“Well, not really.”
“Really. Luke deserves all the credit.”
Luke looked up in his rear-view mirror and rolled his eyes. “I didn’t really do anything. And I had help.”
“From a girl,” Rachael teased.
“Oh? Have I met her?” his mother asked.
Normally he’d snip at his sister for calling him out, but the little ray of light in her eyes made him smile. The old Rachael was coming back.
“She’s been after him for a while. He was afraid to ask her out the first time and asked—”
“Hey!” Luke barked, which only made Rachael laugh louder. It was good to hear her laughter, even if it was at his own expense. “I don’t know who you’re getting your information from.”
“Lucy.”
“Oh, there’s a reliable source.”
Doreen and Keith took in Lucy right around the time Rachael took off for California with her asshole boyfriend. None of his siblings had been around much to make Lucy feel like a part of his family. Other than Keith’s funeral and a few holidays, Rachael hadn’t come home very often. And from the little he’d seen of Lucy and Rachael together the past week, they didn’t seem to argue, and didn’t dislike each other, but they were complete opposites. Maybe this party would help them form a bond.
“We’re almost there.” Luke turned on his blinker and steered his truck down route one.
“The ocean? It looks like we’re heading toward Seal Cove. I thought this place was mostly closed in the winter. The summer folks aren’t here and those that live year-round are even wealthier than the tourists.”
“I have connections.”
“And her name is…?”
“Zip it, kid.”
Luke pulled into the reserved parking space, the lot already overflowing, and rounded the hood to help his mom out of the truck. “Luke. What have you done?”
“Just a little party, Ma.” He kissed her cheek, hooking her arm in his. Rachael took her other arm as they escorted her to the front door. Rachael opened it and they stepped into the beautiful dining room filled with dozens upon dozens of people whose lives Doreen had touched over the years.
“Surprise!” They cheered. For the next twenty minutes people came out of the woodwork to congratulate Doreen. Luke stood back and took in the room. The tables were covered with white linen tablecloths, each decorated with a low-laying vase holding an assortment of flowers. Luke didn’t know the names of flowers, but recognized some as lilies and roses and then a bunch of other yellow and purple ones. His mother’s two favorite colors. Did he tell Sage that?
Little white votive candles surrounded the arrangements and a faint glow from wall sconces lit the rest of the space. Not too bright, but not so dark that you had to squint to see someone across the room. Soft music played in the background. Again, the perfect balance of noise, and not too overwhelming.
The buffet stations in the four corners of the room were calling his name. Starved, Luke made himself a mashed potato martini. He laughed when Sage suggested it last week, but when he made his concoction of potatoes, bacon, cheese, scallions, and sour cream and took a bite, he was in heaven. The best damned potatoes ever.
“You hungry?”
Rachael shook her head. “I’m going to sit in the kitchen for a bit.”
“Want me to go with you?”
“No. You enjoy. I’m okay, really.” She kissed his cheek before going through the doors to her safe haven.
Walking around the inn while eating his potatoes, Luke tried to not make it too obvious that he was looking for Sage, but he was.
She put this whole event together and she hadn’t even shown up. He’d been through the main dining room, the smaller closed-in porch, and even stuck his head in the kitchen, partially to check on Rachael, and partially to look for Sage. They never discussed her coming to the party but he assumed she’d be there, checking on details, making sure things were running smoothly.
He put his empty martini glass on a tray and swore. He was an insensitive ass. Of course she was pissed. She probably expected to come as his date, but he treated her like the party planner instead. Cursing again, he dug his cell out of his pocket.
“Kinda rude to be texting at Mom’s party.” Lucy grabbed his phone and scrolled through his texts.
“Give me my phone, Lucy.”
“Texting the chick?”
“Texting no one.” He grabbed his phone back, checked the screen to see what kind of damage she did—thankfully nothing—and shoved it back in his pocket.
“Your party planner looks high end. How much did she swindle from you?”
