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“That sounds like a threat.”
He stared down at her. His dark eyes had deepened to almost black and were intense. Angry. “If that’s what’s needed, then consider yourself threatened.”
Since she’d made her mark in architecture, Jayne had often needed to deal with men on building sites. Early on, she’d learned how to be confident—or, when she wasn’t, at least to look as if she was. She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. “Back off, Luke. I’m not as easily intimidated as I was when I knew you in New York.”
He made a sound of disgust. “I never knew you, lady. Never.” With that, he stalked away.
She watched as he spoke quietly to Eleanor, unleashed the dog, picked her up and headed around the house. They made an incongruous picture—the big guy with the tiny puppy in his arms. Suddenly, Jayne wondered what had happened to him in the intervening years, if he’d ever married, had kids. And why on earth, after all this time, did the possibility of little boys with Luke’s eyes or tiny girls with his smile make Jayne feel so bereft?
LUKE SWERVED his red truck into the driveway of his sister’s house on Houghton Plot, got out and slammed the door. He tried not to think about Jayne Logan, but she’d gotten under his skin again, just like before, and it was a position he’d never put himself in with women since.
Little Karl came running out the door and toward him. “Uncle Luke!” he said as he flung himself at Luke. The boy was the spitting image of him, which always made him smile.
Right behind Karl was his brother, Kasey, tottering along on stocky little legs. His blond wispy hair was more like his dad’s. Luke hefted the youngest up to his chest, then clasped Karl’s shoulder.
Karl wrinkled his nose. “Eee-u, you stink.”
“Been sweating my…butt off all morning.” And since he’d made an excuse not to stay for lunch, he hadn’t cleaned up either.
His older sister had followed her kids out and smiled warmly at him. Of all the girls, he resembled Belle the most. They both had dark hair and eyes, which explained Karl’s resemblance to him.
“Hey, babe.”
“You look mad. Certainly not at Miss Ellie.”
He set his nephew down and let the dog out of the car. “Nah, she’s got a guest who torqued me off.”
Krystle nipped at the boys’ feet and began to run around the front yard, making them giggle as they chased her. They loved playing with Maria’s dog.
“Can you stay? Nick and Kenny are golfing. They’re trying to spend some father/son time together.” Belle had had one kid in her early twenties, then two more later on when she got bored with her job as a nurse and decided she wanted a bigger family.
“Yeah, my afternoon’s clear.”
Grinning, she kissed his cheek. “Go clean up, then I’ll fix you lunch and we can chat after the boys go down for a nap.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
It was a good one. After a hot shower and a change into clothes he always left here and at his other sisters’ houses, he made small talk with Belle during lunch and Luke paid attention to the kids. As always, they charmed him, even when Kasey smeared peanut butter over his face and then, when Luke laughed, covered his arms, too. Belle made him give the kid a bath, and then he put both boys down.
In a better mood now, he joined his sister out on the deck overlooking the wooded backyard. Never one to mince words, she said, “Okay, what happened, Luciano?” The only boy in the family, Luke was named after his dad.
He had to tread carefully here. For twelve years he’d kept his previous relationship with Jayne Logan secret from everyone, not because Jayne wanted it that way, but because initially he’d been embarrassed about how it had ended—a woman had actually dumped him! And then, when he’d gotten home and found out about Jayne and Jess, Luke had been humiliated at how she’d taken him in. “Do you remember Jayne Logan, Jess’s friend?”
“The woman from college.” Belle’s eyes widened. “Oh, the one Naomi suspected Jess was involved with?”
Right after Luke came back to town, over a few late-night beers, Belle had told him about Naomi’s suspicions concerning Jess and Jayne’s relationship.
“Yeah, she’s the one. She’s in town and went looking for Jess. Since he’s at Disney World, she hunted up Miss Ellie.”
Belle cocked her head. “Miss Ellie loved Jayne. She came to Riverdale on vacations and even a summer or two and stayed with them.” She frowned. “Much to Naomi’s distress.”
“Yeah, but Jayne abandoned Miss Ellie when she got rich and famous.” She was very good at abandoning people.
