by Ivy James
“SO,” SHELBY SAID around a mouthful of Chinese greens, “I get that your job is great and you like it here, but why does it seem like there’s more to the story?” Propped against the footboard of his bed, she tilted her head to the side and waited for him to respond.
Luke stiffened slightly and swallowed the food in his mouth. “You fishing for my parents, Alex, Gram or for yourself?”
Shelby shrugged. “Just me. That day at the country club I felt…tension. And since you know all my embarrassing, humiliating stuff about my mother and my paternity, I think it’s only fair I get some insight to you.”
“Insight? Or dirt?” One corner of his mouth curled and brought out a rarely seen dimple. She leaned forward over the boxes of takeout to kiss it, drawing back in surprise when she realized what she’d done. “You, um, had some sauce there.” She lifted her hand and used her thumb to wipe the imaginary spot. “Got it.” Shelby had to force herself to look away. Oh, those eyes of his. And the way he looked at her. Was her mother right?
“Thanks.”
She cleared her throat and tried to remember what they were discussing. “Sure. Um…so?”
He shifted his position on the bed and poked at the contents inside the box he held. “I get tired of being the kid who never grew up. When I go home, an awful lot of people look at me and shake their heads because they think I’m bumming in California, surfing and playing video games.”
“Does it matter what they think?” She knew Luke valued his parents’ opinions, but she’d heard Alan state more than once that Luke needed to get a real job. That had to hurt.
“No. But I don’t like defending what I love to do.”
Or the way it probably made him feel, she mused. “You’re not playing, you’re designing. There’s a big difference.”
“Shelby, my own father doesn’t get what I do. Why should I spend so much time explaining myself when here, I can do, think, act and be who I want to be?”
Shelby snagged a pillow, lying on her side as she regarded him. “That sounds like it’s about more than your dad. Like maybe you’re not comfortable with someone else?”
“You’re not subtle.” He stretched out one of his long legs and set their food aside, lacing his fingers over his lean stomach. “Where are the questions coming from?”
“Alex.”
“Ah.”
“I didn’t know you had a thing about Nick.”
“I don’t have a thing.”
“Yeah, well, Alex said to make sure you knew things are better now, and you shouldn’t feel like you couldn’t come home.”
“Maybe they are from Alex’s point of view. Is that why you came?”
“No. Luke, no. I came because…” She bit her lip, shoved her hair out of her face and tried to figure that out herself. “Because I wanted to.”
“Because?” His eyes dared her to be brutally honest.
“Because,” she drawled as she crept up the bed to lay her head on his shoulder, “I might have missed you. Just a tad.”
“Is that right?” His arms wrapped around her and tightened, his mouth finding hers as he rolled on top of her. “Let’s see if I can make you miss me more.”
SHELBY WENT TO WORK on Monday morning feeling more hopeful about the future. For the first time since they’d said their vows, she felt a stronger connection with Luke, one not based on sex but actual communication. Her confession about missing him had set off a five-alarm fire in him. He’d pressed a kiss to her lips and the next thing she knew, she was naked and panting. What a way to spend the weekend.
Lying in bed and watching the apartment complex’s pool reflect moonlight onto Luke’s bedroom ceiling, they’d talked about everything. Their childhood dreams, favorite things. When she’d mentioned their playtime in the attic, Luke had started laughing and the movement of his chest bounced her head until she’d lifted it to see his smile. He’d immediately rolled with her, kissing her, making his way down to her stomach and acting silly by talking to the baby. According to him, the baby was going to be called Gigabyte. He said Garret had referred to Darcy’s baby girl as Spike so their baby needed a nickname, too.
It had been a great weekend, one that made her think that maybe she and Luke might have a chance. Maybe they could split their time between California and Tennessee. Lots of people had two residences; maybe they could, too? It was definitely something to think about—after she got rid of the headache plaguing her.
