“Fancy running into you here,” I said.
He turned to me with his ridiculously perfect smile and said, “This really is my lucky day.”
It occurred to me that he might think the exact opposite if he really knew me. But I’d had just enough alcohol to let down my usually impenetrable wall.
“Are you up for a walk?”
“With you?” He stepped dangerously close to me and I could smell his cologne. I had a weakness for cologne. “I can’t think of anything I’d rather do tonight.”
“Then you must not have a very good imagination.” I grinned up at him. “Let’s go.”
It was a beautiful spring evening, warm by Chicago standards but still chilly. As we walked slowly through the loop, I was glad that my work heels were both fashionable and comfortable. The beginnings of a blister would be an unfortunate way to end the evening.
“It always surprises me how deserted downtown becomes on Friday night.” We had been walking for a while and had only passed a few late commuters on their way to the train station. “Do you live close by?”
“Already trying to get an invite back to my place?” Luke joked. “I live in the Gold Coast. You?”
“Lakeview.”
We were closing in on Millennium Park. “I could use a coffee. What do you say?”
“Sure.”
The waitress at the counter looked up in surprise when we entered. The café was empty except for the three of us.
“Coffee. Black,” I said.
Luke glanced at me in surprise and said, “Make that two.”
He insisted on paying for the coffees and turned to me while we waited for the barista to fill our order.
“No fru-fru drink?” he asked.
“What’s so surprising about that?” I felt myself get irritated. “What, just because I’m a girl I can’t drink my coffee black?”
“Whoa. That’s not what I meant.” He looked chagrinned. “Okay, actually you aren’t wrong. But I was. Sorry.”
I shrugged. “I’m sure it’s not the first time you’ve been wrong about women.”
“You’re right about that.” He picked up the coffees and handed me one. “Shall we resume our walk?”
“Let’s stroll through the park. It’s nicer at night when all of the tourists are gone.” It wasn’t quite dark enough or late enough to have to worry about our safety. Now was prime park time.
“How do you like working for Holly?”
“She’s great.” In fact, I was going to be sad when my clerkship ended in two weeks. “I’ve learned a lot from her.”
Luke paused on the pathway, uncertain which branch in the path we should take. I started down the one on the left.
“Holly is a good woman.”
“How long have you known her?”
“A few years.” He shrugged. “Time starts to fly after the age of thirty.”
My eyes widened. “How old are you exactly?”
“Not that old,” he said, laughing. “I’ll be 33 in a couple of months.”
That was when I realized that Luke wasn’t just some guy- he was a man. He probably had real estate investments and stock portfolios. Not to mention whatever romantic baggage he was carrying. I didn’t even have a cat.
“What are your plans for retirement?”
“Funny.” Luke looked around, lost. “Where are you taking me?”
“To my lair.”
“To take advantage of me?” he said with a hopeful smile.
I rolled my eyes. “You wish.”
We had reached the pathway that would take us to the top of the Art Institute. I had accidentally discovered it during my first visit to the modern wing several years earlier and it was one of my favorite spots in the city.
“This is a great view,” Luke said, stopping in the middle to look toward Michigan Avenue.
“One of my favorites,” I agreed. The Chicago skyline was beginning to light up. “Come on. There’s more.”
At the very top, in the farthest corner, I pointed to the rooftop below. With my other hand, I dug into my bag and pulled out a penny.
“Make a wish,” I said.
“What is this?”
About three feet below where we stood, the roof was covered in dozens of pennies. Somehow, visitors had collectively decided to turn this into their own version of a wishing well.
“Pretty cool, huh?” I handed him the penny. “My wish is already down there. It’s your turn.”
Luke took the penny, tentatively holding it between his thumb and forefinger. “A wish, huh? I can’t remember the last time I made a wish.”
“That’s crazy.” I slapped his arm. “You better get busy making up for lost time.”
He thought for a second, lips pursed and eyes searching the sky. “I got it.”
The penny flipped through the air and landed with a satisfying ping.
“Good work.” I smiled in satisfaction. “Okay, I showed you one of my favorite spots. Now you have to show me one of yours.”
Luke’s brow furrowed. “Alright. I’ve got it.”
We headed back in the direction from which we came. Conversation came surprisingly easy for us. Even though I had just met Luke, it felt like I was talking to an old friend.
“If we’re headed back to your place, I won’t be coming in.” I was only half-joking.
“Relax. We’re not headed to my place. Yet.” He grabbed my arm and yanked me back just as I was about to cross Wacker Drive. A car had run a red light and was a foot away from crashing into me.
“Nice reflexes,” I said, my heart racing from the close call.
Luke held onto my arm for a few seconds longer than was necessary before letting go. “I just saved your life.”
“My hero.” I pretended to swoon. “Can we cross now?”
“Yeah, but stick with me, okay? I might be a hero, but I don’t have superpowers. I can only save you if you are close.” To emphasize his point, he brushed against me.
We were on the bridge, crossing over the river, and Luke stopped me again.
