“Come in,” she yelled. “The door’s open.” She turned just in time to see a deliveryman loaded down with boxes enter the kitchen.
“This Mabel’s?” he asked, and Kati nodded, hurrying over to relieve him of the largest box. “Had a heck of a time finding this place. Sorry I’m so late.”
Kati examined the brown cartons curiously. “What is this?” She had been using the same suppliers for years and knew most of the deliverymen by name. Both the supplies and the man were strangers to her.
“Potato chips,” he said, huffing as he lowered the boxes to the floor. “Where do you want them?”
“Potato chips!” Kati frowned at him. “Well, why on Earth are you bringing them here? Are you sure you’ve got the right place?”
Pulling a pad out of his back pocket, he flipped several sheets up. “Here it is. You Mabel?” he asked.
“No—yes. This is Mabel’s. But I’m not Mabel,” she explained into his suddenly dubious face.
“I see.” He lifted his hat and scratched his head, clearly perplexed. Obviously he didn’t see, but she was in no mood to go into a lengthy explanation of the diner’s ownership history. “Look, lady, I’m just the deliveryman. You call in the orders. I deliver. Now where do you want these boxes?”
“Are you sure they belong here?” she asked again, clearly confused.
“Lady.” He sighed and replaced his cap on his head. “Could you give me a break here? I’ve driven all the way from Rockford, Illinois, to deliver these chips, and I’ve got more stops to make. Could you just sign for these and tell me where to put them so I can get going?”
Kati looked at him, and then down at the cartons. “Yes, sure. I’m sorry.” She took the pad he extended toward her and noticed Luke’s name. She glanced up at the man, fury simmering through her. No wonder she didn’t know anything about this delivery! Why on Earth would Luke be ordering potato chips, or anything else for that matter? She handled all the supply orders. And if he was going to start changing suppliers, the least he could have done was discuss the matter with her. He had another date for the dance tonight, and now he was taking over her business and her chores!
“Could you wait just a moment?” she asked. “Please?” Crossing the kitchen before he had a chance to object, Kati pushed the door open. “Luke?” she called, trying to keep the anger out of her voice and not succeeding. Some of the old fear returned. “Luke! Could I see you in the kitchen for a moment?”
“What’s up?” he asked, his face breaking into a wide smile when he saw the deliveryman. “It’s about time. I was beginning to think they wouldn’t get here. Just put those cartons in the pantry. Right through here,” he instructed, hoisting a carton to his shoulder and leading the way.
Doing a slow simmer, Kati tapped her foot impatiently, trying to quell the resentment bubbling through her. “Luke, what is all this?” she asked, talking to his back as she followed him into the pantry.
“Chips,” he said simply, dropping a quick kiss to her lips before pulling open one of the boxes.
“We already have a chip supplier,” she protested, trying to ignore his kiss and maintain her anger. “We’ve been using the same chips for years.”
“I know. That’s part of the problem. The chips we use get stale quickly, and they really don’t have much flavor.”
“But, Luke—” She caught the bag he tossed at her, glaring at the silver bag. “Mr. G’s?” she read, one brow lifting in skepticism.
“Now, Kati, don’t say anything until you try them. Taste.”
Sighing, she tried to hand the bag back to him, but he tore it open and lifted a chip to her lips. “Luke—”
“Taste,” he repeated, watching while she opened her mouth and chewed carefully. They were delicious. But she was too angry and too resentful to admit it, and her anger had little to do with suppliers or chips. It had more to do with the dance and Luke’s date!
“Well?” he asked, waiting and watching her.
“That’s it, folks.” The deliveryman looked from one to the other, as if deciding which one should sign his pad. Flashing Kati a sympathetic smile, he handed the pad to Luke, bringing an immediate scowl to her face.
“If you wanted to change suppliers, the least you could have done was discuss it with me!” she admonished once the deliveryman had left.
“Are you mad at me, Kati Rose?” Luke asked mischievously, coming close to peer into her furious face.
“Mad!” She drew back, trying to bank the flames of her temper. “Now why on Earth would I be— Stop that! Don’t you dare kiss me when I’m mad!”
