Centre of His World

Chapter 22

Caroline couldn't sleep, she just wasn't tired. She looked at Luke, sleeping peacefully beside her. Why did she feel so guilty? It's not like she had meant what she said. With a sigh, she pulled on Luke's shirt and some panties before making her way down the stairs. She had to call Leah.

She quickly dialed up her number and held the phone to her ear. After a few rings, Leah answered. "Ms. Boyer, why did you call me up at two in the morning?!"

"I had a fight with Luke," Caroline stated.

"Oh, and he kicked you out?" Leah assumed.

Caroline rubbed her temple. "Worse, we made love. I don't get him."

Leah was now very confused. "Hold on, what? You had a fight and then slept together? What did y'all fight about? Who's better in bed?"

"Laugh all you want, Leah. I'm serious. Luke and I had a rather serious fight. We were arguing about the baby," Caroline explained to her. "He told the media and I guess he had no choice. I overreacted and now I feel guilty. I made him cry this time, he really wad upset, Leah. I'm a terrible girlfriend."

"No, you're not," Leah assured. "He still loves you. He may not be happy with you, but he kept you close even after a serious fight. That has to mean something to you. He's more in love with you than I've ever seen a man be. You know, people like Luke, who lose their wife and are widows, don't start dating again that quick. Caroline, he really pushed himself for you. You must mean a lot to him."

"I mean nothing to him," Caroline whispered.

Leah laughed. "You can't be serious!"

"I'm serious, I do," Caroline insisted.

"You sure about that?" a new voice sounded. Caroline turned around to see Luke in the doorway, his arms crossed and a look of hurt on his face. "You honestly think that I don't care for you? Honey, if I didn't, I wouldn't be dating you."

Caroline sighed. "Hold on, Leah."

"Caroline Cynthia! Don't you dare put me on hold!" Leah yelled through the phone, but Caroline put her on hold anyways. She put the phone down and walked up to Luke, bringing him into her arms and rubbing his back slowly.

"Baby, I don't know what to think. I'm madly in love with you, I know you love me too. It's just," Caroline paused, closing her eyes tightly. She was trying to find the right words. "It's just that no man starts dating this quick after losing someone like their wife. And, I don't know, I feel like you are trying to get back what you lost."

Luke let out a long, slow sigh. He scratched the back of his head, then smiled. "I don't care how weird it is, I don't care how fast I'm moving. I love you, Caroline. You're the stars that fill up my the dark sky. You're the rainbow to my rainy day. You're the green to my grass. You're the water to my fish. You're the sugar to my tea. You're the key to my heart. You mean so much to me. I'm tired of hearing this crap about me moving on too fast. Who cares?! It's my life, it's your life. If I'm happier with you, then so be it."

Caroline had tears in her eyes. That was the sweetest thing she ever heard. She thought all guys were the same. That all guys just wanted one thing. That no man wanted a commitment or a family. But... Luke. Now he was something special. Ha, he was definitely limited edition. And, well, he was hers. She knew she loved him, but never had she felt so in love until now.

"Luke," Caroline whispered. "That's the sweetest thing anyone, any man, has ever said to me."

Luke could feel his broken heart stitching back together. Hearing Caroline say that she meant nothing to him, he felt like he failed her. If he couldn't make his girlfriend feel loved, then he couldn't do anything. He felt like crying, he couldn't even begin to imagine what she was feeling. Worthless? Unwanted? She wasn't. But, she didn't know that.