Strangers To Lovers

Chapter Twenty-Six

The last time I saw Luke, he had either left before I woke up, came after I had gone to sleep, or just locked himself in his room, making it impossible to get in touch with him. Despite knowing that I should have apologized, I somehow felt that he believed it was his job to do so. If I’m being completely honest, I didn’t want him to think that I had second-guessed my decision to kiss him.

Channing picked me up today after work, and I couldn't help but feel a little out of place being driven around like this. I never thought I’d be in a situation where I was dependent on a chauffeur, especially not because of some... complicated situation with Luke.

As we pulled into Luke’s driveway, Channing glanced at me. “How was work today?”

“Busy,” I replied, absentmindedly staring at the passing houses. “You really don’t need to drive me all the way here. You can drop me off somewhere else; I don’t want to trouble you.”

Channing smiled as he opened the door for me. “Not at all. Besides, I do a lot of things for Luke that aren’t in my job description.”

I raised an eyebrow, smirking. “Oh? Like what?”

He chuckled, closing the door behind me. “Let's just say, I owe Luke a few favors. Being friends with him isn’t always straightforward, but he’s a good guy.”

I gave him a nod of thanks and stepped inside. The house was eerily quiet. My eyes caught sight of unfamiliar shoes at the entrance. Those definitely aren’t Luke’s.

I took a quick look around and spotted the familiar mop of chestnut hair in the kitchen. “Hey, Dylan!”

Dylan glanced up from his phone and waved me over. “Ella, come check this out.”

Curious, I stepped closer and peeked at his screen. He was looking at pictures of a gorgeous, modern duplex. “Oh wow,” I breathed. “That’s fancy.”

Dylan grinned. “Yeah, I’m thinking of putting in an offer.”

I gave him a playful nudge. “Gonna rent me half of it if you get it?”

He laughed, shaking his head. “Maybe if you pass a credit and security check.”

“Gee, thanks,” I teased, rolling my eyes. “But seriously, you planning to move soon?”

He nodded, his expression thoughtful. “Yeah, it's about time. I love Luke, but I need my own space, you know?”

I could feel a subtle tension in the air, and it wasn’t just from the house. Luke’s absence had created a strange void, and I could sense it affecting Dylan too. “So, have you talked to him?” I asked, the question slipping out before I could stop myself.

Dylan's smile faltered for a second before he shrugged. “Not really. He’s been busy. Avoiding things, I guess.”

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “Yeah, he’s been avoiding me too. I don’t know if it’s because of the kiss or something else.”

Dylan chuckled lightly. “You and Luke are a mess. You both suck at communication.”

“Tell me about it,” I muttered, leaning against the counter. “And honestly, part of me freaked out because of my brother.”

“Troy?” Dylan's expression grew more serious. “What does Troy have to do with all this?”

I hesitated, unsure of how to explain it. “Luke was there the night my brother got arrested. It was weird, Dylan. They kind of look alike... I started wondering if maybe, somehow, Luke had something to do with it.”

Dylan’s eyes widened, and he shook his head in disbelief. “Ella, Luke would never...”

“I know, I know!” I quickly cut him off. “It’s just... everything was piling up. And I panicked.”