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Luke is standing at the entrance of the hall, looking exactly the same as I remember, except maybe a little more tired around the eyes. He steps deeper into the room, scanning me up and down.

“Is that really you?” he asks, a small, disbelieving smile tugging at his lips.

I blink, caught completely off guard. “Luke? What are you doing here?” I look around to see if the goons Andrei put on us are watching. But they both are busy watching Anya.

He places a hand over his chest in fake hurt. “Ouch. After four years, that’s the first thing you ask me?”

I almost laugh at the sheer nerve of him. “What were you expecting? ‘I’ve missed you’?”

He winces slightly. “Guess I deserve that.”

He takes another few steps closer, stopping a respectful distance away. “My friend owns this place. I was just meeting with him about some business when I saw the names of the couple on the welcome board. I figured I’d come in and… I don’t know, hoped you might be here.”

I quirk an eyebrow. “Why?”

He looks genuinely hurt by the question, like he expected me to be happy to see him. “I’m sorry, Rosie.”

I tilt my head. “Sorry for what?”

He swallows hard, shifting on his feet. “I never meant to hurt you. I—”

I cut him off with a raised hand. “I’m going to stop you right there. It’s been over four years, Luke. I’m over what happened. Honestly? I was over it even before your wedding. So there’s really no need for the apology.”

He looks taken aback, like that wasn’t the response he was hoping for at all. For a second I almost laugh out loud. Was he seriously expecting me to cry? To fall apart at the sight of him? The delusion is actually impressive.

“Like I said,” I continue, keeping my voice calm, “you and Sharon deserve each other.”

Luke rubs the back of his neck, looking uncomfortable. “About that…”

I raise both brows this time. “Trouble in paradise already?”

He lets out a shaky breath. “You could say that.” He stutters for a moment, then pushes on. “I made a mistake, Rosie. You’ve always been the woman for me.”

I throw my head back and laugh, hard, unable to hold it in. The sound echoes a little too loudly in the hall.

“You don’t say,” I manage between laughs, wiping a tear from the corner of my eye.

“I’m serious,” he insists, stepping closer. “I shouldn’t have left you for your stepsister. It was the biggest mistake of my life.”

I fold my arms across my chest and give him a slow, sarcastic smile. Some people really never change.

“Oh, really?”

I watch Luke run a hand through his hair, messing it up in that boyish way he always did when he was trying to look sincere.

“I know I broke your heart, Rosie. And I know you don’t want to have anything to do with me, ” he says, voice low and earnest. “But I’m willing to spend the rest of my life making it up to you. However long it takes.”

The nerve of this man. I tilt my head, unable to keep the sarcasm out of my tone. “Oh? And how exactly do you plan to do that? Make me your mistress while you’re still married?”

He flinches. “No. I’m leaving Sharon. We uh… we have nothing in common. She’s completely self-absorbed, everything has to benefit her. She’s not like you.” He takes a small step closer. “I’m getting a divorce.”

I shrug, keeping my expression neutral. “I can’t say I feel sorry for you. You made your bed, Luke.”

“I know,” he admits, looking down for a second before meeting my eyes again. “But I’d like to make amends with you. Hopefully… I can take you out on a date? Just one. Let me show you I’ve changed.”

I don’t even hesitate. “I’m not going on a date with you.”

He nods slowly, like he expected that. “Understandable. It’s good seeing you again, Rosie. Can I at least have your number?”