Old Flame (Burning Hearts Book 1)

by Lolita Lane

  “I’ve been right here with you,” she answered, confused.

  “No…” he said, shaking his head again. “Where… for… many… years?”

  Her mouth fell open, and she was unable to say anything. What could she say? What did he even mean?

  “I… I’ve been around,” she said. “I’ll explain it all later.”

  Nurse Sandy opened the door and smiled warmly at Luke. She walked to the foot of his bed.

  “It sure is good to see you awake,” she told him. “I’m Sandy. I’ve been your nurse since you got here, and there was a time when we didn’t know if you’d make it. You’re very lucky.”

  “What… happened?” he asked.

  “You don’t remember?” Sarah asked.

  He shook his head.

  “You were fighting a fire, and they sent you in after someone who locked himself into an office in the building. The roof collapsed. You’ve been in a coma for a few days,” Sarah told him. “Do you remember now?”

  He shrugged and said, “Bits.” Then he turned to Sandy and asked, “Lacey?”

  “I left a message,” she said. “She didn’t answer.”

  He looked disappointed, but not particularly surprised.

  “She’ll be here,” Sarah said, but she wasn’t convinced.

  Luke’s fingers twitched, and Sarah slowly extended her hand to him. His fingers found hers and pulled her hand into his. Her heart skipped a beat.

  “He should rest,” said Sandy. “I’ll notify the doctor he’s woken up. He’ll want to come examine him.”

  “Rest now,” Sarah said. “Lacey will be here soon.”

  Luke closed his eyes, but he clung tightly to Sarah’s hand. She brought her chair close to the bed by pulling it over with her foot, and she sank into it without letting go of his hand.

  Sandy lowered the lights until they were nearly off, and she backed slowly out of the room and closed the door behind her.

  Sarah knew it was wrong, but she couldn’t help but hope that Lacey wouldn’t show up at all. Then guilt began to weight on her heart. What if Lacey was what he really needed to heal? The thought of Lacey kissing that other guy in the cafeteria made Sarah shudder. How could she have done something so callous as to kiss another man while her fiancé was in a coma a few floors up?

  The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. Luke had never been anything but kind and caring. She could tell he was still the same loving guy she’d fallen so deeply in love with twenty years earlier. She could see it in his eyes. To think of someone betraying him this way…

  She watched his eyelids twitching as he entered REM sleep, and her heart swelled with admiration for him. He’d really turned himself around from when they had known each other. Back then he’d been a heavy drinker, he’d experimented with drugs, he’d cheated on her repeatedly. And here he was a firefighter risking his life to help others, and being faithful to his fiancée.

  Yes, he was still that same guy she’d fallen for… but he was more. Much more. If only things had gone differently back then. She’d felt in her heart they would marry back then. How had things gone so terribly wrong?

  As the hours crawled by, Sarah never let go of his hand. Lacey never showed up. The doctor came and went. Sarah knew she needed sleep for work the next day, but she couldn’t bring herself to leave him. What if he woke up and found himself alone?

  Nurse Sandy entered the room just before 11:00 to tell Sarah her shift was ending, but she also noted that she’d tried to call Lacey several more times and had left messages, but none of her calls were being returned.

  “I can’t understand it,” Sandy said, shaking her head sadly. “How can she just ignore this? You don’t think something has happened to her, do you?”

  “No,” Sarah said. “There’s something I need to get off my chest. Would you mind?”

  “No, of course not. Let’s step outside.”

  Sarah carefully removed her hand from Luke’s. She rubbed it furiously, as it was cramping and numb. She followed Sandy into the hall.

  “What’s up?” Sandy asked.

  “I saw something I wish I hadn’t,” Sarah said in hushed tones. “I saw Lacey… downstairs in the cafeteria… kissing another man.”

  “What?” Sandy gasped. She leaned close and asked, “Are you certain it was her?”

  Sarah pulled her phone from her pocket and produced the photo. Sandy’s face turned pale, and she nodded.

  “That’s her,” Sandy confirmed.

