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SERENDIPITY - CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“Mmm, Reid, I think I could get used to waking up like this.” Luke rolls over to snuggle next to Reid, one arm hugging his waist.
“You liked that, did you?” Reid kisses the top of Luke’s head.
“You have to ask?”
“No, but I like to hear you say it.”
“I loved it, I love your hands and your body and oh, the things they do to me.”
“That’s what I like to hear. Occasionally, if you could throw in a ‘Reid you are a sex-god’ I wouldn’t complain.”
Luke just laughs as Reid turns on his side and kisses him.
“I have to admit, you are the first lover I’ve ever had laugh at me in bed.”
“Is that a complaint?”
“Oh hell no. It’s just something I’ve never experienced before, but I like it. I like everything we do in bed.”
“Good. Me too.” Luke smiles briefly. “Reid, last night…when you mentioned ‘our home’ did you mean it? Do you want to live together?”
“Yes I did and I do.”
“You don’t think it’s too soon?”
“No, I think the timing is perfect. Luke, I don’t want to miss one moment that I could spend with you. I think we’ve lost enough time as it is.”
“Me neither. I want you to be the first thing I see every morning and the last thing I see each night.”
“I have a question- you’d really move to Dallas with me?”
“Yes. Wherever you are, that’s where I want…no, where I need to be. I need you in my life so if that means Dallas…well then that’s where I’ll be. As long as I’m with you, I don’t care where we live.”
“What about the neuro wing your foundation is building? Don’t you want to stay here to see it built?”
“Of course the new wing is very important to me. No matter where I live I intend to see it through to the end. I can visit, tele-conference and video chat, thanks to technology I don’t need to be present for every step.”
“Okay. There’s something that I’ve been wondering about. Why did you propose building a neuro unit?”
“You.” At Reid’s questioning look, he continued. “During one of the monthly hospital board meetings, the members decided that they wanted to build an addition, to bring some prestige to Memorial. They just couldn’t decide on a specialty. They debated Cardiac, Peds, Oncology, Neuro and even Orthopedic. When I heard neuro, especially after having seen you in July, I saw it as a sign. I remembered everything you’d told me about your work and it just felt right. So I insisted that if The Foundation was going to be funding the project, it had to be a neuro unit.”
“Insisted? Impressive. What did I ever do to deserve you?” He doesn’t give Luke a chance to respond, just distracts him with deep kisses.
*******
“I think we need to make a habit of sharing our showers. They’re so productive.”
“Oh yeah, we’d conserve water-” Luke begins as he starts to dry off.
“I was thinking more about the mutual orgasms.”
“Look at you, always thinking of the important things.” Luke kisses him quickly and reaches for his robe hanging on the back of the bathroom door.
“Luke, is that your robe from the hotel in Boston?” Reid inquires.
“Uhh…no…it’s yours.”
Reid raises an eyebrow in question.
“It’s the robe you wore. See there’s a small ketchup stain on this end of the belt, from your french fries that first night…The robe, it smelt like you, so I kept it. It was kind of a comfort after you left and then, I don’t know it just became habit. I’ve used it all year.”
“I love you. And I love that you kept my robe.” He kisses him deeply.
“Oh. Wait here.”
Reid wraps a towel around his waist and follows as Luke walks out into the bedroom and opens his closet. He moves a few hangers to the side and reaches into the far corner. He pulls out a matching white robe on a hanger.
“This one was mine. I don’t know why I kept them both but…”
“Just give me my new robe, you romantic sap.” he winks at him.
Reid drops the towel and reaches for the robe as the doorbell sounds.
“Are you expecting company?”
“No. It’s ten am on Thursday, everyone I know is either at work or school. Wait here, I’ll go check it out.”
Luke is definitely not expecting the two people he sees when he opens the front door.
“Katie? Jason? What can I do for you?”
“Luke sweetie, have you seen Reid?” Katie asks as she walks into the room. She looks like a frazzled bundle of nerves.
“What?” Luke’s still confused about finding the duo at his door.
“He hasn’t been home in two days. He’s not answering his phone and I called the hospital this morning, so I know he’s not there. I was hoping that maybe, just maybe, you might know where he is.”