“Why’s she here now?”
“She’s in trouble.”
“What kind?”
“I didn’t stick around to find out.” In truth, he didn’t want to know. He remembered his protective instincts where Jayne was concerned and he certainly didn’t want to fall victim to them again.
Picking up her soft drink, Belle frowned. “Didn’t you work with Jayne in New York?”
“Uh-huh. Briefly.”
“Naomi said she made a name for herself in the architectural world in California and got caught up in the glamour and success there.” Then Belle added gently, “You did too, Luke, when you became partners with Madison Conglomerates in New York.”
“Yeah, but I learned my lesson. From what I’ve heard, she still feeds on fame.”
Belle stood. “I’ll be right back.” She hustled off the porch and in no time returned with her laptop.
“What’s that for?”
Luke had developed an aversion to the Internet. He kept all his business records on a computer, did e-mail and often ordered materials online, but he didn’t surf in cyberspace anymore. He’d done all that when he’d first become successful. The Net was a connection to his previous life that he wanted to forget.
“This is a way to find out what trouble Jayne Logan’s in.”
Hmm, he guessed he could make this one exception. “Good thinking, Isabella, mi amore.”
“Smarts run in the family, little brother. Now, isn’t her first name spelled funny?”
ONE OF THE BEST things about Eleanor was that she took pleasure in small things, like this outing. For years, Jayne had spun fantasies that if she ever had children, Eleanor would be a surrogate grandmother.
Jayne and Ben Scarborough, her college boyfriend of two years, had talked about having kids. Then he’d betrayed her, and that dream, with him at least, was dashed. Even when she’d met Luke, five years later, she was never able to completely trust him. When their relationship had begun to get serious, she’d fled.
“I’m paying, dear. I dragged you here.” Eleanor was standing with Jayne in line at the Fox Theater, the only cinema in town, waiting to see the matinee of the new release of The Little Mermaid.
“You didn’t drag me here. I’m happy to come. The last time I saw a Disney movie was when—” Jayne had to think “—I came with you and Jess to one in college.”
“Ah, yes. He indulges my whims, too.”
As they moved along, a warm breeze ruffled the tails of the pink shirt Jayne wore with jeans. “Jess sounded great on the phone when you let me talk to him.”
“He was delighted that you’re here.”
Jayne smiled. “He threatened never to speak to me again if I left before he got back.” She cleared her throat. “I didn’t tell him what happened. I was afraid it would ruin his vacation.”
“It would have. He loves you like a sister.”
After Eleanor paid for their tickets, they went inside and crossed to the refreshment stand. “Smell that popcorn,” Eleanor said. “I think I’ll have some, with extra butter.”
“You should be watching your cholesterol.”
Unfortunately, Jayne recognized the deep masculine rumble from behind her. She turned to acknowledge Luke, but instead stood openmouthed when she took in the sight of him dressed in jeans and a green chamois shirt, holding a little boy of maybe two against the soft material that covered his chest. Clinging to his other hand was a child of about five, who looked exactly like him.
So he was married. With kids. For a moment, Jayne felt the world tip on its axis.
Eleanor said, “Hello, Luke. Oh, Kasey, you sweet boy. And Karl. Let me buy you a treat.”
“Yes, Miss Ellie.” The bigger one spoke first and the baby gave some version of it.
Luke raised his eyes to the ceiling. “I promised their mother I wouldn’t let them have too much junk.”
“How is Belle?” The name sounded familiar. Had he married an old girlfriend?
“Spending some time with Kenny while he’s on his school break, so I’m babysitting.”
Jayne frowned. “I wonder why it is that when men take care of their own kids, they call it babysitting?”
His expression turned blank, then he laughed.
Before he could respond, Karl said, “Uncle Luke, what’s funny?”
Jayne flushed. “I thought…”
“Yeah, I can tell. They’re my sister’s kids. Karl, Kasey, meet Miss Logan.” With a scowl, he added, “Is it still Miss?”
“Yes.”
Karl greeted her, but Kasey buried his face in Luke’s neck. And something inside of Jayne shifted. The gesture showed such spontaneous trust, was such a baby thing. Combined with what she’d been thinking earlier, about having her own kids, it had her…yearning.