“I love it when you’re mad, Kati Rose,” Luke whispered against her mouth, not paying the least bit of attention to her directives and kissing her again. He reached down and plucked a chip from the bag and popped it into his mouth. “Don’t forget, save me a dance.” Whistling softly, Luke strode from the room.
Maybe she should have shot him when she had a chance, Kati thought glumly, glaring at the bag of chips.
If she hadn’t spent so much time getting dressed—no, changing her clothes—she wouldn’t be this late for the dance, Kati decided, hurrying to slash a bit of color on her mouth. Grabbing a bottle of perfume, she doused herself liberally, then fanned the air and tried to breathe without wheezing. Whew, that was strong stuff!
Kati had changed her clothes about a dozen times, finally deciding on a slinky black number that her brother Patrick had bought her for her birthday two years ago. She’d never worn the dress because it made her look like a seductive siren from the forties with its side slit to her thigh and its plunging low-cut neckline. But tonight, she decided a seductive siren was exactly what she wanted to look like. She was going to show Lucas Kane! A date, indeed! She had been simmering in her own anger all day just thinking about it. Kati slipped on her black high heels and raced from her apartment.
Bessie and Wilfred had already picked up the food from the diner, so Kati walked through the warm summer evening, trying to hurry in her high-heeled shoes. Finally in exasperation, she kicked her shoes off, hooked them over her thumb and hurried along in her bare feet.
The building the dance was held in was lit up like Christmas and Kati could hear the musicians warming up. She slipped in the back door, pausing to slide her feet back into her pumps.
“Where’s Luke?” Bessie asked immediately when she spotted Kati all alone. “Did you two have another spat?” Her wise gray eyes shrewdly assessed Kati’s.
“No, we didn’t,” she assured Bessie, making her way to the table where the food was set up. “Mr. Kane had a date.”
“Mr. Kane? A date!” Bessie declared incredulously, as if Kati had just announced she’d joined the foreign legion.
Kati gave what she hoped was an indifferent shrug. “That’s what the man said.”
“What kind of a date?” Bessie hissed, leaning close to Kati so no one else could hear her.
“The usual kind, I assume,” Kati retorted airily, shrugging her shoulders. “I really didn’t ask him.”
Bessie shook her gray head, her annoyance clearly evident. “It’s your own fault, Kati Rose,” she scolded, wagging a bent finger in Kati’s direction. “You’ve been treating that boy like a flea-bitten mongrel ever since he arrived. And now he’s off dating someone else. And what are you going to do about it?”
“Bessie!” Kati said, trying not to look past the woman to the gathering crowd to see if she could spot Luke. “I’m not going to do anything about it. If Luke wants to date someone else, he has every right.” No he didn’t, her mind shouted. How could he do this to her? Bessie was right, Kati admitted sadly. It was her own fault if Luke was dating someone else. After the way she had treated him when he first arrived, she really couldn’t blame him. But these past few weeks she had thought their relationship had been repaired and was now thriving. Apparently she was wrong.
“Every right, my foot,” Bessie declared, not bothering to lower her voice this time. Kati winced as a group of men walke
d up to the table to help themselves to some sandwiches. Kati smiled at them and handed out plates, all the while knowing that Bessie was standing there scowling at her. Bessie waited until the men drifted off before continuing. “Kati Rose, now I know you don’t like being told what to do.”
“I’m glad you recognize that, Bessie,” Kati said smoothly, trying not to smile. Bessie always told her what to do and meddled in her life whether it was her business or not. “I don’t suppose you’re going to tell me what to do, are you?” Kati asked with an inquiring lift of her brow.
“Humph. Ain’t never stopped me before,” Bessie declared, placing her hands on her ample hips and causing Kati to chuckle softly. “Now you listen up, Kati Rose. Lucas Kane is the best thing to come to town since the new highway interchange. You’re just too prideful and pigheaded to notice.” She leaned across the table again. “Now I told you since the day he arrived, he’s not like your brother’s other friends. This one’s different. And it’s about time you started believing it. Unless you open those pretty green eyes of yours, you are going to lose that boy before you even have him.” Bessie’s eyes narrowed. “Men like Lucas Kane don’t come along that often. And I don’t think I need to tell you that he’s crazy about you. Any fool could see it,” Bessie declared firmly, leaving little doubt as to who she thought the fool was.