“Sorry, Luke. Katie’s been worried about him all morning.”
“Uhh, Katie-”
“What are you two doing here?” Reid asks impatiently as he enters, wearing his matching white robe. Jason raises an eyebrow and smirks.
“Reid! There you are!” Katie exclaims, running past Luke to hug Reid. She quickly pulls back and punches him in the shoulder. “Don’t ever do that again!”
“Ow! What was that for?”
“You didn’t come home. You didn’t answer your phone. I was worried.”
“Katie. I am an adult, I don’t need a babysitter.”
“Of course you are but, I am your friend and I care. The last time we saw you was on Tuesday and neither of us have talked to you after you left in such a hurry. Anything could have happened to you.”
“As you can see, I am perfectly fine.” He hugged her briefly, then turned to Jason. “You couldn’t keep her from freaking out?”
“I tried.” He answered defensively. “She was fine yesterday but then you weren’t at home this morning, she kinda lost it. I don’t think anyone can stop her once she sets her mind on something.”
“Where are your kids? You know, those two little people that are cuter, nicer versions of the two of you.”
“They’re with Emma out at the farm. It’s been awhile since she’d seen Jacob and she kindly offered to watch Annie also while we looked for you. When we left, Holden was taking her to see the horses.”
“Now she’ll be asking for a pony for her birthday.” Jason laughed.
Reid stepped away from Katie and held a hand out to Luke. He pulled him to his side, one arm around Luke’s waist. Luke’s arm held his back, fingers tangling in the short curls at the nape of Reid’s neck.
“I turned my phone off while I was in surgery yesterday, the only time I turned it on was to call Luke last night. I spent the last two nights with him. ” A light blush tinged Luke’s cheeks. “Oh yeah, Katie I’m giving you notice. I’m moving out, effective immediately.”
“You’re moving in here? I am so happy for you both! It’s about time you two worked things out. Does this mean you’re going to stay in Oakdale?”
Luke noticed Reid and Jason staring intently at each other. He thought that the two friends might need a moment alone.
“I was about to make breakfast, why don’t the two of you join us. Katie, would you mind helping me in the kitchen?” He leads her away.
“Your boyfriend isn’t very subtle, is he?” Jason laughs lightly.
“No, but he means well.”
“So, are you staying here? For him?”
“I haven’t decided yet. My six weeks here are almost over. I wasn’t going to take the job because he was here.”
“And now…”
“C’mon Jason, I have the opportunity to design my very own state-of-the-art neurosurgical unit, all of my specifications and free reign to run it as I please. I get to hire the best staff I can find. No more having to make due with second-rate equipment. You know this never happens, doctors can only dream of a chance like this and yet here it is, waiting for me to say yes.”
“You want to.”
“I wanted to say yes the moment I heard Dr. Hughes’ proposal.”
“What about Luke?”
“What about him?” Reid asks defensively.
“What if you say no and move back to Dallas, where you have a great job waiting for you. What happens with Luke?”
“Nothing changes between us. We are together and we’re staying together. He told me last night that the decision is mine, he’ll support me either way. Wherever I decide to work, he’s going to be with me.”
“He’d move to Dallas? What about his life here?”
“My life is with Reid.” Luke interrupted, wrapping his arms around Reid from behind, looking directly at Jason. “Wherever that is, Oakdale, Dallas or anywhere else he may get an opportunity to work. I love him. Wherever he is, that’s where I want to be.”
“And you’re okay with him following you?”
“He’s not following me-”
“I’m not following him.” They both spoke at the same time.
Luke continued. “I still have my work, I’m lucky enough that I can be mobile with my work. I’ll still be involved in the building of the neuro wing here, wherever we are. I can expand The Foundation with an office where we live. I can find new contacts and work on new projects. It will work out, we will make it work.”
“You’re doing this together? Good, it’s about damn time things work out for you two.” He smiled at them both. “You do realize that this guy is rude, arrogant and an asshole?”
“Yeah, but he’s my rude, arrogant asshole and I don’t ever want him to change.” Luke kisses Reid near his temple. “Now, I’m sure Katie almost has breakfast finished. Let’s eat and then later we can go to the farm and see how Annie is loving the horses.”
