A couple of days later, Luke and Carmen sat in his office putting the finishing touches on a real estate deal.

"You're getting pretty good at this Carmen." Luke said. He was proud of  the work his protege was accomplishing.

"Thanks." Carmen gathered the papers and tapped them on the desk to put them in order before placing them in their appropriate folder.

"That's a new one." Carmen pointed to the photo of Luke and Cassie.

"Yeah, it's from Cassie's last outing. The one you missed because you had a hot date..."

Carmen rolled her eyes. "It was just the two of you this time right?"

"Yup." Luke said as he leaned back in his desk chair. "She dragged me to a cemetery."

"How romantic." Carmen laughed.

"It wasn't a date, Carmen. It was just two friends hanging out."

Carmen shook her head and moved on to another subject. "So will she be going to the Labor Day picnic too?"

"I was able to convince her to go,yes. Why?"

"No reason."

"You have a reason for asking. I know you." Luke said.

"It's just that the company picnic is a family thing. People will think that she's family."

"What? Why would I care what ‘people' think?" Luke asked.

"It might hurt your chances with one of the many eligible ladies around here who have their eye on you."

"Carmen, I have a strict rule of not mixing business with pleasure.

"Of course you do. What about Mr. Miller's niece?" Carmen asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I saw her when she left your office the last week..."

"I just met her last week. As you know, she wanted to talk about her uncle's account."

"Luke, I'm a woman. I know when another woman is into someone, and she's definitely into you."

Luke shook his head, "and you got that from seeing her leave my office?"

"The body talks." Carmen smirked.

Before Luke could respond there was a knock on the door. Luke looked away from his companion, "come in." He said to whoever was waiting outside his office.

The door opened slightly and Laurie's head appeared in the crack. "Luke, I'm sorry to interrupt, but you have a visitor." Laurie explained.

"Who is it?" Luke asked.

During the exchange between Luke and Laurie, Carmen stood with the files they were working on in hand.

"A Miss. Lyndsey Hinton."

Luke nodded his head, "let her in." Laurie closed the door. Luke heard the woman walk away from the office. He stood and looked to Carmen who was walking toward the exit.

"You're heading out of here fast." Luke commented.

"Yeah, well I didn't want to be the third wheel when your ‘guest' arrives." Carmen teased.

Luke shook his head at Carmen's antics, she acted just like an annoying little sister would. "She's probably stopping by on business." Luke said.

"Right, of course she is." Carmen rolled her eyes. "I bet you any kind of money that this is more than just a friendly business call."

"Why don't you stay and find out." Luke bated.

"I actually have lunch plans, and if I do not leave now, I will be late. Unlike you, I do not take pride in making people wait."

"That little trait of mine is not something I am proud of. Do you have any idea how much Cassie takes pleasure in teasing me about my flaw."

Carmen laughed. She wondered if Luke realized how easy it was for him to work Cassie into any conversation. She began to notice the tactic a few weeks earlier. Carmen was sure that there was more going on between the pair of friends than either was willing to admit.

"Do you make a conscious effort to mention Cassie in so many conversations, or is it something you just can't help?" Carmen asked.

Luke tilted his head and raised an eyebrow at Carmen's question. "What do you mean?"

"I make a comment about your uncanny ability to be late to everything, and you mention Cassie. I've noticed lately you do that a lot."

"Do what?" Luke asked.

"Work Cassie into a conversation that really has nothing to do with her."

Not sure how to respond to Carmen's observation, Luke remained silent. Since they started sleeping together, Cassie had been on his mind more and more. The more time he spent with his friend, the more his feelings began to grow, and the harder it became to hide his feelings for the stubborn and resistant Cassie.

"That's what I thought." Carmen opened the door to Luke's office to find a woman she had only seen from across the room standing in front of her.

"Hello," Lyndsey said. "Looks like I have some pretty good timing."

"Yeah, you do. I was just leaving." Carmen said to the woman in front of her. "Luke," she turned to face her mentor, "we'll finish this discussion at a later date." She then stepped around Lyndsey and out of the door.

Lyndsey made her way into the office and closed the door behind her. "Well, that was interesting."

Luke laughed nervously, "that was Carmen. She's a junior associate, and my protege. She helps me out on a number of cases and accounts."

"I see."

"So, what brings you in today?" Luke asked. He extended his arm indicating that Lyndsey should sit down. After the office's other occupant sat in one of the chairs in front of his desk. Luke sat in his own overstuffed leather chair.

"Nothing in particular. I was in the area and thought I'd stop by."

"Really?" Luke asked skeptically. It was obvious to him that there was an ulterior motive for Lyndsey's unplanned visit, but he could not be certain if that motive was business or personal.

Ignoring Luke's tone, Lyndsey began to speak again. "Yes, that and I wanted to see if you would like to have lunch with me."

Luke laughed, "I see, and would this be a business lunch?"

"If I say no, would you still come eat with me?"

