“That’s your niece.” Sarah thought of something else. “Does Margaret know?”
Bridget shook her head. “Since I didn’t know for sure, I didn’t say anything and risk being wrong. It would devastate her to think Sean left behind another grandchild, only to find out Jamie wasn’t his.”
Sarah guessed another reason. “You didn’t want her to find out that maybe I had a reason to be angry with him.”
Bridget sat back. “I said I was sorry.”
Luke took the seat beside Sarah and took her hand. “Sean is the one who should be sorry.”
Sarah’s heart felt heavy again. She didn’t know what to do with this information now that she had it. She stared at the boys playing so happily with their cousin, laughing and running around and just having fun. Without their sister.
“Damnit.”
Luke squeezed her hand, somehow understanding her reluctant decision. “I’ll make the call as a lawyer for the family. I can let Trish know that you and Bridget have both discovered that Jamie is Sean’s daughter and that you’re interested in . . .” Luke waited for her to fill in the blank.
It took her a minute to define what she wanted, because having any kind of relationship with Sean’s mistress never crossed her mind. “We are interested in developing a relationship between Jamie and her brothers, as well as visitation with Sean’s family.”
Luke squeezed her hand again. “Very well put.” He touched her chin to get her to look at him. “And very big of you, Sarah. I know this can’t be easy. I wish I’d been more specific—”
She shook her head. “For all of Sean’s secrets that I kept, I always knew there were more that I didn’t know.”
“I’m sure you didn’t want to know this,” Bridget said.
“No. But now that I do, and if Trish agrees, I think it’s best if the children know they’re siblings. How I’m going to explain that to the boys . . . I don’t know. But I will.”
Luke brushed his hand down her hair. “I’ll call her and see if she’s willing to talk about letting the kids see each other.”
“Maybe we could start with a playdate where she drops Jamie off and picks her up.”
Bridget eyed her. “Do you really think she’s going to be comfortable just leaving her kid with you?”
“Do you think she wants to spend time with me and give me the opportunity to tell her what I really think of her?” Sarah would probably hold it together and swallow all the vile things she’d like to spew at Trish, for the kids’ sakes, but it would be tempting to lash out.
But lashing out would make it difficult if not impossible for Jack and Nick to get to know Jamie.
If Sarah could visit the woman who hated her most in the world for six weeks and make it work, she could do a couple of hours on a playdate with her husband’s mistress.
She’d make sure to have a bottle of wine chilled for after the boys went to bed and she drank her feelings. Maybe a visit with Trish would require brownies, too.
Luke kissed the back of her hand and stood to make the call.
Sarah thought better of it. “You should send an email.” She sighed, not liking what she was going to say. “If it were me, I’d rather get an email so I could take some time to think about it and process. She’ll probably panic at first that we know about Jamie and think that we’re going to gang up on her, or something.” She hated that she was probably right and going out of her way to make this a little easier on Trish.
Luke kissed her and stared deep into her eyes. “You always find a new way to amaze me.”
She scrunched her mouth into an angry pout, even if her mad was fading. “I’m still peeved about this misunderstanding.”
“Are you really mad at me, or Sean for making you have to bring the boys and Jamie together?”
She gave him a mock disgruntled frown that only made Luke grin. “Why do you have to be so smart?”
“You love that about me.”
She loved everything about him. She playfully shoved his shoulder. “Just do your lawyer thing without being so smug.”
He smiled, and she couldn’t help but smile back.
Bridget stared from her to Luke and back. “You two are really great together.”
Luke stopped tapping at his phone and looked up at Bridget. “Are you two good now?”
Bridget eyed her. “I hope so.”
“We are,” Sarah confirmed.
If Bridget could admit that she’d been wrong and believed some of Sean’s lies, Sarah could forgive.
Luke stepped away to compose the email on his phone.
“I hope things will be different for all of us now.” Sarah glanced back at the boys, knowing that if Trish agreed to bring Jamie and the boys together, everything would be different again.
She’d hoped to never see or hear about Trish. She didn’t know if she was ready to bring Trish back into her life and what that would look like now.
Maybe Trish would refuse to speak to her about Jamie.
Maybe she’d agree to some kind of a relationship.
No matter what, the boys had family out there and she wouldn’t deny them the chance to know Jamie, whether it was in person or by some other means.
Maybe she’d have to start stalking Trish’s Facebook page herself to make it happen.
Luke took his seat again. “I sent it and included your cell number. Now we wait.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Luke had asked his parents and brother to arrive early, so he could tell them about Sarah and the boys. They were settled in the living room watching his niece, Emma, play.
Luke handed his mom a glass of wine—the others already had a drink—and he took a seat facing all of them.
His mom studied him for a moment. “Spill it, Luke. What’s wrong?”
“Missing the office?” his dad asked. “Because we’re happy to have you back full-time.”
Jason shook his head. “Speak for yourself.” Of course he was teasing. They’d always worked well together.
“It’s not about work. And nothing’s wrong,” Luke assured his mom. “It’s just . . . I found her.”
“Who?” his dad asked.
