by Beth Ciotta
“I’ve found that if I already have a drink in hand,” Rocky said, “it’s easier to avoid partaking in Daisy’s Cocktail of the Week. I swear she picks the most disgusting recipes.”
“Far be it from Daisy to be unadventurous,” Chloe said with a smile.
“Even Luke gagged on last week’s creation,” Rocky said.
“I missed that one,” Monica said as she sliced lemons for the iced tea. “Most disgusting ingredient?”
“It wasn’t the taste so much as the texture. Something called a Cement Mixer. Bailey’s Irish Cream and lime juice,” Rocky said. “The combination made the Bailey’s curdle in your mouth.”
“Eww,” Monica said.
Chloe shuddered.
“Hence my beer,” Rocky said.
“I can’t take it,” Rae said.
“Just say you’re still recovering from that bout of food poisoning,” Chloe said. “That’ll get you a free pass from Daisy.”
“I’m not talking about the cocktail,” Rae said. “I’m talking about you guys. You’re acting as if I never left. As if I’m Rachel. But I’m not. I mean we have the same personality pretty much, but … Don’t you want to know why I did it? Why I lived under an assumed identity for a year?”
“Of course we want to know,” Monica blurted.
Chloe elbowed her best friend. “We figured you’d tell us when you were ready.”
“Or not,” Rocky said. “Maybe it’s none of our business. What we know is that you came back to Sugar Creek to help the club and to revive Sugar Tots for the children and parents of this community.”
“We know you inherited a fortune on your birthday,” Chloe said. “Most twenty-five-year-olds would’ve gone on a trip around the world.”
“Or opted to spend the winter in Tahiti or some other tropical isle,” Monica said.
“Instead you’re here,” Rocky said. “In this frozen, freaking cold tundra.”
“We’re giving you the benefit of the doubt because you’re here for selfless reasons,” Chloe said.
“Not entirely selfless.” Rae clasped her hands so as not to wring them. “Some of my happiest days were the days I spent working with the children at Sugar Tots, the nights I spent baking cupcakes with the Cupcake Lovers. I may have kept to myself, but I absorbed every word, every action. I got a dose of how it should be between friends and family. Of good people with the best of intentions. Of the simple life. I can’t have that life in L.A. and certainly not within my mother’s circle—the only circle I know aside from this one.”
Rae blew out a breath and went out on an emotional limb. “I hid out in Sugar Creek to escape certain pressures having to do with my upcoming inheritance. I didn’t want to deal with my mom or my influential stepfather and their intrusive advice. I wanted to prove that I could make it on my own—with or without fame or fortune. In the process I learned a lot about myself. You know that saying, home is where the heart is?”
“Your heart’s here,” Chloe said.
“With Luke,” Monica ventured.
“Luke’s certainly a draw,” Rae said. “I developed a crush the first time I laid eyes on him. It snowballed and there was this kiss and then…” She glanced away. “There’s this connection. I can’t explain, but we’re going for it and … we’ll see.”
The women traded a look then focused back on Rae. “Just remember,” Rocky said. “Anything, anyone, worth having is worth the fight.”
“How to say this,” Chloe ventured. “Luke has a lot of female admirers.”
“He’s notorious for playing the field,” Monica said.
“A natural born charmer,” Rocky said.
“A huge flirt,” Chloe said. “Half the time I don’t even think he means anything by it.”
“But if you’re the jealous sort,” Monica said.
“Or the shy sort.” Rocky picked the label on her bottle. “Not that I’m trying to scare you off, Rae, but Luke loves people. Loves to socialize. I’m not sure he’ll ever be a homebody.”
Monica nodded. “If you’re looking for a homebody—”
“I’d be better off with Sam?” Rae stared back at the women, sensing they had her best interest at heart and probably Luke’s as well. Still, she was pretty fed up with being pushed toward the man everyone considered her perfect match. “To be perfectly clear,” she said in a calm but firm voice. “I don’t love Sam.”