“What’s wrong? I’m about to get hit by a biker?” I looked around wildly.
“No, silly. We’re here.” He proudly held out his arms and turned in a half-circle.
“This is your spot?”
He nodded. “This is it.”
With the river below us, cars speeding by us, and the scenery around us, I wasn’t exactly sure what I was supposed to focus on. “Which part?”
“All of it.” Luke spun in a slow circle and I could see a hint of wonder in his eyes. “The first time I ever stood in this spot, I knew that I would love living in this city.”
A bus barreled over the bridge, shaking the metal beneath our feet. “This is pretty cliché,” I said.
“Maybe, but I don’t care.” Luke pointed to the buildings in front of us. “Does the city’s architecture get any better than this?”
He had a point. I loved the Tribune Tower and Wrigley Building. Looking down the river, even more magnificent skyscrapers dotted the skyline.
“Okay, I’ll give it to you. This spot is pretty cool.” I actually happened to like this spot a lot myself. “When did you move to the city?”
“I moved here for college. I’m from the suburbs, so it’s not like I had to move far. My dad’s firm was here, so I spent some time in the city growing up. But it just felt different when I moved here for real.”
I noticed that his face darkened when he mentioned his father.
“Were you close to your father?” I asked quietly.
“Not exactly.” He didn’t seem excited to elaborate further. “The only thing my father and I had in common was our last name.”
“It’s a good last name,” I said lamely. He smiled and we stood quietly, looking at the water lapping below.
Luke reached into his pocket and pulled out a quarter. “Wish time. I already made my wish,” he said, nodding to the river below. “Your turn.”
“A quarter? That’s an e
xpensive wish.” I took it carefully.
“The good ones always are,” he replied.
I thought carefully about which wish I should offer up. I’d had so many over the years, and none of them had ever been answered. But there was one that was new, and that was what was on my mind as the quarter somersaulted into the water.
“Now what?” I asked, turning back to Luke.
“A drink?”
It sounded like a reasonable suggestion. “Let’s go to the Signature Room.”
“Okay, now who’s being cliché?” Luke’s beautiful eyes rolled around in his head.
“I don’t care. I love the view.” It was true- everyone knew that the Signature Room was a tourist trap. But it was also the best view in the city, in my opinion.
“Well, it’s your turn. So let’s do it.”
We were lucky. Our arrival at the Signature Room was timed perfectly to miss the prime dinner rush. The lounge was still crowded, but we were able to find an intimate table by the windows.
“You were right,” Luke said with a reluctant sigh “The view is spectacular.”
“I’m always right,” I replied without missing a beat.
Luke changed the subject. “Tell me about Kasey. Where did you grow up?”
“Wisconsin. Just outside of Milwaukee.” I didn’t like where our conversation was headed.
“What about your family?”
“What about them?”
The waitress arrived and Luke paused long enough to order drinks for us. “Were you close to your parents?”
“I was.”
“Do they still live in Wisconsin?”
I took a breath before answering. “They’re dead.”
“Oh.” Luke blinked hard. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.” Even after all this time I still never felt comfortable talking about their deaths. “They were hit by a drunk driver ten years ago.”
“That’s terrible.”
“Shit happens.” I waited for the waitress to set down our drinks and then grabbed mine and took a big drink.
Luke watched me, saying nothing.
“Did I just ruin the night?” I asked self-consciously.
“No.” He shook his head slowly. “I don’t know if anything could ruin this night.”
I objected. “Bad karaoke. Bad karaoke can ruin any night.”
“Do you always do that?” his head tilted. “Do you always make jokes whenever someone says something too serious or too personal?”
“Yes.”
No use denying it. I hated talking about my past, or anything else that was private. It wasn’t because of my own feelings on the matter. I just knew from experience that it made other people uncomfortable. They would look at me with pity in their eyes and stammer over awkward words of sympathy. I was just trying to make it easier on everyone.
“It’s better this way, Luke,” I said, taking another drink. “Trust me.”
“You don’t have to do that with me,” he replied. “I can handle the truth. Trust me.”
I smirked. “I’ve already told you more than I’ve told most people. More than I’ve told Jen.”
“That’s sad.” Luke didn’t have a trace of a smile on his face. “Everyone needs someone to confide in.”
“Who do you confide in?” I had a feeling that Luke’s past was just as tragic as my own. There was something in his eyes that I recognized.
He studied me for a long time, as if trying to assess whether I was someone he could trust with his confession. Apparently, I looked trustworthy enough because he said, “My father was an abusive prick. He hit my mother and he beat the shit out of me.”
“For how long?”
“Until I was big enough to hit him back.” His voice was empty of feeling, but when I looked into his eyes I saw pain.
“Was it bad?” I asked, barely raising my voice above a whisper.
“I survived,” he shrugged, then realized that he hadn’t exactly answered my question. “A few broken bones and concussions. Lots of scars.”
Then he tried to smirk but it came across as a sad smile. “Wait until you see me with my shirt off.”
“We all have scars,” I replied. Before I could stop myself, I reached across the table and took his hand. “Some just run a little deeper than others.”
