The Best Man

by Carol Hutchens

  Kate’s brow arched as she met Luke’s glance in the mirror. Sweet cheeks? She choked back laughter, afraid to ask. From the look on Luke’s face, he didn’t want to touch the topic either. She giggled, feeling a spark of life surge through her. She glanced up, wanting to share the unspoken joke with Luke, but he was out the door in a flash.

  And then the man running his hands through her hair demanded her attention as another attendant took possession of her hand.

  “Sweetheart, you’ve been a bad, bad girl, ignoring your poor hair like this.”

  Kate grinned as her shoulders relaxed against the back of the chair. If he only knew. But she wasn’t about to tell this stranger with the magic hands that she had just returned from the dead. He might recoil from the soothing strokes on her scalp, and call the men in white jackets to take her away.

  She heaved a sigh as tension drained from her body under his magic touch. “It’s been a while since I’ve had a good cut.”

  “Like FOREVER?” The stylist huffed as he studied her from all angles. “We have two choices…short and shorter.”

  Kate opened her mouth…then snapped her lips shut as he waved a warning finger in front of her face. “Trust me. Marco will save the day.”

  Trust him? A total stranger? Well…she had done worse. She had trusted Joel. Look where that landed her. All she had to lose by trusting Marco was a few inches of damaged hair. “You know, I think short sounds good.”

  She had trusted her heart and her future to Joel, and been cashed in for a replacement as soon as she disappeared. Tears gathered behind her eyelids. Her nose tickled. Darn. She’d promised herself she wouldn’t cry over a man she didn’t want.

  It was just a reaction to returning home...and her normal life. Except, nothing was the same. Since the day she learned Joel left the country three days after she disappeared, she had realized she didn’t love him. She’d felt more emotions at seeing Luke than she had Joel.

  Meeting the brooding dark glance studying her in the mirror, Kate nodded agreement. “I’ll take the risk. I trust you.”

  Trust.

  She’d let Joel sweet-talk her into thinking she was in love, despite her goal to work her way into her father’s good graces by proving her competence in the law firm. As if she could win her father’s love when his past actions proved he had a heart of stone. He built a career on cold-hearted choices that left no room for human emotion. He’d left her mother with a toddler and the need to work full time to survive, while he went off to study law.

  Why had she thought she could win his love just because she was an adult? Why had she cared? Even after all those months of being stranded on the island, she hadn’t worked out the answer to that question. Why struggle to win the love of the father who rejected her almost at birth?

  As the stylist rinsed her hair and toweled it dry, the last bit of tension eased from her muscles. Her ordeal made her realize she’d focused her whole life on an unobtainable goal. It was the classic case of wanting what you could never have. She wanted her father’s love. But it had taken almost losing her life to realize he didn’t have love to give the daughter he abandoned.

  “Done!” Marco’s dancing eyes met hers in the mirror. His hands flitted over a new short hairstyle. “See what you think.” He passed her a purple framed mirror to check the back of her head. “You look scrumptious. A Twiggy likeness, I think.”

  Kate studied the layered cut. While she had been lost in her past, this man had styled her hair in a new look. She had never worn her hair short.

  “Do you like?”

  Struggling for words, Kate studied her reflection. The stranger looking back at her had short hair framing her face like feathers. The lack of food and resulting weight loss left her with big eyes and prominent cheekbones that looked more like a model than the Kate she remembered.

  For the first time in her life, Kate liked her hairstyle. She jerked to alert as the bell jingled over the door. “Yes, I like it very much, thank you.”

  Luke appeared at her side, took a long look, and turned to the stylist. “You are a genius.”

  Smiling wide, Marco swung a bag in a sweeping wave that pushed air into the plastic. Then he picked various items from his stock. “I’m good, Sweet Cheeks, but she needs the magic from these potions to bring her into full focus.” He batted fake lashes at Luke and grinned. “It’s like art.” His brows wagged as he took Luke’s money. “I see a masterpiece in the making. You come back soon, hon. Ask for Marco.” He winked and sashayed away.

