“Oh, of course. That’s not a problem.”
“I can ask your sister, if you’d rather. He’s very well-behaved and won’t be any trouble.”
“I’m sure Phylicia will be fine with that. Just count on bringing him.”
“Thank you for understanding. That means a lot.”
She could have sworn the man’s voice broke. This whole thing had to be beyond stressful for him. And Jo truly didn’t mind the boy coming for the walk-through, but she hoped Luke wouldn’t bring him to the wedding. She’d seen too many weddings upstaged by unruly kids. Some people had a pretty broad definition of “well-behaved.” Ah well, they’d cross that bridge when they came to it. At least the DJ was set. One huge thing to cross off her to-do list for the wedding.
“Mateo?” Luke poked his head in the door of the room they’d designated as Mateo’s bedroom—a small room that had been Luke’s den, but they’d fit his bunk bed from the apartment at one end and a small desk and chair at the other. “Hey, buddy, I told you to put your phone down. It’s lights-out time.”
Without looking up, the boy scooched down on the pile of pillows in the lower bunk where he reclined. “I just have to finish this level.” His thumbs danced across the smartphone’s screen.
“No. You’ve had time to finish ten levels.” Luke waited, his patience waning. “Hey. Look at me.”
“Wait! Just one more minute. I’m about to get another coin.”
“Mateo.” His voice came out sharper than he’d intended.
Tears welled in the large brown eyes, but just as quickly Mateo’s face turned red with rage. He slammed the phone down on the bed. “It’s your fault!”
Luke stilled, not sure if Mateo was talking about the video game … or his mother’s death. It had been a rough couple of weeks, and Luke had seen behavior in the boy that he hadn’t seen since he’d first been matched as Mateo’s Big five years ago. He entered the room and scooped up some dirty laundry from the floor. “You can play more tomorrow. Tonight you need to get some sleep. Did you brush your teeth?”
“I told you I did.”
“Okay. Just checking. Good night, buddy.” He gave the bony knee under the blanket a pat and started to leave the room. But he couldn’t just leave it at this. He had to acknowledge the boy’s feelings, even if they weren’t expressed appropriately. “Listen, I know this is hard. And I’m truly sorry. I miss your mom too. You’re going to miss her … always. But it will get easier. I promise.”
“I don’t want it to.” Mateo glared at him from beneath too-long bangs.
Luke made a mental note to schedule haircuts for both of them. He sat down at the foot of the bed, careful not to hit his head on the upper bunk. “What do you mean?”
“I don’t want it to get easier. I don’t want to forget her. I don’t want—” His face scrunched up and the tears fell in awful silence.
Luke’s gut clenched. He’d never been so in-over-his-head. He didn’t have a clue how to comfort a grieving child. Or how to help this boy move forward. Mateo said he didn’t want to forget, yet he was burying himself in mindless video games. Maybe they needed to find a counselor. They? There was no they. He was in this alone.
He clutched Mateo’s foot through the blanket. “It hurts to remember. I know that. But that part will get easier. And you won’t ever forget your mama, bud. Never. She’s part of you, part of who you are. We … we’ll find ways to remember her. Maybe we can start a list tomorrow.”
“Wonderful world.”
“Huh?”
“That song she liked. The guy with the scratchy voice.”
“Oh yeah.” Luke smiled, the memory sweet. “Louis Armstrong. Top of the list.” He rose and straightened the covers over Mateo’s feet. “You be thinking about what else goes on that list. It’ll be a long one. We’ll write it all down. We can start tomorrow.”
That seemed to comfort the boy. Luke wasn’t sure where it had come from … No, he did know. Thank You, Lord. He was going to be tight with his heavenly Father in the days ahead. That, he knew.
CHAPTER 10
JO STOOD ON THE FRONT porch of the cottage, watching the lane for Luke’s vehicle, her nerves growing more taut with every minute. She didn’t know why she was so nervous. This was simply a walk-through.
