Play The Part (Player Next Door Book 3)

20 | Trust Who

I missed a Wednesday upload.  Something came up and the response from you was so incredible, it made me emotional. For real. So I had to make this chapter a tribute to you - for your understanding and support, and being here on the day we upload <3

Chapter 20: Trust Who

*Millie's POV*

Roll back time to the simpler days. A cabin by the lake. A summer of no regrets. Luke and me and a bunch of young campers.

What I would do to go back to those days.

Simpler times.

Luke stood a short distance from me, standing on a pathway that I was blocking. He wore heavier clothes than he did in the summer; a jacket that covered his broad shoulders and pants that highlighted his tall, muscular frame. 

And he still looked as handsome. Handsome, but tired – which pained me to see.

"Luke," I told him, "You hurt me, you know that?"

"I don't ever want to hurt you."

Listening to his words in his smooth, deep voice, felt like a current swimming through my veins to my heart. It made me long for his words to be true. He said them so easily, as easy as breathing, it had to be true – right?

"Let me talk to you, Minnie, please."

"That's why I'm here," I said, "I've been running away, but I needed time. I think I'm ready."

I think. Who's ever ready?

"You came all this way," Luke said, trying to understand what motivated me now, "Why not wait for me to come home?"

"I don't know."

Luke had stood still since the moment he saw me appear, almost afraid that I'd run away if he stepped any closer.

But now, he approached me, bridging the distance between us. I noticed the folder he was holding in his hand, having just been in the clinic to meet his doctor. I wanted to hear about that meeting, but he seemed more concerned with me.

"Can we sit down?" he asked, rolling the folder up and slipping it into his back pocket, "Together?"

I nodded. I wanted to be near him. That's the entire reason I came. 

Luke extended his hand out towards me.

He waited for me to take it. I hesitated, but he left it, extended, as if he would only take me to talk if I would trust him.

I took it.

His hand wrapped over mine and his fingers folded over mine. I felt his smooth skin, warmer to touch than mine. I tried to resist totally falling for him all over again – because I hadn't forgiven him yet.

It's just so damn hard to stay mad at Luke Dawson.

There was a garden in the clinic with benches and chairs carefully placed for patients to spend time. Luke and I sat by a bench, and I saw an elderly patient walk by with a stroller and a nurse guiding him.

Why does Luke come here?

I sat on the wooden bench and faced ahead, feeling Luke turn towards me.

Luke was so strong. What made him come here?

I gulped, not sure I wanted to face him. I had something to say.

"Luke, I don't know how relationships work. I've never seen any that do and I've never been in one until you. I don't know how to communicate. I have my guard up so I don't apologize when I should. And I'm working on that. But I'm also working on trust. And, right now, I don't know how much I can trust you."