Luke sat in the boardroom at Memorial waiting for the others to arrive. The reason he was waiting was that he got the time completely wrong and arrived an hour early. He was happy that his distraction at least had him remembering the meeting, as opposed to the last one where he forgot to show up at all. Bob was on his way, as were the other board members. The last few weeks he had been a bit of a mess – losing track of time, forgetting things, almost like his life was going on without him. He ignored the worried glances he continuously got from his family and friends. They always assumed he was still mourning Noah. Luke did miss him like crazy but, firstly, Noah would not want him to be miserable, and secondly and more importantly, it was actually nothing to do with Noah. There was no point not acknowledging that it was 100% due to Reid Oliver.
His heart stopped when he left him all those years ago and even with him around back in Oakdale, but in no way part of his life, Luke had never felt more alive. Pathetic really. Being happier because a man that hates you is back in town. It is so hard to be near him when Reid just treats him like an acquaintance he feels nothing for. Sadly he knows Reid does feel nothing for him.
Luke thought that after all these years he wouldn't really feel anything for Reid, but the minute he saw him it all came back.
I love him and he thinks nothing of me. That is so much worse than thinking Reid hated him. At least he would feel something for Luke.
Luke stood by the window mindlessly clicking his pen, oblivious to the other board members that entered and said hello. It wasn't until he smelt something familiar – a mix of mint and sandalwood and something else, something so unique to Reid, that he realised he wasn't alone. He spun around and noticed everyone seated. He frowned to himself wondering when they all arrived and mumbled something about the view to the park. Pointedly ignoring the source of that smell that woke him from his stupor.
The meeting droned on and on. Reid was barely listening to a word they were saying. Thinking about the patients he was seeing in the afternoon. He hated meetings like these – management trying to save money, Bob being Bob and trying to please everyone, and Luke – being well very unLuke. Where was his fight gone? He had got decidedly boring in the last few years and Reid knew he had to sort this shit out. If only to make this meeting more interesting and worth two hours of his life. Besides, Katie's stories about Luke's melodrama of a life made Reid feel sorry for him for a minute. Well that is horseshit – he has this town fooled, but not Reid – he cheated on me and made me look a fool – no one does that to Reid Oliver.
"Look gentlemen, all this is all very interesting, no wait, no it's not, its all very boring. Can we please get passed the colour of the walls in the waiting room and talk about something relevant, like why the hell the prep room for surgery is so far away from the op theatre – did you design this Mr Snyder?"
Luke looked up immediately and glared at Reid. "No I did not Reid. I am merely paying for it. You complain so much about my ideas I pointedly stayed away from the op theatre and anything to do with it. I have seen many of your tantrums and would like to get through ONE meeting without one."
"When I say no, I am not having a tantrum. You just don't hear the word very often."
"Dr Oliver –"
"Its alright Bob. Reid, your opinion is valued but you rarely show up to these meeting and when you do you either don't listen or just argue with everyone. Quite frankly it's a pain in the-" Luke flushed as Reid raised his eyebrows. "Its tedious" he finished.
Reid and Luke continued to argue back and forth for the next 20mintues until Bob broke them up. "Oh, look at the time. We will have to finish this next time. Actually Reid, Luke, I would prefer if you two sort out what you both disagree on between yourselves. We seem to be getting nowhere."
"NO BOB" they both snapped at the older man.
"Yes actually – this is a good idea. The board will postpone meetings for the next two months. You are the primary donor Luke and you are controlling the designs Reid – so you two come to the board at the next meeting in eight weeks with some agreed upon ideas."
With that Bob turned and walked out, followed by the rest of the board.
"God Reid, what is wrong with you? Look what you have done now!"
"Well I fail to see how any of this is my fault. If your ideas were not so stupid then I wouldn't need to disagree."
"Well if you were not so argumentative and were a little more open to other peoples suggestions then we wouldn't be in this situation."
"Fool"
"Asshole"
Reid narrowed his eyes and stepped closer to Luke. At the same time Luke watched Reid's eyes change and took a step back. "Well you would know Luke. You spent a long time years ago getting acquainted with my asshole, and I yours. Reid spoke in a voice so quiet it sent a shiver through Luke, or maybe it was the words.
Luke gasped and felt a flush creep up his neck. When he didn't speak Reid stepped closer still until he and Luke were mere inches apart. Reid watched Luke's chocolate brown eyes widen and Luke could see Reid's eyes deepen, knowing what that meant. Reid quickly reached out with his hand and hooked his finer through Luke's belt loop and dragged him closer.