Kati sighed heavily and her heart ached a bit. Perhaps Bessie saw things that she didn’t. If Luke was so crazy about her, why was he bringing someone else to the dance?
“You just think about what I said, Kati Rose,” Bessie instructed before stomping off toward Wilfred. Kati glanced around the room. Most of the townspeople were there already. The monthly dance was the big social event of every month. She spotted his dark head at the opposite end of the room. He was hard to miss for he stood head and shoulders above everyone else in the room. Her eyes followed him. She watched as he stopped and leaned down to talk to MayBelle Watson. Kati’s temper flared. So MayBelle was his date! Obviously the woman had chased him long enough and hard enough, and now she’d finally caught him.
Kati glanced down at herself self-consciously. If she looked like a seductive siren when she left the house tonight, now, in contrast to the flaming red dress and elaborate hairdo MayBelle was sporting, Kati decided she looked more like a high school kid. No wonder Luke wanted to take MayBelle to the dance instead of her.
Luke headed in her direction and Kati pretended to be desperately interested in adjusting a plate of sandwiches that didn’t need adjusting. He looked wonderful. His navy pin-striped suit was set off by a crisp, freshly starched white button-down shirt. His tie was a combination of blue and red that added to the look of sophistication. His black hair was still damp and curled boyishly across his forehead. She eyed him longingly, then quickly averted her gaze so he wouldn’t catch her.
“Kati?” Luke did a double take when he got a close look at her dress. “That is some dress,” he murmured, letting his eyes rove across her.
“Is it?” she returned flippantly, moving on to straighten the olives and pickles in an effort to keep her hands busy.
“It is,” he confirmed, plucking her hands free of their busy work and holding them tightly in his. She knew she should yank free, but she was delighted to touch him, to have his attention, even if he did have another date.
“Where’s MayBelle?” she asked, instantly regretting her words.
“MayBelle?” he asked with a lift of his brow. He glanced over his shoulder. “To tell you the truth, I really don’t know.” He looked back at her, his eyes intent on hers. “I don’t really care.”
“You don’t?” she asked hopefully, wondering why he was dating someone he didn’t even care about. The man was going to make her crazy!
“I don’t,” he confirmed, giving her hands a reassuring squeeze. “Have you seen my date anywhere?” he inquired, slipping one hand in the pocket of his slacks and looking entirely too pleased with himself.
Kati’s lips pursed tightly together. If the man couldn’t keep track of his date, what made him think she could?
“Here I am, Luke,” Vera called gaily, waving a white handkerchief in the air. “My, Kati Rose, don’t you look lovely this evening?” Vera’s eyes sparkled brightly as she linked her arm through Luke’s. “Wasn’t it wonderful of Luke to escort me to the dance this evening? Mr. Billings was going to, but we had a bit of a falling-out yesterday. And I certainly didn’t want to attend all alone. It wouldn’t look right, you know, for a lady in my position,” she said proudly, glancing affectionately at Luke. “So Luke offered to escort me.” Luke patted her hand and smiled at the older woman. The affection between them was genuine, and Kati felt her heart fill with love for Luke. What a stinker he was! Making her think he had a real date!
“Yes, it was,” Kati acknowledged, remembering what Bessie had told her earlier. Luke had made Vera one happy lady. And she added silently, he had made her very happy, too.
“Vera, I was wondering if you might mind the food table for a few moments,” Luke asked, looking directly at Kati. “I promised Kati Rose here a dance.”
“I’d be delighted,” Vera said, unlinking her arm from Luke’s and coming behind the refreshment table to relieve Kati. “Now, you two young people enjoy yourselves,” she said, shooing them away. “Take your time. Maybe Mr. Billings will drop by while you’re gone,” she whispered wistfully, scanning the crowd.
Luke held out his arm and guided Kati across the room toward the dance floor. His fingers were warm around her waist.
A soft waltz was playing and she went willingly into Luke’s arms.
