by Maria Geraci
Sarah bit her bottom lip. It was tempting. The past few months, Sarah had worked hard but it had been fun. Whispering Bay was a place she could see herself living in. She loved the beach, she loved all the friends she’d made and, of course, there was…no. She couldn’t stay. “Actually, with this check you’ve just given me, I have the money I need for that food truck I told you about.”
Frida nodded. “That’s what I was hoping. But if you change your mind about The Bistro, let me know ASAP. Ed and I can offer our own financing on the place. If you and Lucy decide to go in together, we could work out something really attractive for the two of you.”
“Thanks, Frida. I appreciate it.”
The other woman’s eyes went moist. “I can never thank you enough, Sarah. Like I said, if it weren’t for you, I would have never felt comfortable leaving this place for so long. You’ve given Ed and me a truly wonderful summer. If you need a recommendation or anything else…” Her words faded as she pulled Sarah into an affectionate squeeze.
Damn it.
She’d promised herself she wasn’t going to cry. She’d managed to say good-bye to Lucy without shedding a tear (although it had been hard) but saying goodbye to Frida made it all final.
Three months ago, she’d come to Whispering Bay with one goal in mind. To spend a fun summer at the beach and make enough money to buy her food truck. She had the money now, and she’d made friends that she’d genuinely miss. Lucy and Allie and all those quirky Gray Flamingos and the Bunco Babes, and Mimi who was practically a sister to her.
And…well, of course, there was Luke. She would miss them all. But it was time for her to leave.
* * *
Sarah sat on the couch, waiting patiently as she heard Luke’s truck pull up the driveway. One of the benefits of living like a gypsy and not having too many possessions was that she could be packed up and ready to go within an hour. After saying goodbye to Frida and Ed, she’d come home from The Bistro, taken a shower, packed, and written out a note for Mimi. This last goodbye would be the hardest, of course, but it was best this way. Fast and quick and to the point. Knowing how much Luke disliked unnecessary drama, he would probably appreciate it.
He came through the front door, dressed in business casual attire—long-sleeved Oxford shirt and dark pants with dress shoes. Mimi had mentioned that he had an appointment at city hall this afternoon. As usual, he looked devastatingly handsome.
“How did your meeting go?” she asked.
“Good.” He seemed distracted. “I heard Frida and Ed came back a few days early.”
“Yep. And guess what?” she said, trying to sound happy and upbeat because, really, why shouldn’t she feel that way? “They gave me a bonus and it’s enough to buy my food truck. Isn’t that great?”
He sat down on the couch next to her and took her hand. “You totally deserve it, but, yes, that was nice of them.”
“So! My work here is done.” She swallowed hard.
His gaze swept around the room and she could see him mentally taking stock of all the missing items—the afghan she kept draped over the sofa, her candles, all the knickknacks that he complained cluttered up his living space. They were all packed up in her duffel, ready for her next house or apartment.
“What’s going on?” Luke asked.
“Like I said, my work here is done, which is totally awesome, really, because it’ll give me extra time to spend with my mom before the cruise. Then I need to check out the truck, sign papers, do some overhauls, of course. Well, you know, you have to be going through the same thing with the Alaskan project. We’ll both be so busy and—”
“Sarah, I’m crazy about you.”
She gulped. “You are?”
He raked a hand through his hair. “God, do you really doubt it? I didn’t want to tell you this way. I had something else planned, but yeah, I’m totally crazy about you.”
“I’m crazy about you, too.”
His blue eyes melted with relief. “Good to know,” he said, grinning.
But in that instant, it felt all wrong. She wasn’t crazy about Luke. There was no use denying it any longer. She was in love with him.
“Luke—”
“Here’s what I was thinking,” he said. “You can stay here at the beach house. You’ll have the food truck and I know you want to move around the state, but you need a permanent home, right? And I need someone to watch the house, so it’s a perfect scenario. Think of this place as completely yours.”
“That’s…really generous of you.”
“You know my job entails a lot of travel but I’ll be here as much as my schedule allows. Knowing that you’re here, waiting for me, it’s something I’ve never wanted before with anyone else.”
“Waiting for you?”
“That’s not what I meant. I know you have a busy life. I do, too. That’s why this set up will be so perfect. And whenever you want to come see me, just say the word. You have an open invitation, any place, anytime.”
“So, this would be a part-time relationship?”
He blinked, like he knew he’d said something wrong, only he wasn’t sure what. “No, we’d be together full-time.”
“Just not physically together?”
He sat back into the couch and looked at her. “I would never ask you to give up your career.”
“And I would never ask you to give up yours.”
“That means we have to compromise, right? We’ll talk on the phone every day, Skype, and see each other as much as possible.”
The whole thing sounded incredibly convenient. And frighteningly similar to what he’d had with Victoria.
“I can see how that would be a good arrangement for you, but what’s in it for me, Luke?”
He looked surprised by her question, but he quickly recovered. “A chance to see where this relationship will take us. A home that you wouldn’t have to pay a penny to live in. And a permanent address so that you can get your own library card.”
The last part made her smile. In some ways, he knew her so well. But if he couldn’t give her what she really wanted, then this relationship was never going to work.
