“…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
They all ate in silence. When they were done, Ben suggested that everyone go to the porch for some fresh air.Once they were out, the crisp evening air wrapped around them. Amy wrapped her arms around herself, trying to keep warm, but Lucas noticed the slight shiver that ran through her.Without hesitation, he shrugged off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. Before she could protest, he pulled her closer against his side, his arm wrapping securely around her.Amy blinked up at him, surprised. “What are you—”“You are cold,” he said simply, his voice firm but gentle.Over Amy’s shoulder, he caught Alicia watching them.She stood near the porch railing, her expression grim.Lucas wondered if this whole plan was already a success, and Alicia was jealous.Lucas held her gaze for a beat, then smirked, tightening his arm around Amy just a little more.Alicia looked away, her lips pressing into a thin line.Amy hissed near his ear. “What are you doing, Lucas?”“Keeping you warm,” he
“What are they doing now, Jimmy?” Lucas texted the man he hired to spy on Amy and Asa.Lucas stared at his phone as the message sent, his fingers tapping impatiently against the edge of his desk. His thoughts churned, the irritation growing with every passing second.His phone buzzed with a reply.Jimmy: They’re still on the mini golf course. No sign of anything strange. They’re just playing, talking, looks like having fun. She seems relaxed.Lucas narrowed his eyes, his mind racing.Lucas: Keep watching. I want to know if they kiss.Jimmy: They are on the last hole now. Looks like they’re finishing up. Could be wrapping up soon.Lucas: I want to know everything. Stay close, don’t miss anything.He stared at the screen, watching the little dots indicating Jimmy was typing. The delay felt agonizing, each second stretching longer than the last. Finally, the message came through.Jimmy: They are finishing up now. No kiss yet, though. She’s laughing at something he said. Looks like a prett
Amy paced across the bedroom.Seventeen steps to the window, pivot, fifteen steps back to the mirror. Her new sundress swished around her knees – impulse purchase, one size too optimistic. Twenty-seven minutes until he arrived. Twenty-six, actually. The clock on her microwave was fast.“You are a grown woman,” she told her reflection, which stared back with unconvinced eyes. “You’ve been on dates before.”“Why am I so nervous?” she asked herself in the mirror. “It’s just Asa, your nice neighbor.The sundress was yellow – “Daffodil Dream” according to the tag – with tiny white flowers scattered across the fabric like stars on a summer night.She’d spent forty-three minutes and all her remaining dignity in the fitting room deciding between this one and a blue number that made her look like a corporate retreat brochure. The yellow won because it didn’t take itself too seriously. Amy wasn’t sure she could say the same about herself right now.Amy paused at the window, fingers fidgeting wi
“Have fun on your date.” That’s what he had said.Amy had been annoyed at him since then and refused to look him in the eyes for the rest of the day. And then it was time to go home.“Maybe I should ask Mom and Ben to drive me back to the apartment. No reason for you to drive all the way there,” Amy said when they were near his car.“I have every reason to,” Lucas barked.Amy blinked, taken aback by the sharpness in Lucas’s voice.She crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes. “Why are you being so weird about this? It’s just a ride home.”Lucas scoffed, running a frustrated hand through his hair. “Because I brought you here, so I am taking you back. Since when have you had a problem accepting rides from me?”“Since you started acting like a jealous control freak,” she shot back, her irritation flaring.Lucas’s jaw tightened. “I’m not jealous.”Amy let out a dry laugh. “Right. So, what was all that about earlier? Telling me I can’t go on a date with Asa? Last I checked, you’re not my boyfr
Lucas couldn’t stop worrying about what Amy implied throughout dinner. He found himself stealing glances at her.Was she serious? Was she bored of him already? How could she already be bored? They had barely just started!When the meal finally ended, Lucas didn’t have the chance to get her to be alone with him again because Tiffany decided to pull her away from him. “What are you doing?” he growled without thinking.Tiffany arched a brow. “Relax, little brother. I just want to get to know Amy better. You did say she’s your girlfriend, right?” she teased, pulling Amy along before he could argue.Amy gave Lucas a nervous smile but didn’t resist as Tiffany led her away.Lucas clenched his jaw, watching them disappear into another part of the vineyard. He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. This is ridiculous. He needed to talk to Amy. Now.Jacob chuckled beside him, clapping a hand on his shoulder. “You’re acting like a dog whose favorite toy was taken away.”Lucas shot him a glare.
Lucas waited until they were out of earshot of Amy before turning to Alicia.“What’s wrong with you?” he asked, glaring at her.“What do you mean?” Alicia asked innocently.Lucas sighed. “You know exactly what I meant, Alicia. Why are you being so rude to Amy? What is wrong with you?” he barked.“What’s wrong with me? What’s wrong with YOU? What are you doing, dating my stepsister, Lucas? I didn’t realize you’d play dirty just to get to me,” she said.Lucas stared at her. “Get to you?”Alicia crossed her arms. “You can deny it all you want, but I know you, Lucas. You don’t just accidentally end up with her, of all people. It’s a game, isn’t it? A way to—what? Get back at me? Make me jealous?”Okay, technically, she was right. This was supposed to be a game to get close to Alicia, but Lucas had no intention of doing that anymore. So all he could do now was to deny the accusation.“That’s actually insane, Alicia. You really think everything is about you, don’t you?” He took a step close
“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