His mom leaned forward. “Do you mean . . .”
The smile came so easily when he thought about Sarah. “Her name is Sarah. She’s got two amazing sons.”
“Wait a second.” Jason leaned forward as well. “Are you saying you’re actually serious about someone?”
Michelle, Jason’s wife, planted her elbow on her knee and her chin in her hand and smiled. “Oh, I hope so. It’s been so long since someone held on to Luke for more than a minute.”
“Hey!” Luke said, knowing full well Michelle spoke the truth. He turned to his mom, knowing she’d understand. “I’m in love with her. She doesn’t know it yet, but I’m going to marry her.”
Shocked silence filled the room.
Emma broke the silence by bashing a plastic purple hippo on the coffee table over and over again. Luke wondered if she’d be disappointed when she found out there were no purple hippos in the world.
“You’re serious?” Jason asked.
“Yes.”
His father looked surprised. “How long have you known her?”
“Five weeks.” It seemed like a lot longer.
His mom continued to study him, so he told her the truth he still couldn’t wrap his brain around. “I saw her, and I wanted her, and somehow, despite my brash questions and annoying her because I thought she was something she could never be, she fell for me.”
His mother gave him a knowing grin, and he went on, “She’s amazingly smart and kind and devastatingly beautiful and honest and . . . incredible.”
His mom put her hand on his knee. “She makes you happy.”
“In a way I’ve never felt. When she and the boys are here, it’s like . . . everything is perfect. The way I dreamed it could be. And every dream I ever had for my life and this place includes her. Them,” he clarified.
“Tell us everything,” his dad coaxed.
His family sat focused on him, open to everything he told them about how he and Sarah had met, Jack and Nick, her work and the company she ran, everything he could think of about her.
Jason sat back, eyeing Luke. “I have to say, I’ve never seen you this excited about a woman. You look happy and content for the first time in a long time. I can’t wait to meet the woman who finally tamed you. Will she be here soon?”
“Any minute.”
His mom took a sip of her wine, then looked at Luke over her glass. “I’m not surprised you’re so eager to move things along. Jason and Michelle fell head over heels right out of college.”
“He marched me down the aisle six months after I met him.” Michelle leaned over and kissed Jason, so much love in her eyes.
Sarah looked at Luke like that. He hoped she saw it in him when he looked at her.
“Love at first sight seems to run in the Thompson family. Your grandfather met and married your grandmother in a matter of five months. Dad and I met and married in eight months. When a Thompson man falls in love, it’s quick and deep. And it lasts,” his mom added, looking at his dad.
Luke had seen the love between them all these years and didn’t want to settle for less. That’s why he’d waited for Sarah to come into his life. “It just hit me and all I wanted to do was convince her to stay.”
“Stay?” His dad raised a brow.
“She’s brought the boys to visit Margaret for six weeks. That time is almost up and then she’s got to go back to Silicon Valley and run her company. But I’m hoping we can find a way to blend our lives that works for both of us. She’s a programmer so some of her work can be done remotely, which I hope she’ll do so she doesn’t have to commute into work every day. I want her to find a balance that works for her. Right now, she’s inundated with work and puts in sixteen to twenty hours a day, every day. But she’s promised to cut back and work more reasonable hours once she hires more help.”
“Wow,” Michelle said. “How does she do it with two kids?”
“I have no idea. The last time I saw her working, she had six computers going, a dozen files, and several cell phones handy. When she was here resting, her cell phone rang practically every two minutes. All I wanted to do was tell everyone to leave her alone and wrap her in my arms and let her have the peace and quiet she needed.”
“You really do love her, don’t you, son?”
“Yes, Mom. She’s it for me. I can’t imagine living the rest of my life without her and the boys. They’re so great. They remind me so much of Jason and me when we were young.”
“Who’s not young, old man?” Jason scowled. “I’m still young.”
“You won’t think that when you meet these boys. Nick, the four-year-old, he kicks my ass on the video games. Wait until he challenges you to play the race car game. He’s good.”
“That’s my best game. No way I let a four-year-old beat me.”
“Nick will. Jack is a strategist. He loves Knight’s Revenge. Sarah taught him some tricks to the game and he’s really good.”
“Sarah plays video games with them?” Jason looked surprised.
Nothing about her surprised Luke anymore. “She does everything with them. She taught them how to play baseball. I’m telling you, she’s mom and dad to those boys. She even taught them how to spit.”
“Seriously?” Jason smirked. “I think I love her.”
Jason gave him a wink, but Michelle took exception to his teasing. “Don’t even think about it, buster.” Michelle gave her husband’s hair a tug while she watched her daughter practice walking. “Is she another blond bombshell like all the others?”
Luke hadn’t really thought about himself having a type. But he supposed he did before Sarah. “She’s almost the opposite. She doesn’t need to make herself up to impress someone. She’s got a natural beauty and an inner beauty that you just can’t help but see. She’s a lot shorter than me and has dark, long hair. Her eyes are the color of brown sugar and she sings like an angel.”
