His hand hesitated for a moment before he tucked it into the frame of the mirror that hung on the wall above his dresser, deciding he wanted to hold onto that little piece of his brother for another time. Luke padded towards the window in his bedroom and opened it, letting the crisp fall air engulf him. He filled his lungs, drawing in a deep breath and leaned against the wall, staring out into the darkness of trees that surrounded his home. As he took in the serenity of the outdoors, he wished he could turn his mind off. As tired as he was, he knew he would suffer another restless night, a night filled with those hauntingly beautiful eyes. Her voice would taunt him with the memories of her telling him she would never be his.
He couldn’t understand where these feelings of his had come from. He racked his brain night after night, trying to remember a time in all the years he knew her, if he had ever thought of her in any other way other than his brother’s best friend. For the life of him, he couldn’t pinpoint a time that he wasn’t trying to slap some sense into Jake or wasn’t pushing him to overstep the boundaries of friendship. Why now? He asked himself. Why after all that she had been through, seeing his brother through his darkest days, did she captivate him? He didn’t have an answer and so he walked to his bed and brought down the comforter, preparing himself for another lonely night dreaming of the woman he had no business dreaming about.
*
Cara lay curled up in a fetal position, secluded, battling her demons. Her body trembled and a searing pain sliced through her abdomen. She would’ve sworn this was death and she was knocking on the devil’s door. She cried out in despair as she rocked her body that was covered in perspiration. She would sell her soul, if someone would just make it all go away, or something rather. She knew the pills would make it all go away. She needed them. She craved them more than the air, she was breathing.
She leaned over the edge of the bed and through blurred vision she aimed for the bucket beside her as her body convulsed and she vomited. The room around her spun in circles and she blinked her eyes rapidly trying to make out the image of the shadow that loomed over her.
“Jake?” She whispered and for a moment she thought she could make out his face. He was here to rescue her from this hell she created. “Is it really you?” She asked as she hunched forward in pain. She fought to lift her head, expecting to see her savior wiggle his eyebrows at her and crook his finger, signaling her to go wherever he was. She’d crawl into his arms if her legs didn’t allow her to stand. She looked at the figure that stood tall beside her bed.
“You’re going to be just fine… I promise.” He said with sincerity. But it wasn’t her Jake that loomed over her, promising her that she’d get through this, it was Luke.
Chapter Four
It was over a week since Cara’s accident and exactly five days since Luke had dropped her off at Lakeview. Not that he was counting or anything, he thought as he rolled the orange shade of paint onto the bare walls of Sam and Nick’s new house. He watched the paint spread onto the walls and stepped back for a moment studying his handy work. He didn’t mind spending his Sunday off painting. It actually relaxed him a bit. What he did mind though was, this god awful color. It was horrid. He glanced over at Nick, who was standing on a ladder across the room, painting the trim around the ceiling.
“What’s with the color?” Luke asked and dipped his roller in the pan again soaking up so more paint.
“Don’t ask and whatever you do, don’t mention it to your sister. You love it. Do you understand me? Tell her it makes the room look warm and inviting, got it?” Nick said as he stared evenly at his friend, warning him with his eyes, to do as he was told.
Luke’s eyes widened and he cocked his head to the side trying to fight the grin that wanted to appear. The thought of Sam driving Nick crazy over paint samples was amusing. “Trouble in paradise?”
“No, not at all. It’s just well… she’s driving me crazy with this house. She changes her mind about everything.” Nick blew out a breath and looked at the orange walls, shaking his head. “I swear she read that book Fifty Shades of Crazy and is experimenting with me.”
Luke bit the side of his cheek to refrain from laughing. “I’m pretty sure that’s not the name of the book, you’re referring to.” At least he hoped so.
Nick turned around, his eyes lit up as if he had just figured out the most difficult equation. “You read the damn book.” He said accusingly with the hint of a smile playing on his lips. “That’s why you can read a woman’s thoughts!” Nick said as if he had just had an epiphany.
Luke gave him a minute to have his “Ahah!” moment before he shook his head. “I didn’t read the book.”
“Don’t lie!” Nick said not believing for one minute that Luke didn’t read the book. He watched as his friend put down his roller and rolled his eyes. The front door opened and both men turned around at the sound of Sam’s voice.
“Hello?”
Nick shot Luke a look. “Don’t forget, you love it!” He whispered harshly before turning back around just as Sam walked into the orange living room with Deb and Ava right behind her.
“Oh my God.” Sam said as she took in the vibrant color of the walls. Luke bit back the laugh that threatened as he watched Nick try to figure out if her, Oh my God exclamation was a good one or a bad one.