Luke leaned closer, nudging his face towards Reid. Reid wrapped his other hand behind Luke's neck and pushed them closer as Luke licked his lower lip. God, Reid thought, those lips.
"Dr Oliver, I just…..oh God….sorry" a very short intern turned beetroot red then turned and raced out of the board room knowing that she was going to get her ass kicked for the rest of the month.
Too late for Luke and Reid though. Luke put his hands on Reid's chest and pushed him away, looking at his feet. Reid wondered what he was thinking – kissing Luke at the hospital. Christ, kissing him at all. Thank god he avoided that before it got started. He turned sharply and stalked out of the room and down the hall to his office and slammed the door.
Luke could feel his hands shaking on the steering wheel as he drove to his office. Making a decision, he made a sharp turn towards Mayor House. He walked round the back, hoping to run into Tom, he was always a good distraction. Strangely he had been the only person whom he confided any details of Noah's death with. Luke liked Tom a lot, always had. Tom never treated him differently – called him on his crap, didn't pander to a Snyder or Luke's dramas. Tom was cranky and always snapped at others – but he was different with Luke.
Luke jumped out of his car and walked round towards the chess set, not noticing that he walked straight passed Katie whilst he was rubbing his hands wearily over his eyes. He found Tom leaning over the black queen rummaging around in a hole in the base. Luke laughed to himself, knowing exactly what he was looking for.
"Tom, I can't believe you still smoke pot!"
"Luke, don't be crazy, I would never. Too old for that."
"Ha, I found your stash years ago. You and I are the only two who use this chess set and its certainly not mine."
"Luke, its probably Casey's stash anyway."
"Well I know he gets them for you but you are the one actually smoking the joint!"
"More importantly Luke, don't creep up on me like that. I am 84 years old. Any day I could have a heart attack."
"Pfft, you will live longer than me Tom. And your heart is racing cause I am onto you, you pot smoking hippy!"
Tom laughed outright at this and reached out to take the cup of tea Luke made for him. Luke wandered around and set up the chess set silently. Getting ready for a game. After they had been playing for about half an hour, Tom spoke up.
"What's going on Luke?"
"Nothing, I am thinking will I ever beat you in a match?"
"Well no you wont, and no you weren't!"
Luke straightened and just stared at Tom questioningly.
"No you wont ever beat me and no you weren't thinking that anyway. I know you Luke. Something is bothering you. I have always listened to you before, why not now?"
Luke fiddled with one of his pawns for a while, and then sat on the top of it. "Reid is back in Oakdale."
"As in your Reid?"
"He wasn't ever my Reid."
"Well, you wanted him to be and you have continued to want him to be for years. Even through Noah, god, even more because of Noah."
"I loved Reid back then. But after it all fell apart I thought that maybe it was just high school love – you know, silly immature love that doesn't compare to what you feel when you are grown up. But ever since he has come back I feel the same as I did then. When he is near me I can't function."
"Well you need to tell him. Tell him he was wrong back then and that you chose him."
"There was never a choice to make. It was always Reid. But it's too long ago. He doesn't think of me like that. He treats me like we had nothing back then. Like an acquaintance. Then today…"
"What?"
"There was just this moment, when we were close, and he touched me and it felt like it did back all those years ago. But he has treated me like nothing since he got back or argues with me. I don't know – it's just so fucked up."
"Have a smoke Luke, you need it." Luke looked to Tom's outstretched hand holding a joint. He smiled and shook his head. "No Tom, pot isn't going to help me."
"Christ no, but at least you will chill the fuck out. You are so intense sometimes. You just need to talk to him. You are both adults. You need to have the conversation you didn't have years ago."
"Potty mouth."
"Too true. Still talk to him."
"Nope, no chance. I got a black eye last time. I did nothing wrong. Noah kissed me. Reid over reacted and walked away. He claimed he loved me the bastard, but he didn't trust me."
Tom started clapping. Luke looked at him confused. "Well in all the years we have been talking, often about Reid bloody Oliver, that is the first time you have blamed him for walking away instead of yourself. Its about time."
"You know you are right. It was never my fault. He should have trusted me and he fucked up. Not me."
"Way to go Luke, take charge of your life!"
"Jesus Tom, you are a little high. Next you will have the munchies."
"The munchies? Why – you have some food?"
Luke just stared at him for a while then they both burst out laughing.