Luke lowered his voice, tilting his head to speak solely to me. “How was your date with the cheese connoisseur?”
“Oh, I am now highly educated in the fermenting of milk curds,” I told him haughtily.
This time, it was Luke’s nose that scrunched. “No. No curds talk.”
“Cheese curds are a thing.”
“I don’t want to talk about those either.”
Luke always made me laugh. I couldn’t help it. Whether he was serious or silly, stoic or cocky, he never ceased to make me smile.
Eddie. Yes, Eddie was a safer conversation. “Honestly though, my date went well. Eddie was sweet and nice.”
“Sweet and nice? Your bar is awfully low, Hart. What about spark and connection?”
“He asked me questions about myself and listened when I spoke,” I added.
“Okay. So will there be a second date in Eddie’s future?” He rolled his eyes when he said Eddie’s name.
“He seems like a good guy, Luke. I can’t afford to just toss those aside. They don’t come around very often.”
The doors to the labor and delivery rooms flew open. Wyattstrolled out, tears spilling from his eyes.
“It’s a girl!” he shouted.
Everyone jumped up at once. My hands came to my face as tears of my own leaked down my cheeks. Luke, Reid, and Charlie were the first to hug Wyatt. Jackson shook his hand with a congratulations of his own while Josie offered Wyatt a quick embrace. Claire and I both pounced on him as soon as we could, hugging Wyatt like we wanted to hug Maeve, making a Wyatt sandwich between us. I turned around and witnessed all the joy on everyone’s faces.
“I can only take two in at a time. Dad and Jackson, come meet your new grandbaby and niece, Veda Rebecca Wilder.”
Jackson looked shocked to be called in first, but it was Charlie’s reaction to his late wife’s honor that captured my heart.
“She’d be so proud of you, son. Congratulations.” He slapped Wyatt on the shoulder before bringing him in for another hug.
“I’m going to go to the gift store for something pink,” Josie said.
Figuring it was going to be a while, Reid and Claire decided to take a walk and grab something to drink, leaving me and Luke alone in the waiting room.
“You doing alright over there?” Luke kicked my foot lightly.
“Yeah. Big emotions…”
“Make you cry. I know. Come here.” Luke stretched out his arm, inviting me into his space. I sniffled, trying to clear my nose before I leaned into him. His strong arm cradled my shoulder while I snuggled into his chest. The scent of his soap and a hint of woodsy cologne tickled my senses. I breathed him in for just a moment. Just long enough togather myself from my emotional cryfest. Any longer and my emotions would be taking on a different type of hit. I pulled back before I got too comfortable being comforted by him.
A look passed across Luke’s face, disappearing as quickly as it came. It almost looked like interest, but that was ridiculous. My brain was trying to make something out of nothing. He was married.
It didn’t stop tingles from flowing through my body though.
3
Luke
Holding my brand-new niece in the hospital had been the highlight of my day. Even better than slapping the cuffs on Ryan Redmond’s wrists. The pang that hit my chest when I looked down at her was entirely expected. I was overjoyed for Wyatt and Maeve. A second daughter, expanding their family to four. It was only a little over a year ago that Wyatt had drunkenly stumbled upon Jane, abandoned and alone. Now, he was engaged to the love of his life, the adoption of Jane had been finalized right after her first birthday, and baby Veda was the perfect addition to their family. I didn’t want to be envious of him, but I couldn’t help it.
I wanted to start a family right after Jules and I got married, but she’d wanted to wait. Spend some time together as a married couple before we added to our unit. That was five years ago. I had brought it up a couple more times over the years, but the answer was always the same. She needed more time. She wasn’t where she wanted to be in life yet.Iwasn’t where she wanted me to be in life.
Scarlett and I left the hospital together. Before she couldhead home, I turned to her, asking if she wanted to grab something to eat. I was starving from skipping dinner and then spending a few hours at the hospital. Plus, I was stalling. I had no desire to go home, back to Juliet and the accusations that swirled in my brain.
“Oh, wait, you just had dinner not long ago with Edmond,” I said.
