Lucas managed to turn his laugh into a cough, but he knew that Than could see the humor in his eyes when he looked at him. In all the stress of the return trip with Lincoln and the appointments that morning, he hadn’t had a chance to warn Than about Lindsay. But then again, maybe it would be a good experience for the guy. Get a little bit of what he gave out.
Voices drifted through the open window, drawing the attention from Lindsay and Than. Lucas went and opened the door for Brooke’s family. Immediately, he could see the concern on her parents’ faces. He wished he could ease it, but only Brooke would be able to do that for them.
After quick introductions had been made, Lucas led them in prayer before they filed into the large dining room where food had been laid out for their evening meal. Stella had outdone herself once again in pulling together a spread like this for so many people. Once people had their plates filled, they began to find seats.
As Lucas watched, Lincoln followed Brooke, Danny and Jeff outside. Lindsay also went out onto the deck with Than right behind her.
“How’re you doing, Lucas?”
He glanced over to see Eric standing beside him with a plate full of food. “I’m fine. How are you? Enjoying married life?”
Eric grinned. “That goes without saying. It was a long time coming, but worth every second of waiting.”
Lucas was genuinely happy for Eric and Staci. From what he’d heard, their road to marriage had been rocky and uncertain.
“Why don’t you grab a plate of food and join us?” Eric suggested.
With a nod, Lucas went into the nearly empty dining room and picked up a plate. His mom and Brooke’s parents had settled at the table in the nook on the other side of the kitchen. Brooke’s two sisters and her niece also joined them. In the end, he, Eric and Staci found space at the table in the dining room to sit and eat.
“I know you said you’re fine,” Eric began, “But seriously, how are you doing with this whole turn of events? I couldn’t believe it when Alex told me what was going on.”
“It’s been a bit crazy, that’s for sure,” Lucas said. “To be honest, I’m just trying to make sure everyone gets through this with the least amount of emotional upheaval.” He gave Eric an apologetic look. “I’m afraid your sister is bearing the brunt of this because of Danny.”
Eric nodded. “But Brooke’s strong. And Danny’s got a good head on his shoulders. I think they’ll be fine.”
“I’m praying they will be. The last thing I wanted to do was to disrupt their lives so much.” Lucas pushed the potato salad around on his plate. “If I’d had any inkling…”
“It’s hard not to wish you had done things differently,” Staci said. “I know all about that. After meeting Eric at that singles retreat all I could think about was how I wished I’d made a different decision. Once he’d found out about Sarah and things were really rocky there for a while, I spent a lot of time wishing that I hadn’t gone to that retreat. But you know, God obviously had a plan for us. It took us a little while to get with the program, but in the end, it was worth it.”
“I hope that will be the case for Brooke and Danny. Too bad it took Lincoln losing his memory before he’d agree to meet Danny. He should have stepped up long ago.”
“Speaking from experience, I can say that Sarah was better off without me in her life for those early years,” Eric said, sadness on his face. “I wasn’t in any position to be a good father to her and might, in fact, have done more damage than good. Staci did better on her own than we would likely have done together.”
“It’s possible that Lincoln wouldn’t have been a good father to Danny back then either. Maybe this memory loss is a blessing in disguise.”
For Danny maybe, but it was breaking Lucas’s heart. His gaze went to the large windows that looked out over the deck and the group gathered at the table there. He had wanted to be a part of Brooke’s life in a more intimate and permanent way, but now that seemed a remote possibility. This was not a girl he had wanted to put to the “Lincoln” test.
Sadness filled him and robbed him of his appetite, but he forced himself to smile. “I think it might take a little while, but in the end I do think this will be good for Danny and Lincoln. My brother wasn’t a bad guy even before his memory loss, he was just more focused on the next adventure than on anything that might tie him down.”
He saw Eric and Staci exchange glances then Eric said, his voice low, “Don’t give up on Brooke. You’re the first man I’ve seen get this close to her.”
