“Sit down on that little table, and I’ll go get your drink,” Lucas offered, shrugging out of his jacket. “Hot chocolate, right?”“Right,” Amy said with a small smile.Amy turned her gaze to the window, focusing on the view instead of the flutter in her chest. This was just a fun day out. Don’t overthink it. This was one of her many flaws. Overthinking things.A few minutes later, Lucas returned with two steaming mugs of hot chocolate, each topped with a generous swirl of whipped cream. “One for you and one for me,” he said, sliding hers across the table.Amy took a sip, the warmth spreading through her and momentarily chasing away her thoughts. “Mmm, this is amazing.”“Told you this place was worth it,” Lucas said, taking a sip of his own. “So, how does it feel to have conquered your first ski slope?”She set her mug down and leaned back in her chair. “Honestly? It feels good. I didn’t think I’d enjoy it as much as I did.”“Told you you would,” Lucas said, his eyes fixed on hers.“So…
“…and then I told her, ‘If you think that’s bad, you should see what happens when I try to use chopsticks!’” Amy’s words tumbled out in a frantic stream, her hands fluttering like startled birds as she gestured wildly. Her leg bounced incessantly, causing the entire row of airplane seats to vibrate subtly.Lucas gritted his teeth, trying to focus on the e-book displayed on his tablet.Amy had not stopped talking ever since they boarded. At this point, Lucas was used to her talking too much, but this time, it was excessive.“Oh! And did I ever tell you about the time I accidentally used dog shampoo for a month? My hair was so shiny, people kept asking if I’d had work done!” Amy let out a high-pitched laugh that set Lucas’s nerves on edge.He exhaled slowly through his nose, thumb hovering over the tablet’s screen as he debated whether to increase the volume on his noise-canceling headphones. It wouldn’t make a difference, he knew. Amy’s chatter seemed to defy the laws of physics, penet
Lucas’s car halts to a stop outside Amy’s apartment building.Amy’s heart raced as she stared at the building, realizing their unexpected adventure was coming to an end. She swallowed hard, her mouth suddenly dry.Lucas cleared his throat. “Well, here we are.”“Yep. Home sweet home,” Amy replied, her voice unnaturally high. She fumbled with her seatbelt, fingers trembling slightly as she tried to unlatch it. The damn thing seemed determined to keep her trapped in this moment.“Need some help?” Lucas asked, his voice laced with amusement.The seatbelt finally released with a soft click. Amy’s hand lingered on the buckle, her mind racing for some excuse…any excuse to prolong their time together.“I, uh…” Amy started, then trailed off, unsure what to say.Lucas turned to her, one eyebrow raised slightly. “Yes?”Amy’s breath caught in her throat as their eyes met.She opened her mouth, then closed it again. What could she possibly say that wouldn’t make her sound desperate or clingy? This
Lucas couldn’t shake off the feeling of emptiness in his chest as he drove away from Amy’s apartment and back home. He couldn’t understand why he was suddenly in such a bad mood, but the hollowness in his chest only grew stronger with each passing mile. It was as if something was missing.And the car ride was too quiet.Lucas leaned back against the seat, rubbing his temples. His fingers drummed against his thigh, restless, irritated.His mind kept drifting back to the face Amy had made when he had left her at her apartment. She looked so sad, almost near tears.The little Harpy.His jaw tightened as he exhaled sharply. He should be happy she was back home and away from him. He was finally from her constant chattering.Then why did it feel like he’d lost something instead?Silly.He hadn’t lost shit. He could see her whenever he wanted to. It’s not like she lived in another state or something.Lucas nodded to himself. That’s right, he will just go see her. Maybe bother her at the litt
