Preston seemed to let out a breath of relief. His shoulders sagged. “Thank you for being so gracious. And again, I wish I’d been better back then…known better, treated you better.”
Morgan nodded. “Thank you for acknowledging what you did. You could have pretended not to know me or acted as if you’d done nothing. That’s something at least.”
As they parted ways, Morgan looked up to see Olivia watching her from the front desk. She motioned Morgan over. Curiosity filled her friend’s eyes as she asked, “Hey. Who is that guy? He looks so familiar, but I couldn’t place him.”
Morgan made a face. “You might remember him from grade school. Preston Sykes.”
Olivia’s eyes widened. “Oh, I remember him. He was awful. Didn’t he use to torment you?”
Morgan sighed. “Yes, he did. Imagine him coming here to stay. It sure is a small world.”
Olivia knit her brows together. “Are you okay with him being here?”
“Yes, it’s fine. He used to be a ghost of the past, but now he’s just a man who caused a lot of pain for me in the past. I think we’ve both changed.”
Olivia sent Morgan a knowing glance.
“What’s that look about?” Morgan asked.
“You, Morgan. You’ve changed.” Olivia’s eyes twinkled. “And I think it has a lot to do with Luke. You’re so much more grounded now. You seem really comfortable in your own skin. And your confidence is off the charts.”
Morgan let out a chuckle. “I think you’re right. I’m stronger now. And it has everything to do with Luke. He’s given me wings. And because of him, I intend to soar.”
**
“Hey. What’s cooking, good looking?” Luke greeted her warmly as he came through the back door of the kitchen. As usual Morgan’s kitchen smelled heavenly. For a moment he tried to identify the scents. Cocoa. Cinnamon. And bread? Whatever it was, he knew it would taste sinfully delectable.
“Hey. What are you doing here?” she asked, lifting her head up to meet Luke’s kiss. “I thought you were working late tonight.”
The corners of his lips twitched. “I switched a few things around so I could leave early. I’ve been thinking about you non-stop ever since that phone call earlier.”
“I’m sorry if it distracted you.”
“It’s not a problem. Everything okay?” He peered into her eyes. He was looking for any little hint of trouble. The idea of Preston showing up after all of these years had bothered him throughout the day. On several occasions he’d wanted to get in his car and drive over to Savannah House, but he knew that Morgan needed to stand up for herself. It was deeply important to her and he respected that fact.
“It’s all good.” She stood up tall. “I spoke my mind and put something to rest that’s been bugging me for a very long time.”
Luke puffed out his chest. “You sure you don’t want me to go have a little talk with him?”
She playfully swatted at his arm. “No way. That would be cheating.”
Luke laughed out loud. “Why would that be cheating?”
“Because I can’t send my boyfriend in to handle my business,” she said with a shake of her head. “That’s lame.”
Luke furrowed his brow. “Boyfriend?”
Had she really said the word boyfriend? There was a strange expression on her face. For some reason he couldn’t really read Morgan well at the moment.
“Aren’t you my boyfriend?” she asked. She appeared to be holding her breath for his response.
“Without a doubt. But that’s the first time I’ve ever heard you call me that.”
She ducked her head. He reached out and placed his finger on her chin, lifting her face up so that their gazes locked and held.
“I like hearing you say it.”
She smiled at him, appearing euphoric. “I like saying it. It sounds good doesn’t it?”
He placed his hands around her waist and drew her in so that there were only inches resting between them. “It sounds like an answered prayer,” he said in a low voice. “I’m happy, Morgan. For a while now I haven’t been very content with where my life was it. I love my family, but I’m not sure I’m cut out for the family business. I don’t hate working at Duvall Investments, but every single day I think about being on stage.”
“Doesn’t that become difficult?” she asked. Her question had hit the nail right on the head. As of late, it had become very tricky to balance his life in a way that led to contentment. And even though he’d prayed about it, he knew that sometimes all the prayer in the world wouldn’t change things. He had to lead himself out of the situation.