“Jeez, stop already,” she muttered to her aching brain. Her head had begun to pound like a teenager with a new drum set and her lower back felt tight and achy, her legs weak. You’re probably sick from breathing in the recycled air on the plane and sore from being stuck in those tiny little seats.
Heaven knows it wasn’t from anything else. She’d flown all the way to California and all she’d seen was the airport, the city lights and the inside of Luke’s apartment. Not that she would have changed a thing. This weekend had been surreal. Perfect, just the way it was.
Shelby rubbed her back as she walked down the clubhouse hall toward the dining room. Along the way her stomach cramped and she made a detour to the bathroom, only to shake her head at herself and whatever was causing the tremor in her hands. Her stress level had risen but why? A panic attack? She’d had them before, mostly in childhood, though. Shelby stared at herself in the mirror and searched for signs of those stupid hives. Yup, there they were. What was going on?
Luke’s presentation. She inhaled and sighed in relief. That was it. Sheesh, of course that was it. Luke was scheduled to step before Sony’s purchasing team in an hour or so, and he’d told her about his boss’s underhanded deal with the mature game. When she’d asked Luke about the reasoning behind it, he’d shrugged it off, but she could tell that his employer’s actions had undermined Luke’s confidence. Stupid woman. “He’ll be fine. You just need to—”
Her stomach cramped again and she bit her lip. Had she eaten something bad? The cramps sort of indicated that, like she had an upset stomach.
“Ms. Brookes, are you okay?”
She forced a smile at the club’s secretary. “I’m fine, Wendy. Just a stomachache.”
“Oh, I hope you don’t have that virus that’s going around. I was down all last weekend with it. Nasty stuff.”
Sweat broke out on her forehead. “Do you, um, know if Mr. Long is going to be in today?”
“It’s early yet, but I doubt it. He mentioned something about a movie with his grandson. If you’re not feeling well and need to leave, I’d be happy to keep an eye on things for you. I can call you at home if there are any problems.”
“You wouldn’t mind?”
“Not at all,” the forty-something woman said with a concerned expression. “Nothing’s on the books and it’s raining so it’ll be a slow day. You go on home and take care of yourself. Would you like me to call someone to drive you?”
Shelby shook her head and shoved herself upright from where she’d stood gripping the sink. “No, thank you. I’ll be fine.”
Minutes later Shelby was on her way home, her windshield wipers and air conditioner both on high. She felt so hot. How ironic would it be to get the flu now?
She made the twists and turns toward home on autopilot. Her heart pulsed in her ears and nausea threatened to overwhelm her more than once. Almost home.
She rounded the curve in the road before her house when a particularly hard cramp stabbed her from deep within. Shelby gasped, barely able to breathe for the pain, then something seemed to pop within her before hot fluid gushed between her legs. Dizzy, Shelby looked down, shocked at the bright red slowly spreading through her white linen slacks. She stared at the growing stain, uncomprehending.
Her hands on the wheel, she looked up, belatedly realizing the car was still moving and she’d gone left of center, the curve mere feet ahead. She jerked the wheel and hit the brakes, tires squealing, but it was too late. The car kept sliding out of control on the water-and-leaf-covered asphalt, spinning two
full circles before she hit the deep ditch just short of her driveway.
LUKE ENTERED Galaxy Games’s conference room and wished he could remove the suit coat he wasn’t used to wearing. Jeans and T-shirts were standard attire at the company, except when the bigwigs came to town. And Sony definitely qualified as big.
On the far end of the rectangular room, a sixty-five-inch LCD screen took up most of the wall, the cover of Mystic Magi in full detail. He stared into the summer-green eyes of Aiya and smiled. This was it.
“You ready for this?”
He gave John a confident nod. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”
The team from Sony entered the room and Luke stepped forward to shake hands with the men who would decide his future, noting that Anne-Marie’s boy toy was late to the show. Luke made small talk, aware that Anne-Marie was growing more nervous by the second. Why she pushed this, he didn’t know.
