Strangers To Lovers

Chapter Nineteen

Every morning, Luke woke up earlier than I did, slipping out of the house before I even stirred. When he returned in the evenings, it was the same routine—straight to his room, no small talk, no acknowledgment. He moved like a shadow, existing in the same space but barely making his presence known. There was an awkwardness between us, a tension that neither of us could quite name. It gnawed at me, making me wonder if I was overstaying my welcome.

When Dylan, Donna, and I packed up the last of my things from my old apartment, Luke had lingered near the door, watching. His eyes tracked our movements, but he didn’t offer to help, just stayed silent, arms crossed, as if he were trying to keep himself from getting involved. The thought of leaving my apartment for good made my chest tighten, but Luke’s distant attitude only worsened the feeling.

"Thanks for letting me stay, Luke," I’d said that night, trying to break the ice. But he had just nodded and walked to his room without a word.

I sighed, staring into the coffee cup I was rinsing out in the sink, replaying that moment in my head. Maybe I should get an apartment already. I’m probably making him uncomfortable. The idea of leaving his place unnerved me more than I wanted to admit. I was clinging to the safety net he’d unknowingly provided, even though I could feel the growing distance between us.

The sound of the front door opening snapped me from my thoughts, and I dropped the cup into the sink with a loud clatter. Donna jumped beside me, clutching her chest. "Geez, Ella! You trying to give me a heart attack?"

"Sorry," I muttered, wiping my hands on a dish towel.

She leaned against the counter, eyeing me. "You still acting weird around Luke?"

I groaned. "I don’t know what to do. He barely talks to me, and when he does, it’s like he’s trying to avoid something."

"Did you ever get to Lang’s to see that footage?" Donna asked, changing the subject.

I froze. "What footage?"

She rolled her eyes. "You remember—Lang said he had something on the security cameras. Thought it might help with your brother’s case."

A pit formed in my stomach. "I never went back. Completely forgot." How could I forget something so important?

"You should go today," Donna said, nudging me. "I’ll come with you."

I nodded, suddenly feeling the weight of all the things I hadn’t done. Between Luke’s strange behavior and my own emotional turmoil, I’d let the case slip. My brother needs me. I can’t let him down.

After we closed the shop for the evening, Donna and I drove to Lang’s. The bar was crowded, the hum of conversation and the clatter of pool balls filling the air as soon as we stepped inside. I couldn’t help but feel a little out of place here, surrounded by loud laughter and the smell of beer and sweat. But my brother had always loved this place.

Wilson, the bartender, spotted us and waved. "Hey, stranger! Long time no see," he called out, making his way over.

"Yeah, it’s been a crazy month," I said, offering a weak smile.

"You here for that footage I mentioned?"

I nodded. "Is it still available?"

"Follow me," he said, leading us to the back office.

The room was quiet compared to the chaos outside. Leather chairs sat in front of a large desk, and Wilson motioned for us to sit. "I went through the footage again," he said, booting up the computer. "Something caught my eye this time around."