“Sometimes it is very difficult,” he admitted. Just saying it out loud to Morgan lifted a huge weight off his shoulders. “I’ve been telling myself lately that I have to be true to myself. I’m ashamed to admit I’ve been going through the motions for a while now. When I was with Violet I kept trying to make myself fall in love with her. But that’s not how love works. You can’t force it. And love doesn’t fit into some cookie cutter design. I feel free now that I’m following my heart. Being with you means I’m allowed to be my authentic self. That’s how I want to feel about singing.”
“So what’s standing in your way?”
Luke quirked his mouth. “That’s a good question, one I’ve been having a lot of discussions with God about. What do I owe my family? How much do I have to sacrifice of myself to satisfy the family legacy?” He let out a harsh sounding laugh. “Would they still love me if I follow my own path?”
“Of course they would!” Morgan made a tutting sound. “I hope this isn’t about Rachel’s death, Luke. You’re not responsible. At the end of the day we don’t owe anyone our lives.”
“You’ve helped me a lot in that area. I’ve felt massive guilt over Rachel’s death and it always seemed to me that I had to find a way to make it up to my family.”
“You’re such a good man, Luke. It’s because that you’re such a great person that you’ve assigned blame to yourself for a tragic accident. It’s time you freed yourself from that responsibility. It’s time you allowed yourself to pursue your own dreams…unapologetically.”
“If only I could make my father understand that.”
She gently shook him. “You’ve got to try. It’s way too important of an issue for you to ignore. Do you really want to look back in twenty years and regret not pursuing a career in singing?”
Luke knew Morgan was right. He wanted a genuine, faith-based life filled with love, passion for his work and joy. Singing was a part of that equation.
“I did tell him about me and Violet ending things.” Luke made a face. “He wasn’t thrilled about it. And I didn’t tell him about the two of us for more than one reason. For starters, I didn’t want him to blame you for the breakup between me and Violet.”
“I appreciate that,” Morgan said with big eyes. “Your father is the last person I want to alienate.”
Luke reached out and smoothed his hand over Morgan’s head. “Don’t worry about that. He already loves you. Always has.”
Morgan bit her lip. She ran a hand through her long, ebony hair. “As Callie’s friend, not his son’s girlfriend. There’s a difference.”
“I’m itching to tell them. Truthfully, I’d love to shout it from the rooftops, but I wasn’t sure how you would want me to handle it. I didn’t want to tell my parents unless you were comfortable with that. I know in the past you were a little bit wary of dating a member of the Duvall family.” He clenched his jaw. “Has that changed?”
Morgan let out a sigh. “For starters, I never meant to make you feel as if I had anything against your family. I’ve always loved them, and you know how close I am to Callie. I think that I felt insecure about the class difference between our families. I’ve been aware of the fact that your father wanted you to marry into an affluent family who could help further the agenda of Duvall Investments.” She held up her hands. “That will never be me.”
Luke let out a groan. He’d always suspecte
d that Morgan felt that way, but in the past they’d never managed to get it out in the open and talk about it. Now, he was happy that they could at least clear the air. It spoke well for their future.
He reached for Morgan’s hands and joined them with his own. “You know stuff like that means nothing to me. It’s the very last thing that matters to me. At the same time, I don’t want to disrespect how you feel about those issues. I know people can be snobby sometimes and ignorant. That type of thing happens everywhere. And neither one of us are going to pretend that people can’t be petty or small-minded. But we’re not going to focus on it or let it ruin our bliss. Life is way too short to focus on anything other than our happiness.”
“Luke, I totally agree. My basic philosophy is that people are good at heart. I know your parents are wonderful people. I’ve just had a lot of rejection in my life, so it makes me a little wary.” Her voice softened. “When your own father basically leaves you in his rearview mirror you tend to grow up feeling a tad insecure.”
