who thanks her.
I take a sip too soon. It scorches my tongue and tastes like sugary chalk.
“She’s gonna be okay, you know,” Luke tells me.
“I don’t.” My breath makes the coffee ripple. “I don’t know.”
He reaches over and squeezes the space above my knee, three times fast.
“Thank you,” I whisper. I keep my eyes on the clock over the nurse’s station, watching the second hand twitch. “Luke, can I—can I ask you something?”
“Always.”
“Why did you come here? I mean, I really thought I’d never see you again. When you didn’t come after me, didn’t call—”
“Hey.”
I look up at him, at the pain and sadness and determination in his eyes. “When I saw that picture of you on the classroom wall—the tabloid picture—I was… shocked. I didn’t know what to say. And I was angry, too, I guess.”
I brace myself against his words. “I know. My father—”
“—isn’t you, Elle. I know that your father isn’t you.” His voice is fierce. “I don’t give a shit about your father. So okay, he fucked up and he’s paying for it. And okay, you’re his daughter. But I didn’t get pissed because of who you are, or what your father’s done.”
“I don’t… you’re not making sense.”
“I got mad because you didn’t trust me with the truth.” Gently, he caresses my cheek with his thumb. “It made me feel like you didn’t trust me. I wish you had just told me what you were dealing with. I could have helped. I could have taken care of you.” His eyes sear into my soul. “I want to take care of you.”
God, I want that, too. More than anything.
“I wanted to trust you. I just….” I shake my head. “After my father’s arrest, the entire world hated us. It didn’t seem to matter that I’d testified against him. Reporters would follow me home from school, and it was just… we were everywhere. We were reviled. I couldn’t risk having you hate me, too.”
“We all have a past, Elle—” He stops himself. “Elliot?”
I allow myself a wry smile. “Elliot works.”
“Elliot,” he nods. “No matter what name you choose, you’re still you. And if you had just told me about your past, I—”
“You would have been fine with it?” I say sharply. I start to pull away, but Luke won’t release me. “I seriously doubt that.”
“Look at me. Look me in the eye.”
When I do, the connection between us tightens.
“I’m not saying it wouldn’t be hard for me. But I’m saying that I love you, Elliot, and I truly don’t give a fuck about anything other than that.”
I want to believe him. I want to think that Luke can accept me, can be okay with my family. Maybe he can. But it wouldn’t be fair to drag him in to the hurricane that is my life. Especially now.
“I may have to stay in New York,” I say softly. “Indefinitely.”
“I’ll stay with you,” he says urgently.
I shake my head. “You can’t. You have your job, and your daughter. You can’t just leave.”
“Then I’ll come up on weekends, when I don’t have Lilah. We’ll figure it out, okay?”
“Okay.” I nod, resting my paper cup on the floor beneath my seat. “We’ll figure it out.” This much I know: I need Luke Poulos in my life. But if being with Luke means not being there for Aria…. I push the thought from my mind. I don’t have to make a choice. Not tonight, anyway.
“Okay, Elliot.” Luke tugs me toward him, lowering his mouth to mine. He kisses me softly at first, then more urgently. His tongue finds mine. I want to disappear in him. I want him to take me away from here, but I know that not even Luke has the power to erase everything that’s happening.
“Ms. Halloran?” The nurse calls.
Reluctantly, I pull away. My body runs hot, then cold. My eyes flick nervously to Luke. Behind the ocean of blue there is a deep calm.. He anchors me.
“Go on back,” he tells me. “I’ll be right here.”
Trembling, I stand. The nurse is waiting; holding a chart and standing patiently in front of a set of double doors. Slowly, I move toward her. Because I know that Luke is right: I have to go back. Back to my family; back to face my past and make sense of my future. And I know that I can do all of those things, as long as Luke will be there.
Waiting for me.
This book would not be possible without my incredible readers. Thank you for taking a chance on this story and these characters. Thank you for taking a chance on me. There is so much more to come for Elliot and Luke, and I can’t wait to share their journey with you. If you’d like to be notified of new releases and giveaways, please sign up for my newsletter
here
.
Happy reading,
Mia
Mia Henry adores all things romance, from steamy stories to ugly cry-inducing movies. She lives in Florida, where she dreams up storylines during beach walks with her muse, a ferocious 8-pound pup named Lulu. She is currently writing the next book in the SWEET NOTHING series.
For more on Mia Henry and the SWEET NOTHING series, find her on:
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7363850.Mia_Henry
Twitter: @miahenrybooks
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mia-Henry-Books/574358565959758
Blogspot:
miahenrybooks.blogspot.com
Elliot Halloran is torn. Torn between a haunting past and an uncertain future.
Elliot wants desperately to believe that she is finally ready to be happy. That she is ready to let Luke love her the way she needs to be loved. As the school year at Allford draws to a close, Elliot and Luke commit to spending the summer together in Manhattan so that she can continue to care for her fragile sister.
But when Luke receives an offer to study under acclaimed French photographer Alexandre Janvier in Paris for the summer semester, Elliot finds herself torn once again. Faced with the choice between caring for her family and caring for Luke, she finds it impossible to choose.
As Elliot travels to Paris and learns more about Luke’s generous mentor, she discovers that Janvier’s motives for supporting Luke’s career may be less than pure. That Janvier may be using Luke to get to her. And Elliot is faced with another choice. Being honest with Luke may meant the destruction of their relationship. And keeping Janvier’s secrets may mean the end of Luke’s life as he knows it.
For more on Mia Henry and the SWEET NOTHING series, find her on:
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7363850.Mia_Henry
Twitter: @miahenrybooks
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mia-Henry-Books/574358565959758
Blogspot:
miahenrybooks.blogspot.com