  “I just can’t believe it!” Sarah whispered. “With Luke lying up here in a coma. And they weren’t even expecting…”

  She couldn’t finish the statement, but Sandy understood and she nodded in agreement.

  “What are you going to do? Will you tell him?” Sandy asked.

  “I want to,” Sarah said. “Believe me, I really want to. But is it my place? I don’t want to hurt him, especially when he’s in such a delicate condition.”

  “You’re right,” Sandy agreed. “It’s probably not a good idea in his current condition. But when he improves, I think you have to tell him.”

  Sarah sighed and said, “I know. I just can’t believe she would do this.”

  “I can. She’s hardly been here this whole time,” Sandy hissed. “Some fiancée, huh?”

  “Really,” Sarah groaned. “Well, I’m going to get back to him. Are you working tomorrow?”

  “It’s my day off, but I’ll stop by and check on him,” she promised. “Make sure you eat something and get some sleep. You look like hell.”

  “Gee, thanks,” Sarah said with a grin. “Goodnight.”

  “Night.”

  Sarah made her way back to his bedside and took his hand. How could she ever bring herself to tell him? She dropped her head to the bed and fought back a flood of tears. Before she knew it, she’d fallen asleep.

  The sound of a door opening pulled Sarah from her sleep, and she turned to see a nurse coming in to take Luke’s vitals. She noticed the hazy blue light of daybreak seeping through the cracks in the blinds that covered the window.

  “What time is it?” she mumbled, still exhausted.

  “About 6:45,” the nurse answered.

  “Oh, my gosh!” Sarah gasped. “I’ll be late for work.”

  Luke stirred as she started to pull her hand from his. He gripped her hand firmly and his eyes popped open.

  “Don’t go!” he pleaded.

  “I’ll be late for work,” she said gently.

  Disappointment clouded his face, but he reluctantly loosened his grip. She felt a tiny crack in her heart, sending a little jolt of burning pain ripping through her chest.

  “I’m sorry,” she told him. “I wish I could stay all day.”

  “You’ve… been here… all night?” he asked.

  She nodded affirmatively.

  “Lacey?” he asked.

  She shook her head and bowed it solemnly.

  “I’ll visit on my lunch break,” she promised him. “Do you need me to bring you anything?”

  “A beer?” he joked, a slight smile playing on his lips.

  “Cute,” Sarah said. “I’ll see you at lunchtime.”

  He squeezed her hand, and she couldn’t resist giving him a light brush of her lips across his forehead. She smiled at him, and he reluctantly released her hand so she could rush home and shower before work.

  As soon as lunchtime rolled around, she grabbed her purse and dashed for the door.

  “Hey!” Donna called after her. “Where are you rushing off to? Don’t you want to go grab lunch?”

  “Can’t today!” Sarah called over her shoulder. “Rain check!”

  Parking was a nightmare at the hospital, and she was sorely tempted to just park over the curb again, but she couldn’t risk getting a ticket. She finally noticed someone pulling out and she raced in front of another car to take the spot as the driver blared his horn and cursed. She flicked her middle finger in the air at him and snatched up her purse, rushing i
nto the building.

  She was breathless, and her hair was flying wildly around her face as she approached room 329. Her hand hovered over the handle, and she heard a familiar laugh inside the room. Luke was laughing!

  She slowly opened the door and peeked inside. Luke smiled broadly and waved her into the room. The doctor was standing at the foot of his bed, and the two of them were chuckling together like old friends.

  “Who is this beautiful young lady?” asked the doctor. “Is this the fiancée?”

  “Friend,” Luke commented warmly.

  “Well come in, Friend!” the doctor said. Then he turned to Luke and said, “You get some rest. I’m sure she’ll show up sometime today.”

  The doctor nodded politely to Sarah and left the room. As she sat down beside his bed, she asked, “Lacey still hasn’t come?”

  “Not yet,” he said. “I’m sure she will soon.”

  “Of course she will,” she said encouragingly, but she wasn’t so certain. “So how are doing?”

