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“You’re supposed to answer those,” Luke said.
“I like to screen the calls in case it’s someone I don’t feel like talking to.”
“That’s literally the definition of your job.”
Dara shrugged. “Whose wedding?”
“Lydia’s sister eloped.”
“Ah, theclientyou spend all your time with.”
“I’m training her,” Luke said pointedly.
“Yeah, I can tell,” Dara said, bringing up his schedule on the computer and scrolling through his appointments. Jules peered over her shoulder with interest. “Look at this. Lydia. Lydia. Lydia. Geez, do you ever give the girl a break?”
“We’re building up to a marathon!” Luke said, reasonably. “That’s a normal training schedule.” Dara waggled her eyebrows at him. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re very annoying?”
Dara beamed. “You’re just mad because I uncovered your secret girlfriend.”
“She’s not my girlfriend,” Luke said, trying not to flush. Dara was as bad as the kids at the youth center. “I don’thavea girlfriend.”
“I can see why. I don’t know how yourclientputs up with you.”
Luke grumbled, walking away from the front desk. “I don’t have to sit here and listen to this. Come get me when Lydia arrives.”
“Good!” Dara yelled. “It’s easier to gossip about you when you’re not around.”
Luke headed back to his office. It was still a disorganized mess, which never failed to amuse Lydia. He collapsed on the leather two-seater against the wall. He needed to stop thinking about her. If Dara and Jules were starting to notice, then maybe he was being too obvious with the way he was currently feeling.
Obviously he hadn’t been looking for something serious, but he’d be a fool if he didn’t acknowledge all the ways they seemed to fit. And though he certainly didn’t set out to fall for a client, somewhere between Lydia kissing him at the pub and running all over the city with her, things had changed. He groaned, running a hand down his face.
“Don’t let her get to you,” Jules said.
Luke lifted his head. Jules was leaning against the doorjamb. “Who, Dara?” He waved off the thought. “She’s always like that with me.”
“Whatherdid you think I was talking about?”
“No one.”
Jules bit her lip. She knew exactly who Luke was talking about.
“I like her,” Luke confessed, staring at the ceiling. What use was there in lying? Jules and Dara could see right through him. “A lot. I think it surprised me how much we connected. It’s just complicated because...”
“You’re training her,” Jules said.
Luke sighed. “I offered to get her another trainer early on, but she declined and we thought it would be okay. It wasn’t supposed to be anything serious, but now—”
“Now you’re attending wedding ceremonies with her,” Jules said, finishing his thought.
“Yes, thank you!” Luke said. “What the hell does that mean?”
Jules laughed. “You could write her a note like in the first grade and ask her to checkyesif she likes you back.”
Luke huffed. “If only it were that easy. If I pull the plug as her trainer and ask for more, I’m worried I might freak her out. What if she truly doesn’t feel the same? Then I’ve ruined our professional relationship and screwed up her training because I couldn’t figure out these feelings.” He didn’t want Lydia to panic and stop training altogether becausehecouldn’t read the signs. Maybe they’d both really just needed some comfort a couple weeks ago when she’d poured her heart out to him about work. Maybe it was a coincidence that he’d been in the right place at the right time and gotten roped into the wedding ceremony. Maybe it all meant nothing. But it was starting to feel real. And he wanted more of that.
“Look, the fact that you’ve fallen for a client is tricky, but you’ve got to figure things out one way or another. Love can be beautiful even when it’s complicated, but this in-between stuff is going to get messy really fast.”
“I know,” Luke grumbled.