“Luce, come on. Give it a rest tonight, okay? For Mom.” Some day—soon, he hoped—Lucy would stop with the tough guy act.
“Fine. Food’s good anyway. When’s cake?”
He had made Lucy promise to stay at least until they cut the cake. “Mom hasn’t even had time to eat yet. Why don’t you make her a plate?”
“Fine. Whatever.” The one soft spot the girl had was towards their mom. She would act like a tough-as-nails bitch around the siblings, but toned it down when Doreen was around. The woman knew how to demand respect.
“Nice party, bro. Your girlfriend has fallen for you big time, huh?”
“Not you too, Blake.”
“What?” Blake grinned and shoved a puffed pastry in his mouth.
“The party was planned before we…never mind. It’s none of your business. Go mingle.”
“Not many single ladies at this gig, bro. Now that you’re whipped you trying to keep them at bay?”
Luke laughed and lightly punched his brother in the arm. “Go play on your monkey bars.”
“Gladly. Hey, we’ve got a gig coming to New England next year. I already signed you up.”
“Crawling in mud under barbed wire and getting shocked by electrical currents isn’t my idea of a good time.”
“Sure it is. Great place to pick up hot babes as well.” Blake winked before walking off.
Luke milled around, making small talk with his mother’s friends before he made his way back to his mom. “Having fun, Ma?”
“Luke, honey. This is wonderful. Too much, but wonderful. And Graham and Blake being here is the icing on the cake. I’d love to meet your…friend who helped you put this together. You must have been planning this for months.”
“I can’t take much credit. Sage—”
And as if on cue, she walked into the dining room and he’d swear the lights turned brighter, the music louder and smells turned…sensual. Luke noticed her eyes immediately. She looked around the room, first taking in the people, then the tables, the flowers, the candles. She inconspicuously picked up a dirty plate and fork that someone left on a table and moved them over to the tray designated for used dishes. Running her hand down the tablecloth, she smoothed out an invisible wrinkle, moved the vase over a fraction of a centimeter, and did the same at the next table.
It wasn’t until she was a few feet away that she noticed Luke. Her eyes widened in surprise, making her face seem smaller. The dark purple suit fit her beautifully. Only someone who knew she was pregnant could spot the little bump starting to form. And on her feet she wore another pair of sexy-as-sin shoes. Bright silver with freakishly high heels moving briskly toward him and his mother.
“How is everything? Do you need more wine? Is the food hot? I can turn the music down if it’s too loud.”
Luke took her hand, which had been waving through the air. “Everything is perfect.”
“Excuse me. Are you Luke’s…friend?”
“I’m Sage Wilde. You must be Mrs. Riley. I’ve heard so much about you. Happy birthday.” Sage slipped her hand from Luke’s to shake Doreen’s.
“I hear you’re the one to thank for my party.”
“I helped organize it, yes. My job was to listen to Luke and make sure the party was catered to you and your likes.”
“Really?” His mother turned toward him with a twinkle in her ey
e. “What were your special touches, son?”
Tapping his hand against his leg, Luke looked around the room. “Did you like the mashed potato martinis? Those were pretty good, huh?”
“They were, but you would have suggested baked potato with butter, salt, and pepper.”
He bounced on the balls of his feet and tried to scrutinize the room through Sage’s eyes.
“He knew your favorite colors were purple and yellow.” Sage to the rescue. “And while Luke couldn’t tell me the names of flowers, he definitely knew what you would and wouldn’t like.”
“I’m just giving my boy a hard time,” she said, lightly tapping his cheek. “I’m glad he had enough sense to call you, but he should have told you I’d be mighty happy with a houseful of family and close friends and just enough bread and water to fill our bellies.”
“To tell you the truth, Mrs. Riley—”
“Please. Call me Doreen.”
“To tell you the truth, Doreen, Luke’s first choice was potluck at your place, but he came to his senses and realized that a woman who has touched so many lives and accomplished so much in only sixty years deserves the best.” Luke smiled, his heart clenching. She was damn good at her job.