Phee and Quinn were already up at the clearing waiting for them. Quinn had supervised running electric up to the site and insisted that the sisters all be there when they tested it out last night. They’d taken an old electric boom box Jo had kept from her junior high days up to the clearing. They put a CD in and turned the volume as loud as it would go.
The woodland meadow filled with the majestic strains of Pachelbel’s “Canon in D” and they cheered and pranced down the imaginary aisle in the forested area that had recently been cleared by a Bush Hog and some other piece of machinery that had turned the ground under the canopy of trees into a carpet of soft mulch.
Having the clearing transformed in the space of an afternoon had Jo thinking even more seriously about creating a wedding venue on the property. She could already picture the smaller cabin at the base of the stairway serving as a dressing room for the bride. The cabin’s stone edifice would be gorgeous in wedding photos. And the fourteen wide board steps that led up to the clearing would create a wonderful grand entrance for any bride. Of course, it would be a major undertaking to get one hundred rented chairs up those same stairs if anyone wanted a larger wedding than Phee’s. She’d have to think some more on that.
The sound of a car’s engine interrupted the planning “meeting” that was taking place in her head. She laughed nervously at that thought and took a deep breath, not wanting Luke to see how uneasy she was. And not just about wedding details. This man rattled her. In the best possible way. She didn’t think it was only his masculine good looks—although there was that—but something about his mannerisms and the smooth cadence of his voice attracted her deeply. And that smile. It crinkled the corners of his eyes and lit his whole countenance.
He wore it now as he waved through the windshield.
Jo motioned for him to park beside her car at the far end of the cottage. He got out and a boy with straight black hair and olive skin emerged from the passenger side.
Smiling, Luke strode toward her. “I’m glad this worked out.” He put his hands on the boy’s shoulders and guided him forward, then reached out a hand to Jo.
She accepted, finding his grip strong and certain.
“Joanna,” he continued. “This is Mateo. Mateo, this is Miss Joanna.”
Jo shook the boy’s sweaty hand. “Hi, Mateo. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Hi,” he mumbled, shuffling his feet and not quite meeting her eyes. Though with the long bangs covering them, Jo wasn’t sure how he could see anything.
She wondered if she should offer condolences on his mother, but decided against it, knowing how she would have felt at that age.
Looking past him to Luke, Joanna pointed up to the clearing. “The bride and groom are already up there, so if you’re ready, you can follow me.”
“Let me grab some equipment.” He gave Mateo’s shoulders an almost fatherly pat. “Can you help me carry stuff, buddy?”
The boy looked relieved to have something to occupy him. Once they’d unloaded two duffel bags from Luke’s car, Jo led the way up the stairs to the clearing. “Is this going to be a problem to have to carry all your stuff up here? Sadly, this is the only way up.”
Luke was barely breathing hard, though Mateo had sweat beading at his temples.
“If you have a table already set up for us the day of the wedding, we can probably get everything up in two or three trips. Especially if I have my first-rate assistant here. Or I can bring my own table …”
Joanna didn’t respond, caught unaware to learn that the boy would likely be coming. He seemed like a nice kid though. And quiet. Luke surely wouldn’t be taking him to weddings if he couldn’t trust him to behave. Unless Quinn or Phee objected, she would keep he
r mouth shut.
Quinn must have heard them coming because he met them at the top of the stairs and shook hands with Luke and Mateo in turn. Jo and Phee stood by while Quinn showed Luke where they would set up and helped him plug in the equipment he’d brought. He controlled the system from his phone, and when the heavy beat of a rap song blared from the small speakers Luke had set on the log benches, Jo and Phee jumped a foot in the air, clapping their hands over their ears.
Mateo burst out laughing, then covered his mouth, as though he feared they’d be upset. But when Luke and Quinn broke up, so did Jo and Phee, and soon they were all laughing and jiving to the music.
Luke lowered the volume and turned to Phee. “I’ll have better speakers the day of the wedding, obviously—”
“And different songs, I hope?” Phee gave a comical cringe. “I’m more Barry Manilow than Jay-Z.”
