Fancy jabbed her in the side. “Hey. I’m just kidding. Don’t look so worried.”
Morgan bit her lip. “Luke’s with Violet now. It’s all in the past. But I do wonder what Callie would think. I don’t want her to believe I was disloyal to her and our friendship.”
Morgan couldn’t help but to follow Luke’s movements with her gaze. He seemed to radiate raw energy. All of his movements were magnetic and eye-catching.
“Judging by the way you’re looking at him, the feelings are still there,” Fancy noted. She reached out and placed her arm around Morgan. “I’m sorry that things didn’t work out.”
“It was my fault,” Morgan admitted, tearing her gaze away from Luke. She didn’t need anyone else to notice that she was pining away for Luke. It was strange. Fancy discovering her deep dark secret actually made her feel better about the situation. For so long she’d been hiding her feelings for Luke. Being able to talk about it with Fancy felt freeing. “I ended things because I didn’t have courage. I was weak.”
Fancy frowned. “That doesn’t sound like the Morgan I know and love. You’re one of the bravest women I know. You left Savannah to work as a chef in Paris. That’s shows a great deal of courage, my friend. We definitely need to discuss this later.”
Just then more guests arrived—four ladies who were having a girlfriends’ weekend to celebrate their birthdays. Morgan stepped forward to greet the and welcome them to Savannah House. She needed to focus on business and put Luke firmly out of her mind. The fact that he was standing a mere twenty feet away was proving to be a tad distracting.
Fancy had just shown her that hiding her feelings in Luke’s presence was impossible. Morgan didn’t have a clue how to successfully conceal her love for him. And she did love him. She couldn’t imagine not loving Luke Duvall. He had imprinted himself on her heart back when she was a girl. A feeling of such intense longing filled her heart almost to overflowing. Morgan felt as if she might burst. Sweet, handsome Luke.
“What time is the welcome reception?” One of the latest arrivals—Peggy—stood in front of her asking a question.
Snap out of it! She needed to focus on Savannah House. This was the dream that had come to fruition. Luke had been her heart’s desire, but their love hadn’t been strong enough to meet the challenges they’d faced. And she had been the one who had cut things off, then fled to Paris to mend her broken heart. She had no right to wallow in it now or feel jealous about Violet.
Morgan looked at her watch. “It’s in one hour. So you can head upstairs to your room and unpack your bags if you’d like.”
“Thanks,” Peggy said, her eyes wide as she looked around her at Savannah House and its gleaming hardwood floors, mahogany balustrade, vintage lamps and stained glass windows. “This place is spectacular,” she said in an awestruck tone.
Morgan chuckled. “It really is. We feel very blessed to be running the place. If you would like one of us to give you a tour, just let us know. We’re here to accommodate all of your needs. We want you to have a lovely stay here on Tybee Island.”
Peggy beamed at Morgan and walked over to join her friends who were congregating in the parlor. She looked around her. There was a buzz in the air as the guests began to circulate. Hope was offering tours of the garden while Fancy was discussing the eighteenth century origins of a mahogany side table with one of the guests.
Morgan knew it was high time she disappeared into the kitchen and began setting up the appetizers for the reception. She had already prepped the food earlier, so there was nothing to really worry about. When it came to food, Morgan was a perfectionist. She wouldn’t be satisfied unless every single detail worked out perfectly.
Morgan quickly made her way into the kitchen. Bottles of champagne and sparkling cider sat on the counter, along with glass flutes. They had hired four servers who would be helping out during the reception. Morgan made a mental check list. Mini crab cakes. Bruschetta. Stuffed mushroom caps. Chicken satay on skewers. Savannah shrimp bites. Morgan busied herself going over all of the last minute details.
The sound of footsteps caused her to swing her gaze toward the entryway to the kitchen. Luke stood there, looking more handsome than he had a right to look. A sweet smile graced his lips. She ran a hand through her hair, hoping she looked fairly presentable.
“I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” Luke said, the rich timbre of his voice as smooth as glass. Shivers raced down her back at the sound of it.
