The Wedding Planner (Open Novella Contest)

Chapter 6

Imogen handed Rachel a cup of coffee as she entered the building, Rachel smiled faintly as she accepted the hot cup from her sister. The warmth from the cup spread through her cold hands, it was comforting.

"I told him to wait in your office." Imogen gestured to the office door. "I'll ask once more, and only once more. Are you okay?" Her eyes narrowed.

"I'm fine. Honestly I am." Rachel waved her hand dismissively as she entered her office.
"Luke, why are you here?" She closed her office door and looked at Luke. His clothing had changed, he was dressed quite professionally this morning in a blazer and shirt but he seemed much more relaxed now. Jeans and a band tee, his hair wasn't gelled back this time either. It was tousled and wavy. The relaxed look suited him so much better.

"When we were here earlier, you rushed us out of your office so quickly I couldn't give it back to you." Luke pulled out the family picture she had stuffed into her pocket days ago. He handed it to her and she tucked it away once more in her pocket.

"Is that all?" She pulled a small key out of her pocket and opened the drawer to her desk, she shoved the photo under a pile of papers and locked the drawer back up. Her hand rested on the desk as she sighed. "You're hovering. So there's something else right?" She raised an eyebrow.

"You seemed a little off today. Are you alright?" His voice was soft, Rachel grimaced at herself. She had been careless, she had let her emotions bubble to the surface and now people were feigning concern for her wellbeing. They're all like this though. All humans. They want to make sure everyone around them is okay right? Wrong. Everyone has an ulterior motive. They feign concern to make themselves feel like good, human beings.

"I'm just peachy Luke." She began tidying around her office, grabbing stray pieces of paper from her desk.

"You're upset about something. I can tell." He shrugged. "It's fine though. I'm a stranger. You obviously don't trust me."

"I don't trust anyone. Don't take it personally." She gave Luke her best sarcastic smile, he shook his head side to side. Brushing off his fake concern she began organising her files, alphabetically, in a feeble attempt to get him to leave.

"Who hurt you?" He joked, but his words made Rachel stop in her tracks, her hand still in the filing cabinet, her eyes glued to the wall in front of her. "He must have been some guy to make you this way." He shrugged walking towards the office door.

"Nobody hurt me. They hurt someone I care - cared about." Rachel slammed the filing cabinet shut. "Are you happy now Luke? You have known me for 48 hours and you think you have the right to ask me personal questions?" Her voice was sharp.

"I didn't ask you a question I made a comment. It's something lots of people say especially online when a girl or woman posts a status or meme about hating men and relationships. That's all..." he looked at her with wide eyes, he watched her anger turn to embarrassment. "Everybody gets hurt Rachel. It's up to you if you let them hurt you."

"Have you been hurt?" She asked, trying to hide her embarrassment. Why did she do that? She jumped to a conclusion and it was the wrong one. Why was she being so unprofessional?

"Yes, I have. I was hurt by the woman I loved." He smiled sadly at Rachel, she felt her heart drop a little as he said those words. "I was engaged to the most wonderful woman." He closed the office door, he slumped down on the sofa as he told his story to Rachel. "She had an affair, I found out a week before the wedding." He ran his hands through his hair.

"Do you want a drink?" Rachel crouched down behind her desk, she reemerged with a bottle of bourbon and two glasses.

"Sure." Luke smiled as she handed him the glass. She filled it a quarter of the way and poured herself one too. "I almost gave up on love and marriage and all that." He sipped the bourbon, the warmth of the alcohol spreading through his chest. "But then Brian met Annie. Seeing those two, how utterly devoted they are to each other... it showed me that it does exist. You just have to find it." Rachel could see the hope glimmering in his eyes, it was a foreign concept to her. Hoping for love? But these few days that she had endured had made her feel something similar, was it hope she was feeling too?

"They do seem to have that fairytale romance you spoke of in your fake proposal speech." Rachel chuckled. "I've refused to let myself fall in love, I've never seen it end well in my own experience." Rachel gulped down her drink and poured herself another. Luke gazed at her as she spoke, he watched as she pushed a stray piece of dark hair behind her ear, her eyes glimmered slightly but Luke couldn't tell if it was something good or she was about to cry. Her cheeks were flushed from gulping down the bourbon so quickly, his eyes wandered over her face. Taking in each little line, each freckle that sparingly decorated her high cheeks and her slim, button nose. For a moment, he paused, his thoughts twisting and turning. She truly was beautiful.

"It doesn't always end well, but there's a chance it will." Luke let the bourbon fill his mouth, the glass was soon empty. "I should go." He rose to his feet, to place the glass on the desk, he leaned forward, inches away from Rachel's face as he placed the glass on the desk with a clink. She could faintly smell his cologne, she could feel his warm breath on her cheek as he pulled back. "You should be open more often, it's refreshing." He gave her a smile that made Rachel hold her breath for a moment, her eyes could not look away from his mouth.

"I'll try." She whispered. Luke chuckled and left the office leaving Rachel leaning against her desk, dumbfounded. What just happened? Her stomach twisted, she was going to be sick - no - it wasn't sickness. Holy crap, butterflies?