Forever My Love: A Christian Romance (The McKinleys Book 2)

by Kimberly Rae Jordan

  Lucas smiled at Brooke, and her stomach did a flip.

  “Hi,” she said and returned his smile as she slid into the front seat. As usual, the scent of his cologne greeted her and did nothing to dispel her nerves. Being surrounded by that scent was almost like being hugged by him. That was something she needed to think less about.

  “How was your day?” Lucas said after he’d slid behind the wheel.

  “Well, we did some baking this morning. Danny insisted that he needed to bring cookies to your mom and Lindsay again.”

  As they pulled up to a red light, Lucas looked back at Danny. “Your aunt will love you for that, even if she does gripe about needing to lose weight. Put a few aside for me.”

  “I will,” Danny said.

  “We went to the community center after lunch. I am teaching a summer art program for nine to twelve-year-olds.”

  “Really? I didn’t realize you taught art.”

  “I just do local programs at the community center. Nothing too formal but something for kids that are interested in it. I’ve also done a couple of programs for adults.”

  “You certainly have the talent,” Lucas said as he merged with the traffic on the highway.

  “Thank you.” Brooke wasn’t sure why she felt so ridiculously pleased by his compliment. “I really enjoy teaching others about painting, not just doing it myself.”

  “Not everyone is willing to share their time and talents,” Lucas commented.

  “I suppose that’s true, but that’s not the example I’m trying to set for Danny.”

  Lucas shot her a quick grin. “You’re a good mom.”

  Again, the warmth that flooded her at his compliment caught Brooke off-guard. He’d better stop with the compliments or she was going to spend the whole evening fanning herself.

  Thankfully, Danny piped up and filled Lucas in on his own activities during the afternoon while she’d been teaching. She spent the time giving herself a lecture. This was not her. Men didn’t make her nervous or—for lack of a better word—giddy. That Lucas managed to do this to her was alarming. She needed to shore her defenses back up because if this was all one-sided, she was looking at some kind of hurt in the near future.

  As soon as Lucas pulled the car to a stop in front of the mansion, Danny opened his door and climbed out.

  “Hey, you,” Brooke said as she got out as well. “Give me a hug.”

  Danny ran back to her and wrapped his arms around her. Brooke looked down at his face and felt a rush of love. Now this was one guy she didn’t mind loving. She captured his face in her hands and pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Be good for your aunt and grandma, okay?”

  “I will, Mom. Promise.”

  “I know you will, sweetie.”

  Danny stepped out of her embrace and ran toward the house where Lindsay stood waiting.

  “See you guys later,” Lindsay called with a wave of her arm as Danny reached her. She slipped an arm around his shoulder, and they disappeared into the house.

  Brooke got back into the car, nerves flaring to life anew. Men will hurt you. They will take what they want and leave you for someone better. Remember how that felt.

  “Here.”

  Glancing over, she saw Lucas in the open door on the driver’s side holding out a bouquet of flowers. Startled, she looked into his gaze then reached for them. Her fingers brushed his as she took the cellophane-wrapped flowers.

  The bouquet was large with several different kinds of blossoms in varying shades of purple. It was a truly beautiful arrangement, but it did nothing to quell the nerves now fluttering even more wildly inside her stomach.

  “Thank you. They’re lovely.”

  “You’re welcome.” He pulled around the circular driveway and headed back to the road. “I noticed you had a lot of flowers in the gardens around your house. I thought you might like some inside, too.”

  “Will they be okay in the car when we go to eat?”

  “We’ll take them in with us. They’ll have a vase we can use.”

  “You sound pretty certain of that,” Brooke observed.

  “I am.” He looked over at her and smiled. “They know me.”

  Of course, they would. “Are you a frequent customer?”

  “Frequent enough. They’re sort of family friends. Plus, the food is terrific.”

  Brooke hoped she’d be able to eat. Right then her stomach was in knots, and the thought of food—even terrific food—was a bit nauseating.