Everything he said made sense. They’d only been together a few weeks. What more could she expect? It was tempting. It really was. Luke wasn’t the marrying kind. He’d been up-front about that.
She wasn’t the marrying kind, either. At least, she hadn’t thought she was. But after seeing Ethan and Julie and Lauren and Nate and Mimi and Zeke… Sarah couldn’t fool herself any longer. She wanted what they had. She wanted the same goofy look on her face that Mimi got whenever she touched her pregnant belly. She wanted marriage and kids and a forever kind of love. And she wanted it with Luke.
She blinked back tears. She wasn’t going to cry in front of him. He hated tears. He’d told her that once. She wasn’t going to be Victoria and give him an ultimatum. She was going to be dignified and leave this relationship with her head held high.
“That’s a really good offer, Luke, but I just don’t see us lasting very long under those circumstances. Once you get out to Alaska and I start working on my food truck, we’ll both be too busy for a relationship. We had a really terrific summer and I’ll always remember you, but… I think it’s better if we say good-bye.”
He looked as if she’d just hit him.
She couldn’t stay here any longer. Not with the way he was looking at her.
She stood up. “I have a favor to ask.” She reached inside her tote and handed him an envelope and a dry cleaning receipt. “I took Lauren’s gown to the cleaners. It’ll be ready for pick up in a few days and I’ve already pre-paid, and…this is just a little note to Mimi. Can you give these both to your sister? I know she’ll pick up the dress and return it to Lauren for me.”
He glanced down at the envelope and the receipt like he was in a daze. Then he cleared his throat and took them from her. “Of course.”
“I’m sorry I won’t be here for Claire’s going-away party, but I’m sure she’ll
kill it at Duke. And tell Cameron goodbye for me, too. I hope he gets the soccer thing worked out. Remember, it’s his job to tell his parents. So…thank you for sharing this house with me and all the wonderful times we had and, of course, for that really great sex.” She laughed nervously, hoping that last part would elicit a smile from him. But it didn’t. She reached out to give him a quick hug. “Best of luck with Alaska.”
Then she grabbed her tote and rushed out the door, grateful that she’d already loaded her things into the car.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Four nights later, Luke was at his sister’s house. It was his niece’s going-away party and a gender reveal (still not sure exactly how that worked), so the crowd was a mix of Claire’s teenage friends, Zeke and Mimi’s friends, and family. He was currently sitting on a lawn chair in the backyard, nursing a beer and listening to his brother-in-law’s friends discuss which teams were likely to head to the playoffs this year. Being a Braves man, naturally, Luke was all about the National League, but the conversation must have gotten away from him because now they were discussing Earl Handy’s will and he had no idea how they’d gotten off the topic of baseball.
“Earth to Luke,” Zeke said, waving his hand near Luke’s face.
“Sorry, what was the question?”
“No question,” Zeke said, frowning. “You okay? You don’t seem like yourself tonight.”
“Sorry, I’m just tired is all.” Which was the truth considering he’d hadn’t slept much this week. He’d been busy getting ready for his upcoming trip to Alaska. Tomorrow morning he’d head back to Atlanta so that he and Ethan could strategize on the company’s new direction before Luke headed out west.
And, of course, there had been that thing with Sarah.
We had a really terrific summer and I’ll always remember you, but… I think it’s better if we say good-bye.
She’d always remember him? What the hell kind of kiss-off was that? She might as well have patted him on the head like a dog before walking out the door. It had been four long days and nights and he still couldn’t get those words out of his head. He doubted that he ever would.
He was angry, sure, partly because he hadn’t seen it coming, but mostly because he missed her, damn it. The beach house wasn’t the same without all her junk cluttering up his bathroom and all those candles, and all her…
And all her.
He missed her laugh and the way she hummed in the kitchen while she was cooking. He missed the funny noises she made when they watched TV and the feel of her next to him when they slept at night. But most of all, he just missed talking to her.
He wanted to know how things went with the purchase of the food truck, to see how she was doing, and even though she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself, he wanted to know if she needed anything, because he needed to know that she was all right.
She might not want to pursue a relationship with him, but there couldn’t be any harm in a friendly phone call. Except she was on a cruise ship in the middle of the Atlantic and there probably wasn’t any cell phone reception.
Cameron’s name came up in the men’s conversation, and Luke sat up to pay attention.
“Cameron looking forward to the big game next week?” Tom asked. “It’s all Henry can talk about.”
“He hasn’t mentioned it,” Zeke said, “but I’m sure he is.”
Shit. He’d meant to talk to Cameron before now and ask him how things were going with the traveling soccer team. He’d make a point of asking him tonight. As a matter of fact, there was no time like the present, so he’d do it right now.
He excused himself and got up from his chair. Toby immediately ran to his side and followed Luke back into the noisy house, drooling along the way as usual.
“I think Toby thinks you have a treat for him,” Mimi said. She was in the kitchen, where half a dozen women were busily putting together food and passing out drinks to the guests.
Cameron scratched the top of Toby’s head. “He probably thinks you have some bacon in your pocket, huh, Uncle Luke?”