  “The doctor says I’m much better,” he told her. “I’m really sore, but he said that’s to be expected.”

  “Well, you’re certainly speaking much better,” Sarah said.

  “Which is good, because there’s something we need to talk about,” he told her.

  “Oh? What?” she asked.

  “I heard you,” he said.

  “Heard what?” she asked, worried he might have heard her and Sandy in the hallway.

  “When I was in the coma, I heard you telling me how you felt about me,” he said. “How you’ve always felt.”

  Her cheeks began to burn, and the fiery redness rushed into her ears. She dropped her head forward and hid behind a curtain of hair.

  “I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “It was inappropriate. But I didn’t think you’d hear me.”

  “Well, I did, and we can’t go back,” he said. “I wish I knew what to say, but… well, you know. I’m engaged and all.”

  “But there are things you don’t know about…” she stopped herself quickly.

  “About what?”

  “Nothing,” she said. “Anyway, let’s talk about other things.”

  “No, we need to discuss this,” he said. “I want you to know that it isn’t that I’ve never thought about you, or that I haven’t missed you. It’s just that Lacey has been there for me when no one else has been. For years, I had absolutely no one. Then I met her last year and she was kind and caring, and she has been there through some hard times. Do you get what I’m saying?”

  “Yeah, I get it,” she said somberly.

  “I hope we can be friends, though,” Luke said. “I’d really like that.”

  At that moment, as Sarah’s mouth hung open, ready to speak words that needed to be spoken, but that she was terrified to say, the door flew open and Lacey rushed in breathless and panting.

  “Lukey!” she cried. “Oh, I was so happy I screamed when I heard the voicemail that you’d woken up!”

  She threw her arms around him and squeezed him so tightly that he grunted and winced as his broken body ached miserably. But he tolerated it without a word.

  “Sarah!” she bubbled. “It’s so good to see you!”

  “Likewise,” Sarah lied.

  “Oh, Lukey,” she gushed, sitting beside him on the bed and taking his hand. “I’ve been so worried about you. I’m ever so thankful you’ve pulled through! Now we can have our big wedding!”

  Luke glanced at Sarah, who was slowly rising from her seat to leave.

  “You don’t have to go,” he told her.

  “Yes, I do,” she said. “But I’ll see you soon.”

  As she rode the elevator down to the lobby, she felt the sharp jab of a knife piercing her heart. And Lacey’s presence was twisting it painfully.

  I should have told him, Sarah thought. I should have told him everything.

  But now it was too late.

  Chapter Twelve

  “So how’s he doing?” Donna asked, squirting ketchup onto a pile of French fries.

  “Last I heard the doctor still hasn’t cleared him to return to work, and he says he’s going crazy,” Sarah said. “But he’s keeping busy with wedding plans.”

  “Oh, god, Sarah, are you ever going to tell him?” Donna groaned.

  “It’s not my place to,” Sarah answered.

  “Then whose place is it?” Donna demanded. “Girl, if you don’t tell him, he’s going to end up making the biggest mistake of his…”

  “Shh!” Sarah suddenly hissed.

  Donna’s eyes traveled in the direction of Sarah’s, and she tried to figure out what Sarah was staring at so intently.

  “What?” Donna asked.

  “That’s her!” Sarah whispered. “That’s Lacey! And she’s with that guy from the cafeteria!”

  Donna’s eyes bulged as she tried awkwardly to glance over her shoulder at the couple without being seen.

  Sarah strained to listen to their conversation. It was nearly impossible to hear them over the cacophony of voices and clattering dishes that filled the restaurant, but she managed to hear bits and pieces.

  “…didn’t work, clearly!” the guy hissed.

  “…your fault!... inept, shoddy job… insurance money would be mine right now if you hadn’t botched…” she heard Lacey growling.

  “…try again when he’s back at work… you’ll get your money next time…” the guy said, taking Lacey’s hand and kissing it.

  Sarah quickly raised a menu in front of her face as Lacey’s eyes glanced cautiously around. Lacey muttered something and pulled her lover’s hand, leading him out of the restaurant. Had she seen Sarah?