“Do you love Luke?” Monica winced when Chloe gave her another jab. “What? Like I’m the only one who wants to know?”
“Yes. Yes, I do,” Rae said. She glanced toward the closed kitchen door, envisioned Luke enduring one of Daisy’s nasty cocktails just because she was his grandma, his senior, and it was the nice thing to do. “I think I’ve always loved him, which probably sounds crazy.”
“Not so crazy,” Rocky said.
“I haven’t told him,” Rae said, feeling a little panicked now. She didn’t want to scare Luke off. She was already scaring herself. Everything was moving so fast and she couldn’t shake the feeling that it was all too good to be true.
“Well, he should definitely hear from you first,” Chloe said with a smile.
“Don’t worry, hon. One thing about this family—blood and associated,” Rocky said with a nod toward Chloe and Monica. “We know how to keep a secret.”
* * *
“Interesting dinner.”
“I’ll say.”
Jayce placed a pile of dirty plates on the counter.
Rocky started rinsing while he dropped a soap disk in the dishwasher.
Brewster trotted in behind them and sniffed the floor for crumbs.
“The canine vacuum,” Rocky said.
“I’ve got to break him of that,” Jayce said.
“You say that every night.”
After a couple of licks, Brewster curled up on a braided rug and Rocky and Jayce settled into their routine. Since Chloe did the majority of cooking on Sundays, Rocky had insisted she handle the cleanup after everyone left. Jayce had insisted on helping, making it a couple thing, which made it kind of nice. They had some of their best discussions while putting their dining room and kitchen back to rights.
“I think Rae might be pregnant,” Rocky blurted.
“What? Why?”
“There were signs.”
“What signs?”
Rocky passed Jayce the first rinsed of several food-caked dishes. “For one, she’s not drinking alcohol. She declined my offer when she stopped over the other night, then again earlier in the kitchen. At dinner, Dev poured wine for everyone at the table except for Chloe and Monica. Only Rae never touched hers. At one point, Luke discreetly swapped his empty glass for her full one.”
“Maybe she doesn’t drink.”
“I’ve seen her drink. Not a lot, but typically, when offered, she at least sips at wine or beer. Another thing,” Rocky said. “Did you notice how often she excused herself to go to the bathroom? Chloe mentioned that as one of her first symptoms. Having to pee a lot more.”
“Crossing into the too-much-information zone, Dash.”
“Did you notice how attentive Luke was?”
“He’s always affectionate with women.”
“In a playful way. This was different. The way he kept touching her and holding her hand. The way he looked at her. It was almost … protective.” She passed Jayce another plate then two cups. “You’re a PI. Half of your job is observing. How could you not notice?”
“I noticed.”
“Lastly—”
“Why would a dog like Luke commit to an exclusive relationship with a woman he barely knows?”
She raised a brow. “What are you, a mind reader?”
“A PI. I deduced your train of thought.”
She grinned. “Smart-ass.”
Jayce moved in behind her, wrapping his arms around her middle. “I think you’re jumping to conclusions, babe. Rae’s a knockout. Her face, her body.”
“Thanks for pointing that out.”
He spun her around and tugged on her braid. “Can’t compare to you in my book. But you have to admit, physically, she’s Luke’s type. Plus she’s sweet and motivated. Hard not to get swept up in her enthusiasm about kids and education.”
“Her plans for Sugar Tots are pretty impressive,” Rocky said.
“Considering her background and the fact that she’s worth a fortune, you also have to admit she’s down-to-earth.”
“Amazingly down-to-earth.”
“Maybe Luke’s serious about Rae because he’s seriously in love.”
“Luke’s been in love a million times. Ask him. He’ll tell you.”
“Maybe this is the real thing.”
“Or maybe he screwed up and got her pregnant and now he’s trying to do the right thing.”
“I guess we’ll find out. That’s not something you can hide forever.”
“True.” Just then Rocky’s cell rang. She glanced over to where she’d left it on the counter. “It’s Mom.”
