One day she might even take over the café, Bunny had said. “You’re hardly older than me,” Marigold scoffed, but the other woman insisted.
Luke came up behind her as Marigold finished cleaning down the table. “You’re early,” she said as she grinned. She felt Luke’s arm wrap around her waist and a shiver went through her. “Behave yourself,” she whispered fiercely as she straightened up. She glanced about, but the few customers there for an early lunch were engrossed in their meals or reading the newspaper.
He took advantage and pulled her close. Marigold knew she shouldn’t, but melted into him. The more she saw him, the more she wanted to spend time with Luke. Despite everything he’d done for them, Ma still hated him with a passion.
Marigold couldn’t understand it. What had Luke Jensen or his parents ever done to Ma to cause all this hatred?
Her heart fluttered as he brought his head closer to hers. He was going to kiss her, right here in the middle of the café. At least she thought he was. She glanced up into his face. He was grinning at her, daring her to turn away from him. What a cheeky devil he could be at times!
She lifted her hand and placed her fingers across his lips, blocking his access to her.
He frowned, then gently pulled her fingers away, encasing them in his hand. Stealing a kiss, he held her tightly. “I have a something for you,” he said quietly, then pulled her into the coffee nook.
“For me?” She couldn’t have been more surprised. “Don’t go wasting your money on the likes of me, Luke Jensen,” she said quietly. “I’m sure you’ve better things to spend your hard-earned cash on.”
Ignoring her words, he pushed the fancy box toward her. “It’s never a waste spending on you, Marigold,” he whispered in her ear. She felt his warm breath on her neck, and a shiver went through her. “Go on, open it,” he said impatiently.
She looked over the elegant box – it looked far too expensive. She glanced up at him but he motioned for her to open it. She lifted it up to have a better look. In small gold letters on the side were the words, Honey Blossom Boutique. Marigold couldn’t believe her eyes. It was the most expensive and exclusive store around, and never in her wildest dreams did she think she’d ever receive a gift from there.
She shook herself mentally. It was a box. Merely a box, and that didn’t mean what was inside was from that store.
“Are you ever going to open your gift?” Luke asked impatiently. He reached across and flipped open the lid. Marigold stared down inside it for what seemed forever. She reached out and ran her fingers across it, stroking it back and forth and taking in the luxury of it. Glancing up at Luke, she didn’t know what to say. For once in her life, she was totally speechless.
He sighed, then reached in and pulled out the item of her consternation. Luke had bought a new coat for her. Not just any coat, it was thick, it was luxurious, and it was the most glorious scarlet-coloured coat she’d ever seen. The label proved what she’d tried to deny – it said Honey Blossom Boutique. Her eyes filled with tears.
“You did this for me?” She rested her head against his chest. What a good friend Luke was, always looking out for her.
“The days are getting colder. You can’t keep wearing that rag you have now.”
Her elation turned to...she didn’t know what. Anger? Resentment? Embarrassment? Perhaps a combination of all three. Her joy suddenly disappeared and she threw the coat back at him. “I don’t want it,” she ground out, then tried to get away, but he pulled her back.
He stared down into her face, his regret evident. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “I didn’t mean to upset you. It came out all wrong.”
“It certainly did.” She was still angry with him, but more than that, she was hurt to think he thought her clothes were rags.
“Can we start over?” he asked, still staring into her face. “It was meant to be something special, not something that tore us apart.”
Without waiting for an answer, he pushed the luxurious coat back into her hands, then watched her every move as she rubbed her cheek against its softness. “Its beautiful, Luke, but I can’t accept it. What would people think?”
He helped her into the coat. “Honestly, I don’t care what people think. You’re my girl and I’m entitled to buy you a gift.”
His girl? Since when? At no time did she agree to be Luke’s girl. If word got out, and Ma heard about it, there would be hell to pay.
As though he hadn’t said anything untoward, Luke stood back and looked her up and down. “The size looks right. What do you think, Bunny?”