“You think you’re pretty cute, don’t you?” Kati asked him finally, sliding both arms around Luke’s neck and arching her body close to his. He gave her an entire afternoon of worry for nothing!
“Me? Cute?” Grinning, Luke lifted a hand and rubbed it across his cheek. “Well, thank you, Kati Rose, I didn’t know you’d noticed.” Oh, she’d noticed all right. And so had every other woman in town.
“Why didn’t you tell me Vera was your date?” she inquired, drawing back her head so she could look at him. He was grinning crookedly.
“I don’t believe you asked,” he retorted innocently. “Why, if you would have asked, I surely would have told you.”
She looked at him skeptically. Why did she get the feeling he had deliberately led her on, making her think he had a regular date? Had he tried to make her jealous on purpose?
“Were you jealous, Kati Rose?” he asked, his breath warm against her skin.
“Me?” She feigned shock, making her eyes wide as saucers, and trying not to grin guiltily.
“Yes, you, Kati Rose,” Luke said knowingly, sliding his arm tighter around her and guiding her toward the door.
“Where are we going?” she asked, following him obediently. She saw Bessie watching them from across the room, an interesting smile on her face.
“Outside to talk,” he said firmly, pushing open the back door with his arm.
“Can’t we talk inside?” she asked, trying to adjust her eyes to the evening darkness. The sky was pitch-black, the only light a sparkling of moonlight and a flash of stars that twinkled majestically across the soft darkness. Luke backed her up against the wall, his handsome features bathed in the soft glow of the moon.
“What I’ve got to say and what you’ve got to say is better said in private. Out here.” The huskiness of his words caused her senses to spiral.
“Here?” she repeated weakly as Luke moved even closer. She could see the glint of desire darken his eyes and her breathing grew shallow.
“Here,” Luke insisted, his voice deep and trembling as he slid his arms around her waist. The evening breeze was warm against her face, tumbling her hair into a tangled mass. Luke reached out and pushed the hair from her face. “Now, admit it, you were jealous, weren’t you?”
“I was not—” His lips silenced hers, sending shivers of desire racing through her. Her breathing grew ragged, and she lea
ned into him, sliding her arms around his neck and pulling him even closer.
“You were saying?” he prompted softly, teasing one corner of her mouth with his intoxicating tongue. Shivers of feminine awareness screamed to life, and she sagged against Luke, savoring the hard masculine feel of him.
“Jealous,” she murmured, the words more air than sound, as his tongue found hers again. Her breathing grew light and ragged as he slid his mouth away from hers again.
“Aha!” he whispered triumphantly, looking deep into her eyes and lifting a hand to caress the soft skin of her neck. “I knew it.”
“Smarty-pants!” Kati teased, sliding a hand to the back of his head and pulling him close to try to claim his mouth again. Avoiding her searching mouth, Luke dipped his head to her neck, nibbling his way gently up to the lobe of her ear. Her heart thundered loudly in her breast, and his lips teased her.
“And there’s more than business between us, isn’t there, Kati Rose?” he whispered, his words soft and moist against her. Struggling to find her voice, her head fell back in wild abandon.
“Yes,” she murmured, gasping as he tightened his arms around her waist and pulled her close until she was pressed against him. Luke’s breathing was as fast as hers. His chest moved rhythmically against her breasts.
“I love you, Kati Rose,” he whispered softly, finding her lips again to drop quick, hot kisses on her waiting, upturned mouth. His lips slid from her mouth to tease the soft satin of her neck. Luke loved her! Happiness shimmied down and through her, bringing a sweet joy to her heart.
“I—I—” She swallowed hard as his mouth moved over hers again. This time his lips were gently coaxing hers into submission. Hungrily, she kissed him back as desire roared through her, weakening her resistance.
“Kati?” Luke’s husky whisper was soft against her cheek. He drew back to look at her. His face was so expectant, so hopeful, Kati lifted a hand to stroke his cheek. His skin was roughened from the stubble of his beard, prickly against her soft palm. Her eyes met his and Kati was certain she had never felt such pure, honest joy. It was overwhelming.
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