Luke pressed a kiss on Morgan’s forehead. The expression on her face spoke volumes. She had been terribly wounded by an absentee father. And she feared that his own father wouldn’t accept her as his partner because she didn’t hail from a rich, high society family.
“Don’t ever worry about my father rejecting you, Morgan. He’s a good man. He gets some crazy ideas from time to time, but I like to think he’s evolved in the last few years.”
Luke let out a chuckle as he thought about the look on his father’s face when he’d realized that the Craddock-Duvall dynasty had crumbled before it even began. Lionel Duvall’s expression had been one of utter shock. Luke knew he’d get over it, even though as a businessman Lionel was always seeking to make his family corporation stronger.
“Well, since Mama already knows about us, why don’t we plan dinner with your folks? That way we can introduce ourselves as a couple to them,” Morgan suggested. “It’s only a matter of time until they hear the Savannah scuttlebutt.”
“Hey. That would be great. We can invite Callie and Jax too. You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear that you want to announce our relationship to the world.”
A sweet smile graced her lips. “I think it’s because I feel more confident about myself. Coming back from Paris, reuniting with the girls, receiving the inheritance from Miss Hattie…and being back together with you, Luke, are the things that have changed me. I was jealous seeing you with Violet, even though I knew I was the one who’d ended things. It was my weakness that tore us apart.”
He placed a finger on her lips. “Shh…that’s all in the past. Everything that happened led us right here to where we’re standing today. And if it made you stronger, then it was a valuable life lesson.”
She snuggled against his chest and let out a sigh that sounded a lot like satisfaction. He wrapped his arms around her, wanting to give her comfort and a soft place to fall.
“I love the way you look at life,” Morgan murmured.
“And I love you, Morgan.” He could see the raw emotion shimmering in her eyes. He waited for a moment, praying she would finally let loose and tell him she loved him. It was right there shining forth in her beautiful brown eyes, yet she still couldn’t manage to get the words out of her mouth. A stab of disappointment pierced him.
“Hey. I almost forgot to tell you my good news,” he said, trying to change the subject. “I was offered a singing gig at the House of Blues. It’s only twice a week, but it would bring me some exposure here in Savannah. My first showcase is tomorrow night.”
“That’s incredible, Luke. What an amazing opportunity. I can’t wait to tag along as one of your groupies.” She crossed her hands in front of her. “My boyfriend, the rock star.”
“I can definitely get you front row seats,” Luke said with a low chuckle. “And one of those VIP necklaces.”
It was truly incredible how everything was coming together so beautifully. Things were going so well between him and Morgan. They had rekindled their romance and this time around he could feel that they were on more solid ground. This offer from the House of Blues made him feel as if he might really possess singing talent. Dreams in life were well worth following. This would be his opportunity to kick it up a notch and test the waters.
“Let’s celebrate!” Morgan suggested. “Come back to my place and I’ll cook you a meal fit for a King.”
“That would be amazing. But you’ve been cooking all day. Don’t you need a break from it?”
Morgan shrugged, her expression sheepish. “It’s what I love to do. What can I say? And cooking at home is way more of an intimate experience, especially when I’m cooking for someone who means the world to me.”
Hearing Morgan lay her feelings on the line felt incredible. Her feelings for him were resting right on the surface. He knew how she felt. Luke sensed that she wanted to tell him she loved him. But he couldn’t push her. Those words wouldn’t mean anything to him unless they came straight from her soul. He would just have to continue to wait until she decided it was the right time.
“Well then, let’s head over to your place.” He rubbed his hands together. “I’m up for a cooking lesson.”
“I can teach you a few things. I know my way around a kitchen pretty well. By the time I’m through, you’re going to be as famous as Andre DeSoto.”