  It wasn’t long before Lucas pulled into a small parking lot behind an old brick building. It didn’t really look like a place for meetings, and that feeling was reinforced when they walked into the foyer of the building. It had a pub feel with wood floors and large booths along the far wall.

  As soon as they neared a small podium just inside the door, a woman approached them, a big smile on her face and arms wide. From the glimpse Brooke got of her before she engulfed Lucas in a hug, she was a stunning woman. Shiny black hair in loose curls. And a figure with curves, that as far as Brooke could see, just didn’t quit. She looked like one of those pinup girls from back in the forties and fifties and was even dressed the part. Her dress was a deep cranberry color and was fitted from her shoulders to her waist where it flared out in a full skirt to her knees.

  “You still trying to steal my wife, Hamilton?”

  Brooke turned to see a tall man striding toward them. He was as fair as the woman was dark.

  The woman let go of Lucas and turned to the man with a smile. “No one can steal me from you, babe.”

  The man slipped his arm around her waist and tucked her into his side. He turned his ice blue gaze on Brooke. “I’m Thom Declan and this is my wife, Amber. Welcome to our restaurant.”

  Lucas laid a hand on her back. “This is Brooke McKinley.”

  Amber held out her hand. “It’s nice to meet you. I hope you enjoy your evening.”

  Clutching her flowers, Brooke said, “I’m sure I will. This place looks great.”

  “I’ve got a booth ready for you guys at the back. Follow me.” Amber pressed a kiss to her husband’s cheek before leading the way through the restaurant.

  The booth was large and had a low hanging lamp over it.

  “The vase you asked for is there, Luc,” Amber said as she pointed to the far edge of the table next to the wall.

  “Thanks, Amber.”

  “Someone will be here in a few minutes to start you off with something to drink.”

  “Here.” Lucas held out his hand. “Let’s get those flowers into the water.”

  Brooke handed them to him and then slid into the booth on the far side. He put the whole bouquet-cellophane and all—into the vase and then pushed it back to its spot near the wall.

  As he settled into the booth across from her, he smiled. “You can’t really go wrong with anything you order here, but I’m particularly partial to their lasagna. I think Amber said their special today was beef stew when I called earlier. That is also very good.”

  “Sounds like they specialize in hearty comfort food.”

  Lucas grinned as he leaned back against the seat. “Yeah, you could say that.”

  A waitress appeared next to their table. “Hiya, Luc.”

  Brooke looked up to see a younger version of the woman who’d met them at the door. Her smile was flirtatious as she looked at Lucas.

  “Hey, Bernadette.” Lucas smiled back at her. “How’s it going?”

  “Great. How about with you?”

  “Doing pretty good. All things considered.”

  Bernadette laid her hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry to hear about Lincoln.”

  “Yeah. Never anything anyone wants to go through.”

  “So, what can I get you?”

  Lucas looked at Brooke. “Brooke? Would you like something to drink?”

  Brooke watched as the young woman turned to her. She didn’t miss the way smile slipped from her face. “I’ll just have water, thanks.”

  The
smile returned when Bernadette looked back at Lucas. “And for you, Luc?”

  “Iced tea with lemon, please.”

  “I’ll be right back with your drink.”

  Brooke watched her walk away then looked back at Lucas only to find that his gaze was on her. “She has a crush on you.”

  Lucas’s eyebrows rose at her statement. “Bernadette?”

  Brooke grinned. Guys could be so dense sometimes. “Yes. Bernadette.”

  “Why would you say that? She’s way too young for me.”

  “Something tells me that is not a problem for her.”

  Lucas scoffed. “I think you’re imagining things.”

  “You watch her when she comes back. See how she is when she deals with me. She doesn’t like me.”

  Before Lucas could say anything, Bernadette reappeared with a tray.

  “Here you go, Luc. Iced tea just the way you like it.” Another wide smile that showed every one of her perfectly aligned pearly white teeth. “And water for you.” She set the glass down in front of Brooke with a thud, the smile suddenly much dimmer.