“And so he called you.”
Rather than reply aloud, Sage smiled sweetly. It was half professional, half all-knowing.
“If you’ll excuse me, I need to check on a few things in the kitchen.” Sage turned and glided through the room, ignoring Luke.
“Luke Robert Riley. When were you going to tell me?”
“The point of a surprise party is not knowing until you arrive.”
“Not the party, dummy.” Doreen smacked his arm. “When were you going to tell me you got the girl pregnant?”
He opened his mouth and shut it before any sound came out. How much information should he divulge?
“You’re going to marry the girl.”
“You’re getting married?” Graham snuck up behind him and pounded Luke on the back. “Congratulations, man. Is it the hot party planner girl?”
“I’m not getting married,” Luke said between gritted teeth.
“You got the woman pregnant. You do the right thing.”
“You got Sage pregnant?” Lucy laughed as she joined the conversation. “Oh, this is good. I’m no longer the fu—” she looked at their mother and corrected, “messed up one.”
“I didn’t get her pregnant,” he growled. His family had circled around him. Luke tugged at the collar of his dark blue shirt; the thick line of sweat dripping down his back would be evident in seconds.
“Someone else got your girlfriend pregnant? Ouch.” Blake cringed and smirked over the top of his beer.
“Are you kidding me? All that’s left is—” Luke stopped when Rachael joined the group.
“You all better not be talking about me behind my back. I’m not a poor helpless girl, but I don’t want to deal with any of my crap right now.”
“Not you, Rach. It’s Luke. He’s getting married.” Graham smirked.
“His girlfriend is pregnant.” Lucy laughed.
“But it’s not his kid,” Blake finished.
“Holy crap, Luke. And I thought I had problems.” Rachael, the only sweet sibling, stood on her tiptoes and hugged him. Luke welcomed the hug, but needed to rectify the situation.
“A, I’m not getting married. B, the baby isn’t mine. C, it’s a long story, so shut the hell up—sorry Ma—and mind your own business.”
His brothers and sisters slapped him on the back, calling out congratulations as they laughed and walked away. “Luke.” Oh, he knew that tone. It meant come clean now or forever hold your peace.
Taking his mother’s hand, he led her to a quiet corner and pulled out a chair for her. He pulled out another chair and sat close so no one could overhear. “Yes, Sage and I are dating. I knew she was pregnant before we got together but it’s not what you think.” Doreen wasn’t one to interrupt. She played the silent role extremely well. Having six kids and a revolving door of temporary foster kids taught her how to get the most information out of someone. Sit, wait, stare. So she did.
“Sage’s sister can’t have kids. I don’t know the medical lingo, but her uterus can’t carry a baby so Sage offered to be a surrogate. The baby is her sister and her husband’s; Sage is just carrying it. Them. She’s having twins at the end of the summer. Crazy, huh?”
Doreen’s eyes filled and spilled. The woman never hid emotion. Luke picked up a linen napkin and dabbed his mother’s cheeks. “If I had a sister,” she started, taking the napkin from Luke and wiping the tears herself, “and she offered to carry my baby, I’d…I don’t know. I can’t imagine. What a wonderful, beautiful gesture. I hope Sage’s sister realizes that.”
“I hope so too. Sage shrugs this off as if anyone would have done the same, but I doubt it. She’s not one who likes to call attention to herself so please don’t make a big deal about it, okay?”
Luke knew it would be a big deal to his mother. The reason she adopted so many children was because she couldn’t carry her own child. Already Sage went to the top of Doreen’s favorite people list.
And she was pretty high up on Luke’s list too.
***
Sage
“You seem…different.” Rayne spread peanut butter on a piece of whole grain bread and added slices of banana.
“I’m pregnant.” Sage grabbed the rest of the banana, eating it in two bites before shucking the peel in the trash.
“It’s not that.” Rayne cut the crust off the sandwich and placed it on the tray to Olivia’s high chair.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Sage dipped her finger in the jar of peanut butter and licked it clean.