“Oh dear.” Luke’s expression turned somber. “I’m afraid I have a very strict no-Barry-Manilow policy.”
“Hear, hear!” Quinn cheered. “Please, whatever you do, no ‘Mandy.’”
Phee laughed. “Let’s say those are the two extremes on the spectrum. Can you give us something in between?”
Luke smiled. “You got it. And actually, I think Joanna sent me your list … heavy on classical and soft jazz, am I right?”
“Exactly.” Phee threw Jo a grin. “You’re one step ahead of me, sis.”
Jo jostled her sister’s shoulder. “Somebody has to be.”
“And more importantly, I have a list of songs not to play.”
“Jay-Z at the top of that list,” Phee teased.
“And Barry Manilow.” Luke grinned and nodded to Quinn in male solidarity, then consulted his phone. “Just making sure I have this right. You’d rather not have a lot of banter from me. So, except for the introductions and special dances, you just want the music to play continuously and not too loud?”
“That’s right.” Jo and Phee spoke simultaneously.
“I want people to be able to visit over the music,” Phee said.
“See there.” Jo grinned at her. “I know you pretty well.”
Quinn pulled a face and nodded at Luke. “It’s downright scary is what it is.”
Luke laughed. He had a nice laugh and an easy way about him that Jo hadn’t seen before today.
He played a sampling of songs, showing them how the transitions and what he called “mash-ups” would sound. He asked Quinn and Phee a few more questions about how they wanted things to go. With nods and smiles, he made Jo feel a part of the conversation too.
Mateo had wandered over to the top of the stairway, and she could just see the top of his head and what appeared to be a makeshift sword that he’d fashioned from a fallen branch. He struck the trunk of a large oak, making Star Wars sounds with his mouth. Ah … correction. Jo smiled. A light saber, not a sword. Probably a typical kid. But it struck her that she hadn’t really been around kids that much in the past few years. Trent and Cinda’s daughters were college age now, and she rarely saw them. And she really didn’t hang out with anyone who had younger kids.
When Mateo’s unintelligible noises got louder, Luke looked up from his phone and hollered. “Hey, buddy. Keep it down a little, would you?”
Mateo didn’t acknowledge him but did lower his voice.
“He’s cute,” Phee whispered.
Jo wondered if Luke detected the sympathy in her sister’s voice. He hadn’t told her not to say anything about his guardianship of Mateo, but she cringed a little, worrying that Phee might mention what Jo had told her—which was everything. Well, except for how strongly attracted she was to Lukas Blaine.
Mateo’s voice rose again and Luke quieted him with a soft “hey.” It only took five minutes for the kid’s volume to go up again, reminding Jo why she didn’t like the idea of kids at weddings.
Still, she felt for Mateo. Watching him play like a typical twelve-year-old, it was strange to realize that he’d so recently suffered a great tragedy. She looked between Luke and Mateo and wondered how much longer Luke would have charge of him. She couldn’t imagine such a burden being placed on a man Luke’s age. Especially with him being single. She was impressed with how well he seemed to be handling it—and that he managed to keep working. He’d make a great dad someday. Still, it must be overwhelming to tackle it alone and with someone who wasn’t a relative.
Dusk was descending by the time they started back down the stairway. Quinn carried the bag Mateo had lugged up the stairs and helped Luke load things back into his car. The four of them stood out in the yard talking while Mateo kicked stones up and down the driveway, looking bored.
Jo considered asking them in for something to drink, but before she could mention it, Luke called Mateo over.
“We’d better get you home, bud. You’ve got soccer practice in the morning.”
“Nice to meet you, Mateo.” Jo gave a little wave.
“Yeah. You too.” He didn’t smile, but at least he met her eyes this time.
She turned to Luke. “Thanks so much for coming out. I feel ten times better about how everything is coming together now.”
“Me too,” Phee said. “Thank you, Luke. Maybe now my sister will quit nagging me about the music.”