Luke contemplated Lyndsey's proposition. As he stated to Carmen earlier, he really did have boundaries and personal as well as professional rules about fraternizing with a client. "If you are asking me to have lunch with you as a date Lyndsey, I would have to decline."

Lyndsey nodded before reaching across Luke's desk to pick up his newest picture. She studied the face of the woman in the framed photo. "Is it because you are already taken?" Lyndsey asked placing the picture frame back onto the desk.

"No, because you are a client."

"Correction, my uncle is your client; I am not."

"Miss Hinton..."

"Lyndsey, I've asked you to call me Lyndsey."

"This really isn't a good idea." Luke said.

Lyndsey smirked, "then a business lunch."

Luke looked at Lyndsey. He did not believe for a second that their meal would be constricted to only business topics. But he found Lyndsey attractive and she was an intelligent woman-a trait that always turned him on. And he was not completely against playing with fire. If he were, he would not be having sex with one of his closest friends on a regular basis. Deciding to throw caution out the door, along with any common sense, Luke nodded his head. "Fine, let's grab lunch."

Lyndsey's smirk grew into a genuine, full-blown smile that lit up her whole face. Her obvious glee was contagious and Luke smiled too as he stood up.

"I know the perfect place, it's not too far from here." Lyndsey said following his lead.

Before Luke could respond there was a knock on the door. Luke looked away from his companion, "come in." He said to whoever was waiting outside his office.

The door opened slightly and Laurie's head appeared in the crack. "Luke, I'm sorry to interrupt, but you have a visitor." Laurie explained.

"Who is it?" Luke asked.

During the exchange between Luke and Laurie, Carmen stood with the files they were working on in hand.

"A Miss. Lyndsey Hinton."

Luke nodded his head, "let her in." Laurie closed the door. Luke heard the woman walk away from the office. He stood and looked to Carmen who was walking toward the exit.

"You're heading out of here fast." Luke commented.

"Yeah, well I didn't want to be the third wheel when your ‘guest' arrives." Carmen teased.

Luke shook his head at Carmen's antics, she acted just like an annoying little sister would. "She's probably stopping by on business." Luke said.

"Right, of course she is." Carmen rolled her eyes. "I bet you any kind of money that this is more than just a friendly business call."

"Why don't you stay and find out." Luke bated.

"I actually have lunch plans, and if I do not leave now, I will be late. Unlike you, I do not take pride in making people wait."

"That little trait of mine is not something I am proud of. Do you have any idea how much Cassie takes pleasure in teasing me about my flaw."

Carmen laughed. She wondered if Luke realized how easy it was for him to work Cassie into any conversation. She began to notice the tactic a few weeks earlier. Carmen was sure that there was more going on between the pair of friends than either was willing to admit.

"Do you make a conscious effort to mention Cassie in so many conversations, or is it something you just can't help?" Carmen asked.

Luke tilted his head and raised an eyebrow at Carmen's question. "What do you mean?"

"I make a comment about your uncanny ability to be late to everything, and you mention Cassie. I've noticed lately you do that a lot."

"Do what?" Luke asked.

"Work Cassie into a conversation that really has nothing to do with her."

Not sure how to respond to Carmen's observation, Luke remained silent. Since they started sleeping together, Cassie had been on his mind more and more. The more time he spent with his friend, the more his feelings began to grow, and the harder it became to hide his feelings for the stubborn and resistant Cassie.

"That's what I thought." Carmen opened the door to Luke's office to find a woman she had only seen from across the room standing in front of her.

"Hello," Lyndsey said. "Looks like I have some pretty good timing."

"Yeah, you do. I was just leaving." Carmen said to the woman in front of her. "Luke," she turned to face her mentor, "we'll finish this discussion at a later date." She then stepped around Lyndsey and out of the door.

Lyndsey made her way into the office and closed the door behind her. "Well, that was interesting."

Luke laughed nervously, "that was Carmen. She's a junior associate, and my protege. She helps me out on a number of cases and accounts."

"I see."

"So, what brings you in today?" Luke asked. He extended his arm indicating that Lyndsey should sit down. After the office's other occupant sat in one of the chairs in front of his desk. Luke sat in his own overstuffed leather chair.

"Nothing in particular. I was in the area and thought I'd stop by."

"Really?" Luke asked skeptically. It was obvious to him that there was an ulterior motive for Lyndsey's unplanned visit, but he could not be certain if that motive was business or personal.

Ignoring Luke's tone, Lyndsey began to speak again. "Yes, that and I wanted to see if you would like to have lunch with me."

Luke laughed, "I see, and would this be a business lunch?"

"If I say no, would you still come eat with me?"

Luke contemplated Lyndsey's proposition. As he stated to Carmen earlier, he really did have boundaries and personal as well as professional rules about fraternizing with a client. "If you are asking me to have lunch with you as a date Lyndsey, I would have to decline."