  “Did you hear that?” Sarah whispered to Donna.

  “Some,” Donna said. “What do you think it meant?”

  “That fire at the bowling alley was no accident,” Sarah said as her lunch began to creep upward. “I’m going to be sick.”

  Clutching her stomach, Sarah dashed toward the restroom. She pushed her way into a stall and fell to her knees just in time to lose everything she’d eaten. As she wiped her mouth with a wad of toilet paper, she kept going over everything she’d heard. Maybe she heard wrong? No, Donna seemed to have heard the same thing, hadn’t she? It was all too much. She had to get to the bottom of it, and fast. Luke’s life could be in danger!

  She made her way back to the table, and Donna immediately asked, “What are you going to do?”

  “Well, first I need to warn Luke,” Sarah said. “After that, I have to figure out what they’ve done and what they’re up to.”

  “Are you sure you’re not just overreacting?” Donna asked.

  “You heard the same thing I did,” Sarah replied pointedly.

  “Ok. Fair enough. Need my help?” Donna asked.

  “I’d rather not get you involved,” Sarah said. “But I’ll let you know.”

  “I’m here if you need me,” Donna said. “Good luck.”

  Sarah tossed a twenty onto the table to pay for both lunches, and before Donna could protest, she snatched up her purse and headed for the door. She was on a mission.

  The phone continued to ring, and Sarah whispered, “Oh, pick up!”

  “Hello?”

  “Luke!” she gasped. “I need to see you right away! It’s important. Where are you?”

  “I’m at the lake,” he told her. “Fishing. Can it wait?”

  “No, it can’t wait. It’s urgent.”

  “Well, I’m at Cider Creek Park,” he said. “I’m fishing in the little cove to the right of the boat ramp.”

  “I’ll be there ASAP,” she said. “Don’t go anywhere.”

  She hung up before he could argue, and she pushed the gas pedal to the floor. She had no idea when the two might try again, and she was determined to find him before they did.

  Her tires squealed as she slid sideways into the empty parking lot and threw the car into park. She left her purse and keys in the car as she raced through the wooded area and down to the w
ater’s edge.

  Luke was sitting in a folding chair with a Coke in one hand and a fishing rod in the other. He glanced up at her curiously.

  “So what is so important that…”

  “Shh!” she shushed him. “Just listen. Hold on, let me… catch my breath.”

  She huffed and puffed for a few seconds, then took a huge gulp of air and continued.

  “I just saw Lacey at Nicholson’s with another man,” she said.

  “Stop,” he interrupted her. “I already know she was meeting her lawyer today.”

  “He was no lawyer,” Sarah said adamantly. “He’s her lover.”

  “What the fuck?” Luke demanded. “How in the hell do you…”

  “Shut up!” she shouted, and he closed his mouth, eyeing her stormily. “Look, I have this picture.”

  She yanked her phone from her pocket and pulled up the picture of Lacey and her guy in the cafeteria. She shoved the screen into his face.

  “That could be anyone,” he said. “It’s not her.”

  “Look closely,” she told him. “That’s her engagement ring, isn’t it?”

  She used her fingers to reverse pinch, zooming in on the photo.

  “It’s not her,” he refused. “It can’t be.”

  “Luke, please listen,” she begged. “This is so important! Your life could be in danger!”

  “What the hell are you talking about?” he demanded. “You sound insane right now! Do you know that?”

  “I know, but please just listen. I overheard Lacey and that guy at Nicholson’s today. They were talking about her getting money from an insurance settlement, and that the guy screwed something up but that they were going to try again as soon as you go back to work!”

  “You really are insane,” he said. “I think you need mental help. You’re nuts.”

  “Luke, I’m serious! My friend Donna from work heard it, too! You have to believe me!”

  “You’re both nuts. Seriously. Just go away. I’m enjoying fishing. I have to meet Lacey in a couple of hours to sample wedding cakes. Leave me alone.”

  “Please, Luke…” she whispered, her eyes flooding with tears.