  Luke whisked her out the door and into his car before Kate could answer. “I think food, then my place.” He eased out of the parking space and turned left, leaving his NASCAR driving techniques behind.

  Kate’s stomach growled at the mention of food. But she wasn’t ready to face more strangers in her worn out dress. “Can we get take-out?”

  Ten minutes later, carrying bags from the discount store and Chinese take-out, Luke ushered her into his apartment.

  “Food first, or bath?” Luke sent her a questioning look.

  Kate’s stomach rumbled.

  “Food.” She dropped the bag of goodies from the hair salon in a chair, noting the sleek lines of the modern furniture. Soft leather, slim lines, looking comfortable and a perfect fit for Luke. No clutter. No extra padding, just what you see is what you get. It was one of the qualities she admired most about Luke, but she’d allowed herself to be distracted. When she followed him into the kitchen, the stainless steel appliances and clear counter tops confirmed her impression.

  “I’m still adjusting to having regular food.” Seeing dark shadows in his eyes, she turned away. “I thought you owned a condo in Brentwood. Did I miss something?”

  “I moved after you...left.” Luke sent her a quick look as he took containers of food out of the bag.

  “Joel was desperate to live in that area after we were married.” Kate walked a couple of steps away from the kitchen and looked at the bare furnishings in the living room. Why had Luke changed apartments? The black leather sofa and chairs looked unused. No footprints marred the grey carpet. Brow arched, she glanced over her shoulder. “Do you spend much time here?”

  “No. That’s one of the reasons I moved.” Luke motioned for her to follow as he carried the tray of food to the glass coffee table.

  “Thanks.” Kate reached for the carton of aromatic food he passed to her and settled in one corner of the sofa.

  Once she started munching, Luke picked up the other carton. “I wasn’t spending much time at home with all the extra work after…”

  “After what?” Kate glanced up as silence filled the room.

  “Eat, we’ll talk later.”

  “After what, Luke? Did something happen at the firm?” Despite Joel and her father’s efforts to squeeze her out of work at the firm, Kate still felt connected. She should have hated the law firm and all it stood for, since it was evidence of all the time her father had spent ignoring her very existence. But she couldn’t find it in her heart to hate her father’s accomplishments.

  Even if she despised his choices, she appreciated the name he built for himself in the law community.

  “You should eat. Things could get dicey, later.”

  Kate set the carton of pepper steak on the table with a plop. “You may as well tell me now. You’ve stirred my curiosity, I can’t concentrate on food. Has Joel made trouble at the firm?”

  Luke heaved a deep breath as he put his carton down. Glancing from under dark brows, his gaze raked over her face. “You think Joel could cause trouble?”

  Kate lifted her chin, and clenched her fists as she met his probing glance. “That’s all he’s done since the day he arrived.”

  Throat working, Luke’s mouth moved, but no sound came. Shaking his head, as if clearing his mind, he said. “You should eat. What we have to discuss will sit better on—”

  “Luke. I’m not an invalid.” Kate rolled her eyes. “I know things happened while I was gone, and you can’t brin
g me up to speed with a few short words—”

  “Actually, I can.” Luke’s gaze roamed her face. He hadn’t leaned back in the chair after putting his carton on the table. He was sitting on the edge of the chair cushion, forearms resting on his knees, hands dangling as he watched her. His unease put her on edge.

  Straightening her spine, preparing for the worst, she swallowed. Then it hit her. Thinking back over the past eighteen months, she couldn’t imagine anything could be worse that being left for dead by the man you trusted your life to. “What’s this about Luke?”

  “I spent a lot of time at the office...after Roger died.”

  “My father is dead?” Kate gasped. Pain ached in her chest as she stared at Luke.

  In the six years since she married Joel, she’d tried to convince herself she didn’t need her father’s approval. He’d rejected her as an infant, and again, when he gave Joel the partnership he’d said she’d earned. She’d had enough, was through trying to earn his love and respect.

  But the first person she’d thought about when she regained her memory was her father. Not Joel, but the father whose love she’d tried so hard to earn. Would he be happy to learn she was alive?