Lyndsey nodded before reaching across Luke's desk to pick up his newest picture. She studied the face of the woman in the framed photo. "Is it because you are already taken?" Lyndsey asked placing the picture frame back onto the desk.

"No, because you are a client."

"Correction, my uncle is your client; I am not."

"Miss Hinton..."

"Lyndsey, I've asked you to call me Lyndsey."

"This really isn't a good idea." Luke said.

Lyndsey smirked, "then a business lunch."

Luke looked at Lyndsey. He did not believe for a second that their meal would be constricted to only business topics. But he found Lyndsey attractive and she was an intelligent woman-a trait that always turned him on. And he was not completely against playing with fire. If he were, he would not be having sex with one of his closest friends on a regular basis. Deciding to throw caution out the door, along with any common sense, Luke nodded his head. "Fine, let's grab lunch."

Lyndsey's smirk grew into a genuine, full-blown smile that lit up her whole face. Her obvious glee was contagious and Luke smiled too as he stood up.

"I know the perfect place, it's not too far from here." Lyndsey said following his lead.

The pair walked out of the office and rode the elevator down to the ground floor. They carried on a conversation as they strolled through the lobby and out of the front doors onto the sidewalk. Luke followed Lyndsey’s lead as she continued down the sidewalk for three blocks before stopping in front of a high-end restaurant.

Luke studied his surroundings. Even before stepping into the building, he could tell that their desired eating location was crowded.

“Lyndsey,” Luke said as he reached for the door, “this looks like the type of place where you need a reservation.”

Lyndsey smiled, “lucky for you, I know the head chef.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, we used to date. I always have a table.” Lyndsey walked through the open door and up to the maitre’d. Luke watched in fascination as his lunch companion spoke with the man in charge of seating.

When the pair in front of him finished their conversation, Lyndsey looked back and smiled. The maitre’d showed Luke and Lyndsey to a small table in the back that had a clear line of site to the door. Luke pulled out the chair facing the entrance for Lynsey before taking a seat in across from her. Menus were left on the table before the maitre’d left.

“So, you used to date the head chef?” Luke asked.

Lyndsey laughed and dropped her head slightly embarrassed. “Yes, way back in high school. I thought he was the love of my laugh, but I wasn’t his type.”

“Oh. I don’t understand how you could not be his type.”

‘That’s very sweet, but I’m not a man so…”

“I understand.”

“Yeah.” Lyndsey laughed. “From your response earlier, I take it you’ve never been here before.”

“No, this is not exactly a place that I frequent.”

“Why not? It’s not too far from your office and this is a nice place to entertain clients.” Lyndsey said.

“It is, and I’ll have to come back sometime. I’ve only recently been taking my lunch break more seriously.” Luke explained. He thought for a moment of Cassie and her seemingly random invitations for lunch at one mom-and-pop restaurant or another.

Lyndsey was not stupid. She could see that Luke had gone off somewhere else for a moment. “Does your new view on lunch breaks have anything to do with the woman in the picture on your desk?”

“Sort-of. She calls occasionally and invites me out to lunch.”

“I see. I take I you guys don’t go to places like these?”

“No, not often.” Luke said.

There was a longing in Luke’s eyes that Lyndsey could clearly see. This woman he claimed was only a friend obviously meant more to him and he was trying to hide or ignore that fact.

Before Lyndsey could dive any deeper into the topic of Cassie, Luke took a deep breath and changed the subject. “So you said you come here often, what do you suggest?” He asked as he looked through the menu.

“Everything here is good.”

“That’s not what I asked.” Luke stated.

“Well…” Lyndsey’s statement was interrupted by a commotion toward the front of the restaurant. She looked at the entrance and recognized the two women that had a swarm of people coming up to them—one was an R&B queen, the other was the woman from the picture on Luke’s desk. Luke turned around to see what had caught the attention of his lunch date. His gaze landed on Cassie and Jade as the two stood at the maitre’d stand waiting to be assisted.

Cassie felt the eyes staring before she saw them. She found the owner of said eyes was sitting with a man toward the back of the restaurant. The woman looked at her as if she was familiar with her face, but not with the person who owned the face. Cassie did not have time to study the woman before she felt herself be jostled and heard excited squeals. There was a group of people quickly amassing around them trying to get to Jade. Cassie’s friend looked at her and shrugged; there was not much that could be done. She looked back to the table where the staring woman sat, only now the woman’s companion had turned around.

Their eyes locked. Cassie took a deep breath and shook off whatever it was that she was feeling. She tapped Jade on the shoulder and indicated she would rather try another place. Luke watched the entire interaction, as did Lyndsey.

“So that’s her, then” Lyndsey said to Luke.

Luke snapped back into the moment with his table companion, “Who?”

“The woman in the picture on your desk, the one you are not seeing.”

“Yes,” Luke sighed. “That was Cassie.”

“Do you think she was jealous?”

“Definitely not. We aren’t dating.” Luke said almost wistfully.

Lyndsey smirked and shook her head. “I think she was.”