“I only want what’s best for her,” Lucas said.
Before Eric could say anything more, Than came in with Danny and Jeff. As soon as he spotted them at the table, he settled in a chair beside Eric while the boys went back for seconds.
He pinned Lucas with a look. “Seriously? You couldn’t have warned me about Lindsay?”
Lucas gave a shake of his head. “You asked for it, buddy. If you weren’t so keen on wooing everything in a skirt, you wouldn’t be in this predicament.”
Than leaned forward, bracing his arms on the table and said, “Do I need to be wearing any sort of protective armor when I take her out? I mean, is she likely to try and emasculate me?”
“Only if you get out of line,” Lucas said with a grin, glad to be able to focus on something else again.
“Well, that’s certainly not going to happen. Not that it would have even without the threat.” Than leaned toward Eric. “And I thought your sister was tough.”
As people filtered back into the cabin, Lucas spotted Brooke with a stack of plates headed to the kitchen. She didn’t even look in his direction.
“So, we have a couple hours of daylight left,” Lindsay said as she came out of the kitchen. “What do you say we fire up the Jet Skis?”
Lucas sat listening as pretty much everyone got on board with the plan. Again, though he hadn’t really had a picture of how things would unfold, for some reason he hadn’t seen this. Danny seemed anxious to move past the emotions involved with meeting his father. Lucas couldn’t really blame him, but it was as if Lincoln had never been gone. Never been declared dead. Was he the only one struggling with it all?
“Are you sure you’re up to it?” his mom asked as she touched Lincoln’s arm. At one time she would have slid her arm around his waist, so maybe things weren’t completely back to normal.
“I think it will be good. Get back to the things I’m told I used to do.”
As soon as it was agreed on, everyone planning to participate scattered to get ready. Though Lucas wasn’t really in the mood, he knew he needed to be there since he and Lindsay were the only ones with experience to run the machines.
Once everyone got down to the boathouse and dock, Lucas quickly realized that Brooke wasn’t among those prepared to participate.
“Where’s your mom?” he asked when he spotted Danny.
“She said she might come down later.”
Not what Lucas wanted to hear, but it was probably for the best. With Lindsay’s help, he pulled out the life jackets and found enough for everyone to wear. Their Jet Skis were top of the line three seaters so that they could pull waters skiers or tubes behind them.
“You boys both know how to swim, right?” Lucas asked as they prepared to take them out on the first run.
Danny and Jeff nodded enthusiastically, big grins on their faces.
“Okay, Linds and I each need a spotter on the back as well.”
In the end, Than went with Lindsay while Lincoln went with Lucas. Alicia and Victoria settled into the chairs on the dock with Staci and Sarah to wait their turns.
“You head to the north, Linds,” Lucas called out as he began to bring the Jet Ski up to speed. Danny and Jeff were on the tube behind him while Eric was on the one behind Lindsay and Than. Mindful that it was the first time for both boys, he took it easy. They spent about fifteen minutes out in the open water beyond the island before heading back to allow the others to have a turn.
Over the next hour or
so, they continued to switch off people on the tubes while Lucas and Lindsay did most of the driving. Eric tried his hand at it and once he’d driven a couple of times, he managed to get Staci on the Jet Ski with him and put Sarah in the front. Lucas sank down on the end of the dock to watch.
“You guys look like you’re having fun.”
His heart jumped at the sound of Brooke’s voice. He glanced over his shoulder to see her standing next to where Alicia and Tori were sitting. She still wore what she’d had on at supper so clearly had no plan to join in on the Jet Ski fun. Once again, it didn’t escape Lucas’s notice that she didn’t look in his direction.
It was for the best.
Unfortunately, no matter how many times he told himself that, it didn’t make him feel any better.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
BROOKE wasn’t sure it had been the best idea to come down to the dock. The past few hours had left her feeling like she’d been through an emotional wringer. All she’d really wanted to do was crawl into bed and go to sleep. Maybe in the morning things would have been better. But she knew that wouldn’t have been the case.