EPILOGUE
“Mmm, Reid, I think I could get used to waking up like this.” Luke rolls over to snuggle next to Reid, one arm hugging his waist.
“You liked that, did you?” Reid kisses the top of Luke’s head.
“You have to ask?”
“No, but I like to hear you say it.”
“I loved it, I love your hands and your body and oh, the things they do to me.”
“That’s what I like to hear. Occasionally, if you could throw in a ‘Reid you are a sex-god’ I wouldn’t complain.”
Luke just laughs as Reid turns on his side and kisses him.
“I have to admit, you are the first lover I’ve ever had laugh at me in bed.”
“Is that a complaint?”
“Oh hell no. It’s just something I’ve never experienced before, but I like it. I like everything we do in bed.”
“Good. Me too.” Luke smiles briefly. “Reid, last night…when you mentioned ‘our home’ did you mean it? Do you want to live together?”
“Yes I did and I do.”
“You don’t think it’s too soon?”
“No, I think the timing is perfect. Luke, I don’t want to miss one moment that I could spend with you. I think we’ve lost enough time as it is.”
“Me neither. I want you to be the first thing I see every morning and the last thing I see each night.”
“I have a question- you’d really move to Dallas with me?”
“Yes. Wherever you are, that’s where I want…no, where I need to be. I need you in my life so if that means Dallas…well then that’s where I’ll be. As long as I’m with you, I don’t care where we live.”
“What about the neuro wing your foundation is building? Don’t you want to stay here to see it built?”
“Of course the new wing is very important to me. No matter where I live I intend to see it through to the end. I can visit, tele-conference and video chat, thanks to technology I don’t need to be present for every step.”
“Okay. There’s something that I’ve been wondering about. Why did you propose building a neuro unit?”
“You.” At Reid’s questioning look, he continued. “During one of the monthly hospital board meetings, the members decided that they wanted to build an addition, to bring some prestige to Memorial. They just couldn’t decide on a specialty. They debated Cardiac, Peds, Oncology, Neuro and even Orthopedic. When I heard neuro, especially after having seen you in July, I saw it as a sign. I remembered everything you’d told me about your work and it just felt right. So I insisted that if The Foundation was going to be funding the project, it had to be a neuro unit.”
“Insisted? Impressive. What did I ever do to deserve you?” He doesn’t give Luke a chance to respond, just distracts him with deep kisses.
*******
“I think we need to make a habit of sharing our showers. They’re so productive.”
“Oh yeah, we’d conserve water-” Luke begins as he starts to dry off.
“I was thinking more about the mutual orgasms.”
“Look at you, always thinking of the important things.” Luke kisses him quickly and reaches for his robe hanging on the back of the bathroom door.
“Luke, is that your robe from the hotel in Boston?” Reid inquires.
“Uhh…no…it’s yours.”
Reid raises an eyebrow in question.
“It’s the robe you wore. See there’s a small ketchup stain on this end of the belt, from your french fries that first night…The robe, it smelt like you, so I kept it. It was kind of a comfort after you left and then, I don’t know it just became habit. I’ve used it all year.”
“I love you. And I love that you kept my robe.” He kisses him deeply.
“Oh. Wait here.”
Reid wraps a towel around his waist and follows as Luke walks out into the bedroom and opens his closet. He moves a few hangers to the side and reaches into the far corner. He pulls out a matching white robe on a hanger.
“This one was mine. I don’t know why I kept them both but…”
“Just give me my new robe, you romantic sap.” he winks at him.
Reid drops the towel and reaches for the robe as the doorbell sounds.
“Are you expecting company?”
“No. It’s ten am on Thursday, everyone I know is either at work or school. Wait here, I’ll go check it out.”
Luke is definitely not expecting the two people he sees when he opens the front door.
“Katie? Jason? What can I do for you?”
“Luke sweetie, have you seen Reid?” Katie asks as she walks into the room. She looks like a frazzled bundle of nerves.
“What?” Luke’s still confused about finding the duo at his door.
“He hasn’t been home in two days. He’s not answering his phone and I called the hospital this morning, so I know he’s not there. I was hoping that maybe, just maybe, you might know where he is.”
