Charles still looked mildly irritated, but his tense posture relaxed quite a bit as Taylin relayed the story of Luke taking care of the abandoned baby girl until the authorities took over.
“That is so sweet,” Amanda said, wiping a tear from her cheek. “I’m so glad y’all were there to take care of that sweet little girl.”
A light knock sounded at the door. Luke hoped it was the nurse coming to put the splint on his leg. Instead, a beautiful woman with long, dark hair stood in the doorway.
“Hey, Mr. and Mrs. Nichols. Remember me?”
“Paris Allred, of course we do,” Amanda said, rushing over to the girl and giving her a hug. She stepped back and slipped her arm through Paris’s. “Y’all remember Paris? She and Chase were friends in high school, and now she’s one of the hosts for Atlanta’s channel seven morning show.”
“Hello, Paris,” Charles said, shaking the young woman’s hand. “It’s good to see you again.”
“Thank you, sir.” She glanced over at Ashlee and then at Taylin. “I can’t believe y’all are Chase’s baby sisters all grown up.”
“Hey,” Ashlee said. “Are you here to interview Taylin and Luke?”
“Well,” Paris said as her eyes landed on Luke. “I was in the area doing a special when the tornado hit.” Her gaze shifted to Taylin. “You can’t imagine how worried I was when I heard your name mentioned as one of the victims. I rushed over here to check up on you… and to see if you wouldn’t mind if I interviewed y’all for the station. I promise I won’t take up too much of your time.”
Luke didn’t want to talk to the press. But, since the woman was a family friend, he figured he better be polite. He was already on Charles Nichols’ bad side as it was.
“I don’t mind,” Taylin said. “Just as long as you let me clean up and change my clothes.”
“Absolutely.” Paris studied Taylin for a few seconds. “I have my van here with several wardrobe changes. Other than me being a few inches taller than you, we look to be about the same size, so I’m sure we can find you something to wear.”
All eyes turned to Luke as the reporter asked him if he felt up to being interviewed. “Sure.” Luke wanted to add that he didn’t care about his wardrobe or how he looked, but Taylin covered for him.
“We can let Luke rest while I change clothes.” She glanced at him with a small smile. “I’m assuming you don’t care if you shave or not?”
“It’s not a high priority right now.”
“That’s what I thought.” She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “Besides, I think you look sexy with a beard,” she whispered next to his ear.
“I heard that,” Charles said.
Taylin laughed, her warm breath sending a wave of awareness through him. The nurse came in with the splint, clearing everyone but Taylin out of his room.
Luke could tell Charles was annoyed that his daughter stayed behind. “Your dad doesn’t like me very much,” he said as the nurse scanned his hospital wristband and then typed a few things on the computer.
“My daddy hasn’t ever liked any of my boyfriends.”
Luke was surprised by the surge of jealousy that shot through him. He hated to think about Taylin kissing anyone else. “Is that what I am? Your boyfriend?”
She looked a little vulnerable. “I hope so.”
“Even if your dad hates me?”
She laughed again. “He doesn’t hate you.” Then she slanted forward to press a soft kiss on his mouth. “I’ll be back soon.”
A half hour later, Luke had a new splint on his leg. The nurse had also provided him with a set of light blue scrubs, the bottoms loose enough to accommodate the splint. Before Taylin returned, he called his parents to tell them about his injury and the tornado. He also told them about Taylin.
“I’m so happy you’ve met someone, sweetheart,” his mom said. “But I’ll admit I don’t want my son living so far away from home.” She sighed heavily. “I kind of hoped this would be a temporary move for you, but if you marry this girl, you’ll end up staying in the South.”
The muscles in Luke’s stomach clenched. While he was okay with being Taylin’s boyfriend, he wasn’t ready to think about getting married again. Not yet, anyway. He wanted to take things slowly.
“Mom, we just started dating.” Technically, they hadn’t ever gone out. “I’m not even close to thinking about marriage again.”
