Chapter 11

Riding in Luke's car to this little hole-in-the-wall after being damn near killed by a gang member isn't how I thought this day would go. I didn't think I would kiss him, either.

Or that I'd want to do it again—very much so.

He is way too charming. There's absolutely no reason a human should be that charismatic, and I don't know how to feel about the way he looks at me.

"Welcome."

The waitress at the far end of the corner waves as the bell rings over our heads. Luke gestures for a booth off to the left, the red pleather shining in the fluorescent lighting.

"After you, doc."

Shaking my head with a grin, I walk to the booth, sliding into the dead center of my long bench seat and watch Luke do the same on the other side.

"Gotta admit, this isn't where I thought you'd take me."

I look around the quaint diner, admiring the black-and-white checkered floor and shiny chrome accents. It's something right out of the '50s.

Luke takes two menus from the single ring holding them and passes one to me.

"Did you really want to go to some fancy French place right now?"

I laugh. He's not wrong. "No. I think I prefer french fries right now."

"Well, holy shit. Was that a joke? You feeling okay over there?"

Rolling my eyes, I offer Luke a sarcastic laugh. "Ha ha. Very funny. It's been a bit of a rough day."

He reaches across the table, taking my hand in his grip and squeezing lightly.

"I hear ya, darlin'."

Luke's skin is warm, and the way he's holding my hand feels too good. I'm not supposed to be letting him this close.

Clearing my throat and pulling my hand back to look over the menu, I hold it between us.

"So, what's good?"

I risk a glance over the top of the menu and immediately regret it. Luke is smirking at me, obviously very aware of my deflection.

He lets it go, though, and I am very glad for it.

"Well, what's your speed? You a breakfast-for-dinner type of girl? Or more like craving a juicy burger?"

My stomach clenches as he mentions food, and it's a combination of starving and nauseated.

I know I need to eat. My body knows I need to eat. But suddenly, food sounds disgusting.

Anxiety. Duh.

When I've had this problem in the past, I turned to a few staples to keep me fed.

"Well, fries, for sure. And um—" I turn the menu over to the other side, searching for the linchpin in the prevent-my-starvation plan "—ah, there. Fried pickles."

Luke laughs, and I'm lost in the sound momentarily.

Jesus, Clara, it's been a long day, but come on. You can't be affected like this every damn time and from something as simple as a laugh.

"That is a lot of fried food, doc. You think that's good for you?" Luke's smile is downright dashing.

"Carbs, fat, salt, bit of sour. It's the perfect thing to calm one"s nerves."

I smile, amused with myself, and Luke chuckles again.

"That your professional opinion?"

"It is." I nod.

The waitress comes over at just that moment, and I see the name Doris displayed on her name tag.

Perfection. Couldn't get any more kitschy '50s diner if they tried.

"Hiya, folks. What can I get ya?"

I lied. It just did.

"Hey, Doris." Luke smirks, laying an arm over the back of the booth. "We'll have two baskets of fries, let's make 'em truffle."

He looks over to me, and I nod in agreement with an impressed grin. Quite the offering for such a tiny restaurant.

"And two baskets of fried pickles."

She scribbles it down on a notepad. "Anything to drink?"

"I'll have a beer. Um—" Luke looks over his shoulder at the sign over the bar-style seating where the options are listed. "A Sam Adams, please. Clara?"

I'm not usually much of a drinker, being an on-call surgeon most nights, but there's no way I'm going back to work any time soon, so I decide what the hell.

"Same. Thanks."

Doris nods with a tired smile and sticks her pen and notepad back in her apron.

"All right, should be out soon."

When we're alone at the table again, I meet Luke's eyes across the way, and that burning in my cheeks returns.

"I should really call the hospital. Let them know what's happened."

Luke cocks his head, humming a little. "Eh, it can wait till I get you back home. You'll have a full belly then and be able to think clearly."

Scoffing that bleeds into a laugh, I shake my head at him.

"You're really on this me staying with you thing."

"I see something I want, or in this case, can do something to help, and I go for it."

Dammit, that should not be so attractive.

There's a bit of silence as I stare down at the table.

For the first time since the incident at the apartment, I let myself actually think about what Luke is offering—and how he offered it.

I look back up at him, and those brown-green eyes with flecks of gold are mesmerizing. There's way more to them when you look up close.

"You really want to justhelp me?"

Luke pulls his arms down from the back of the booth, leaning on the table between us.

"I want to help you. I don't just want to help you. I'll admit that." He swings his head down, raising his brows. "But I'll do whatever you're good with. I'm not that kind of pushy."

