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"Luke is really going to like that you complimented his hair"

"Oh, Luke You learned his na only half to himself "He looks like a Luke Luke and LondonLuke and London of San Diego and Port Charles You could be living a soap opera, kiddo"

I brush by hi up a customer and turns back to me "So tell me What point did he prove to you?"

I consider this while I open a bottle of Zinfandel, thinking back on what exactly it was about Luke leaving with the brunette that bothered me most "I think it reminded me I need to trust my instincts"

Fred’s smile softens "We could probably all stand to do a little more of that"

"Probably"

After he opens a couple of beers for two guys at the bar, Fred turns back to h It definitely didn’t look like Luke was being dragged anywhere "I have no idea Random Girl Number Whatever"

"You two know each other pretty well, then?"

Giving Fred a little warning glance, I duck down to shelve the wine bottle, saying, "Don’t you have soly pleased with hi you?"

"Yeah"

"Unless Harlow’s co around, then not really" He pauses "But I aood listener if you need to talk when things slon a little"

I lift my chin to hi is, I don’t need to talk Does it sting that Luke had sex with o and just walked out of the bar with another woman? A little Not because I feel like my honor has been tarnished or I wanted more of Luke for myself, but because it et over it

A COUPLE OF hours later, I walk out of the storage roo a case of hard liquor and see that Luke is back Alone

I slow ure out how I’ with hi and his face lights up

"If it isn’tht you’d left, London"

I feelmy correct name, and he watchesout bottles and setting them on the counter My fallback persona is bubbly, but in this job--and especially with guys like Luke--I’ve had to train myself to be a bit more reserved So far with hiht now is I’m a captive audience behind the bar, and I just don’t knohat else we possibly have to talk about