Always You - A Second Chance Romance

Chapter 6

I watched as Chris disappeared into the crowd at the convention, internally begging for him not to leave Luke and I alone. When I couldn't make him out in the crowd anymore, I turned to Luke. His hazel eyes were fixed on my face and his brow furrowed in concentration. It felt like it had been only yesterday since I had seen him last, and that it had been a lifetime at the same time.

We stared at each other for some time. I didn't know what to say as I soaked in his appearance. He didn't look the same, but he also didn't look different. His dark hair was sprinkled with the slightest amount of grey hairs at his temples, and he still cut and styled his hair the same way. His face looked a little older, his crows feet more prominent than they were before.

"You look the same, but different," Luke said echoing my own thoughts. Electricity shot down my spine at the tone of his voice, a tone I knew intimately.

"You too," I said, my voice softer than I expected. I cleared my throat and looked away from Luke. I could still feel his eyes on me as I looked down at the program for the convention.

"I never thought we'd see each other again," he said. I nodded, not wanting to look up.

"Me neither," I replied. I was uncertain of what to say.

"How long has it been?"

"Ten years at least," I said, trying to play it off as if I didn't know the exact date we last saw each other. The 25th of July was forever burned into my mind and I knew it was 11 years and 10 months, almost to the day.

"I never apologized," Luke started to say. I looked up at him, trying to force the unfamiliar butterflies in my stomach down.

"You don't need to," I lied. "It's been over a decade. I've forgotten about it." Luke looked at me as if he could see through my lie. He opened his mouth to say something and then closed it, nodding his head instead. He used to be able to see through me if I lied, and I wondered if he knew I was right now.

"I need to finish documenting the booths," I said. I didn't wait for a reply or response from Luke before I turned and started walking towards the next row of booths. The only time I knew he followed me was when I caught his reflection in the booths as I looked. We didn't talk, we didn't even really acknowledge each other at all. I just continued through the convention taking pictures and writing notes as we went.

Periodically, Luke would fall behind, answering his phone and stepping away to take the call. In those few moments I felt like I could breathe. Seeing him again made me feel like I was holding my breath underwater. I thought I was past these emotions, past the hurt and break up. I was married for god's sake. Why after eleven, almost twelve years, would I have any feelings towards Luke, especially after what he did to me?

As I approached the end of the second row of booths I looked up to see Luke weaving through the crowd until he met my side again.

"How many more booths?" He asked me.

"I think ten more," I said, glancing at the convention program. I rummaged through my bag and pulled out my water bottle, taking a sip. Luke watched my hand as I put the water bottle back in my bag.

"You're married?" Luke asked me. I looked up at him, making eye contact for the first time in over an hour. My left hand gripped the strap of my bag tightly.

"Yeah," I said. "You?"

"Yeah," he said. I nodded and then quickly turned away, heading towards the last row of booths. I heard Luke sigh behind me before running to catch up with me.

"Emily," he said. "We really should talk. Especially since Chris is expecting us to work together."

"I don't think that's necessary," I replied, snapping photos of the booth we were at.

"How can we work together if you won't talk to me, or even look at me?" Luke asked. I shrugged.

"We're not going to work together," I said. I jotted down a couple notes and headed to the next booth.

"What does that mean?" Luke asked.

"I'm going to tell Chris I don't want to lead this project," I said.

"What? Why?" Luke asked, his confusion clear.

"I don't think we should work together," I said. As I moved to the next booth, Luke stepped in front of me, blocking my way. I quickly stepped around him but he grabbed my hand, pulling me back from walking away from him.

"Emily," he said, clearly frustrated. "You can't give up this opportunity because of me."

"I'm not giving it up because of you," I said, looking up at him. "I'm giving it up because I don't want to work with you."

"It's the same thing," he said with a sigh.

"I disagree," I shot back as I walked away from him, pulling my hand from his. "And don't touch me."

"Sorry," he said as I walked away. Luke didn't follow me immediately. I didn't notice that he had caught up to me until he spoke again some time later.

"You can't give up this opportunity. Chris really likes you and it'll change what he thinks of you," he said out of no where, making me jump.

"Jesus Christ," I said. "Don't do that."

"I didn't mean to startle you," he said. I caught his reflection in the display case and I could see a smile playing at his lips at how easily he spooked me. He always loved to see how easily he could scare me when we lived together, and although I hated it, a small part of me enjoyed it.

"It's not funny," I said. His partial smile broke out into one of his full blown, sparkling, movie star smiles that I so loved. I looked away from his reflection in the display case and turned down to my notebook, trying to resist the urge to smile. His smile always was contagious.

"Emily, please just give me a chance to talk to you," Luke said after some time. We walked past the last booth and to the side of the convention hall. I fished my phone out of my bag as he spoke. "I can't change the past, but I'd like to apologize. And it's been almost 12 years, we should be able to start somewhat fresh."

My stomach fluttered at his words and I looked up at him. My eyes met his hazel ones and I couldn't tear my eyes away from him.

"You... I... I thought you didn't know how long it's been since... since we saw each other?" I stammered.

"How could I forget?" He said, his voice soft. "I could never forget the day you left."

"I.... Me too," I said. I forced myself to look away as my face flushed. I could feel my heart beat in my ears as I tried to collect my thoughts.

"Emily, please just.... I know I don't deserve a chance, but please give me one to try to apologize," Luke said.

"I.... I," I stammered, unsure of what to say. As if against my own will I looked up at Luke despite not wanting to. Our eyes met and I felt something inside me flutter and pull me towards him - something that I thought was dead inside me was making itself known for the first time in over a decade. A sudden wave of guilt overcame me as I thought about Nick at home.

"Okay, I'll listen."