Lucien(58)
He stood abruptly and jerked the shirt over his head. “Get some sleep, darlin’.” He snatched up his keys and wallet then was out the door.
Elise sat there and stared at the closed door long after she’d heard Luc start up the car and drive off to goodness knows where for food or whatever else was bothering him. It didn’t take long for her confusion to turn into something darker and she found herself dressed and pacing the living room, contemplating the multitude of possible reasons why Luc would have reacted the way he had and bolted out the door as if the hounds of hell were nipping at his heels. She didn’t know what she would say to him when he walked back through that door, but she was certain of one thing.
When he returned he better have a darn good excuse for bolting out the door in the first place.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Luc glanced over as Ben pulled back the seat next to him at the bar. “What are you doing here?”
“That’s a good question.” Ben ran a hand through his hair and sat down at the bar. “What are you doing here?”
“Damned if I know,” he muttered. Luc polished his beer, then motioned for the bartender to bring the next round. “Want one,” he asked Ben.
“Might as well.” The bartender set two beers in front of them and Ben grabbed one. “Do I even want to know why you’re here?”
“Probably not.” Luc picked at the paper label on the bottle. “I suppose Elise called you.”
“She did.”
Luc ripped the label from the bottle. “She should be sleeping like I told her.”
Ben grumbled under his breath, “Elise isn’t asleep. I was almost asleep.” He sighed. “What did you and Elise fight about?”
“Nothing. We didn’t fight.”
“If you didn’t fight, then… what the hell are you doing here?”
Luc turned the bottle in his hand and contemplated why he was here. “I needed to think.”
“About what?”
“About… did I tell you Elise’s idea for marketing the prototypes?”
“You mentioned it.” Ben’s eyes narrowed. “You haven’t told Elise about the heir, have you?”
Luc decided to ignore Ben’s question.
Ben shook his head. “You’re pathetic.”
Luc nodded. “Thanks.”
“When do you plan on telling Elise?”
“I’m not.”
Ben braced his forearms on the bar and steepled his fingers. “Why not?”
“Because I don’t need to. About the idea—”
“Luc.” Ben paused, drew in a deep breath, and sat up straight. “We’ve known each other for a long time. I like to think that if you’ve got a problem, you can come to me and—”
“Elise might be pregnant.” A tingling of excitement and happiness exploded in his stomach as he said it out loud.
“That didn’t take long.” Ben smirked. “Congratulations.”
“Thanks.” Luc picked up a handful of pretzels and dropped them on a napkin in front of him. “This ought to make Old Lucas happier than a pig in—”
“And your mother,” Ben pointed out. “But the real question is… how do you feel about it?”
“Me?” Luc washed down a pretzel and contemplated the bizarre mix of emotions he’d been suffering since leaving Elise on the bed. “I’m fine with it.”
“Uh-huh. You sound thrilled,” Ben commented dryly.
“I’m thrilled. Ecstatic. Scared. You name it and I’m feeling it.”
“Ah, now I get it.” Ben turned up his beer at the mouth. “You’re wallowing in guilt, because you didn’t tell Elise.”
“I should have told her.”
“Yep. You should have, but you didn’t.”
“I can’t tell her now,” Luc stated more for himself than for Ben.
“Why not?”
“Because she loves me.”
“Man, you’re just now figuring that out?” Ben’s smile was sad as he shook his head. “Why couldn’t it have been me? Luc, you’re married to the woman of my dreams and she’s so in love with you that it hurts me to look at her. To have a woman who looks at me the way she does you…? You don’t know how good you have it. I would kill to switch places with you.”
“You sound like you’re in love with her.”
“Yeah?” A humorless laugh and Ben added, “Well, maybe I am. And maybe I don’t like the idea of you not telling her about your grandfather’s plans for the heir. But, hey, why should I complain? When Elise gives you a son and Old Lucas swoops down to claim his heir and she finds out about your little omission, I’m gonna make damn sure I’m around to be the shoulder she cries on.” Ben finished his beer and stood up. “Have fun wallowing in your guilt.”