“Amy, you are back! I am so sorry about your grandma,” Joanne exclaimed, giving Amy a big hug.Amy blinked. “My grandma?”Joanne released her from her embrace and looked at her, her eyes full of sympathy. “Brian told me you called and told him you needed a week off to visit your sick grandma in Tennessee.”“I did?” Amy asked but then quickly recovered. “Ah, yes. I did. Poor granny,” she said, thinking about both of her grandmas, who had been dead for years now.Joanne patted Amy’s arm. “You did a good thing by going to her. Family comes first.”Amy forced a tight smile. “Thanks, Joanne. She will be fine. Where is Brian?”Joanne glanced toward the back office. “He’s in the back office.” Joanne gave her another sympathetic smile. Amy swallowed down the guilt bubbling up inside her. “Yeah… thanks, Joanne.”Amy made her way toward Brian’s office. So she wasn’t fired because someone called Brian and made up the fake grandma story.She lightly knocked on his door.“Come in,” Brian called o
Lucas took a bite of the cheeseburger and grinned. “Not too bad. Definitely better than what I expected from a diner.”“It’s no fancy food you are used to, that’s for sure,” Amy said.“What’s your favorite item on the menu?” Lucas asked.Amy’s eyes brightened. “The apple pie!”“Oh really?” he raised an eyebrow. “I am more of a peach cobbler kind of guy.”“With Vanilla ice cream?” Amy inquired.Lucas chuckled. “Is there any other way to eat it?”Amy leaned towards him, her tone conspiratory. “By the way. Did you have something to do with the whole…sick grandma situation?”Lucas paused, his burger halfway to his mouth, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Maybe,” he said, setting the burger down and leaning back in his seat, his eyes glinting with amusement.“How did you do that? You sound nothing like me,” Amy joked.“I called in a favor. My younger sister, Sky, called your boss and pretended to be you,” he said. “She loves acting, so I figured, why not give her something she would enjoy?”“N
Saturday night came too fast for Amy.She wasn’t prepared. Not mentally, anyway.She was anxious about seeing Lucas again and doubly stressed about spending time with her mother and her new family. Every time she was in their presence, her mom found a way to make her look bad.She stood in front of her mirror, smoothing down her sundress, debating whether she should change for the third time.Her mother was always so critical about how she dressed and how she looked. What if she thought Amy was overdressed? Or underdressed?A knock at her door made her jump. She took a deep breath and opened it to find Lucas leaning against the door frame, looking effortlessly handsome in a fitted jacket and dark jeans.“Ready to go?” he asked, flashing that boyish grin that made her stomach flip.“You are here too early,” she said, forcing herself to sound casual.Lucas raised an eyebrow. “I am?”He glanced at his watch, then back at her with an amused smirk. “Pretty sure I’m right on time.”Amy huff
Lucas immediately spotted Alicia as soon as he entered the dining room.As soon as her gaze met his, her mouth hung open, and her eyes turned wide.Lucas grinned. This was the exact reaction he was hoping for. “Hello, Alicia,” he said in a smooth voice.“You two know each other?” Amy’s mother asked.“I went to college with him,” Alicia said, her voice tight.“YOU DID! NO WAY!” Amy exclaimed in a high-pitched, exaggerated voice, and Lucas could barely contain his laughter.Someone give this girl an award for the worst acting performance.Alicia shot Amy a look. “Yes, I did,” she said, regaining some composure.Amy gasped dramatically, placing a hand over her chest. “Oh my god, were you two, like… a thing? This is so awkward.”Lucas snorted while Alicia visibly clenched her jaw.“No,” Alicia said sharply. We were just acquaintances, that’s all.”“Oh, thank goodness. Because this would’ve been so weird if my date was your boyfriend or something,” Amy said in a conspiratory tone.Alicia w