“I know.” She sighed again. “I love you, Luke. I just want you to be happy.”
“I love you, too.” Luke ended the call, but not before telling his mom about the news interview and promising to let her know when it would air.
While he waited for Taylin, Luke read through his emails. There wasn’t anything urgent.
His phone buzzed with an incoming call and Dave’s name appeared on the screen.
“Dude,” Dave said when Luke answered the call. “I have soooo many questions. A tornado? Seriously?”
“I know, right?” Luke rubbed a hand alongside his aching knee. “Out of all the things I anticipated experiencing in the South, a tornado wasn’t one of them.”
“So, about those pics with Miss Taylin.” Dave gave a soft whistle. “Rachel is beside herself with joy. Y’all did look pretty cozy.”
“Yeah.” Luke glanced toward the door to make sure the Nichols family wasn’t close by. “Taylin’s parents were here when it first aired. Her dad didn’t look very happy about it.”
“Oh, man, I wish I could’ve been there,” Dave said with a laugh.
“I do too.” Luke was serious. He could use a friend. “Any chance you can come pick me up?” He had no vehicle, and even if he did, he couldn’t drive. Besides, Jennifer had texted him before he called his mom and dad to say the resort planned on delivering both his and Taylin’s cars to Mitchel Creek, along with all of their belongings by this evening.
“Funny you should ask. I figured you would need a ride home. I’m on my way right now and should be there in about an hour.”
Luke blew out a long breath, relieved he didn’t have to bum a ride with Taylin’s family. “Thanks, man. I owe you.”
He ended the call just as Taylin, her family and Paris, along with her news crew, returned to his room. Taylin looked really good in a pair of black, form-fitting workout pants and a matching pink and black patterned top.
While the cameraman got into position, Paris took a call from her producer. “Okay, y’all,” she said when she came back inside the room. “Our network affiliate wants to air the interview live.”
As she explained what that meant, Luke had second thoughts about doing the interview. He didn’t have time to try and get out of it and only hoped he didn’t sound like an idiot as they immediately went live.
Thankfully Paris was good at her job, putting Luke and Taylin at ease as she fielded questions from the network newscasters. Her angle as a longtime family friend made the interview more personal by including Taylin’s parents and her twin sister.
By the time the news crew packed up and vacated the room, Luke was ready to leave the hospital. The nurse brought in a lunch tray for him and told him the doctor had written the discharge orders so he could go home any time.
“He can ride with us,” Taylin said when the nurse asked about transportation since he couldn’t drive.
Luke hated to disappoint her, but felt like her parents— well, at least her dad— needed time to get used to the idea of their daughter seeing him. “I appreciate the offer, but Dave called while you all were out, and he’s on his way to get me.”
“Oh.” Taylin’s smile faltered, but Luke could swear her father’s shoulders dropped with relief.
Wanting to smooth over the awkward moment, he quickly told her about Jennifer’s text to deliver their cars.
“Well, I guess we’ll head on home then.” Taylin moistened her lips. “But I’m coming over tonight to make you dinner.”
Shifting uncomfortably on the bed, Luke considered how to respond. If he accepted Taylin’s offer,
then her father’s dislike of him would probably increase. Yet, telling her no would hurt her feelings and send a similar message his apology after their first kiss had sent— that he wasn’t ready or willing to start a new relationship.
It only took one look in to her pretty blue eyes for Luke to make his decision. “Thank you.” He purposely avoided looking at her dad. “I’d like that.”
She broke into a smile before she leaned down and kissed him on the mouth. The kiss sent a flash of heat rushing through his veins, clouding his head as if he’d gotten another shot of pain medication. Still, he had enough clarity to remember they weren’t alone and pulled back. “I’ll see you later.”
“Yes you will.” She gave him one more quick kiss. “Tell Pastor Dave hello and that you don’t need dinner because I’m cooking for you when I come over.”
