If I Take That Chance

Chapter 9

"I've never seen anything like this," whispered Vicky. 

"What?" Rosa followed her eyes to Sam and Luke who sat quietly enjoying their lunch. Luke was busy examining his sandwich, pulling all the pickles out and giving them to Sam, while she bit the edges of her sandwich and gave the middle part to him. 

Rosa giggled. "Funny, aren't they?" 

"Here, take mine, I am full." Sam gave him her sandwich with few bite marks on the edges to Luke who accepted it happily.  

"Oh look, more pickle, want it?" Luke turned the sandwich to Sam so she could see the pickle. 

"Yeah." She pulled it out and popped it into her mouth. She then turned her attention back to her book, and Luke to his car magazine.. 

"That's so weird. They act like a married couple. My parents used to do that. Eating in silence, sharing food, reading each other's mind . . ." 

"Hi, girls, can I join in?" Gina's question startled them. 

"Sure," Rosa answered reluctantly. 

"Oh, those two," Gina mumbled. 

"What about them?" Rosa asked innocently. 

"It's understandable that Sam wants to be around him all the time. He's rich. What a gold digger she is. First she flirted nonstop, now she's sharing her lunch. What's next?" 

"Whoa . . . I think it's the other way around. Luke's mooning over her every day." Vicky freaked out. 

"Besides, what's wrong with sharing lunch?" Rosa interjected. 

Gina sighed. "I smelled something wrong with those two." 

"What is it?" 

"I don't know yet, but I'll find out."

*** 

Catalogue Photoshoot 

Day one 

Luke strolled into the busy studio. His eyes searched for his wife but he couldn't see her anywhere. Instead, he was greeted by a familiar face. 

"Luke, is that you?" a soft voice called him from the corner of the studio. A beautiful pale brunette appeared and startled him for a few seconds. 

"Alicia?" he whispered in disbelief. His body froze. 

"Hi." She smiled tentatively. Her thin figure almost disappeared behind a bulky traveling bag that hung heavily across her shoulder. She also dragged another suitcase with her left hand. She let go all her luggage and lunged herself to him. 

Luke held her body carefully against his chest. He was too shocked to react any other way. 

"So good to see you! What are you doing here?" she started to talk in her usual happy tone. 

"Ah . . . I am trying to find my wife,"  

Her body stiffened, she quickly let go of him and moved a step back. "You have a wife?" she tilted her head to the side. 

"Yeah, I do." He smiled, somehow satisfied that he could give her bad news. 

"Oh my . . . congratulations. Which one is she? One of the models?" she started to look around. 

"Nah, she's not."  

"Oh. Which one then?" she sounded happier than she had to, or rather, relief. 

Luke smiled and pointed a slim figure who walked toward them with unhappy steps. "Oh dear, she looks furious," he mumbled and started to examine his already shiny leather shoes.