Love Me by Bella Andre Page B

and ended up getting married.”
    Five years ago, Janica and Luke had concocted a plan to make sure Lily and Travis, who clearly belonged together, didn't screw things up. It was the last time she'd ever real y sat down and talked with Luke. Including last night, when words hadn't been necessary.
    “He must have told you why he showed up.”
    “Nope.”
    “And you didn't ask him?”
    “There wasn't exactly room for a lot of questions.”
    Lily pretended to put her hands over her ears. “I'm not sure I can listen to any more of the details.”
    Janica leaned forward on the counter and said in a hushed tone, “Wel first he—”
    At Lily's horrified look she started laughing, incredibly glad for the chance to feel some lightness for just a few moments. “Just kidding. You know I don't kiss and tel .”
    “Who's the lucky guy this time?” Travis said, walking in at the tail end of her sentence, carrying a basketbal . Lily simply lit up when she saw her husband. Janica was momentarily forgotten as Travis and Lily put their arms around each other and kissed. A little while later, Lily shot her a questioning look.
    No! Janica shot back silently.
    Al she needed was for Travis to find out about her and Luke. Wouldn't he just love that?
    She'd never ever—ever!—hear the end of it from her pain-in-the-ass brother-in-law.
    The kids came barreling into the kitchen a second later. “Daddy! Auntie Jan is taking us for cupcakes!”
    Violet yel ed as he squatted down and she threw herself into his arms.
    Sammy was right behind her. “Cupcakes! Cupcakes!”
    After tel ing them how excited he was about their good fortune, he shot Janica a scowl. “Nothing like a bunch of sugar to real y make things easy on their parents.”
    “You're welcome,” she said with an unapologetic smile she knew would real y irk her sister's husband. Lily looked at the clock on the kitchen wal and frowned. “I thought you and Luke were meeting to play basketbal ?”
    “He stood me up so I picked up a quick game with a couple of guys already there.”
    Lily glanced at Janica. “Is something wrong with Luke that you haven't told me?”
    Travis didn't look at al concerned as he opened the fridge and got out a bottle of orange juice. “He probably got cal ed into the ER. You know how nuts his schedule is.”
    As soon as he left to take a shower, Lily grabbed the phone. “I've got to talk to Luke, make sure he's okay.”
    Janica leapt up to grab the phone out of Lily's hand.
    “No. Please. This is already so embarrassing. If you cal him, you'l end up saying something about me. I know you wil .”
    “I promise I won't, Jan, but he's my best friend. I have to find out what's going on.”
    Less than a minute later, Lily put the phone back down on the counter. “He didn't answer at home or at work. And his cel phone said his voice mail is ful . This isn't like him, Jan.”
    Janica already knew that. Clearly, the only reason why he'd come over to her place was because something was very, very wrong. But the sex had been too al consuming for her to even begin to ask him any questions.
    And he'd gotten the hel out of there before she could. Lily wasn't the only one worried about Luke. Because even though he'd walked out on her, Janica was too.
    And no matter how tempting it was to try and pretend nothing with Luke had ever happened, she knew she couldn't pul it off.
    Not when taking risks was what Janica did. Not when, despite knowing better, despite the fact that her heart was only going to keep breaking apart, the truth was as simple as it came.
    She really was in love with him.
    Head over fucking heels.
    “Violet. Sam. Let's go get cupcakes.” The kids ran back into the room. “I'l bring them back when they're ful to the brim with cake and frosting,” she told her sister.
    And then, she was going to go find Luke.
    To find out what the hel was going on.

Chapter Ten
    Now she knew something was real y wrong. Luke didn't take vacations. He