The image of Taylin in his kitchen was a pleasant one. “I’ll tell him.”
Taylin waved goodbye and left with her dad. The nurse finished up with all the paperwork, handing him a written prescription for pain medication. Then a physical therapist brought Luke a pair of crutches and adjusted them to his height. He’d used them before, so it wasn’t hard to maneuver his way into the mandatory wheelchair when Dave arrived.
Luke ended up in the backseat of Dave’s crossover, his leg elevated on the front seat that had been folded over. “Thanks for coming to get me.”
“No problem. I can’t wait to hear about everything.” He glanced over his shoulder to make sure the road was clear before heading toward the interstate. “By the way, Rachel just called me before I got here. I guess you’re a celebrity in Montana. That interview y’all just did is already all over the local news.”
“Yeah, my mom and sister both texted me.” Both women commented on how beautiful Taylin was and what a cute couple they made. He’d also received multiple messages from people he’d known before moving to Georgia. While he appreciated the concern, he didn’t want to deal with everyone right now, so he’d temporarily powered off his phone.
Although he was tired, Luke couldn’t sleep in the car. He and Dave used the drive home to talk about the weekend at Harmony Springs. Of course, Dave didn’t shy away from asking about Taylin. Even though Luke didn’t like talking about his feelings, he tried to answer Dave honestly. Each question, however, started making him more and more uncomfortable. By the time he got home, Luke wasn’t sure if he was ready for a relationship with Taylin.
As he made his way toward the front door, he was certain of a few things: He was in pain, exhausted and wanted to sleep.
“Hey, just because Taylin’s makin’ you dinner tonight, remember this is the South,” Dave said once they were inside the house. “And we southerners are all about food, so don’t be surprised if you get a bunch of people from church stoppin’ by with casseroles and desserts.”
“I’m a bachelor.” Luke grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge. “I never turn down food.” Besides, once Mrs. Bradford found out, she would probably bring him dinner for the rest of the month. His neighbor and her grandchildren probably would’ve already come over if they hadn’t been out of town.
Dave grinned. “I guess enjoy that bachelor status while you still can.”
Luke’s muscles went rigid. Everything was moving way too fast. “No comment,” he said, twisting off the lid of the water bottle.
Laughing, Dave waved and walked toward the front door. “Call me if you need anything.”
“I will.”
Standing on his leg, even for such a short time, made Luke’s knee throb with pain. He opened the pharmacy bag and pulled out the bottle of pain pills the doctor prescribed. He took one tablet and chased it down with water.
He wanted nothing more than to crash on the couch, but he needed a shower in the worst way. It hurt to remove the splint, and the bruising looked ten times worse than it had a few hours ago, but the hot water felt amazing.
The shower was always a good place to think and Luke used the time to analyze if dating Taylin was a good idea. His conclusion? He needed time and distance to make a decision. Sure, they were attracted to each other and he really enjoyed kissing her, but they’d just gone through something very traumatic. People usually bonded after experiencing a harrowing event like being caught in a tornado together.
When the water grew tepid, Luke reluctantly got out and carefully dried off. The pain med had kicked in, making him a little dizzy. He put the splint back on and then dressed in a pair of athletic shorts and a long-sleeved Montana State shirt. Shaky and tired, he grabbed his crutches and hobbled out of his room, settling onto the couch.
Getting as comfortable as possible, he picked up his phone and powered it on. He saw at least a dozen new messages awaiting him. He didn’t bother checking social media. The whopping number of notifications on his home screen indicated how many people had posted to his page. No doubt the live interview had spurred on the recent activity.
Not wanting to deal with everyone else right now, he opened a new message from his sister Diane.
Local news just aired the pictures of you and your new girlfriend at the spa. Very good work big brother. When do I get to meet her?
Hoping to reign in his sister before she had him engaged and then married, he typed in a quick reply.