“Good Lord, he’s in love.” Jason rolled his eyes, but the smile said he was happy for Luke. “And she knows next to nothing about us and the family business? Aren’t you concerned about her finding out and . . . things changing?”
It had happened several times in the past. “Very diplomatic, Jas. But I don’t need to worry about it. She’s wealthy and could care less about whether I had just this ranch or a multimillion-dollar business.”
Luke’s mom and dad exchanged a look he couldn’t really read, but he got they didn’t want him to be disappointed again by a woman who wanted something other than just him. They wanted him to be happy. He was. They’d see it as soon as Sarah arrived.
He checked his watch, wondering what was taking her so long, and knowing she probably got caught on a call or was corralling the boys.
“Jason, you’d be impressed with her business sense. I saw the financial statements for her company. She runs a tight ship. She’s increased her profits exponentially over the last two years and went from being in debt to generating hundreds of millions in profits.”
Jason whistled, impressed.
The knock on the door stopped all further conversation. Every eye in the room turned toward the door.
Chapter Thirty
Sarah stood on Luke’s porch, her stomach tied in knots. Would his family like her? Had he told them about her? Did they know she had two children? Would it matter to them?
Given that Margaret was a longtime family friend of Luke’s parents, Sarah wondered if they would have the same preconceived ideas about her that Luke did when he met her, because of Margaret’s anger toward her.
She really didn’t want to spend the whole night convincing them she wasn’t the money-grubbing monster Margaret had made her out to be.
Mustering her courage, she knocked on the door, setting off a new wave of uncertainty and a billion butterflies in her stomach.
“Do I look pretty?” She didn’t normally ask such things, but she wanted to make a good impression.
The black slacks and cream-colored cashmere short-sleeved sweater were comfortable and classic. Luke always saw her with her hair tied back in a ponytail. Tonight she’d secured the sides at the back of her head with a gold clip and let the rest spill down her back in long waves. Her black strappy heels would probably bring her up to Luke’s nose if she was lucky. Careful with her makeup, she went with a natural look for her eyes, with subtle brown shadow and liner. The black mascara brought out her long lashes and made her light brown eyes stand out. She painted her lips a subtle wine color.
She hoped Luke appreciated the way she looked tonight and didn’t think she was trying too hard. Up until now, he’d only seen her in jeans, tank tops, and T-shirts. She wanted him to see there was more to her than what he’d seen so far.
“You pretty, Mama,” Nick assured her with a soft, sweet smile before he buried his face in her neck again.
Sarah looked down at Jack, standing with his back straight as a soldier beside her, holding the flowers she’d brought for Luke’s mother. He gave her a reassuring smile and nod.
Footsteps drew closer to the door. She took a deep breath and waited, hoping they liked her.
Luke opened the door wide and stepped to the side, revealing his parents.
“You must be Sarah,” Luke’s mother said with a soft smile. “We’ve heard a lot about you and your sons. Come in. Come in.” She waved them forward. “That little guy must be heavy.”
“He’s shy. You must be Luke’s parents. I’m sorry, he never told me your names.”
Luke’s father took his wife’s hand. “I’m James, and this is Lila.”
Sarah shook hands as best she could holding Nick. She smiled, her anxiety easing at the warm welcome.
Luke took after his father in looks, but instead of blond hair, James had light brown hair that had turned gray at his temples. As tall as Luke, he had the same lean build. His white dress
shirt was unbuttoned at the collar and his gray slacks were elegant but casual. He had a charming face with crow’s-feet at his eyes and laugh lines by his mouth. Sarah imagined he laughed often and enjoyed life.
She especially liked the way he looked at his wife and had his arm around her waist. They looked comfortable with each other, like they shared something most would envy.
Sarah wanted that with Luke.
Where James radiated a quiet dignity, his wife glowed with beauty. A few inches shorter than her husband she had lovely blue eyes that softened when she gazed upon the boys. Her face was oval with beautiful, flawless skin. Her deep brown hair softly curled to just below her chin. Her peach silk blouse made her skin glow.
Sarah was pleased to see she had dressed appropriately because Lila had on a pair of black slacks almost identical to her own.
“These are my sons, Jack and Nick. Nick is the shy one.” She kissed him on the head.
“Are you Luke’s mommy?” Jack asked, taking a step closer to Lila.
“Yes, I am. It’s nice to meet you, Jack.”
“My mommy bought these flowers for you.” Jack handed over the flowers and dashed into Luke’s arms.
Luke scooped him up and held him close. “Hi, big guy. What took you so long to get here?”
“Mommy was busy on the email.” Jack let out a long-suffering sigh.
Sarah’s face heated with embarrassment. “I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it, sweetheart. I’m just glad you’re here.”
Lila touched her arm. “Thank you for the flowers. They’re just lovely. They remind me of the roses I had in my wedding bouquet.”
“You’re welcome. I thought you might like them because of the rooms you decorated upstairs. They’re romantic and lovely. You put a lot of heart in them. The way Luke talks about you and this house . . . He loves you very much. You left a lot of love here to keep him company.”
Lost and Found Family Page 23