“Well, gentlemen, shall we get started?” Luke indicated the chairs with a wave of his hand. “I think you’re going to like what we have to show you.”
The door burst open and Tony hurried inside, looking like the too-young but cocky wannabe he was. He flashed a cool smile and nodded, but didn’t offer an apology.
Anne-Marie glared at Tony and made the introductions. Luke graciously offered to let Tony show his creation first. He wanted to know what he was up against.
Luke’s version of Mystic Magi disappeared from the screen, replaced by a raven-haired vamp in thigh-high boots, a bikini top and boy shorts. The presentation consisted of loud rock and Tony’s version of Aiya sashaying through the forest. The game teaser showed the kid’s immaturity and lack of finesse, and Luke watched the Sony reps glance at each other and their watches. Only one seemed mildly interested. The rest were not even curious.
Then it was his turn. Luke gave his pitch, quoting the higher sales stats for games rated more family friendly. He was deep into his spiel, pointing out all the ways Mystic Magi surpassed old-school techniques, when his iPhone vibrated in his jacket pocket. He ignored it and kept going, not about to lose momentum.
While the screen clearly depicted the higher quality graphics and details of the game versus the dark, S and M dungeon look Tony had tried to evoke, he had begun to cover the specs of the game when the door opened again.
“Lu—uh, Mr. Tulane, you have a call.”
“Cassandra, we’re in the middle of something.” Anne-Marie jerked her head toward the receptionist’s desk on the other side of the clear glass wall. “Hold all calls.”
“It’s an emergency.”
Luke frowned, knowing his family of doctors wouldn’t toss around the word carelessly. “Who is it, Cassandra?”
“Your brother, Nick. He said to interrupt you, that you’d want to take his call.”
Luke’s heart stopped, then began to pound out of his chest. “Gentlemen, if you’d excuse me?”
Anne-Marie jumped to her feet. “Luke, what are you doing? It can wait until we’re finished. Cassandra, take a message.”
Luke turned toward the table. He noted the wedding rings on several of their hands. “I see most of you are family men. My family isn’t one for dramatics so I’d like to get this. I’m sure you understand.” Remembering the way his father spoke to his patients, Luke made eye contact with every one of the team and gained their nods of support before ignoring Anne-Marie and leaving the room.
He took the call at the receptionist’s desk. “Nick?”
“I’m sorry to call you right now. I know this is your big day.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I got a call at the garage for a tow. State police. It was Shelby, Luke. She hydroplaned and hit the embankment not far from her house.”
His gut knotted, his lungs refusing to work. “Is she okay? The baby?”
Silence, then Nick said, “Shelby’s fine.”
Shelby. But not the baby.
“I’m sorry, Luke. EMS was pretty clear about that, I don’t think there’s any mistake.”
Luke closed his eyes against the burn and fought the vise closing around his chest. He hadn’t seen it, hadn’t held it, but he’d loved his baby. Now it was gone? The pain was there, sharp and deep. But it would have to wait. “How is Shelby handling this?”
“I got there late, but the EMS guys said she was dazed and quiet. She’d hit her head and probably has a concussion. I towed her car to the house and put it behind the shed for now so I could head to the hospital. When I get there, I’ll give you another call.”
“I’ll catch the next flight out.”
“Don’t you even think about it.” Steel lined Anne-Marie’s voice and he heard the hurried click of her heels against the tile behind him.
Luke ignored her. “Stay with her, Nick.”
Nick murmured goodbye and hung up the same time Anne-Marie stepped in front of him. She opened her mouth but he held up a hand, needing a moment—one freaking moment without her shrieking at him—to grieve for his baby.
“Whatever it is, I’m sorry. I am, Luke, but it has to wait.” Anne-Marie gripped his arm. “You can’t walk out of this presentation. They were eating out of your hands.”
He headed down the hall to his office to grab his computer and keys. “I don’t care.”
“You don’t—Luke, get back in that conference room and do your job. Please!” Anne-Marie ran to keep up.