  Then, on the long flight home, she realized everything was different, now. She wanted a new life. That meant cutting emotional ties with Joel and her father. At the same time, she wondered if she had the strength.

  Could she deny she needed her father’s love? Could she stand on her own two feet, make her own decisions, whether her father approved or not? She’d made her career choice, based on her father’s interests, and doubted she could be strong enough to turn away now. But she intended to try.

  As soon as she alerted Joel to the fact that she was alive, she intended to see her father. Then...when she was talking to him face-to-face... she would test her resolve. Would try her wings at independence, and this time, his repeated rejections of her need for emotional attachment would help.

  But now...he was dead...she would never have the chance. She would never see his stern face again. Death had robbed her of all hope of earning her father’s love.

  Not true. She’d never had a chance.

  Why didn’t she feel worse?

  The sudden shock subsided, leaving her with questions, but not devastated. She didn’t feel destroyed, as she had when she learned Joel quickly listed her as dead and left the island.. Still...

  “How did he die? What happened?”

  “Heart attack.”

  Kate made a gasping, choking sound that could pass for a sob or a laugh.

  Luke cursed his timing. He should have waited. Insisted she eat something after her long journey and the shock of Joel’s wedding. Commitment ceremony. Whatever.

  “Kate, I—”

  “That can’t be right.” Kate swiped a hand across her eyes. “My father didn’t have a heart.”

  Giving her a searching glance, Luke eased back in his chair. “Apparently he was under a lot of stress—”

  “From what? Is the firm in trouble? Was Joel acting up? Did he lose a big case for a client?” Kate named all the things that had mattered to her father as she stared at Luke.

  What to tell her? All of the above?

  Luke watched her hands twist in the side seams of that awful dress. He certainly wasn’t going to tell her how much her father stressed over her disappearance. Why add guilt to the other burdens she faced?

  “Roger didn’t share personal details.” Luke shrugged. “Maybe he had high cholesterol.”

  “When...did he—”

  “Three months after your...accident.” Luke met her stare. “Joel and I have tried to keep the firm going.”

  Kate watched emotions flit over Luke’s face and filled in some of the blanks. She knew what working in the same firm with Joel was like. Knew the way Joel twisted a situation to suit his satisfaction.

  Had her father learned the truth about his son-in-law’s character? That would be enough to cause a man with his pride to have a heart attack. Hadn’t her father picked Joel for her husband? And chosen Joel for a partner over her?

  Yes, learning Joel was rotten to the core would have destroyed her father. Still...

  What Luke hadn’t said was that her absence added to his work load. But she knew. She and Luke had taken on most of the clients who weren’t important enough to impress her father. Or Joel.

  “It didn’t help that we left on a trip—”

  “Sorry. It was insensitive of me to mention your father’s death after the day you’ve had.”

  “No,” Kate waved her chopsticks for him to stop, “no problem.” She searched for a new topic and stabbed at her food. Despite events surrounding her return, she felt at ease sitting here with Luke. But she shouldn’t. With their past and learning her father had died, she should...

  But it had been eighteen months since she’d seen her father. The flight back to the states had given her time to adjust to her new truth. Her father had never loved her, and no matter how hard she worked, she would never gain his respect. Her evidence of that fact was the speed with which he accepted Joel into the law firm.

  Kate bit back a surge of emotion trying to erupt from her throat. If only...her father had given her half the welcome, he bestowed on Joel. But that was her old life.

  She stared at the carton in her hand. “What is this?”

  “Chicken Pau—” Luke looked up with a frown. For long seconds he studied her skill using the chopsticks, and then he stared at the containers of take-out.

  “I’m sorry, Kate.” Slashes of color tinted his cheeks. “I wasn’t thinking. You must be tired of this kind of food.”

  Kate waved the chopsticks. “This is nothing like what I’ve been eating.” She aimed a bite at her mouth and gave him a teasing look as she chewed. “No bugs today. But we survived on rice.”