He stood aside for the cook to look it over. Her eyes opened wide when she saw the gift, then quirked an eyebrow at him. None of it went unnoticed by Marigold.
“It’s beautiful, and the fit appears to be perfect.” She moved back into the kitchen to her cooking.
The door to the café opened, and customers began to stream in for their noon meal. “I have to go,” Marigold said. “Thank you,” she added, then leaned forward and stole a quick kiss.
Luke helped her out of the coat. “Make sure you wear this home tonight,” he said as she walked away from him and toward the customers. “It’s already quite chilly in the evenings.”
Marigold had a lot to think about, including whether or not she wanted to be Luke’s girl. Her biggest worry was what Ma would say about her stepping out with one of the bad boys in town.
~*~
It was a busy afternoon, and Marigold flopped down into a chair the moment the last customer left.
“Can you believe how busy it was today?” she asked Bunny as she locked the door behind their last customer.
Bunny stared as Marigold cleaned down the tables ready for the morning when it would start all over again. Finally she shook her head. “I really can’t. It’s not like we’re in the middle of town. People have to go out of their way to come here.”
Marigold glanced up from what she was doing. “Word gets around. When people get good food, they tell others.”
“We’re far too expensive,” Bunny said. “I keep telling Luke...” She suddenly stopped talking, her eyes wide.
“Why would you discuss it with Luke?” Marigold was totally confused. Bunny owned the café so why would she care what Luke thought?
Bunny worried her bottom lip, as though contemplating her next words. “Luke has been a good friend over the years. He, uh, he helped me out when I needed it.”
Marigold stared at the other woman for a long moment, then nodded. That made perfect sense. Luke was always helping someone out of a bind.
She watched as the heat traveled up Bunny’s face. Why would she be embarrassed? Everyone needed help at some point in their lives. Luke was in the right place at the right time for Marigold. If it wasn’t for him, Ma would still be scrubbing floors on her hands and knees, and they’d still be living on the edge of poverty.
“Luke’s great like that,” Marigold said, trying to console the other woman and quell her embarrassment. “As you know, he helped me get this job. I don’t know what I would have done without him.”
Bunny nodded then headed back to the kitchen. “I have some extra rolls and more than enough beef and vegetable stew for your supper tonight if you’d like it,” she called out.
Finished with the cleaning, Marigold wandered into the large kitchen. “That would be wonderful. Thank you, Bunny,” she said. “I don’t have anything planned for tonight. I told Ma to leave it to me.” She felt a tad guilty, but since starting work at the café, she’d instructed Ma not to cook. That way if food was offered, they’d save money on their evening meal.
With the stipend she was being paid by Bunny, their lives were far easier, and they no longer had to skimp on everything. Old habits were hard to kick, and both Marigold and Ma found themselves acting as though things were like before.
Besides, the food was wonderful. Better than anything Marigold could make herself, and if they didn’t take it home, it would go in the garbage. That would be a total wast
e, and she’d hate to see it happen. “Thank you,” she said, as Bunny passed over a large shopping bag. Inside was a sealed bowl and a brown bag with bread rolls.
Marigold put on her thick new coat, and placed her old one in the fancy box. Someone would surely get use of the coat she’d worn for many years, even if it was old and thin. For the person without a coat of any sort, it would be a Godsend. She knew that from first hand experience.
She juggled the bags as she left the café for the night. “Here, let me,” Bunny said, and unlocked the front door. The two women left together, going in different directions. “Goodnight,” Bunny said as she turned away.
“Goodnight. I’ll see you in the morning. I’ll bring back the container then too.” Her boss smiled tentatively, and Marigold wondered why. Was it that she’d given Marigold the food? She quickly shook that thought away. It couldn’t be that, surely.
She thought back to their earlier conversation, and her mention of her telling Luke the prices were too high. At least that’s what she thought Bunny was saying. She tried to shake the thought away. If it was Bunny’s business, she would simply reduce the prices if she truly believed the food was overpriced.