He laughed. “I always tell people—not just so they don’t faint when they get my bill—that the music is the biggest piece of the pie when it comes to the reception. And you guys are making it easy on me. I don’t even have to perform.”
“Oh? Do you sing or something?” Confusion clouded Phee’s tone.
“Oh, no …” Luke shook his head and held his hands up palms out. “Not in public. I just meant—”
“He sings in the shower,” Mateo blurted. “I can hear him all the way in my room.”
They all laughed and Luke looked embarrassed. He pulled the boy into a playful headlock and gave him a good scalp rub before letting him go. “I just meant the DJ banter I sometimes do. But not always,” he added quickly. “A lot of brides are like you and just want their guests to be able to visit and relax. At the risk of shooting myself in the foot, I think those are the best weddings. And wow, with the spot you have for this wedding, you don’t need some so-called entertainer distracting from that.”
“It really is a pretty spot, isn’t it?” Phee glanced up toward the woods. The starry look in her eyes told Jo her sister was dreaming of her wedding day.
“I wish you could have seen it up there a couple of days ago before Quinn got the brush cleared out.” Jo was tempted to ask him if he thought they could rent the place out as a wedding venue. But she decided better of it. Phee already thought her idea was a little … ambitious. No sense in complicating things tonight. But she made a mental note to ask him next time the opportunity presented itself.
“Well, I had help thinning things out.” Quinn described the crew he’d assembled to clean up the jungle that had taken over beneath the canopy of trees, and Luke happened to know some of the men, which started a conversation about acquaintances the two men had in common.
After a few minutes, Mateo tugged at Luke’s shirt sleeve. “I thought we were leaving.”
Luke gave him a stern look. “In a few minutes. Please don’t interrupt.”
“But you said—”
“Mateo, you go wait in the car. I’ll be there in a minute.”
The boy didn’t budge.
“Mateo. What did I say?”
He gave a low growl, but started moving toward the car. Slowly though. Very slowly.
Luke gave an apologetic shrug. “I’d better get going. It’s really nice to be working with you guys. Don’t hesitate to give me a call if you have any questions. I’ll be in touch a day or two before the wedding just to make sure everything’s set.”
“Sounds good. But it seems like you have everything under control.” Quinn shook Luke’s hand, and the three of them stood and watched while he drove away.
When the taillights disappeared around the curve in the lane, Quin
n let out a breath and put an arm around Phee. “Man, I don’t envy that poor guy. Can you imagine becoming guardian to a twelve-year-old overnight like that?”
“He seems like he’s handling it really well though.” Phee rolled her eyes. “Most guys his age still act like twelve-year-olds themselves.”
Jo frowned. “It sounds like Luke plans to have Mateo help him when he does you guys’s wedding. Are you comfortable with that?”
“Sure.” Phee looked to Quinn. “Are you, babe?”
“I don’t see why not.”
Jo winced. She’d halfway hoped Phee or Quinn would object. She had no doubt Luke would do a great job deejaying the wedding, but she worried that the kid would somehow mess things up. “I just hope he’s not in a surly mood like he was tonight.”
“Yeah, he reminded me of you when you were twelve.” Phee poked Jo’s shoulder.
“Yeah, right. You don’t even remember that long ago. And I happen to know I was never surly at any age.”
“Except maybe the age you are now?” Quinn teased.
Jo feigned a frown. “I know when I’m not wanted. I’m going to bed.”
Quinn laughed, but then sobered. “I need to get out of here too. I’m supposed to be at work by six thirty tomorrow.”
“Why so early?” Phee asked.
“Because I’m taking off early. I have a hot date.”
“It had better be with me.”
“Well, duh. I don’t know who else it would be.”
“Good.” Phee gave Quinn a squeeze before extricating herself from his arms. “See you tomorrow night?”
“I’ll pick you up around seven.” He brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes and leaned to kiss her.
Jo may as well have been invisible, and again, that green-eyed monster reared its head. She was truly happy for them, but that didn’t make it any easier to be the fifth wheel. She took a step backward toward the house. “Good night, you two.”
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