  Luke put his carton down and leaned against the back of the sofa, sending her a rueful look. “I can’t believe I did that.”

  “Don’t worry. This tastes nothing like what I’ve been eating.” Kate munched on a noodle. “I suspect my system will revolt in a few hours from all the food additives, but this is delicious.” Then, brow wrinkled, she returned to an earlier topic. “I seem to remember you loved living in Brentwood.”

  Luke reached for the carton with a sudden renewed interest in the food. “I did, once.”

  Brentwood was an upscale neighborhood popular with young professionals. “Joel wanted us to buy a house there, but we settled for a larger house for less money.” Why would Luke give up his place in the exclusive area?

  Kate glanced at the empty walls, and looked back at Luke, wheels turning in her head. What happened to Luke’s art work? The only reason she could imagine him making such a drastic change gave her a jolt. “Is the firm in trouble?”

  Luke’s glance jerked in her direction. Putting his carton down on the coffee table, he said. “I wasn’t going to bring this up so soon. You need a chance to readjust. Get over the shock of Roger’s death and the jetlag.

  “I’m fine, Luke.” Kate lifted a shoulder. “Three days of clinging to life in the top of a tree helps put things in perspective.”

  “Do you want to talk about...Roger,” Luke clenched his fists, dreading her response, “or anything?”

  “Tell me. Is the firm in trouble?”

  “I wanted to give you time to adjust, but now that you asked,” he shifted to the edge of his chair, “the answer is yes.”

  Kate’s spine stiffened. Luke’s reluctance to give her bad news was commendable. But she had a sinking feeling her plans to leave the firm behind wouldn’t be the news he wanted to hear.

  “What happened? Did the firm lose clients after…I…while I was gone?” She still had trouble referring to her absence in a casual tone. But wearing her emotions on her sleeve would make it harder for everyone to take her seriously. It would make her goal of independence harder to achieve, and make Luke feel guilty. Joel wouldn’t care. He’d left her for dead. But Luke would b
lame himself for her bad luck.

  “I’m happy to have you back, Kate. You know that.” Luke ran a hand around the back of his neck. “But, to be honest, considering the business, your timing couldn’t be better.” His level gaze held her hostage over the cluttered cartons on the coffee table. “I need your help to save the firm.”

  “Save the firm?” Kate’s heart raced. Dots swirled before her eyes. Her stomach went skydiving without a parachute. Please don’t let him say things are so bad I can’t leave. Don’t let him say words that will end my chance at a fresh start even before it begins. “What’s wrong?”

  Chapter 3

  Luke blew a gusty breath. “Joel wants to sell out.”

  “Can he do that?” Chills chased down Kate’s spine. Sharing the same plan as Joel, even if it was only one to leave the firm, was repulsive to her. Sharing meant having something in common. Please, God, don’t let me be as callous as Joel.

  “Sorry,” Luke shook his head. “I forgot. You don’t know—”

  “Know what?” Chills chased along Kate’s spine. What more had Joel done in her absence?

  “Your father’s will,” Luke sent her a probing look, “named the three of us beneficiaries.”

  “Really?”

  Ignoring the disbelief in her surprised tone, Luke shrugged. “With you...gone, .Joel controls his share and yours. That gives him a two-thirds majority vote.”

  Kate focused on keeping her hand steady as she set her carton on the table. Joel must have made Luke’s life hell in the past few months. But...wasn’t this what she wanted? Cut all ties. Start over. Answer to her own expectations, not her father’s, or anyone else’s.

  Except, her father didn’t have any expectations. His remains were stone cold, lying in a grave. Cold as his feelings for her, or so she’d thought. She would never gain his approval, now. But...she’d already given up on that. She’d made the decision on the trip home.

  She frowned, tried to come to grips with news that her father was dead. Now, she’d never have to worry she wasn’t good enough to please him.

  Wasn’t this what she wanted? Needed? Wouldn’t Luke be better off, without trying to work with Joel each day? They could all go their own way. Joel with his new wife. Luke in a new firm. And she could have independence...