“Calling to talk about the wedding, no doubt.” Jayce kissed her forehead. “Take it. I’ll finish loading the dishwasher.”
Rocky slid out of Jayce’s arms, giddy at the thought of chatting with her mom about girly bridal stuff. Totally out of character given Rocky had always been a bit of a tomboy, but she’d been in love with Jayce since she was a kid. And considering their rough road, this wedding was more than a dream come true. It was a miracle. “Hey, Mom. What’s up?”
“Is Jayce with you?”
Rocky scrunched her brow. “Standing right next to me. Why?”
“I have some troubling news sweetie. It’s about your daddy.”
TWENTY-ONE
Luke hadn’t realized how uptight he’d been about subjecting Rae to the Sunday family dinner until he was driving her back to the Pine and Periwinkle. “I’m almost afraid to ask,” he said. “But did you enjoy yourself?”
“I did. Your family’s lovely, Luke. I thought so before and now…” She rubbed her chest. “I don’t remember the last time I felt that happy. Great food, great company. Everyone went out of their way to make me feel welcome. Even Dev, who can be pretty intimidating.”
“Yeah, well…”
“Jayce is on the quiet side, but he’s sweet.”
Luke grunted. “Not sure he’d appreciate that description.”
“I’ve always been crazy about Daisy. She’s a hoot.”
“That’s one way of describing her.”
“Vince is so reserved in comparison. Yet they seem like the perfect couple. Very happy.”
“It’s a mystery. Vince is the exact opposite of my Grandpa Jessup, who I thought Daisy adored, but maybe not.”
“My mom adored all four of her husbands and they were all very different—personalitywise anyway. They were all as rich as God.”
“So she married for money.”
“Absolutely.”
“That’s one thing you’ll never have to do,” Luke said. “You’re set for life.”
“I wouldn’t marry for money even if I was dirt poor.”
Luke winced at her sharp tone. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Sorry. It’s just…”
She angled then and, even though the moonlight was muted by snow clouds, Luke got a pretty clear view of her troubled expression. “It’s just what?”
“When you first learned that I was an heiress, when you saw me over Christmas at Olivia and Geoffrey’s mansion, you assumed the worst. That I was a spoiled, conniving rich bitch.”
“I’ll cop to that and I apologize. I jumped to conclusions.”
“We haven’t talked about it, but is my bank account an issue with you?”
“I haven’t given that a lot of thought.” Or rather he tried not to think about it.
“Well, you should because, unless I give all or most of it away, I’m almost as rich as God.”
“That rich, huh?”
“Do you know how many relationships have fallen apart because the man resents the fact the woman makes more money than him?’
“You plan on flaunting your fortune in my face on a daily or weekly basis?
“Of course not.”
“I didn’t think so.” Driving into a snow flurry now, he flicked on the windshield wipers. “Anything else?”
“The media. Reporters. Photographers. I’m planning to use my association with Olivia—the Hollywood connection—along with my heiress status to create buzz around the Cupcake Lovers and their cause.”
“As a way of pushing the book deal forward. I know.”
“They can be a little intrusive,” she said. “The media, that is.”
“Are you preparing me for an invasion of paparazzi?”
“I’m not sure what to expect. Precisely. But it’s possible. I’m not keen on unwanted attention, but I can handle it. Can you?”
Was she testing him? Luke flexed his fingers on the wheel. “I guess we’ll find out.”
“It’s just … I’m thinking about the way you reacted when that college kid grabbed me. Punching a member of the paparazzi wouldn’t exactly advance my cause for the Cupcake Lovers.”
“If you think I’m going to stand by while someone, anyone, disrespects or God forbid threatens you, forget it.”
She surprised him with a smile. “Just promise me you’ll exercise some restraint.”
“I promise I’ll try.”
Her smile widened and Luke’s heart did a funny jerk. She was looking at him with something akin to hero worship. It made him feel good and wary at the same time. He kicked up the wipers as the snowfall intensified. Adjusted the defroster then blurted his mind. “Why are you attracted to me, Rae?” He’d never asked that question of any other woman. He’d never wondered. But this was Rae. Reagan Deveraux. Rich. Smart.