Seeing Lincoln had been difficult. Not because it had brought up old feelings—there were none of those left—but seeing the physically broken man he’d become was hard. It was probably a blessing that he had no memory of the man he’d once been. That Lincoln would have not been able to accept the limitations an injury like he had would have put on him. Thankfully, this Lincoln without any memories seemed interested in building some sort of relationship with his son.
Brooke knew it was probably wrong of her, but she really did hope that his memory never returned. Who knew what would happen if he remembered all the reasons he’d decided not to be part of Danny’s life and then walked out once again. That would be devastating for Danny and not something she could protect him from.
Worst of all though, had been the way Lucas had pulled back from her and Danny. After promising to be there for them, he’d stepped away and left them alone to deal with Lincoln. As soon as they’d walked into the house, as soon as they’d come into Lincoln’s presence, he’d left them. Just like every other man, he’d abandoned her when she had needed—wanted—his support.
“You don’t want to go for a ride?” Victoria asked. Her damp hair and suit made it clear she’d been at least once. “It’s more fun than I thought it might be.”
“Not tonight,” Brooke said, grateful to have her thoughts pulled from the direction they’d been going in. “I’m sure there will be other opportunities while we’re out here.”
She glanced to where Lucas sat on the end of the dock. His hair was dark with moisture and stood in spikes on his head. He had his hands braced on either side of him as he stared out to where the Jet Skis were on the lake. Before today, she might have gone and sat beside him. Flirted with him a little. But now… He’d distanced himself from both her and Danny when they’d gone in to meet Lincoln and had remained that way through dinner. If that was how he wanted to play it, she could do that. She could take a hint.
When the ache in her heart threatened to overwhelm her, she looked away from him to the sparkling blue of the water. She lifted a hand to shade her eyes as she looked for Danny and Jeff. Given all he’d had to deal with too, she was glad to see him having fun.
“Here, Brooke, have a seat,” Than said, getting up from where he’d been sitting next to Alicia.
“Very gentlemanly of you, Than, but I think I’m going to head back up to the cabin. I just wanted to see how Danny was getting along.”
“The boys are doing great,” Than said. “I think they’re going to be asking to go out at every opportunity.”
“Tori, can you send them to me when it’s finished up here?”
“Sure thing,” her sister said, a concerned look on her face. But thankfully, she didn’t say anything further.
With one last look at the back of Lucas, Brooke turned and headed up the steps and the path that led to the cabin. Though she knew she shouldn’t feel hurt, she did. He’d told her if she ever needed anything, to let him know. Well, right then she needed his strength. His support. His…love. But it was clear that first and foremost, his loyalties lay with his family.
As she reached the top of the path where it split off to the different cabins, she looked back at the dock. Lucas was standing now, hands on his hips. He was facing her direction, but was he looking at her?
It doesn’t matter.
That’s what Brooke told herself as she turned back to the path. Clearly now that Lincoln had returned, the whole dynamic had changed. Lucas’s role in Danny’s life had shifted. And apparently it had shifted in hers, too.
Did he think that Lincoln’s return had brought back old feelings she’d had for him? Because if that was the case, nothing could be further from the truth. Lincoln had never made her feel anything close to what she was feeling for Lucas. But maybe it was just too weird. If something serious had developed between them, he could have ended up being Danny’s stepfather and uncle. It would be a clear reminder to people that she’d been with his brother first. And maybe that was just too weird for Lucas.
As she stepped into the cabin, her parents and Lucas’s mom looked toward her from where they sat.
“How are they doing down there?” Sylvia asked.
Brooke tried her best to pull up a smile. “It looks like they’re all having a lot of fun. Eric even had Staci and Sarah out on one of the Jet Skis.”
“You didn’t want to give it a go?”