“No, of course not,” she blurted out. “I’m just getting everything ready for the reception.”
Luke sniffed the air. “Mmm. Can’t say I’m surprised, but it smells delicious in here.”
He walked closer, making his way toward the butcher block island in a few easy strides. She stood on one side, while he stood across from her. Tension hummed in the space between them.
Luke locked eyes with her. Morgan shivered. Why did it always seem as if Luke was able to see straight through her, right down to the things that mattered most? “How are you doing? I know this is one of those life moments you’ll never forget.”
She swallowed past her nervousness. “I’m doing fine. Honestly, I can’t believe the big day has arrived. All I keep thinking is that I need my food to be as amazing as Savannah House.” She let out a shaky laugh. “I don’t want to be the weak link.”
“Are you kidding me?” Luke asked with a shake of his head. “You could never be that in a million years. Your cooking is food for the soul.”
She let out the breath she’d been holding. Luke had a way of calming her like no other. It was a special gift he possessed. “Thank you. I couldn’t help but notice you brought your guitar. Are you performing?”
Luke made a face. “Callie asked me to sing during the reception.” He quirked his mouth. “I hope that’s all right.” He shifted from one foot to the other. “We haven’t really talked since you’ve been back from France. I hope my presence here doesn’t bother you.”
Bother her? Although Luke’s presence distracted her from everything else, there was no way he could ever be a bother. “Of course not! You have every right to be here, especially since Callie invited you. We’re still—” Her voice faltered. She didn’t know how to finish her sentence.
He frowned. “Still what?” He ran a hand over his jaw. “Because for the life of me I can’t figure it out.”
“Friends,” she said, knowing that in a million years Luke could never be relegated to friendship status. He was so much more. Deep in her heart Morgan knew he always would be. Forever. Falling out of love with Luke had proved impossible. She had desperately tried to outrun her love for him when she’d traveled to France and found employment at a five-star restaurant in the heart of the Marais district. But even in another country, her love for this man had persisted. Endured. Thrived.
Luke heaved a tremendous sigh. He tapped his fingers idly on the butcher block island. Morgan studied Luke’s hands. They were long and finely shaped. Those same hands had held her, comforted her, stroked her hair. A musician’s hands. Suddenly, she was consumed by sadness that instead of living out his musical dreams, Luke sat all day in an office at his family’s corporation. Even if he never put it into words, Luke was trapped.
“Morgan, is it really that easy for you to reduce what we are to one another as simply friends?”
Morgan broke eye contact with him. She looked down and fiddled with her fingers. “I never said it was easy, Luke. Trust me, it isn’t.”
“Then why? Why didn’t you try harder?” He let out a sound of frustration. “Why didn’t we try harder? I should have gotten on a plane and followed you to Paris. I should have chased you down to the ends of the earth. I wanted to—”
The sound of shuffling feet alerted them to the arrival of the wait staff. Morgan wanted to shout out and order them to keep out of the kitchen. She was desperate to hear what Luke was trying to tell her. What had he wanted to do? She wanted to know so badly.
Luke held up his hands. �
��Forgive me. I’ve always been really good at knowing the right thing to do in hindsight.” With a regretful look etched on his face, Luke turned and left the kitchen, his shoulders slumped in defeat. Morgan ached to follow behind him and clasp her hand with his and wipe that troubled expression off his face.
Call him back! Follow him! An urgent voice buzzed in her ears. Why was she so lacking in courage? Why did it always seem as if mountains stood between her and Luke? What was so wrong with her that she could never step out on the limb and reach for happiness?
She stood still, mouth closed, unable to follow the deepest urgings of her soul. Morgan turned and raced toward the bathroom adjacent to the kitchen. She closed herself in and sank down on to the tiled floor. Tears coursed down her cheeks. The pain of loss ricocheted through her. Did a person ever truly recover from losing the love of their life?
God, please help me to heal my heart. I love Luke so much, but I missed my chance to be with him. He’s with Violet now and she’s a lovely woman. I can’t keep hanging on to every word or gesture from Luke. Please help me get over him so I can move forward with my life.