“What did you wish for at the river?” he asked out of nowhere.
I almost told him. Almost.
“I can’t tell you.” I held up a hand to stop his protest. “It’s not time yet.”
“When will it be time?”
I thought for a second. “After the wish comes true.”
CHAPTER THREE
“We should really consider calling it a night soon,” I said, two hours and four drinks later. It was at least the third time I had said those words, and each time I sounded a little less convincing than the previous time.
Luke waved a hand. “We’re just getting started, Kasey Maxwell.”
“I’m supposed to be studying right now.” I frowned down at my empty glass. I wasn’t usually so reckless, throwing away a perfectly good study night to spend time with a stranger. But Luke wasn’t a stranger anymore, and I didn’t want to go home.
“This could be the most important night of your life. If you go home now, you’ll miss it.” He flagged the waitress over and ordered another round of drinks.
“Or it could just be another night.”
Luke was unconvinced. “I’ve had a lot of nights, and this isn’t like any of them.”
“It’s the witty banter, isn’t it?”
“You’re doing it again.” Luke waved a scolding finger at me. “Stop using humor to deflect what’s really happening here.”
“What’s really happening here?”
His smile was irresistible. “You’re falling madly in love with me. No, don’t try to deny it. Don’t worry, I think you’re pretty great, too.”
“Now who’s being funny?” But the situation wasn’t humorous at all. While I wouldn’t exactly say I was falling in love with Luke, it was undeniable that there was an attraction between us.
“Alright. New game.” Luke leaned over the table. “We tell each other one serious thing that other people don’t know about us.”
“Why?”
He sighed. “Just give it a shot. Stop being difficult.”
“Fine, but you have to go first.” I was hoping by the time it was my turn I would come up with a good distraction.
“Hm. Okay.” His face gradually grew serious. “When I was 16, I skipped school and stole my dad’s car.”
“How very Ferris Bueller of you. Did you go to a Cub’s game or sing in a parade?”
He stuck his tongue out at me. “Don’t ruin this.”
“Sorry. Go ahead. What happened next?” I asked as the waitress returned with our drinks. She gave Luke a long look before turning away. I couldn’t blame her.
“I crashed it into a tree,” Luke said evenly. “I spent a month in the hospital recovering from my injuries.”
“How did your dad react?”
“Exactly as you would expect.” His eyes darkened. “He kicked me out of the house. Changed the locks while I was still in the hospital.”
My mouth dropped open. “You were still a minor.”
“I didn’t want to go back to that house anyway.”
“Where did you go?”
“My best friend, Tommy, took me in. His parents knew about the abuse and I think they felt sorry for me. I stayed with them until I graduated.”
“If your dad disowned you, how did you end up working for him?”
Luke looked away, gazing over the dark lake. “My mom begged me to give him another chance.”
“And you did?”
He kept looking away from me, lost somewhere in his past. “We all have our weaknesses. Mine is my mother.”
“Mine is bacon,” I said, then immediately clamped my mouth shut. “Sorry. I did it again.”
“That�
�s okay.” He smiled. “I have a thing for bacon, too.”
I forced myself to dig deep and put on a serious face. “Do you want to talk about it more? I promise not to make a stupid joke.”
He shook his head. “Nope. It’s your turn to divulge a secret. Make it good one.”
I didn’t even have to think about what my secret should be. “I was engaged.”
“Was?”
“A long time ago.”
“A long time ago? How old are you? 25? 26?”
“24.”
He scoffed. “What, were you one of those crazy kids that got engaged in high school?”
“Yes.”
His eyes widened. “Well, now I feel like an asshole.”
“I’m sure that wasn’t the dumbest thing you’ve ever said.”
“You’re right about that.” He grimaced. “So finish the story. What happened? I’m taking it you didn’t go through with the wedding? What happened to the fiancé?”
“He died.” If I stopped talking at all, Luke would jump in with a half-dozen sympathetic phrases that would only serve to make it worse. So instead, I plunged ahead. “His name was Dylan. We started dating when we were fifteen. One night in our senior year, Dylan went to a party. The kids got some booze from an older brother and everyone had too much to drink.
“Dylan didn’t want to drive home so he passed out on a friend’s bed. At least, everyone thought he had just passed out. He actually had alcohol poisoning and slipped into a coma. We found out later that he also had a heart condition. It wasn’t supposed to be life threatening, but mixed with the alcohol poisoning, it became a deadly combination.”
“That’s tragic.”
I took a sip of my drink, which was mostly just melted ice at this point. “You’re the one that wanted to play this game.”
“I’m full of bad ideas.”
Suddenly, I was ready to move again. We’d been in this one spot for too long. “Speaking of bad ideas, I have a really bad one.”
“I’m in.”
“You don’t even know what it is,” I protested as Luke threw tip money on the table. “Plus, it’s your turn to pick a destination.”
“We have all night for that.” Quite naturally, he took my hand. “You’re not getting out of this.”
About that Night Page 2