“Sorry, Luke. Katie’s been worried about him all morning.”
“Uhh, Katie-”
“What are you two doing here?” Reid asks impatiently as he enters, wearing his matching white robe. Jason raises an eyebrow and smirks.
“Reid! There you are!” Katie exclaims, running past Luke to hug Reid. She quickly pulls back and punches him in the shoulder. “Don’t ever do that again!”
“Ow! What was that for?”
“You didn’t come home. You didn’t answer your phone. I was worried.”
“Katie. I am an adult, I don’t need a babysitter.”
“Of course you are but, I am your friend and I care. The last time we saw you was on Tuesday and neither of us have talked to you after you left in such a hurry. Anything could have happened to you.”
“As you can see, I am perfectly fine.” He hugged her briefly, then turned to Jason. “You couldn’t keep her from freaking out?”
“I tried.” He answered defensively. “She was fine yesterday but then you weren’t at home this morning, she kinda lost it. I don’t think anyone can stop her once she sets her mind on something.”
“Where are your kids? You know, those two little people that are cuter, nicer versions of the two of you.”
“They’re with Emma out at the farm. It’s been awhile since she’d seen Jacob and she kindly offered to watch Annie also while we looked for you. When we left, Holden was taking her to see the horses.”
“Now she’ll be asking for a pony for her birthday.” Jason laughed.
Reid stepped away from Katie and held a hand out to Luke. He pulled him to his side, one arm around Luke’s waist. Luke’s arm held his back, fingers tangling in the short curls at the nape of Reid’s neck.
“I turned my phone off while I was in surgery yesterday, the only time I turned it on was to call Luke last night. I spent the last two nights with him. ” A light blush tinged Luke’s cheeks. “Oh yeah, Katie I’m giving you notice. I’m moving out, effective immediately.”
“You’re moving in here? I am so happy for you both! It’s about time you two worked things out. Does this mean you’re going to stay in Oakdale?”
Luke noticed Reid and Jason staring intently at each other. He thought that the two friends might need a moment alone.
“I was about to make breakfast, why don’t the two of you join us. Katie, would you mind helping me in the kitchen?” He leads her away.
“Your boyfriend isn’t very subtle, is he?” Jason laughs lightly.
“No, but he means well.”
“So, are you staying here? For him?”
“I haven’t decided yet. My six weeks here are almost over. I wasn’t going to take the job because he was here.”
“And now…”
“C’mon Jason, I have the opportunity to design my very own state-of-the-art neurosurgical unit, all of my specifications and free reign to run it as I please. I get to hire the best staff I can find. No more having to make due with second-rate equipment. You know this never happens, doctors can only dream of a chance like this and yet here it is, waiting for me to say yes.”
“You want to.”
“I wanted to say yes the moment I heard Dr. Hughes’ proposal.”
“What about Luke?”
“What about him?” Reid asks defensively.
“What if you say no and move back to Dallas, where you have a great job waiting for you. What happens with Luke?”
“Nothing changes between us. We are together and we’re staying together. He told me last night that the decision is mine, he’ll support me either way. Wherever I decide to work, he’s going to be with me.”
“He’d move to Dallas? What about his life here?”
“My life is with Reid.” Luke interrupted, wrapping his arms around Reid from behind, looking directly at Jason. “Wherever that is, Oakdale, Dallas or anywhere else he may get an opportunity to work. I love him. Wherever he is, that’s where I want to be.”
“And you’re okay with him following you?”
“He’s not following me-”
“I’m not following him.” They both spoke at the same time.
Luke continued. “I still have my work, I’m lucky enough that I can be mobile with my work. I’ll still be involved in the building of the neuro wing here, wherever we are. I can expand The Foundation with an office where we live. I can find new contacts and work on new projects. It will work out, we will make it work.”
“You’re doing this together? Good, it’s about damn time things work out for you two.” He smiled at them both. “You do realize that this guy is rude, arrogant and an asshole?”
“Yeah, but he’s my rude, arrogant asshole and I don’t ever want him to change.” Luke kisses Reid near his temple. “Now, I’m sure Katie almost has breakfast finished. Let’s eat and then later we can go to the farm and see how Annie is loving the horses.”
EPILOGUE