“Ah, Luke! Come on up, my boy,” Antonio Costello exclaimed jovially as Lucas led Amy and her family inside the building.Lucas grinned and stepped forward to shake Antonio Costello’s hand. The older man clapped him on the back.“Good to see you, Uncle Tony. Thank you for letting me bring some guests to tour your Vineyard,” Lucas said.Antonio waved a dismissive hand. “Nonsense, Lucas! You’re family. My home is your home.” His sharp eyes flickered over to Amy and the rest of the group. “And who do we have here?”Lucas placed a hand on Amy’s lower back. “This is Amy,” he said. “And this is her mother, Margaret, her stepfather, Benjamin, and…” His voice dipped just slightly. “Her stepsister, Alicia.”Antonio smiled warmly. “It’s nice to meet you all. The Vineyard here is one of my pride and joy. I can’t wait to show you all the true beauty of making wine.”Margaret clasped her hands together, clearly delighted. “That sounds wonderful, Antonio.”Antonio nodded. “Come, let’s not waste any
Amy kept pacing back and forth in her bedroom. Her room was tiny, so there wasn’t much room to pace, but she made it work. She had to think.“This is stupid,” she muttered under her breath. She touched the hem of her shirt—a shirt she had changed three times already.“Jeans and a blouse. Jeans. And. A. Blouse.” She spoke each word like a mantra. She looked at herself in the mirror and blew out a breath. It was a simple outfit, and she looked plain as usual. But who really cares? Lucas had seen her already, so it was not like she had to impress him.“Lucas may have that smoldering, infuriating knack for making me second-guess myself,” she acknowledged to her reflection, “but not today. Today, I am the epitome of casual indifference.” Besides, she was still kind of mad at him.Okay, maybe not mad. But irritated.She thought about Asa and how he asked her out. How would she break that to Lucas? He would go ballistic!But she had to admit…it was kind of nice to be wanted.“Let them fight
Lucas did not like Asa.Not at all.How could Amy choose to stay with him?Lucas ran a hand through his hair, breathing hard. He hadn’t stopped thinking about her and that asshole ever since he left his apartment, his blood boiling with jealousy.Another thought suddenly occurred to him. What if he had pushed Amy toward Asa even more by acting like a caveman back there?Stupid, stupid, stupid!Lucas gritted his teeth, pacing his living room like a caged animal. His fists clenched at his sides as frustration clawed at his insides.What the hell was wrong with him?He had been acting like a lunatic, snapping at Amy, throwing accusations, and now—now she was probably going to go out with Asa.His stomach twisted at the thought.What if Asa made her laugh? What if she actually liked him? What if she realized she didn’t need Lucas in her life anymore?His pulse pounded in his ears.This was his fault. He’d let his jealousy get the best of him, and now she was probably thinking he was a pos
“He is not going to come back in the morning and beat me up, is he?” Asa asked after Lucas stormed out, slamming the door behind him with a loud bang.“I doubt that. He acts all tough, but he is just a giant teddy bear inside,” Amy said.Asa looked at her intently. “So, is he your boyfriend or what?”Amy bit her lower lip and shook her head. “No. He is not.”“Then why was he acting like a jealous boyfriend?” he asked." It’s…it’s complicated,” Amy said.Asa arched an eyebrow. “Complicated, huh? That’s just a fancy way of saying I have no idea what the hell is going on.”Amy groaned, flopping onto the couch. “Tell me about it.”Asa plopped down next to her, propping his feet up on the coffee table. “Well, from what I gathered, he’s either in love with you, in deep denial, or on the verge of a mental breakdown.”Amy let out a tired laugh. “I hardly think he is in love with me, but the mental breakdown part might be true.”Asa took a thoughtful sip of his beer. “Whatever it is, I think y
“What do you mean you are coming over?”That’s what Amy said in the text, but he didn’t bother replying. Instead, he grabbed his car keys and rushed out of his penthouse.His jaw was clenched, mind racing with thoughts of Amy staying at some other guy’s place—alone.Who the hell is Asa?The thought of her being in another man’s home was enough to make his blood boil.The moment the elevator doors opened, he strode toward his car, sliding into the driver’s seat with barely restrained fury. His fingers drummed impatiently against the steering wheel as he backed out and sped off toward her apartment complex.Why couldn’t she just call him? He would’ve picked her up and brought her to his place, Lucas thought.The thought of Amy choosing to stay with another guy instead of calling him made his grip on the wheel tightened. His jaw ticked as he switched lanes, weaving through traffic like a man on a mission.Why Asa? Why not him?By the time he reached her apartment complex, his patience wa
