Page 32 of Promised Love
“What does she want me to do? Doesn’t she see my broken arm?” He isn’t over the shock. “Your family is crazy, you know that?” He finally leans back and rests against the covers.
“You’re right.” I walk closer and perch down on the opposite end of the bed. “How’re you feeling?”
He groans. “I’m exhausted.”
“I’m sorry my family isn’t helping.”
He turns to face me, and my breath hitches. His short hair is a bit disheveled. His exhausted eyes appear dreamy, as if he wants to just stay here. The contrast of his olive skin against the white pillows is breathtaking.
“Autumn,” he calls and I shake out of my daydream.
“Sorry. I was just admiring the pillow,” I blurt, proud of myself for thinking of a perfect reply.
Lukas looks between the pillow and me. His eyebrows furrow, but then he shakes his head. “I was saying…” He sits up, his face no longer calm.
“What is it?”
“As happy as I am about it, I don’t think your grandpop is going anywhere.”
“I think that’s true.” I bite my bottom lip, feeling an uprising of nerves in my stomach. “Can I tell you something?”
He nods.
“The day we got married… I prayed he wouldn’t die.”
“I wouldn’t have expected anything else from you.” He smiles, but his lips flatten as fast as they curled up. “We really need to get out of this mess.” He motions toward the swans, the champagne, and the flowers. “Because with the speed your grandma is pushing us together—”
He stops mid-sentence, causing my heart to flutter. What was he saying? And why did he stop?
“God, this is so messed up.” He throws his head back, and I can’t tear my gaze away from his corded neck muscles. “Every time I think about you, I think of the girl who used to write me emails or even the scowling teenager who pressed the pen too hard on the paper while signing the marriage certificate. But you—”
“I’m no longer a kid.”
“Believe me, I know,” he says. “We need to end this. You’ve been tied to this nonsense for far too long. You need to live your life.”
“What about you? You’re saying that as if I’m the only miserable one.”
“I was thirty when we signed the marriage certificate, Autumn. I was living a life I’d made for myself. But you…” He groans once more. “They threw this all on you before you were even out of school, and then you were forced to marry me. I can’t help but feel I’m partly at fault here. I should have fought harder. I should have pushed them more.” He stares at me and says, “We’ll file for a divorce soon.”
10
LUKAS
As soon as the words leave my mouth, there’s a knock on the door. Autumn gets up from her side of the bed as the door opens and Jasper walks in.
He looks around the room, and his lips purse into a thin line. “Your mom knew nothing about this, tums. Grandma called Emma directly and asked to get a honeymoon suite ready for our special guest.”
“At least the presentation is flawless.”
I chuckle, not knowing what else to do at Autumn’s response.
A small grin makes an appearance on Jasper’s face before he takes a seat on the couch facing me. “How are you?”
“I’m okay. But this”—I motion toward the room—“this needs to be fixed, Jasper. We can’t wait any longer to file for a divorce.”
He’s quiet for a second before he asks carefully, “Have you guys thought about it? Is…divorce the only way?”
“Dad!” Autumn says. “That’s how it was always supposed to be.”