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Luke chokes slightly on his coffee, and I focus very intently on dipping bread in egg mixture.
“Dad,” Luke warns.
“What? I’m just saying, you two seem closer after spending the night here.”
“Oh God.” I close my eyes, mortified.
But when I peek, Jim is grinning like he hasn’t in years, according to Luke. “Don’t worry, dear. It does my heart good to see Luke finally enjoying life.”
“Please stop talking,” Luke groans, but he’s fighting a smile too.
We eat breakfast in comfortable silence, broken only by appreciative murmurs over the food. It feels right, like family.
“You two should head back soon,” Jim says finally. “That PI won’t wait forever.”
“You sure you’ll be okay?” Luke asks.
“Marie will be here in an hour.” Jim squeezes my hand. “And thanks to Lila, I’m actually looking forward to lunch for the first time in... well, a long time.”
We’re loading our bags into our separate vehicles when Luke’s phone rings. His expression darkens when he sees the screen.
“Crystal,” he mouths to me before answering. “Hey, I just got back—“
Even from a few feet away, I can hear her shrill voice. Luke’s jaw tightens as he listens.
“No, I haven’t seen the society page yet... What announcement?”
My stomach drops at his expression.
“Crystal, I never agreed to—No, listen—“ He pulls the phone away from his ear, cursingsoftly. “She hung up.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Marcus had their PR team release an engagement announcement.” His eyes meet mine, fierce and determined. “I’m meeting Gibson at noon, and then we’ll end this charade.”
“Be careful,” I say softly.
He glances toward the house and then quickly pulls me close, kissing my forehead. “Trust me?”
“Always.”
As we drive away—me back to the duplex, him to meet the PI—I try not to think about how much is at stake. Or how many ways this could all go terribly wrong.
But mostly, I try not to think about how it felt waking up in his arms and how badly I want to do it again.
Eighteen
Luke
Jaxson Gibson’s office is tucked into an unassuming building downtown, the kind of place you’d walk right past without a second glance. But as soon as I step inside, I can tell this isn’t some fly-by-night operation. The space is sleek and professional—sleek furniture, abstract art on the walls, and a receptionist who greets me with a polite smile as she motions me toward a private conference room.
Jaxson is already waiting for me, standing by the window with his hands in his pockets. He’s bigger than I expected, with an air of quiet authority that immediately gives me trust in his abilities. This is a man who knows what he’s doing. I can onlyassume his quiet confidence stems from knowing everyone’s secrets.
“Mr. Sterling,” he says, turning to face me as I step inside. “I’ve been looking forward to this meeting.”
“Call me Luke,” I say, shaking his hand. His grip is firm, his expression unreadable.
“Luke, then.” He gestures toward the chair across from him at the table. “Have a seat. We’ve got a lot to cover.”