Playing Fearless

Chapter 18

Two chapters in two days, who would've thought?

ENJOY!

Chapter 18

I hardly slept at all that night. I woke at ten and after that I just tossed and turned until five am when I just gave up on trying to catch some more sleep altogether. After taking a shower and trying to drag out the time while getting ready for school I still had almost two hours to kill when I perched myself on a kitchen stool.

Just when I’d finished making myself a cup of coffee with the Collins’ fancy coffee maker, Luke walked in still wearing his morning robe and looking extremely anxious. He jumped slightly when he saw me, “I didn’t know you were up this early.”

“Couldn’t sleep,” I explained and handed him a mug filled to the brim with coffee as well.

“Thanks,” he said and took a sip and we sat there in a slightly awkward silence as he kept sneaking glances over at me.

“I’m fine, honest. I’m much better than yesterday,” it wasn’t a total lie, I hadn’t felt dizzy all morning, but my lower abdomen kept cramping up but that could just as well be because it was that time of the month.

He dragged his hand across his face and sighed deeply, that’s when I knew there was something bothering him. “Samantha, I need to run something by you,” he said and I suddenly grew very alert.

“What? Did something happen?”

“No, it’s nothing major, just that my coworker Richard was supposed to go to this conference in Brazil, but his father had a heart attack so he has to stay in town, which means I have to go in his place.”

I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding, by the way he was acting you’d think he was letting me know world war three had just broken out or something. “Well I hope Richard’s father recovers,” I said lamely, not knowing what else to say.

“You’re fine with me going away? I know you’ve only been here a short time, so I could stay home this time if that would suit you better,” he said and my heart squeezed at his compassion.

“Luke, it’s your work, don’t worry about me,” I smiled. “Is Carmen going with you?”

“Yes, her family lives in Brazil and she rarely gets to see them,” he mumbled. “You’re really okay with it, just say the word Samantha and I’ll stay behind, it’s no trouble.”

I chuckled, “It’s fine, Luke. Really.”

“It would mean I’d have to leave before you get back from school.”

“How long is the conference?” I asked as I took another sip of my coffee.

“We’ll be back either late Wednesday or early Thursday. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you last night, but I didn’t want to wake you,” he apologized.

“Luke, what are you so afraid of? I said I’d be fine.” I told him.

He hesitated, but then he met my eyes, “I don’t want you to feel as if I’m abandoning you.”

“Oh,” was all I had to say as he caught me off guard. That thought hadn’t even grazed my mind. “Don’t worry about it, Luke, I’ll stay here, go to school, walk the dogs and all that and you just enjoy your conference,” I smiled. It was the least I could do after everything he’d done for me.

“So you don’t want me to put them in a kennel for a few days.”

I laughed, “I think I’ll manage, stop fretting. What about Taylor? Is he going as well?”