𝗥𝗢𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗦, ʟᴜᴋᴇ ʜᴜɢʜᴇs

thirteen

CHARLOTTE-ALEXADRIA woke up with a smile on her face, a stark contrast to the anxiety she felt in the weeks prior. She and Luke had been sneaking around the house, sharing stolen kisses and quiet conversations in hidden corners.

As she made breakfast, she sensed Luke's presence before she saw him. He brushed past her, their fingers brushing ever so slightly. Jack, absorbed in his phone, was oblivious. Luke grabbed a glass of water and stood next to her.

"Morning," he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Morning," she replied, her heart fluttering.

They had developed a system of subtle interactions to avoid Jack's suspicion. When Jack was around, they kept things professional, but their exchanged glances and brief touches spoke volumes.

In the evenings, they'd find excuses to be alone together. Charlotte would "take Shrimp for a walk," and Luke would "need some fresh air." They'd meet by the park bench, where they'd talk and share moments of intimacy before returning to the house.

Jack's voice pulled them out of their little bubble. "So, Lottie, you're down for the Rangers game on the first?" Both Luke and Charlotte-Alexandria turned toward him.

Charlotte looked at Luke, who gave her a reassuring nod. "Yeah, sure, Jack," she said, taking a sip of Red Bull.

"Great! The fam is coming down." That caused her to spit out her Red Bull on Luke, who groaned.

"Oh, what the hell," he said, looking over at Charlotte.

"Your parents are coming?" Charlotte asked casually, trying to play it cool despite her recent mess.

"Uh, yeah?" Jack replied, puzzled by her reaction.

Charlotte quickly wiped her mouth and looked over at Luke. "Well, I guess I should prepare myself for some family bonding."

Luke chuckled. "Yeah, my parents can be a lot."

Charlotte forced a smile, trying to hide her nerves. "I'm sure it'll be fine."

Jack's eyes widened as he added, "Oh, and Quinn is coming too."

This made Charlotte almost choke on her Red Bull again. She looked at Luke in panic, who quickly snatched the can from her hand, worried she might spill it again.

"Quinn?" Charlotte asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Yeah, Quinn Hughes," Jack said, shrugging. "The whole gang's coming."

Charlotte forced another smile. "Well, I guess it's going to be a full house."

Jack gave them both an odd look before heading back to his phone. Charlotte sighed, feeling a mix of anticipation and dread. Meeting Luke's family, especially with Quinn involved, was a big step, and she wasn't sure how to handle it.

Later, at the hospital, her mood seemed lighter. She greeted her colleagues with a smile and jumped into her work with renewed energy.

She made sure all the babies had their medications and greeted parents with smiles as they filled the nursery, wanting to see their babies.

"How's it going today, Charlotte?" Maria asked as she walked by.

"Good, actually. I've got a lot of energy today," Charlotte said, focusing on adjusting a baby's blanket.

Maria raised an eyebrow. "You seem in a great mood. Any special reason?"

Charlotte hesitated but shrugged it off. "Just feeling positive."

Throughout the day, Charlotte found herself chatting more with her coworkers, her cheerfulness evident. Her shift passed quickly, and she headed home with a sense of contentment.

At home, Shrimp bounded over to her as soon as she walked in. She scooped him up, laughing. "Hey, buddy. Missed you."

She found Luke lounging on the couch, sprawled out. He looked up from his phone and opened his arms. Charlotte-Alexandria flopped into them, and he reached down, placing a chaste kiss on her lips.

"How was your day?" she asked softly.

Luke let out a huff. "Good. Coach kept me for some extra practice."

"Well, at least you improved at something," she teased.

He shrugged, opening his mouth to say something more, but the doorknob rattled. Luke panicked, pushing Charlotte-Alexandria off him, making her thump onto the floor.

Jack entered the living room, his eyes widening as he saw them. "Hey Luke, and Lottie?" he said, tilting his head to see her.

"Sup," Luke said, trying to act casual.

"Hey," Charlotte-Alexandria said, scrambling to her feet.

Jack gave them both a curious look before heading to the fridge. He opened it, his eyes widening at the array of baked goods Charlotte had made.

"Did you have a bake sale I didn't know about?" Jack asked, pulling out a box of muffins.

Charlotte-Alexandria laughed nervously. "Just a little stress baking."

Jack shrugged, grabbing a muffin. "Well, I'm not complaining."

Charlotte-Alexandria exchanged a glance with Luke, trying to ignore the awkwardness. Despite the chaos, she and Luke were finding their way through it together.