  “Thank you,” Brooke said with a smile at the girl. Unrequited love was not fun. She hated to be the one to put a damper on the girl’s feelings even if it was just her imagining that Brooke and Lucas were on a date.

  “Are you ready to order?” Again she turned to Lucas first, but he deferred to Brooke.

  “I think I’ll have the lasagna. Lucas said he recommended it.”

  Bernadette nodded and then turned back to Lucas. “Same for you?”

  “You bet,” Lucas said. “Thank you.”

  “I’ll be back with your food shortly. “

  As she walked away, Brooke waited for Lucas to look at her. When he did, she saw that he had seen what she had earlier. She arched a brow, waiting for him to say something.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  OKAY. Fine. Maybe you’re right.” Brooke watched as Lucas’s gaze went in the direction Bernadette had walked. “Why didn’t I realize that?”

  “Maybe because you’re not a guy who wants or needs the attention of every pretty girl that crosses his path. And maybe because you’ve never viewed her in that light.”

  “That’s for sure.” Lucas’s brows drew together. “She’s Stella’s niece. I’d be afraid of poison in my food if I had ever entertained such thoughts about her. Not that I would have even if she wasn’t her niece. I mean…”

  Brooke grinned. “I know what you mean. Now I just hope she doesn’t poison my food.”

  “Stella?”

  “No. Bernadette. She obviously thinks we’re on a date.”

  “Well, sorry, but if it discourages her crush on me, we’re on a date.”

  While she understood Lucas’s desire to discourage what Bernadette felt for him, Brooke didn’t want to devastate the girl. “Listen, just my being here with you is enough. No need to be overt about anything.”

  “Ah, shucks,” Lucas said with a grin as he reached across the table. “So no holding your hand?”

  Unfortunately—or fortunately, depending on person’s perspective—Bernadette walked up right then. Lucas pulled his hand back as she plopped a basket of bread sticks on the table.

  “Thanks, Bernadette,” Lucas said.

  The young girl shot a look at Brooke before murmuring, “You’re welcome,” and walking away.

  “Maybe I will switch plates with you,” Lucas said as he watched Bernadette stomp away.

  Brooke laughed. “Such a gentleman.”

  He winked at her. “My mom taught me well.”

  Brooke felt a rush of warmth and an overwhelming amount of sympathy for Bernadette. Lucas had a charm that he seemed totally unaware of. It was the total opposite of how Lincoln had been. He’d known how to use his charm and good looks to his advantage. Thankfully, she’d been just jaded enough by men at that point to not take it seriously when he’d turned his attention her way. Otherwise, she’d have been as devastated as Bernadette was when she realized there was no future with him.

  “So, what’s on the agenda?” Brooke asked Lucas, eager to get this evening back to the main focus.

  “Agenda?”

  “Yeah. You wanted to have this dinner to discuss some stuff.”

  “Ah. Yes.” Lucas shrugged out of his suit coat and laid it on the seat next to him and then loosened the tie around his neck. “I suppose the biggie is the inheritance.”

  “And also the time out at the cabin,” Brooke added.

  Lucas nodded. “Yep. That, too.”

  “I would imagine there are some legalities involved with the inheritance for Danny?” Brooke asked.

  “Yes. There are a few delays at the moment. I’ve asked the lawyers to hold off for a bit until we get a few things sorted out.” He tilted his head. “If that causes you some financial hardship, let me know.”

  Brooke laughed as she shook her head. “You’re kidding, right? Financial hardship? With what you paid for those three paintings, I’m set for at least a year or two.”

  Lucas’s brows rose at her response. “Really?”

  “Seriously? You’ve seen where I live. What kind of car I drive. Do I strike you as the type that needs an excessive amount of money to live?”

  “You could move to a nicer neighborhood. Buy a better car.”

  Brooke narrowed her eyes. “Does it bother you to have your nephew living in the neighborhood we do? Riding in the car we have?”

  Lucas regarded her for a moment, and Brooke got the feeling he was trying to figure out what the right answer to that might be. Smart man. “It doesn’t bother me. But you can afford to live somewhere safer and drive a more reliable car now.”

