Fuck! Of all the people to see me here with Brad!
“Will we be seeing you Saturday night at Mom and Dad’s party?” She asks, a fake smile on her pretty face.
“Yes, Luke and I will be there.”
“I’ll see you then.” She saunters out of the coffee house and I groan, hanging my head in my hands.
“Who was she?”
“Luke’s sister.”
“She sure doesn’t like you.”
I look up at him and chuckle. “No, she doesn’t.”
“Why?”
“Long story. I’m glad you like your shots. I’ll let you know when I’ve had a chance to talk to Jules and Luke about setting up another appointment.”
“Okay, cool. Hey, I mean it, I’ll talk to Luke if it will help and let him know that I’m not into you like that.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks for the coffee.”
“My pleasure.”
***
Shit.
How in the hell am I going to explain to Luke about meeting up with Brad today? I know Sam will say something to him, and I pray she hasn’t called him before I get home to tell him myself.
Luke’s really possessive where Brad is concerned, and I know I should have run it by him ahead of time, but it just seemed silly to have to ask permission to meet with a client in a public place.
I think I’m going to be in trouble.
Maybe I can distract him with sex.
“Honey, I’m home!” I let myself into the house, using the key he gave me when we returned home from Tahiti.
“In the office,” he calls back.
I set my handbag on the couch and carry two large, heavy shopping bags back to his office.
He greets me with a warm smile and then he raises his eyebrows in surprise when he sees the bags.
“What’s in there?”
“I did a little something for your parents’ anniversary.” I smile at him, nervous.
“You did?” He grins, delighted with me. “What is it?”
“Well, I had some help from your dad this week.” I begin pulling out frames.
There are eight of them. “I asked him for photos of just him and your mom every five years they’ve been married, beginning with their wedding photo.”
Pulling the last of the frames out, I arrange them on Luke’s desk. His eyes skim over them, and then settle on the last one.
“I made their wedding photo and this one I took at my birthday party the biggest two, and the others can be arranged around them.”
He picks up the photo I took at the party and he stares at it for a long time.
They had been posing for me, all stiff smiles and bodies, and Luke had made a joke about something, sending us all into giggles. In this photo, Lucy is laughing into the camera and Neil is smiling down at her, his face close to hers, and the love moving between them is touching.
It’s my favorite photo of the day.
“You’re so talented, baby. They’re going to love these. My mom will hang them in the family room.” He sets the frame on the desk and pulls me to him, kissing me in that soft way he does that makes me all weak in the knees.
“I hope they like them.”
“You’re so sweet. You didn’t have to do this. I already put both our names on the gift I got them.”
“I know.” I hug him tight and bury my face in his chest. “But I wanted to do something nice for them. I’ve grown very fond of your parents. I put both our names on this too.”
I feel him smile against my head.
“What did you get them, anyway?”
“We,” he stresses the word and I smile. “Got them a second honeymoon in the South of France.”
“Of course we did.” I laugh and kiss his sternum.
“Is that funny?”
“No.” I pull back and look up at his impossibly handsome face. He didn’t shave this morning, and I rub my hand down his cheek, enjoying the roughness.
“I love how generous you are.”
He shrugs and looks uncomfortable.
“They deserve it.”
“Yes, they do.”
“Have you decided what you’re wearing Saturday?” He asks as I gather the frames back into their bags.
“Yeah, I picked something up the other day when Jules and I took Stacy shopping. Thank you again for including Jules’ family. They’re excited to go.”
“My
parents
really
enjoyed
themselves with Jules’ family. They’ll be happy to have them there.”
“Do you have lots of work today?” I ask, steeling myself to tell him about Brad.
“No, I’m done. You?”
“I just so happen to have a clear calendar for the rest of the day.”
“Hmm… what can we do with a whole day off in the rain?” He raises a finger to his lips and pretends to be thinking really hard and I laugh, but then remember that there is somewhere I need to be, and my mood shifts, and Brad and meeting with Sam is the furthest thing from my mind.
“Actually, I’m sorry to burst your bubble, but I do have to run an errand.”
I look down at my hands and then back at him, biting my lip.
“Okay, do you want company?”
“You don’t have to go if you don’t want to.”
“I always want to be with you. Where are you going?” He looks concerned, leaning back on his desk, his arms crossed over his chest.
“The cemetery.” I shrug nervously.
“Why?”
“I only go twice a year, on my birthday, which I missed this year because my incredibly sexy boyfriend whisked me away to a tropical paradise.” I grin sassily at him and he grins back.
“And on their birthday.”
“Their birthday?” He asks, confused.
I nod. “They shared a birthday, exactly three years apart. They always made a big deal of it, with a big party or a fun trip somewhere. They always made sure to include me, and so I want to always remember it for them.” The last few words are a whisper.
He crosses to me and kisses my forehead. “Let’s go.”
***
Melancholy settles over me as we get closer to the cemetery. We took my car since I know where to go in the large graveyard, and I just needed something to occupy my mind.
Luke will most likely drive home.
“I’m sorry, honey, but this might turn into a sad day for me. I don’t dwell on this often, but I’m usually not good company after I’ve been here.”
He kisses my fingers gently and sighs heavily. “I wish you never had to go through this, Nat. It’s something I can’t fix for you, and I would do anything if I could.”