Right now she was exhausted beyond belief and couldn’t begin to comprehend what it all meant. She continued to walk the few blocks home, and pushed thoughts of Luke to the back of her mind. It didn’t last long, and she found herself wondering what Luke was doing right now.
He would be at work, but what sort of work did he do? She knew he didn’t work locally, and had to travel two towns over to Grand Falls. It was less than half an hour by buggy, even less by horse, so not that far. Ma had hinted his work was not Godly, but Marigold had no clue what that even meant.
She would have to ask Luke next time she saw him, which would probably be in the morning when they walked to the café together. It was then she realized how snug and warm she was in her new coat. What a wonderful gift Luke had given her, even if she did protest. She did worry about the cost of it though. At a guess, she thought it would be almost a week’s wages for her.
She shook herself as she unlocked the front door. If Luke wanted to spoil her, who was she to complain? Her hands full of bags, Ma opened the door before Marigold could do it herself. She stood staring down at her daughter, then reached out and stroked the coat.
“Where did you get that? You know we can’t afford it.” She continued to stare until Marigold felt uncomfortable.
“It was a gift from Luke,” she said, shoving past Ma and into the kitchen. “I have supper. We just have to heat it up.”
Ma’s frown turned into a grin. Thank goodness she let it slide. An argument was the last thing Marigold wanted now. “Let me,” Ma said, taking the bag with the stew. “You’ve been working hard all day while I’ve sat about doing nothing.”
She smiled tentatively. “I did that for years, so now we’re even.”
Ma put the stew on to heat up, and poured coffee for them both. “While the food is heating up, I think there are a few things you need to know about Luke Jensen,” Ma said after a long silence.
Marigold closed her eyes tightly. She didn’t want to know, and what she didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her right?
“I’ve told you before, Luke is a bad person,” Ma said, reaching over and covering Marigold’s hand. “But you have no idea of the extent of it.”
Marigold’s heart thudded. She wasn’t sure she even wanted to know.
Chapter Five
Marigold had spent the night tossing and turning. She’d slept little.
Ma had to be wrong, surely? Luke was not the sort of person Ma made him out to be. He’d help her when she needed it, looked out for her all those years ago, and was still helping her now.
Just because his parents weren’t the God-fearing people her mother thought they should be, didn’t mean Luke was the same. He went to church with her every week, didn’t he? Surely he wouldn’t do that if he wasn’t a believer?
He even got down on his knees to pray. She’d seen it with her own eyes.
She shuddered. None of it could be true. Not her Luke, the man she’d let kiss her on more than one occasion.
Marigold wondered if he would admit to any of what Ma had said if she asked him.
She sighed. More like when she asked him, because she already knew she needed to ask him sooner, rather than later.
Wide awake now, she climbed out of bed and dressed. She filled the stove with wood and set it alight, then filled the kettle. The conversation of last night rolled around in her mind. The way Ma told it, Luke was nothing more than a dirty pimp who forced women to...
No! Luke wasn’t like that, she was certain of it. If that were the case, why hadn’t he tried to get her to work for him there. He knew she was desperate for money and would have done almost anything.
And that was only half of it. According to Ma he ran a gambling ring. Stealing food right off the table of desperate families, she had said. Marigold knew Luke had come from a well-to-do family when they moved into town all those years ago, but she had no idea of their business. If all of what Ma said was true, she would be devastated, and couldn’t associate herself with Luke any longer.
If it was true.
She poured herself a strong coffee and slumped down at the table. She was in a state of confusion. The Luke she knew wouldn’t involve himself in any of those horrendous activities. Would he? Marigold shook herself. Of course he wouldn’t. She had absolutely nothing to worry about.
Her food felt like nails as it went down her throat, and Marigold found it hard to swallow. What would she say to Luke when he arrived to walk with her this morning? Should she even bring it up?
Of course she would have to ask him at some point. Perhaps this morning was not the right time to do so. She made up her mind not to mention it today. She would ask him after church on Sunday, when they went for their stroll through the park.