It would have been easier if he was that kind of pushy.

Sighing, I look down at my hands where they rest on the table. There's a tiny tremor to them, and I don't like it.

I'm a surgical resident. I must have exceedingly steady hands.

Cardiac specialty. You're going for a cardiac specialty. You have to be even better.

My mind drifts to Beth, the valve repair she's scheduled for, and the amount of money that fucking surgery is going to cost.

It's one hundred percent required, but her insurance doesn't seem to care about that. They're still happy to charge Regina a damn arm and a leg.

It may as well be literal at this point.

My chest pinches as I chew on my lip. I think the only people who hate insurance more than most Americans are doctors.

Beth needs you. You have to be here for her. You can't let her get hurt.

"I can still ‘work' for you?" I raise my brows at Luke as I meet his eyes again. "Treat this like a live-in health care service?"

He smiles, laughing through his nose. "If that'll make you feel better about it, sure."

"My niece needs expensive surgery. It's why I agreed with this whole thing in the first place, so yes, it makes me feel better."

Luke sits up a bit straighter, narrowing his eyes. "Niece, huh?"

I just nod.

Luke is quiet for a second, and for the briefest moment, I see his eyes go to the table as he clenches his jaw.

"Okay, yeah. Live-in health service. I'm paying for your help while providing a convenient place to stay since you can't exactly go home right now."

I'm about to say something, I'm not even sure what really, when Doris comes back with our drinks and food.

It smells incredible, nostalgic and familiar, even if I've never been here, and my stomach rumbles.

"Eat up, doc."

With a smile, I dig into the fries, practically groaning at how good they taste. The truffle addition was a fantastic choice.

Luke tries a fried pickle, dipping it in the spicy orange sauce they come with.

"Hmm, not bad. Can't say I'd ever tried one before you suggested it. Looks like you're full of good ideas, darlin'."

I have to laugh at that. I have to, or I'm going to be groaning over something else, and I'm still desperately trying to cling to the idea that this is all strictly business.

And for, you know, safety.

"I have my moments, that's true."

Luke takes a sip of his beer, and I remember I have one, too, joining him in washing down the grease and salt with the full-bodied beverage.

"So, how'd you get into surgery, anyway?"

The question catches me off guard, and I cough a little, smiling as I wipe my mouth with a napkin.

"Oh, well. I've always been interested in medicine. Growing up, Regina and I always joked about our dream jobs when we were finally able to leave the house. I'm older, so I made sure to bring her with me."

With a downward tilt of his lips, Luke nods. "Your sister, I take it."

I smile, nodding. "Yup. Regina and I have been inseparable since the day she was born. It's my job to keep her safe, keep her stable."

Luke barks a laugh. "You sound like my older brother."

Cocking my head, I take a pickle and a fry together, giving the combo a go.

"The one who was in that warehouse with you? The one who was in trouble?"

"Oh, well, the guy I'm talking about was there. Jay. But the one who was in trouble is Dom."

"Oh, you have two brothers?" I raise my brows.

"I have two brothers by blood and another two by bond."

Luke seems to catch himself being rather open and looks up at the ceiling with a shake of his head.

"You're very easy to talk to, doc."

I laugh. "Well, likewise, Mr. Fried Pickle First Timer."

We both chuckle, munching a bit more on the amazing fried food, and then, for some reason, I'm thinking about Beth again.

"My niece has a heart problem, so…I'm doing a cardiac specialty. I want to be able to help kids and adults like her."

Humming thoughtfully as he finishes his bite, Luke eyes me, more serious than I've seen him.

"That's damn impressive, Clara. I understand why your job means so much to you."

I shrug, not really knowing what to do with that compliment. Luke's use of my first name causes a blush to spread across my neck and up my face.

"Thanks, I guess." I take another sip of my beer, hungry for the social lubricant. "But what about you? How'd you go from the military to being the CEO of a PR firm?"

"Ha! Well, I can kind of thank Jay for that." He puts his hand on the back of his head, giving a tangled up version of his smile. "When we got out of the service, I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do. It's a decent change going from soldier to civilian life again."

"I can only imagine." I raise my brows at him.

"Jay mentioned that of all of us, I was the one who'd be able to sell water to a fish, so…here we are."

I downright giggle at that one. "He needed a salesman?"

"He needed everything. Jay's the business mogul of all of us. Sure, Dom owns a few things, but he's small potatoes compared to Jay."

"And you?"

He grins, that dazzling smile on full display. "I'm the charm, obviously."

I should have known I was done for when we got here, but somehow, I let myself believe I was actually going to turn Luke down.

"Okay. I'll stay with you."