Laughing, Rayne pulled the jar out of Sage’s reach. “Want me to make you a sandwich?”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Mm-hm.” Rayne made two more sandwiches, put one on a napkin and slid it across her kitchen counter to Sage, and took a bite out of the other one. “Me either,” she said, rolling her eyes. “I think you like being pregnant.”
“Hell no. I’m hungry all the time. I have to pee every four seconds. I don’t fit into any of my clothes and I get heartburn every night.”
“But the sex is great.”
“Yeah. That’s for sure.”
“Ha! I knew it. You’re in love.”
Sage choked on her sandwich and looked around for a drink. She swiped Olivia’s sippy cup off her tray and sucked down piss-warm water. “What the hell are you giving your kid? This is disgusting.”
“It’s watered down apple juice. I don’t want her to inherit Trent’s sweet tooth.”
“See. This is why I’m never having kids.”
“About the guy.”
“There is no guy.”
“So you’re having sex with a woman?”
“Shut up. You know what I mean.”
“And you have a glow.” Rayne poured two glasses of water and slid one across the counter to her sister.
“Don’t you dare say it’s a pregnancy glow. That’s all bullshit. My hair is growing faster and I have zits again.”
“No. The glow I see is not from pregnancy. It’s the same look I had when I fell for Trent. The same look Thyme gets around Grayson. Who’s the guy? The firefighter?”
“No. Yes. I don’t know.” Sage picked up her water and drank half the glass before setting it down. “It’s just lust. He’s hot. He wants sex. I want sex. No strings. No relationship.”
“Does he know that?”
“Of course. We established ground rules and a timeline.”
“A timeline? I can see you making one, but he agreed to one too?”
Sage shrugged and crumpled her napkin. “I’m getting bigger every day. Pretty soon I won’t be able to walk. Having sex is definitely going to be off the table. When it’s over it’s over.”
“So he’s just in it for the sex?”
“Yup.”
“And y
ou’re just in it for the sex?” Rayne ran a cloth under the faucet and wiped Olivia’s face and fingers, gently kissing her nose before lifting her from the highchair. “Have you gone out to dinner with him?”
“Yeah.”
“So you’re going out on dates?”
“No. Yes. Rayne, don’t make something out of this. I typically meet a guy for drinks before sleeping with him.”
“Does sexy firefighter sleep over?”
“No,” she lied.
“Trent never slept over either. He’d leave at three in the morning. That was his way of making sure I didn’t think we had a relationship. But he went to work at four a.m. so in my book I considered it sleeping over.”
Sage didn’t respond but pondered over her sister’s words. When Luke worked normal hours he’d come by straight from work. Most of the time she was already in bed asleep. Some nights she’d wake and they’d have sex, other nights she never woke up until her alarm. Having early morning appointments, she’d get up, shower, and leave, Luke still naked and sleeping in her bed.
They’d fallen into a routine since his mother’s party. She kept busy during the day and when their schedules allowed, they’d go out to dinner. Or breakfast. Or lunch. Or have a quickie in between appointments.
“Our relationship is purely sexual. I’m not in love with Luke, nor am I falling in love with him. I don’t do love. I hate love.”
“You’ve met his family,” Rayne said as she wiped the highchair clean.
“Only because he hired me to plan the freaking party. I’ve never seen any of them since.”
“Why do you do this to yourself, Sage? You deserve happiness.”
“I am happy.”
“No. You’re content. Why do you hold yourself back? Your heart. Your soul. Whatever the heck you want to call it. Why do you keep part of yourself off-limits? If you hold yourself back you’ll never fall in love.”
“I didn’t come here for psychoanalysis. Not everyone wants the marriage, the two-point-five kids, and the yuppity house.” Sage tossed her napkin in the trash, gave her niece a gentle noogie, and gathered her purse and keys.
“I’ve always been honest about what I want and what I don’t want. And so has Thyme. So what is it that you want, Sage?”
Wilde For You (The Wilde Sisters Book 3) Page 9