“Would you like to sit with us, Luke?” Eleanor’s expression was hopeful. “It would be such fun to see the boys’ reactions to the movie.”
Oh, no, Jayne thought, just as Luke said, “Great. We’d love to.”
Inside the theater, the boys sat on opposite sides of Eleanor, and Jayne took the seat next to the littlest. But then Luke said, “Excuse me,” and crawled over her to snatch Kasey out of the chair. He plunked down right next to her, with the baby on his lap. “There now, isn’t this cozy?”
It was cramped and, this close, she could smell his aftershave—incredibly, the same one that he used to wear. The associations that brought back made her entire body respond. So she said, “I can move down so Kasey can have his own seat.”
Luke gave her an are-you-stupid look. “He’s too little to sit by himself.”
And Kasey was apparently used to resting on his uncle’s lap, because he cuddled in, stuck his finger in his mouth and began to watch the previews.
Jayne tried not to be distracted by the rhythmic stroking of Luke’s big hand down the baby’s wispy hair. She tried not to watch as he kissed the baby’s head. But she began to experience an overwhelming sense of loss watching the gestures, being so close to Luke again. If she hadn’t chickened out on her relationship with Luke, these could have been their kids. They could be married now and spending a lazy day as a family. When the movie began, she tried doubly hard to focus on Ariel and her adventure, until Karl leaned over Eleanor and whispered, “Uncle Luke, I gotta pee.”
Luke said, “Great.” He glanced at Eleanor, who held a full bucket of popcorn on her lap, then lifted the baby and plopped him into Jayne’s arms.
“What…what are you doing?”
“Taking Karl to the john.” He stood, scooped up the boy, climbed over the back of his seat to an empty row and went out to the aisle.
Kasey looked up at her with wide blue eyes. She had no idea what to do with him. A smile spread across his adorable face, then he batted her cheeks with his chubby hands.
And she cooed, “Aren’t you beautiful.”
As if he’d gotten the answer he wanted, he nestled into her chest. He smelled like baby shampoo and powder, and Jayne reveled in the scent and the feel of his little body.
By the time Luke got back, Kasey was fast asleep, curled trustingly into her.
“I’ll be damned. I wouldn’t have guessed you had it in you.”
Her either. “Just goes to show you how much you know.”
“We’ll see about that.” He bit into a piece of licorice. “We’ll just see about that.”
CHAPTER THREE
LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON, Jayne reached for the gardening shears to deadhead the snapdragons and pricked her thumb on the tip of a blade. “Ouch!”
By the gazebo, where he’d finished painting the first post blue, Luke snorted. Had she known he was going to show up so late in the day to put in an hour on the structure, she wouldn’t have come out here. Now, he sat on one of the benches he’d built—she liked the way the legs of it angled—sipping a beer and making no effort to hide his study of her. “Watch out, Sleeping Beauty, or you’ll go into a deep snooze.”
Which Jayne wouldn’t mind doing. Perhaps when she woke up, the nightmare of the investigation would be over. She’d checked with her lawyer this morning and there was no news.
What exactly does that mean, Michael? It’s been three weeks.
These things take time. The architectural board is addressing it. You have to be patient.
What about the independent firm I hired to do its own analysis?
Nothing yet.
I can’t believe this.
I’m sorry. I’ll call you when I hear something.
“Hey, I’m talkin’ to you.”
She made a very unladylike noise. “Just so you don’t get any ideas about playing Prince Charming.” Again.
“No worries about that, babe. Once burned…”
Hmm. She’d always wondered how he’d handled her leaving, always wondered if it had left a hole inside him as it had, unexpectedly, in her. Probably not. He’d never tried to contact her. Most likely, she’d just bruised his ego.
There was no point in going there, though, so she nodded to the gazebo. “You know, you should paint the posts white.”
He shook his head. “God, I hate it when people play Monday-morning quarterback.”
His forceful tone reminded her of his reactions on the construction site in New York. She couldn’t resist the temptation to jab him. “So you still think it’s your way or the highway?”