Morgan stood up on trembling legs and looked at herself in the bathroom mirror. She reached for a tissue and began to blot away all signs of her heartache. She sucked in a fortifying breath. She could cry later in the comfort of her own home. For now, she was the chef for the world famous resort, Savannah House. It was time to strut her culinary stuff!
“Nothing feels as right as knowing you’ve found your soulmate, the one you were destined to walk through life with.
Callie Duvall Holden
Chapter Two
As Luke walked away from Morgan and back toward the grand foyer, he found himself battling a mix of emotions. Feasting his eyes on Morgan had been wonderful. With her big brown eyes and delicate features, she was a beautiful woman. When she gazed at him, Luke felt as if they were the only two people in the world. Morgan’s beauty radiated from the inside. Her kindness, wacky sense of humor and compassion set her apart from anyone Luke had ever known. She was warm and easy-going. A jewel of a woman.
He let out a sigh and placed his hand across his chest. Seeing Morgan wasn’t exactly easy on his heart.
Although he was happy to have sought Morgan out so they could speak privately, he still felt as if nothing had been resolved. They were still staring at each other across this great big chasm. They were still miles and miles away from resolution. Closure. He let out a bitter laugh. People always talked about closure as if closing a chapter on love was a good thing.
Love? He’d never told Morgan that he loved her, although he did, more than mere words could ever convey. Perhaps things might have ended differently if he’d spoken words of love, leaving no doubt as to how he’d felt about Morgan.
You’re dating another woman! A voice hissed in his ear, making him feel incredibly disloyal to Violet. He couldn’t control the way he felt, but it didn’t sit right with him to pine away for one woman while dating another.
Violet! Attractive and sweet-natured, Violet Craddock was a peach. She worked at the local historical society in Savannah. He’d known her since forever. If someone was looking at them from the outside they would find them a perfect match. Petite, blond and adorable, Violet looked perfect standing at his side. And her family was as well-known and established in Savannah as his own. They were wealthy and connected and philanthropic. His parents adored her.
But he didn’t love her. And he knew he couldn’t love her, no matter how much time went by or how many dates they went on. It was pretty impossible to love another woman when he was head over heels in love with Morgan. Tonight, like most nights, he would get down on his knees and pray to God for answers. Clarity! Vision.
He let out a harsh chuckle. His father—Lionel Duvall—was waiting on pins and needles for an engagement. If it wasn’t so pathetic it would be downright hilarious. His father wanted to merge the Duvall Investments and family fortune with the Craddock empire. It was an entirely materialistic matchmaking scheme born out of his desire to create a Duvall-Craddock dynasty. And Luke—fool that he was—had allowed the entire situation to spiral out of control. He had continued to date Violet when his heart had rebelled against it.
Why had he done it? Why was it always so hard to say no to his father? A tight sensation spread across his chest. Luke knew the answer. Deep down in his soul he knew that he still felt a sense of obligation for his sister’s death. After all these years guilt still continued to place a choke-hold on him.
When Luke had first started dating Violet it had boiled down to two old friends from elementary school hanging out together and having a good time. Luke had been trying to mend his broken heart after Morgan had broken things off with him. Morgan had disappeared and gone to the other side of the world. During that time, he hadn’t known up from down. Violet, although she’d never divulged a word of it to him, had her own reasons for dating him. He suspected that she also had been hammered in the love department. It was his hunch, although Violet had never confirmed it. Truth was, he’d been dealing with his own wounds for the duration of their relationship. Had that been fair? Or right? Or kind?
And now, in the clear light of day, he knew that he had to do what was right. Even if it wasn’t easy.
He watched as Callie whirled around the grand foyer, alternating between greeting guests and conferring with her co-owners. Just the sight of his younger sister made him smile. The day his parents had brought five-year-old Callie home and adopted her, the Duvall home had been transformed. They had all been grieving the loss of his sister Rachel in a drowning accident. Although Callie could never replace Rachel, she’d added love and light to a household in mourning. It had allowed them to heal.