“Bacon?” Mimi turned to Luke with an amused expression. “Why would Toby think you have bacon in your pocket?”
Cameron winked at him, and something stirred in Luke’s gut. He’d never forget the fear he’d experienced that night thinking he might be responsible for losing Toby. Or the relief afterward when Sarah had helped find him.
Or later that night, when they’d shared their first kiss. He could live to be a hundred and he’d never forget how sweet she’d felt in his arms.
Stop thinking about her, damn it.
“Well?” Mimi said, looking puzzled. “Luke, are you all right?”
He shook his head to clear it. “I’m fine.”
“The bacon is a secret joke between me and Uncle Luke and Sarah,” Cameron said.
“Mmmm,” Mimi said. “Not sure I like the sound of that, but if Sarah is involved then I’m sure it’s all good.” His sister looked at him meaningfully.
“What?” Luke said.
“It’s too bad Sarah couldn’t come to the party.”
Before Luke could respond to that, Cameron piped up. “Yeah. I wish she was here. She plays a mean game of Monopoly.”
“I’m sure she does, but then, she’s pretty much perfect in every way,” Mimi said. “I’m sure she’s having a blast on her cruise. I hope she meets someone nice, you know? Some guy who’ll—”
“Cut it out,” Luke growled.
Mimi’s eyes widened. “Oh, babe,” she said sympathetically. “You have it bad.”
He’d come over to his sister’s four days ago to bring her Sarah’s goodbye note but he’d pocketed the dry cleaning ticket. Not sure exactly why he’d done that, except he couldn’t imagine that dress on anyone but her. Ever. His sister had read the note quietly, then kissed him softly on the cheek. He still didn’t know what was in the note, nor did he ever want to know. Whatever was in there was between Sarah and his sister.
Luke forced a smile at his nephew. “Hey, buddy, why don’t you show me that new video game of yours?”
Mimi let out a long sigh. “Just don’t play too long. Claire is going to cut her going-away cake in a little bit. And there’s going to be speeches and crying so, yeah, don’t get too wrapped up in X-Box.”
“We won’t,” Cameron said.
They made their way through the weave of people to Cameron’s bedroom where they played Halo Wars 2 until it was obvious that Luke pretty much sucked at this. “How’s it going, Little Man?” Luke asked while taking a break from the game.
“Good. School started this past week but the teachers don’t get serious until after Labor Day.”
“How’s the soccer team?”
Cameron stiffened. “We’ve won our last two games. Next weekend we’re going to Jacksonville. That should be a tough team.”
“Are you still thinking about quitting?”
Cameron didn’t say anything for a minute. “Yeah, but, I thought it over and I don’t think it would be fair for me to do that, you know? I made a commitment and, I mean, I beat out a bunch of guys who might have been picked over me, and to quit now would be like a slap in the face to them. So, I asked myself what you and dad would do, and I decided to stick it out for the rest of the year.”
Luke’s chest tightened with pride. “I think that’s a good decision, Little Man. Very responsible of you.”
Cameron grinned and Luke ruffled his nephew’s hair affectionately. “What about the high school basketball team?”
“Even though I won’t have time for the eighth grade team, I’m still gonna try out for basketball next year in high school.”
“You know, back in the day I was a pretty decent basketball player,” Luke said. “I could help you with some drills. Maybe on the weekends that you’re free and over next summer?”
“Would you?” Cameron asked eagerly. “That would be great! But how are we going to do that when you don’t live here?”
Good questio
n.
“We’ll figure something out,” Luke said. “I promise.”
And he meant it.
* * *
Luke had gone out to the garage to get a couple of bags of ice from the spare freezer when his mother followed him and closed the door leading back to the kitchen, essentially trapping them both inside. “You’ve been avoiding me all week, Luke. What’s going on?” she demanded.
“I’ve been busy, Mom, you know my company just got that big Alaskan contract.”
“And your father and I have already congratulated you. But you know that’s not what I want to talk about. How was the wedding? Was it glorious?” There was a sad kind of eagerness in her eyes that made Luke swear under his breath.
It was way past time he and his mother had a real conversation.
“The wedding was expensive and overdone but, yes, it was beautiful and exactly what Victoria wanted.”
“Did you have a nice time?”
“No, Mom, I didn’t.”
She blinked.
“Victoria isn’t a nice person, Mom. I guess I always knew that. I was never in love with her and I was never going to marry her, and I should have never let the relationship go on for three years. But what I’m most sorry about is if I misled you or Dad about it. I know you want me to get married and have kids, but that’s Mimi’s life. Not mine.”
His mother bit her bottom lip. “Luke, darling, is there something you’re not telling me? You aren’t gay, are you? Not that there’s anything wrong with that,” she rushed to add, like she was a character from of an episode of Seinfeld. “Your father and I would love you just the same if you were.”
For a second, Luke was too shocked to speak. He wanted to laugh, but he didn’t think his mother would appreciate it. “No, Mom,” he said gently. “I’m not gay. But thanks. For the ‘loving me just the same’ part.”
She nodded. “Well, I didn’t think you were, but it can never hurt to ask these days.” She glanced around the empty garage. “It’s nice and quiet in here, isn’t it?”