She shook her head. “I think they’re going to be calling it a day soon. I’ll give it a try next time.” Looking at her parents, she said, “I’ve got a bit of a headache. I’m going to go lie down. I asked Tori to send the boys to me when they’re cleaned up.”
With the extra visitors, they had shuffled around who was sleeping where and Brooke had ended up in the three bedroom cabin with her folks and Victoria and Alicia. The boys were up at the main cabin with Lucas’s family, and Eric and Staci had the smaller two bedroom cabin with Sarah.
“There’s some medicine in my bag at the cabin if you need it, sweetie,” her mom said, concern clear on her face.
“Thanks, Mom.”
As she left the main cabin, she could hear the roars of the Jet Skis along with the yells and shrieks. Any other time she would have joined in, but her heart just wasn’t in it right then. Frankly, if she could have, she would have gotten in her car and left. She wasn’t one to run from problems, but this one just promised to involve too much heartache if she stuck around.
But she’d stay. For Danny’s sake. After all, his needs had always and would always come first.
Realizing that the excuse she’d given her mom had turned into a reality, Brooke went looking for the medicine before lying down in the room she’d claimed after giving her parents the larger master bedroom. Alicia and Tori would be sharing the other one.
Curled on her side, Brooke finally allowed the tears she’d been holding back to fall. They were tears of anger, frustration and hurt. Was this God’s way of making sure that as long as she was at odds with Him she’d never find happiness? He’d let her have just the tiniest sample of what having a good, stable man in her life could be like and then had tossed his unpredictable, mess of a brother back into the mix.
Thanks a lot, God.
Lucas and Lindsay were the last ones to leave the boathouse and the dock. Once the sun had begun to sink, they’d put an end to the fun for the evening. The others had trudged back up to the main cabin while the two of them had put away the Jet Skis and all the life jackets.
“Well, that was fun,” Lindsay said as they walked along the dock.
The solar lights on the edges of the dock and lining the path leading to the cabin were beginning to shine in the waning twilight.
“Yep, it seems like everyone enjoyed themselves.”
“Except you,” Lindsay pointed out. She laid a hand on his arm as they reached the spot where the dock ended and th
e path began. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?” Lucas asked. “You haven’t done anything.”
“I know, but I’m sorry that things have gotten all messed up for you because of Lincoln’s return.”
“We need to focus on what’s best for Lincoln and Danny right now,” Lucas said, staring out across the lake behind Lindsay.
“For too long you’ve put aside what you want. And don’t think for a minute that I didn’t see how you were with Danny. And with Brooke.”
“I was just doing what I could to make up for how Lincoln abandoned them. I needed to show her that our family wasn’t all like that.”
“You were already looking at Danny like he was your son.” Lindsay’s words were spoken softly, but they hit him in the gut like a punch.
“He’s Lincoln’s son, not mine.”
“Lincoln will never be half the father to Danny that you would be. Danny needs you in his life.” Lindsay sighed. “Lincoln might not have his memories but Danny does. He will always know that you stepped up when his own dad didn’t. And I think he will always look to you for the stability he needs. I can see you backing out of his life. And Brooke’s, too. Don’t do it. They both need you.”
“It’s not that simple, Linds. I wish it was, but it’s not.”
“Actually, I think it is, but you’re letting other things cloud your judgment. And I’m pretty sure you’re not communicating with Brooke to find out how she’s feeling in all of this.”
“She’s got her family here, she doesn’t need me.”
Lindsay gave a huff in clear frustration before turning toward the path. “Sometimes, you men are so stupid.”
Her irritated words didn’t make Lucas smile like they might have another time. He had been stupid. He’d allowed himself to fall too hard and too fast for a woman he had no right loving. The fact that she’d been Lincoln’s girlfriend at one time should have been enough to warn him off. But no, he’d let himself feel things that he shouldn’t have.
With a sigh, he followed Lindsay as she stomped up the path toward the cabin. It was relatively quiet when they walked in the door.
Forever My Love: A Christian Romance (The McKinleys Book 2) Page 18