Callie had been through so much over the past year, yet she still radiated like the sun. Love triumphed over everything else in her world. Even though she had been cruelly separated from her biological brother, Mac Donahue, and their own parents had played a role in the deception, Callie had fallen in love with their childhood friend, Jax Holden. They were one of the sweetest newlyweds Luke had ever seen. Shortly thereafter, Callie’s best friend, Olivia Renault had married the millionaire, Hunter Rawlings, making another sickeningly sweet couple in their circle. And now his cousin, Case, was engaged to Fancy Tolliver.
He hated to admit it even to himself, but being surrounded by happily in love couples hurt sometimes. Although he was truly happy for all of them, it still made him feel as if he had an aching hole in his gut. A hole only one woman could fill up.
Callie swung her gaze in his direction and made a bee-line straight toward him.
She frowned at him, her pretty face slightly twisted with concern. “Where did you go? I’ve been looking for you.”
“My nose led me toward the kitchen,” he said, carefully avoiding the real reason he’d been in the kitchen. “I could have sworn I smelled hushpuppies. Thought I might try to sneak a taste.”
Callie playfully swatted at him. “I hope you didn’t say that to Morgan. The food she’s serving is a bit more upscale than hushpuppies.”
“Morgan isn’t fussy. She’d serve hushpuppies in a heartbeat,” he said, praying he wasn’t wearing his heart on his sleeve. It seemed near impossible to talk about Morgan without raving about her. In his eyes, she was pretty perfect. Except for the fact that she’d broken up with him! The thought popped into his brain, reminding him once again that he was far from over it.
Maybe just maybe they could be friends one day. He rid himself quickly of that notion. His heart was too far gone to ever be platonic with Morgan.
His sister grinned at him. “You’re right. Morgan has the skills of a cordon bleu chef, but the heart of a Savannah girl.”
Callie’s words summed Morgan up beautifully. Her down-to-earth nature was one of the qualifies that continued to endear her to him. Try as he might, he couldn’t keep the fake grin off his face. He was getting a little weary of pretending all was right in his world.
Callie tugged at his arm and pulled him into an alcove. Her emerald eyes radiated concern. “What’s wrong? You look worn out. I haven’t wanted to say anything, but ever since the accident…maybe before it, you’ve seemed a little bit distant.” Callie shrugged. “Something seems off.”
He didn’t make direct eye contact. His gaze focused on the floor. “Just busy at Duvall. Dad has been all over me about a few acquisitions. It’s been a little crazy. And the accident threw me off. It’s not every day that one gets mowed down by a car in downtown Savannah. Honestly, I’ve been feeling a bit sluggish when I work out.”
Callie’s frown deepened. “You need to discuss that with your doctor.”
He felt a smile tugging at his lips. He mock saluted Callie. “Yes, ma’am. Right away.”
Callie smirked at him. “You’re such a goofball. Do you know that?”
“You’ve been telling me ever since we were kids,” Luke said with a grin.
Callie reached out and squeezed his arm in a comforting gesture. “And I know daddy’s been pressuring you to get engaged. That type of interference can’t be welcomed.”
He shook his head. “There won’t be an engagement. And there won’t be a Duvall-Craddock merger. It’s not happening, Callie,” he spit out. “Not now or ever. At some point I have to be true to myself and stop going through the motions. I have to stop following marching orders. I can’t stand the way he tries to pull the strings. I would’ve thought he’d learned a few life lessons from what happened with you and Mac. I know you worked through those issues and chose to forgive, but from where I’m standing it still seems as if he has a desire to control the lives of his children.”
Callie’s eyes widened. She held up her hands. “Whoa. Where did all of that come from?”
Suddenly, it all became too much for him. The breakup with Morgan. The pressure placed on him by his father. The demands of Duvall Investments. The idea that he might be hurting Violet. Not to mention that he still felt like road kill after being dumped by the woman he loved. And he still had bumps and bruises from the accident. All in all, he was falling apart at the seams.
For Love Alone (Secrets of Savannah Book 4) Page 3