  “We have friends in that neighborhood. And most the places we need to go we just bike to.” Brooke sighed. “We will never live in a place like your mom’s even if we can afford it. Yeah, it will be nice not to have to worry about how to pay the bills, but that doesn’t mean I need to automatically have a more expensive lifestyle. Danny likes his school and being around his friends. I’m not going to move him away from that.”

  “Do you own your home?” Lucas asked.

  “No. I rent. My landlady lives across the street from us. We’ve rented from her for the past five years.”

  Before Lucas could respond, Amber appeared at the table with a tray.

  “Dinner is served,” she said as she set a plate in front of Brooke and then one in front of Lucas. “Do you need anything else?”

  “Where’s Bernadette?” Lucas asked.

  Amber smiled as she shook her head at him. “You’ve broken my baby sister’s heart, Luc.”

  Lucas sighed. “I’m sorry. I had no idea. Brooke alerted me to the fact that she might have a crush on me.”

  “It’s okay. She’ll get over it. I told her that you would never feel the same way for her. She just chose to ignore me.”

  “The irony is that we’re not actually here on a date,” Brooke said.

  Amber’s eyes widened as she looked at Lucas then back to Brooke. “Well, I’m not going to clue Bernadette into that little fact. She can go on assuming you are and will get over this thing she has for Luc all the faster.” Amber leaned toward Brooke, a sparkle in her eyes. “Of course, you may have just broken Luc’s heart, too.”

  “I sincerely doubt that,” Brooke said with a glance at Luc who had sat back in his seat, a grin on his face.

  “You never know.” With a wave of her fingers, Amber spun around—her skirt flaring out as she did—and headed toward the front of the restaurant.

  “Mind if I say grace?” Lucas asked.

  Brook shook her head. “Go ahead.”

  “Heavenly Father, thank you for this day. Another one in which to see Your blessing and will in our lives. Be with us as we talk things over and strive to do what’s best for all involved in this situation. Thank you for the wonderful food and the company. Amen.”

  Once he’d finished praying, Brooke took her first bite of the lasagna and understood why L
ucas had recommended it. A spicy, tomatoey richness exploded in her mouth with the first bite. The noodles were done to perfection and there was plenty of cheese—a definite plus in her book.

  While they ate, they made casual conversation, and Brooke watched as the restaurant gradually filled up. Bernadette made a reappearance but avoided their table, resulting in another waitress coming to check if they needed anything.

  As they talked, Brooke found herself relaxing with Lucas in a way she hadn’t with a man in a long time. He asked a lot of questions about her art and the teaching she did and more about Danny.

  “Will you be able to come to the cabin if you have classes to teach?” Lucas asked as he pushed his empty plate toward the center of the table.

  Though she knew she probably should have only eaten part of it, Brooke had matched Lucas pretty much bite for bite. It had been so delicious. “I only teach on Wednesdays so if we could plan around that, that would be good. However, I could book one session off if I had to.”

  “We’ll try to work around that for you,” Lucas said. He glanced from the table and lifted his hand to the waitress. When she approached them, he said, “I spoke to Amber about the dessert earlier.”

  She nodded as she picked up their empty plates. “I’ll be right back.”

  “Dessert?” Brooke groaned as she leaned back against the booth. “I don’t think I can eat another bite.”

  “Oh, once you see this, you will. Unless you’re one of those rare people who don’t like chocolate.”

  “No such luck there. Chocolate and I get along very well.”

  “Well, brace yourself.”

  The grin he gave her set nerves fluttering to life again. She’d appreciated the easy conversation as they’d eaten, but every once in a while it took a turn for feeling like a date and that was one of the moments.

  Amber once again showed up at their table with a tray held in the air. “Ready for your dessert?”

  “You bet,” Lucas said, a look of anticipation on his face.

  Amber lowered the tray and set a plate with a beautifully plated chocolate soufflé in the middle of it down in front of Brooke. The aroma of rich chocolate teased her senses, and Brooke knew that even though she had already eaten so much, she was going to eat more.