Yes, that’s what she would do. Sunday wasn’t that far away – surely she could wait that long.
It wasn’t long until Marigold left for work. She no longer wanted to accept the coat Luke had bought for her, and was in two minds, but decided to wear it. It was far colder inside than normal, so she figured it had to be much colder outside. Besides, he couldn’t return it now the coat had been worn.
She shrugged into the plush coat, feeling more than a little guilty. She wasn’t sure why she felt so bad – it wasn’t her fault Luke had been less than truthful with her, if indeed what Ma said was true. But then again, why would Ma lie about something like that?
At the last moment she remembered the container she needed to return and ran to the kitchen and scooped it up. The memory of last night’s stew set her mouth to watering, despite having eaten breakfast not long ago.
She stood at the front door, bracing herself for the cold air that was sure to hit once she opened the door. Instead, Luke Jensen stood outside her door, grinning like a Cheshire cat. She felt like slapping that grin right off his face. But Marigold knew she would never do such a thing. Instead she pursed her lips.
His grin quickly disappeared. “Marigold,” he said, moving closer to her. “What’s wrong? Has something happened?” He slipped an arm around her shoulder as they began the journey to the café.
She turned her head and stared at him. “Nothing’s wrong,” she lied, then faced ahead once more. Her whole body stiffened, and it was all she could do not to confront Luke right now.
His hand tightened on her shoulder. “That’s not true and we both know it. I’ve known you far too long to be duped.” He suddenly stood in front of her and held both her shoulders. She reluctantly stared into his face and noticed the worry lines, the frown, and the look of disdain on his face.
“I,” She’d promised herself not to talk about it now. “I don’t want to discuss it now.” And she didn’t. She wanted to get to work without incidence, without argument, and keep calm so she could enjoy her day at the café. It had become a place of harmony for
Marigold despite the busy days, and she wanted to keep it that way.
Without warning, his hands came up and cupped her face. Her heart pounded as he stared into her eyes for what seemed forever, then he slowly bent down and kissed her gently on the lips. He tasted good, and his lips were soft, gentle, as though he really felt something for her. To her dismay, Marigold kissed him back. With passion, no less!
His arms slid up around her back and he pulled her closer to him. She reached around him too. Until she realized what she was doing, then she pushed him away. He stared at her for long moments, then frowned. “Tell me what’s wrong.” It wasn’t a request, it was a demand, and she knew it.
“Not now, and not today.”
He stared down at her, as though contemplating her words, then nodded. Finally he came to stand beside her again, and they continued on their way to the café. When they arrived, Luke opened the door for her, as he always did. She paused in the doorway, staring at his handsome face, then glanced at the ground. “I don’t think you should come in today, Luke,” she said, then turned to go inside.
He grabbed her gently by the wrist, his jaw working furiously. “Tell me what’s wrong,” he ground out under his breath. Then suddenly his eyes opened wide, and he went white. He mumbled under his breath and Marigold couldn’t make out the words, although she though he said something about ‘interfering’. However, she couldn’t be certain.
He grabbed her by the arm and marched her to a table in the far corner. “Sit!” he demanded, then hurried into the kitchen where Bunny could be found. He quickly returned with two coffees. He placed one in front of her, and the other he continued to hold, then took a long mouthful.
He stared at her over his coffee.
“I know what this is about,” he said barely holding his temper in check. He’d always had a temper, and mother had regularly told him to count to ten. Right now he was convinced fifty was probably more appropriate.
She stared at him, her pretty face marred with a mixture of anger and disappointment. What had Maggie Davis said to her? Oh, he was certain that miserable woman had gotten to Marigold; she’d had it in for him since her husband began visiting his parent’s establishment all those years ago. The last thing he wanted to do was tarnish the memory of her father, but how did he keep the man’s memory intact while asserting his own sense of worth? It was not going to be an easy task.
Miserable in Montana (Yours Truly: The Lovelorn Book 16) Page 4
