AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter Eleven
Luke hesitantly left my house.
I told him that it was better to rip the Band-Aid off now versus later when we’re more heavily invested. He told me he was, but I didn’t want to hear it. I couldn’t. I made him leave.
I know that my responsibility with making sure my mother doesn’t die face down in her own vomit is a burden then I put on myself. But since the woman refuses any sort of help, right now I’m the only one who will take care of her since she’s burnt all her bridges.
Luke silently heard what I had to say, letting me speak the inner thoughts that have been clouding my mind about our relationship since he last left Mercy.
His parting words were: This isn’t goodbye.
Then he left.
I’ve been crying for the past few hours with the television on in the background. Our dinner still sits on the table, and I have no desire to move it to the garbage or eat it. I know that I did the right thing in this, I just am not sure if now was the right time to break up.
We could have been fine in the relationship that we had blossoming, but when I was confronted with the situation of my mother being in the same space as him, I was ashamed, embarrassed, and wishing that he wasn’t there to witness any of it.
She is my burden and my burden alone, and I can’t do anything right now to change that.
13.
Three long weekshave gone by.
I’ve been working a lot of shifts and having zero sex.
My car repairs are paid off, my mom is still a drunk, and I miss Luke.
He’s tried calling several times, but I can’t answer his calls. I see his name then the bridge of my nose stings and my eyes well up with tears. He’s left voicemails, but I’ve deleted each and every one of them, same with all the text messages.
I’ve only told Miles and Deb at work that I’m no longer seeing Luke and they’ve stayed away from talking about him after the first day’s range of why questions.
I pull my hair into a bun, put some lip-gloss on my lips, and settle oversized sunglasses over my eyes before setting off for my shift at The Neighborhood.
I walk in, and it’s packed with all kinds of people, some people that I don’t recognize and some that I do. The bar is packed as if it’s ladies night in a college town, and I’m squeezing my way through the crowd of people to walk to the back room to my employee locker.
I freeze when I recognize the tan muscular arms, the broad shoulders, and perfectly tussled brown hair of Luke at the end of the bar talking to Miles. I’m frozen in place five feet away; do I rush past him or walk right up to him and demand to know why he is here?
Before I can decide my next move, both guys turn their gazes to me. Miles says something to Luke as a smile forms on his face. He sets the beer down on the bar in front of him, places his hands in his front pockets, and we gravitate to one another.
“What are you doing here?” I ask him.
“I’m here, grabbing a beer at the best bar in town, or so I’m told,” he explains, but then again - doesn’t.
“They have bars in Hollybrooke,” I point out.
“I know they do, but I’m here now.”
“What?” I shake my head.
“Come with me?” He asks hold out his hand.
“I can’t, I start my shift soon,” I reply.
“Miles said that it was okay,” Luke tells me. “Please?”
I look at him in confusion and then pull the strap of my bag back over my head and across my chest.
“Where are we going?” I question him.