We’re only dating, Sis. Don’t get too excited.
Nice try, but the look on your face tells a different story.
Luke wanted to argue, but knew it was true.
Still just dating.
Still happy for you. She added an annoying emoji of a kissing smiley face.
A new message dinged, but it wasn’t from his sister. It was from Taylin, which meant she’d gotten her replacement phone.
Missing you. Be there soon to start supper.
Emotions of both anxiety and desire warred inside him. No matter how much he was attracted to Taylin, he feared getting into a committed relationship again. What if he just wasn’t the kind of guy women wanted to stay with? The way he felt about Taylin could shred his already wounded heart if she decided he wasn’t worth being with. Maybe it would be better if they didn’t see each other tonight. It would give them both time to process everything that had happened over the past forty-eight hours.
I know you must be as tired as I am so don’t worry about coming over.
He really shouldn’t have been surprised when Taylin called him, instead of just replying to his text. Luke wasn’t sure if he would answer the call, though. He doubted he was strong enough to resist her sweet southern accent.
Chapter 19
Taylin’s fingers gripped the phone tightly as she waited for Luke to answer the phone. She could read between the lines of his text message to know he was freaking out about being with her.
“Hey,” he said when he finally accepted the call.
Her grip on the phone relaxed when she heard his voice. He did sound tired.
“Hey yourself.”
“You really don’t need to come over, Taylin. I’m so wiped out I won’t be very good company.”
She couldn’t deny he sounded exhausted, but it didn’t matter to her if he slept the entire time she was at his house—she just wanted to be with him again. It hurt a little to know he didn’t feel the same way. Unless… he did feel the same way and he was just plain scared.
“All right, but you need to answer one question, Luke, and you have to be honest.”
“Okay,” he said after a slight hesitation.
“Are you really too tired to see me or are you freaking out about us?”
She already guessed what the answer was by the lengthy silence and stifled a laugh when he confirmed it.
“I guess I’m freaking out a little.”
“Am I that scary?”
“You have no idea,” he said wryly.
Taylin sat down on the edge of her bed. “Why?”
He blew out a long breath. “Because I like you, okay?”
His admission made her smile. “That’s good, be
cause I like you too.”
“Even when I’m grumpy?”
“Yeah, I’ve decided I kind of have a thing for surly men.”
He snorted a laugh. “Okay, but if you come over, you really don’t have to cook for me. We can order takeout.”
“I’m making you supper, Luke.”
He chuckled. “That’s what I thought you’d say.”
“I’ll be there in an hour.”
“I’ll leave the back door unlocked. Wake me up if I’m asleep.”
Grocery shopping took a little longer, since Taylin ran into one of her mom’s friends at the store. After answering several questions about her brush with a tornado, Taylin finally checked out and headed for Luke’s house.
As Taylin parked her mother’s car in Luke’s driveway, she tamped down the nervous flutter in her stomach. She kind of hoped Luke was sleeping. She’d love nothing more than to wake him up Disney style with a kiss.
Reaching across the seat, she grabbed her purse and the two grocery sacks before climbing out of the car. Circling around the house, she pushed on the gate and followed the brick pathway that led to the deck. The view of the lake from his back porch was spectacular, and she paused to admire the setting sun that glistened on the smooth as glass water. Sporadically, small rings appeared on the surface of the lake, indicating the fish were hungry. She bet Luke would be out on the lake right now if not for his injury.
Transferring the sacks to one hand, she slowly opened the door and stepped inside. She followed the muffled sound of a television until she came to the great room off of the kitchen and found Luke sound asleep on the couch.
Taylin took a few moments to observe him. The butterflies were back, but this time she let them flutter away. He was beautiful to look at, even with the gash on his head and a few tiny scratches on his face. He still hadn’t shaved, making him look a little bit like the bad boys Ashlee seemed to attract.
Just a Kiss in the Moonlight: Georgia Moon Romance Book 2 Page 18