“Tell your boy toy to do it. My child just—” He had to stop, take a breath. How did Shelby stand feeling this way all the time? Damn, but his chest hurt. “Shelby was in an accident. She miscarried.”
Other than a flicker of her lashes and a slight pause, Anne-Marie’s expression didn’t falter. “I’m sorry.”
He snorted. Yeah, he could tell.
“I mean it, Luke, but you are hours away and it’s done. What can you do about it? Nothing. Why ruin your career? Your future? This is it. Some of those men in that conference room flew halfway around the world to meet with us, you. Don’t blow it.”
“You’re laying all this on me? Now? Go give Tony another shot.” He packed his computer and a couple personal files, but left the rest. He’d pick them up later. “The presentation was nearly finished. If Tony can’t man-up to the job, John most certainly can.”
“Neither of them know the game or have the passion for it like you do. You proved that without a doubt in there.”
“You’re only just figuring that out?” Sick to his stomach, frustrated as hell that Shelby was so far away and needed him and he couldn’t get to her within a reasonable amount of time, Luke turned on Anne-Marie. “Why are you suddenly gung-ho on having me back in the game? Did you finally realize your precious bottom line might suffer?” Luke frowned when tears filled her eyes. He’d seen Anne-Marie in a lot of moods. Happy, angry, sad, but never teary.
“I did something stupid, okay? Really stupid. And to keep people from finding out—” she looked away from him “—I agreed to Tony’s demands that he get a chance to show his version.”
Luke straightened. “What did you do?”
Anne-Marie twisted her hands in front of her, the move reminding him of Shelby. “I went to a party with him. I knew better than to mess with the crap they had laid out as favors, but I was feeling low and I did it anyway. When I woke up…Tony had taken pictures.”
“Nice guy you chose there.”
Hot color filled her face. “You don’t see the resemblance?”
He stared at her blankly.
She smirked, her expression sad, old for her thirty-four years.
Shock came first, then anger. “Don’t you dare blame me. I never let you think we were more than friends.”
“I know. But after my divorce when you were so nice…I guess I got it into my head that we could be.”
He grabbed his bag. “I’m sick of feeling guilty for things I’m not responsible for.”
Anne-Marie wiped away the tears and nodded. “It’s my fault. I know that. I was just…Never mind. Tony said all he wanted was a chan
ce and if Sony liked his version over yours, that was it.”
Luke grabbed his jump drive and portable storage to take with him for safekeeping. “You know as well as I do he’s lying.”
“I know. Luke, please believe me. I regretted it, but by then it was too late. I didn’t want to tell you what I’d done so I went along with him. I didn’t mean for it to happen.”
He was so tired of hearing that excuse. “But it did happen. Anne-Marie, you need help. Counseling. Something. Those pictures are probably online somewhere.”
The trickle became a steady flow. “I know.”
He couldn’t stand to see a woman cry. “Look, I know it’s tough but in today’s world, nobody will care.”
“You do.”
He thought that over a long moment, then shook his head. Maybe he would have cared once, but not anymore. When was it time to say enough? Time to walk away from a job and an employer who took advantage of him? She screwed up and it became his fault? He’d worked his ass off and because Sony had liked the presentation, Anne-Marie would reap the benefits. That was just messed up. “Do yourself a favor and call the police. Come clean, get Tony out of here, and get yourself some help. But whatever you do, leave me out of it. I’m done.”
“Luke, please. You can go as soon as the team leaves, but—”
“No game is worth putting my family second and not being with my wife when she needs me. I’m going back to Tennessee. It’s time I became the husband I should’ve been from the beginning.”
Chapter 18
SHELBY STARED at Dr. Clyde and nodded her understanding at what the doctor had told her.
“Shelby, I wish you’d let someone come in to sit with you. What about your mother?”
“No.” She shook her head firmly, unable to deal with her mother’s drama now. Pat would need to be comforted, and at the moment Shelby didn’t have it in her. “Please, I need some time alone.”