Rain tapped softly against the glass as Samantha stared blankly out the window of her apartment, her sketchpad untouched beside her. Her mind replayed the message she'd seen on Luke's phone like a haunting melody:
"Hey, miss you. When can we talk?" – Lena.
The name carried weight. An ex, maybe? A secret? A threat?
She didn't want to jump to conclusions. Not after everything they'd shared the gallery, the dancing, the whispered confessions. But the ghost of Luke's past was now in the room with them, even if he didn't know it.
When Luke arrived later that evening with takeout and a boyish grin, Samantha forced a smile.
"You okay?" he asked, concern flickering in his eyes. "You seem… quiet."
"Just tired," she lied.
He didn't push. Instead, he pulled her close on the couch, their food forgotten as they curled beneath a blanket. She wanted to enjoy the warmth, the closeness but her heart beat unevenly.
"Luke," she said suddenly, pulling back slightly. "Can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
She hesitated. "Who's Lena?"
His expression changed in a blink shoulders tightening, jaw slightly clenched. It was subtle, but she saw it.
"She's… someone I used to be with," he said carefully. "It ended months before I met you."
Samantha nodded slowly. "She messaged you."
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I know. She's reached out a few times. I haven't replied. I didn't think it mattered anymore."
"But you didn't tell me."
"I didn't think I needed to," he said, then caught himself. "That sounds bad. I just… I didn't want to bring baggage into what we have."
Samantha looked down at her hands. "I get that. I do. But honesty matters too."
Luke took her hands gently. "You're right. I should have told you. I don't want any secrets between us. Lena's in the past, Sam. I'm here with you."
She searched his eyes for the truth and saw it. Sincerity. Regret. A desire to make things right.
"I want to believe that," she whispered.
"Then let me show you," he said. "Let me prove it."
The next day, Samantha walked into the design firm with her mind still in a whirlwind. She had a pitch meeting in an hour and two client edits to review, but all she could think about was Luke.
She called Ellie into her office.
"Is it weird to feel like you trust someone but still be afraid they'll break your heart?"
Ellie smiled knowingly. "Not weird. Just human. Love isn't always logical."
Samantha leaned back in her chair. "I think I'm in love with him. But now I feel this… fear, like it's too good to last."
"You either leap or you don't," Ellie said softly. "But standing on the edge forever doesn't protect you it just makes you miss out."
That night, Samantha received a message from Luke:
Luke: "Come outside. I have something to show you."
She raised an eyebrow but grabbed a coat and headed out. He stood next to his car with a nervous smile and a bag slung over his shoulder.
"What's going on?" she asked.
"No questions," he said. "Just trust me."
They drove for an hour, winding through quiet roads until the city lights gave way to open skies. Finally, he pulled into a small clearing near a lake. The moonlight danced on the water, and the air was cool but not cold.
Luke opened the trunk and pulled out a picnic blanket, a lantern, and a thermos.
"I figured we could use a getaway," he said.
She laughed, touched. "You brought coffee?"
"Hot chocolate. With those tiny marshmallows you like."
Her heart melted.
They settled near the lake's edge, the blanket warm beneath them. The silence was soothing, and for the first time that day, Samantha felt her anxiety ease.
Luke handed her the mug. "I wanted to be clear about Lena," he said after a moment. "We were together for a year. Things fell apart slowly. She didn't want to let go, even when I knew it was over."
"What happened?" Samantha asked quietly.
"She wanted different things. I was ready to settle, build something real. She wanted freedom, no strings. When I stopped fitting into her world, she let me drift away."
"And now?"
"She reaches out sometimes, I think when she's lonely. But I haven't replied. Because I've moved on. To something better."
His hand found hers, fingers lacing together.
"You."
The wind rustled through the trees, but Samantha barely noticed. All she could hear was the thunder of her own heart.
"I needed to hear that," she whispered.
Luke leaned closer. "Then let me say it again. I'm not going anywhere."
She kissed him softly, letting the words sink in, wrapping herself in the warmth of their truth.
Over the next few days, the tension between them eased. Luke continued showing up in little ways bringing her lunch when she was swamped, texting midday check-ins, surprising her with a playlist he'd made just for her.
Samantha, in turn, found herself sketching more vibrant things. Colors returned to her drawings sunsets, laughter, love. The chaos of earlier chapters seemed to calm, replaced by something steadier, deeper.
But life wasn't done testing them yet.
One afternoon, Samantha stepped into a coffee shop near her office and saw a woman she didn't recognize tall, stylish, with piercing eyes approaching her.
"Are you Samantha?" the woman asked.
"Yes?"
"I'm Lena."
Samantha's heart jolted.
"I thought we should talk," Lena continued. "I didn't expect you two to get so serious so fast."
Samantha stiffened. "I'm not sure what you want from me."
"I just… needed closure, I guess. I thought Luke and I had unfinished business."
Samantha frowned. "He told me he hasn't responded to you."
"He hasn't," Lena admitted. "That's part of why I came. I realized I'd lost him the moment he met you. And maybe… maybe that's what I needed to finally let go."
Samantha wasn't sure what to say. Part of her wanted to tell Lena to leave them alone. Another part saw the sadness in her eyes and felt compassion.
"Luke deserves to be happy," Lena said, softer now. "And maybe… so do I."
With that, she turned and left, her heels clicking on the tile floor.
That night, Samantha told Luke what had happened.
"I didn't expect that," he said, stunned. "I'm sorry she dragged you into this."
"I'm not," Samantha said. "Because now I know. I know what you mean to her and what I mean to you."
Luke stepped closer. "And what do I mean to you?"
She smiled. "Everything."
He exhaled, relieved. "You scare me, Sam."
"Why?"
"Because I didn't think I could feel like this again. And now that I do, I don't ever want to lose it."
She cupped his face in her hands. "Then let's not. Let's keep building this. Day by day."
He nodded, eyes shining. "One brick at a time."