Amy groaned as she unlocked the door to her apartment, tossing her bag onto the couch before kicking off her shoes. Her feet ached, her back hurt, and all she wanted was a long, hot shower.She had to deal with the worst breed of customers today at the Diner.She sighed in relief as she padded toward the bathroom, already imagining the steamy water cascading down her skin. She turned the knob.Nothing.“What the hell?” she muttered, twisting the knob back and forth.Still nothing. No water.“You’ve got to be kidding me!” she cried out. Did she forget to pay the water bill? But it wasn’t due for another two weeks!Frustration bubbled inside her as she crouched down, inspecting the pipes beneath the sink. Maybe something was loose?Amy grabbed the wrench she kept under the sink for “just in case” situations and started messing with one of the valves.That was a mistake.With a loud crack, the pipe snapped, and suddenly, water exploded everywhere.“Ack! No, no, no—oh my god!” Amy shrieke
Lucas found himself staring at Amy, feeling irrationally happy. The aftermath of their lovemaking left his muscles relaxed just like it did when they did this back in Sweden. But somehow, this time felt even better than that time.“Stop looking at me like I grew a second head,” Amy teased.The corner of his mouth quirked up in a half-smile. “Sorry. You look really pretty,” he said.“Pfft,” she scoffed, but Lucas could see that her cheeks were turning pink.He loved it when her cheeks turned pink like that.“Come on, Lucas,” Amy nudged him, her eyes twinkling. “Drive me home now. I have work in the morning.”“Let’s go,” he said, standing up.Amy chattered about random things on the way home, but Lucas only half-listened. A tightness coiled around his chest, an unfamiliar pressure attacking him.He didn’t want to take her back to her apartment yet. He missed her already.“I want to show you my Penthouse, Harpy. How about now?” he asked.Amy furrowed her brows. “What? Now? No way. I am d
This wasn’t fair.Amy thought as Lucas slowly, almost lazily, kissed her.This just was not fair.How was she supposed not to fall in love with him when he kissed her like that—like he had all the time in the world, and he simply didn’t care what he was doing to her?Amy’s fingers curled against his chest, torn between pulling him closer and pushing him away. She knew this was dangerous, knew it would only complicate things further, but when his lips moved against hers with that maddening patience, every rational thought vanished.Lucas made a low sound in the back of his throat, his hand sliding up her spine, his touch warm and steady. He wasn’t in a hurry, wasn’t rushing to take more. He was simply enjoying this, enjoying her.It wasn’t fair.Because the way he kissed her made her believe that she could have him all to herself.Amy knew better. She really did!Lucas wasn’t hers. He never had been, and he probably never would be. But in a moment like this, when his fingers traced her
Lucas lay beside Amy, his hands folded behind his head as he gazed up at the stars projected above them. The soft hum of the planetarium filled the air, but all he could focus on was the quiet rhythm of Amy’s breathing beside him.He felt at peace. No expectations and no responsibilities here. Just him and his Harpy.He turned his head slightly, glancing at her. She looked mesmerized by the stars, her eyes reflecting the soft light of the projection. Her lips were slightly parted as if she were drinking at the moment, and Lucas felt something tighten in his chest.“I think this is the calmest I’ve ever seen you,” he murmured, a small smile tugging at his lips.Amy turned her head to look at him, an amused glint in her eyes. “Are you trying to tell me again I talk too much?”Lucas chuckled. “Oh, absolutely.”Amy laughed softly, shaking her head. “I guess I do talk too much. I am sorry if it bothers you. I can’t help it sometimes. I promise I will try to be more quiet.”Lucas frowned sl