Lost Creek Hollow baby please come home.

His expression was one of consternation, his mouth pursed as he considered what she had said. He was reading between the lines, but it seemed like she knew of Lasher, perhaps even disapproved of him, of their relationship, of something.

She had been unable to leave Luke, and Luke unable to part from her, but her words effectively doused the fire that had sprung up within him. He retreated back a pace, his tongue still unable to form a response.

"Okay," he murmured, half in acceptance, and half in questioning. Under most circumstances he was not shaken by rejection, but he felt decidedly different this time. It stung somehow. But as his head cleared, the fog of passion lifting, he was assaulted by a dozen thoughts.

He uttered a soft 'uhh' and then shook his head. He was unable to talk and so quietly turned and left, seeking alone time to make sense of what had happened, and had not happened.