Placebo Girl

Chapter 20

Placebo Girl 20

Hollis's POV

I try to shake everything off when Luke returns to the bar. I even determine exactly what I will use as a conversation starter to distract me from all of the stuff Alex and I talked about. This doesn't go to plan. As soon as Luke approaches us, he pauses, staring at a woman and her friend a few feet away from us. Luke's mouth parts as he watches the blonde one. She's petite, really pretty. Her hair barely reaches her shoulders and her frame is small but curvy. She looks like she might be in her mid to late thirties.

She's laughing with her friend, a woman who looks similar in age with frizzy brown hair. The smile disappears from the blonde's face as she spots Luke. She pauses in front of us and I watch confusedly as Luke reaches out and envelopes her in a hug. I glance at Alex and he scowls, saying, "Tony, can I get a double."

Tony nods, looking hesitant, but disappears to pour Alex's drink. I turn back to Luke as he's pulling away from the blonde lady.

"Greta!" he says and I'm almost positive I've heard the name before.

Who the heck is Greta?

"Hi, Luke," she says, smiling but just barely.

"Hey, wow I didn't expect to see you in Orlando."

"Oh, um, yeah," she says, "I decided to take a small vacation from looking after the house, no big deal."

As soon as Greta says this, it all clicks.

She's the Ellis's maid back home. Not even five seconds later, I hear a loud bang and I turn around to see that Alex has downed his drink and the sound was him slamming the short glass against the countertop. I don't know if it's something with Kat, or if it has to do with our conversation about his parents, but he seems pissed.

When he notices that we're all looking at him, he turns around and scans Greta up and down slowly, from her light brown boots to her seafoam eyes.

"Hi, Greta," he says, rather coldly.

"Hey, Alex," she says, looking away.

"Sorry," Luke says to Greta, "he's dealing with some women problems."

I know Luke is trying to lighten the mood but Alex rolls his eyes and waves Tony down to get him another drink, this time ordering a whiskey shot. Luke studies him carefully and then turns back to Greta. She looks uncomfortable, continually readjusting her purse on her shoulder. Her friend even looks uncomfortable, observing the exchange.

"Well, I better get going," Greta says. "I'll see you back home."

"Okay, Greta, you take care," Luke says and hugs her again, smiling the whole time.

As she passes me, I meet her eyes and smile politely, but there's something in her eyes that gives me a chilling feeling. I watch her disappear, noticing how she looks back once, turning quickly when she realizes I'm still watching her. Like nature, I move closer to Luke as if I'm going to protect him from a monster. He smiles down at me like there was nothing awkward about the exchange. Maybe I'm just paranoid. He didn't introduce me to Greta, but I guess the real Mary has met Greta plenty of times.

"That was just rude, Alex," Luke says to his brother and I cling onto Luke's arm like he's going to disappear.

He looks at me, pulling his brows together but I smile, hoping it will assure him that I'm fine. I'm not fine. I'm a crazy person who has gotten way too attached to him.