Broken Promises (Broken Series) - By Dawn Pendleton Page 0,16

Why don’t you tell her about it, Mal?” Rainey smirked.

“He always brings your father dinner. He’s such a sweetheart,” Carrie said.

It was obvious she had no idea what a low-life Luke was.

“Well, he kind of pulled me into an empty room and almost kissed me, actually,” I said. The words were out of my mouth before I could take them back and the fuzziness in my head was playing tricks on my brain.

“What? When?”

“It was after dinner, when he offered to give me a ride home,” I told her. The cat was out of the bag now. No going back.

Tears welled in her eyes. “He offered you a ride home, too?”

The satisfaction I felt for an instant dissipated and guilt abound. As if I needed more guilt.

“My dad cornered him into it, Carrie,” I started to explain.

“Did Joe corner him into kissing you, too?”

Her eyes flashed but I could tell she wasn’t mad at me. Her anger was directed at Luke, as it should be. He was the ass.

“Of course not,” I said in defense of Dad. “But he didn’t actually kiss me.” I tried to backtrack, but she waved me off.

“Excuse me,” she said and left the table.

Gabby and Rainey watched Carrie walk across the bar.

“She’s pulling him outside,” Rainey informed me.

I refused to turn and look. I no longer wanted anything to do with any of it.

“I think he’s about to catch hell,” Gabby added.

They both sipped their drinks as if we hadn’t just ruined a relationship. The conversation migrated to other topics eventually and my guilt eased with my growing inebriation. Luke didn’t deserve to stay in a relationship if he was going to cheat, or almost cheat on Carrie. Especially with me. I was his past. No woman would want to be a part of his and my crazy mixed up history.

By midnight, neither Luke nor Carrie had reentered the bar and we were all full-blown drunk. I figured I was going to have to call a cab. In Boston, that was easier, of course. When Baker stepped forward to offer the three of us a ride, I was grateful.

“You ladies shouldn’t be driving,” he said authoritatively.

“I didn’t drive. My apartment is only one street over,” Gabby told him, grabbing her purse. “I’ll walk.”

Baker didn’t look impressed but he allowed it. “Guess it’s just you two and me,” he said with a grin. “A threesome.”

I laughed. “Baker, eww! You’re such a perv.”

“I can call my mom,” Rainey said.

“It’s not a problem, Rainey. After what happened when you arrived, I figure I owed it to you,” he replied.

I was suddenly in the dark. Rainey hadn’t mentioned a run-in with Baker. I glared at her and she mouthed later. The two of us followed Baker out of the bar.

We got halfway across the parking lot when I saw him. Luke was standing alone on the sidewalk, hands tucked into his pockets and appearing tortured. We had to pass by him to get to Baker’s car.

“Mallory. I’ll give you a ride home,” he said through clenched teeth.

“That’s not necessary, Luke. Baker’s giving me a ride.”

I didn’t want to be anywhere near him at the moment. His temper was unmatched except maybe by my own.

“I insist,” he said, wrapping his fingers around my arm.

I glanced at Baker but he was smiling like a lunatic. Useless oaf.

Rainey wasn’t any happier about riding home alone with Baker than I was about riding home with Luke. Of course, we were both more than just a little drunk, which made everything just a little funny. I giggled.

“Something amusing?” Luke asked as he steered me toward his truck. His tone suggested I refrain from answering.

I didn’t take the hint. “Not really. I just realized I haven’t been this drunk in a long time,” I replied honestly.

He raised a brow at me but didn’t say a word. I found his silence hilarious. He opened the passenger door of his truck and pushed me inside. “Get in, you loon,” he muttered.

His irritation only spurred my hilarity. “I might be a loon, but I’m a damn fine one,” I said after I was seated on the bench seat. I rubbed my hands down my legs.

Luke had been about to slam the door but froze. His eyes followed the movement of my hands and he took in a slow, trembling breath. “You are that,” he murmured and slammed the door.

SIX

Luke

The fact that she’d shown up at the bar I frequented on a regular basis was nothing short of bad