“There’s a shallow answer and a deep answer,” she said. “Which do you want?”
Luke flexed his hands on the wheel as he pulled into the parking lot of the inn. “Both.”
Rae shifted in her seat. “Shallow answer: You’re hot. Your body. Your face. Although I’m sure you’ve heard that a thousand times.”
“First time I’ve heard it from you.” First time he’d taken the compliment to heart. “What’s the deep answer?”
“You’re the kindest man I’ve ever known.”
He was afraid of that. Chest tight, Luke keyed off the ignition. “Now that’s troubling.”
“Why?”
“Because it means you mostly have been exposed to a lot of dickheads. Excuse my language.”
She didn’t elaborate or counter. She dodged. “Why are you attracted to me?”
“Shallow answer or deep?”
“Both.”
“You’re hot. Your face, your body.”
“I’ve heard that before. I don’t care. What else?”
He reached over and palmed her cheek. “You move me.”
She blinked.
“You touch my heart like no woman I’ve ever known. As Rachel. As Rae. You inspire me to be a better man.”
“I’m not sure that’s possible.”
“Trust me, it is.” Her faith in him stoked his already burning lust. He’d been hot for Rae all night. Most especially from the moment she’d challenged Nash on the importance of a college education. Not that Luke fully agreed with her viewpoint, but it was impossible not to respect her opinion. Every time she got hopped up on kids and education, he got a freaking hard-on.
He cupped the back of her neck and pulled her in for a kiss. His pulse went into overdrive the moment their lips met. She tasted like the lemon cake they’d had for dessert. He’d loved that she’d had two slices. He wasn’t sure if it was because she was eating for two or because she enjoyed sweets as much as him. He didn’t care. He liked her curves. The feel of her, the look of her. Sexy. Classy. He suckled her tongue, feasted on her lush lips. Slow. Deep. He couldn’t remember when he’d been so keen on kissing.
His Android went off and he ignored it. The damn
thing started ringing again almost as soon as it had gone to voice mail.
Rae eased away, her eyes glazed, her lips puffy. “Must be important,” she rasped.
He wanted to take her—here, now—in the front seat of his car. Classy, Monroe. Groaning, Luke glanced at the profile pic of the caller. “It’s Jayce.” Since Rae had already retreated to her side, he took the damn call. “This better be good.”
“Rocky got a call from your mom. Your dad’s had a setback. He needs to go in for important testing but he refused because it interferes with our wedding date. I sent Rocky up to pack. The only way to reason with your dad is one-on-one. We’re flying down to Florida tomorrow. I told Dev. I’m telling you.”
“I’ll book a flight.”
“That’s what Dev said.”
Luke disconnected then looked across the moonlit car at Rae. “Something’s up with my dad. I need to fly to Florida tomorrow. Dev and Rocky are going, too.”
“How bad is it?”
“I don’t know. Jayce called it a setback. The thing is my dad was going to postpone a crucial test because it clashed with Rocky’s wedding date.”
“Sweet, but foolish.”
“I swear Dad thinks he’s Superman. Who messes with frickin’ cancer?”
Rae reached over and grasped his hand. “Is there anything I can do?”
“Come with me.”
“Why?”
Luke faltered. He couldn’t think of anything beyond not wanting to leave her behind. Which in essence meant he didn’t trust her to take care of herself. Instinctively he knew she wouldn’t appreciate that stance.
“You need to focus on your dad and mom, Luke. I’d just be in the way. Fly south, be with your family. Meanwhile I’ll wage some battles of my own.”
“Such as?”
“Tomorrow, I’ve set up a call with our editor at Highlife Publishing regarding the CL book deal. Later, I have a meeting at the bank regarding ownership of Sugar Tots. Also I thought, well, maybe I should look for a long-term rental. I’ve only been in this suite for three days and I’m already longing for my own kitchen. Tonight made me realize how much I miss cooking, and especially baking.”