Luke threw his head back and chuckled. Spending the evening cooking with Morgan would be relaxing. The simple truth was it didn’t matter what they did together. For him, it was joyful simply to be in her presence. They could be counting lima beans as far as he was concerned. His feelings for Morgan intensified with each and every day. And he knew it would only be a matter of time before he wanted to make their relationship one that lasted forever.
Would Morgan be ready for that type of commitment? And if she wasn’t, would he be able to handle yet another setback in their relationship?
“Where we come from is important. It lays the foundation for who we become. It shapes us. But we can’t ever let it define us.”
Callie Duvall Holden
Chapter Eight
Morgan whistled as she lifted the groceries from her trunk and began walking toward the cottage. It was a beautiful late afternoon. The air felt crisp. She was in a lazy, carefree mood. Hope pulsed in the air all around her. The sun’s rays felt glorious on her face as she strolled toward her cozy abode. She paused to check out some faded paint on her shutters, making a mental note to call her handyman to come and fix it.
Tonight’s dinner wouldn’t be as fun as last night’s with Luke. Together they’d prepared lasagna and garlic bread. Luke had been a wonderful student—eager and attentive. He’d also goofed off a bit at the end, trying to make her laugh by mispronouncing ingredients and wearing her girliest apron. It had been a memorable night. Morgan would remember it for a long time to come. She loved creating memories with Luke. This time around she was savoring every moment they spent together.
“Morgan!”
Morgan whirled around at the deep voice calling out to her. At the same time a chill raced down her back. Just before she saw him, realization set in. The voice had been the tip off. It was infused in her very bones from childhood. Roderick Lucas, her father, was standing twenty feet away from her. With the exception of his having more gray streaks in his dark hair, he looked just the same as he had appeared five years ago. Tall. Powerful. Incredibly handsome.
She stood still, unable to move or even utter a simple word of greeting. With halting steps, he moved toward her, his green eyes like laser beams as he stared her down.
“Cat got your tongue?” he asked, uttering the familiar phrase he’d teased her with as a child.
“W-what are you doing here?” Somehow she managed to shove the question out of her mouth. This visit was completely out of the blue. She hadn’t had time to steel herself, to protect her heart against him. Suddenly, it felt like it had been forever since they’d been in each other’s presence. What was there to say after a
ll this time?
He stopped a few feet away, no doubt detecting the harsh tone in her voice.
“I was in the area. I couldn’t not stop by and see you, Morgie.” Morgie. It had been his pet name for her back in the days when she’d been his little girl. His only child. Precious jewel.
She frowned. “You happened to be in the area? Last I knew you were living in Boston.”
“We moved to Maryland two years ago.” A tremor ran across his jaw. “I should have told you that. I should have…reached out to you. I’ve been terrible about keeping in touch.”
“Yes,” she snapped. “But trust me, I wasn’t holding my breath.”
He scratched his jaw. “How long has it been since we’ve seen each other?” he asked.
She held her trembling chin up. “Five years at least.”
“Time flies, huh. Can I come in so we can talk?”
Morgan nodded. “I suppose. It’s not every day that one’s father walks back into her life.” Morgan couldn’t keep the bitterness out of her voice. Who did her father think he was to just barge back into her life?
“Let me get those,” her father said, rushing to her side and taking the bag of groceries from her hands.
With trembling fingers Morgan riffled through her purse and extracted her key chain. She pushed open the door and stepped inside as her mind whirled with the notion that her father had just showed up here unannounced.
“I like what you’ve done to the place. The holiday decorations add a nice flair,” he said, looking around with appreciation at the décor. “I remember back in the day when your granny owned this place. Then it went into disrepair.”
“I know we have to get through November, but I love how festive Christmas is.”
“You always did love Christmas, Morgie.” Morgie. He hadn’t called her that in a very long time. Was it possible that her father had missed her? She didn’t want to get her hopes up. He’d hurt her so many times, disappointed her for most of her life. Allowing herself to hope was asking for a broken heart.
For Love Alone (Secrets of Savannah Book 4) Page 11
