“We’d be your cheering section. That’s for sure,” Hope added. Her eyes glistened with emotion.
“So, were you in love with him?” Charlotte blurted out, her eyes full of curiosity. “Hey. If no one else is curious, I’ll fess up to it. I want to know.”
“Yes, I was,” she admitted. She almost burst into tears at the sympathetic expressions on her friends’ faces. “I loved him very much.”
What she didn’t dare to confess was that she was still madly in love with Luke. And she couldn’t imagine every falling out of love with him.
“At the end of the day, all that really matters is being with the woman you love. You could take away every penny I have, strip me of every material thing I possess…and if I still had Olivia, all would be right with my world.”
Hunter Rawlings
Chapter Three
The cool night air washed across Luke’s face as he left the offices of Duvall Investments. He breathed in the fresh air, savoring it as he did so. He’d been cooped up inside all day, with nothing but thoughts of Morgan rushing through his mind.
Luke wasn’t really looking forward to seeing Violet this evening. Seeing Morgan yesterday afternoon had served as a reminder of what it felt like to be crazy about a person. Dating Violet had been enjoyable, mainly due to her sweet nature and the similar interests they shared. But he knew he couldn’t keep this up any longer. It wasn’t fair to either one of them. He wasn’t feeling anything near to what he should be feeling for this charming woman.
Violet deserved to be free so she could find love with someone else in Savannah. He had no right to occupy a single more moment of her time, especially when he knew his heart belonged to Morgan. Sweet, beautiful Morgan had imprinted herself on his soul so many years ago and there wasn’t a single thing he could do to change that simple fact.
By the time Luke made his way from his office at Duvall Investments to Barnard Street, it was a few minutes past seven o’clock. He hated to have kept Violet waiting, but Savannah traffic was unpredictable. When he walked into Alligator Soul, Violet was already seated at a table for two, looking very polished in a dark gray sweater dress.
He leaned down and pressed a kiss against Violet’s cheek. She smiled up at him. “Sorry, I’m late. The traffic was backed up for ten blocks.”
“No problem. It gave me a chance to study the menu. I feel like ordering something new.”
The waiter came to the table and extended a menu to Luke.
After a few minutes, both Violet and Luke had made their decision. Luke discreetly signaled the waiter, then placed their entrée orders. “The lady is going to have the bacon wrapped beef filet and I’m going to have the Hilbo-spiced Ribeye. We’d also like the fried green tomatoes as an appetizer, along with a bottle of the Duckhorn Merlot.”
“Thank you, Mr. Duvall. The appetizer will be out shortly,” the waiter said with a nod.
Luke reached out and took a lengthy sip of his ice water.
“The Merlot was a nice choice,” Violet said with an approving nod of her head.
“I know it’s your favorite,” he said. In his head he was slowly counting the seconds until he broached the delicate topic with Violet. Was there ever a good time to break up with someone?
“Luke. I think we should break up.” Violet spoke in a matter-of-fact manner. She’d uttered the words in a low tone, presumably so none of the other diners might overhear her. Her eyes were bright and clear. There was nothing emotional about her announcement. No tears. Not even a single sign of distress.
He put his water glass down and studied Violet’s expression. She had a bland expression on her pretty face. Was it possible he’d misheard her? If not, this break-up had come out of left field.
He opened his mouth to say something, then began coughing. All of a sudden he felt incredibly awkward. He’d been planning to break up with Violet, then she’d flipped things around and done the honors. Luke wasn’t upset. A sense of relief flooded him. But, he couldn’t remember ever being so surprised in his life. No, he corrected himself. He’d been rocked to his core when Morgan had ended things. And his reaction to that had been a trillion times worse. He could still remember the feeling of absolute shock and pain, coupled with the sensation of his heart shattering into pieces.
“Are you all right, Luke?” Violet’s blue eyes were full of worry.
He reached for his glass of water and took another swig.
“T-this is rather sudden,” he finally said after placing his glass down. He didn’t want to appear too relieved over Violet’s unexpected announcement. The truth was it had saved him from having to break up with her. No man ever really relished breaking up a with a woman. And he did love Violet…but not in a romantic way.
Violet cocked her head to the side. “Not really. I mean…once I realized you were in love with Morgan Lucas, I pretty much knew we were done.”
Luke felt his eyes widen. He began stammering. “W-what makes you think that?”
She smiled at him. “When we attended the event a few weeks ago at Savannah House. I saw the way you were looking at Morgan. There’s no doubt in my mind it was a look of extreme love. I’m surprised the whole room didn’t notice. You were practically glowing.”
Luke steepled his fingers in front of him. There was no point in denying it. “You’re right. I am in love with Morgan.” Luke ran his hand over his face and let out a sigh. “Violet, I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you.”
Violet reached out and grabbed his hand. Tears misted in her eyes. “Don’t be sorry for loving someone. I hate to break it to you, Luke, but I’m not in love with you either.” She let out a chuckle. “I think both of us have been enjoying each other’s company while soothing our damaged hearts. Now at least I know who damaged yours.”
Luke blew out a deep breath. “No offense, but I can’t tell you how relieved I am to hear you say that you don’t love me.”
They both burst out laughing.
“Although you are super loveable,” Violet reassured him.
“At least someone thinks so,” Luke muttered.
Violet leaned forward across the table. “Hey. Whatever pulled the two of you apart doesn’t change what you feel. And from what I observed, Morgan is in love with you also. Trust me. It was written all over her face when she looked at you. If I didn’t like both of you so much, it would have been painful to watch.” Violet winced. “I hope that someday someone will look at me like that.”
“I can’t imagine why they wouldn’t. You’re the whole package, V. You must know that.” He reached out and gripped her hand tightly.
“Thanks for saying so. Sometimes I get so wound up by the mistakes of the past, that I forget there’s a whole future out there.”
“So, where does this leave us?” Luke asked. Although he wasn’t in love with Violet, he did love her as a friend. She had helped him get through loneliness, despair and heartache. He prayed they would always be friends, although he would never force friendship on Violet if she chose to walk away.
She grinned at him. “It leaves us as the best of friends. I’m going to be cheering you on from the sidelines. Please don’t disappoint me, Luke. Life is way too short to mess around when it comes to love. You stepping out on that limb of faith will inspire me to do the same. I don’t know what happened between you and Morgan. Frankly, it’s none of my business. But I do know that love is worth fighting for.”
Warmth filled Luke’s insides at Violet’s generosity. “So I assume you’ll be fighting for love yourself?”
“I need to believe in love again. I need to know that it’s out there somewhere waiting for me to embrace it.” She fiddled with her fingers. The waiter came back just at that moment and placed the appetizer down on the table.
Violet ducked her head and avoided eye contact with him. “Something happened to me. I don’t really talk about it, but it was pretty epic.” She blew out a ragged breath. “It was an absolute nightmare, but I lived through it. But it changed me. I wa
nt to thank you for your friendship, Luke. You provided me with laughter and someone I could trust while I healed.” She swung her gaze up and locked eyes with him. “That is not a small thing.”
Anger flared inside him at the notion that someone had hurt Violet. Badly. He prayed that love would find her, and that she would be fully and completely healed.
“You’re giving me way too much credit, Violet. But, if in some small way I helped you through that horrible experience, I feel blessed to have been there for you.”
Violet shook her head. “This is pathetic. We’re breaking up and being way too civil about it.” She darted a glance around the restaurant. “How about if I smash my wine glass on the floor and throw a tantrum?”
Luke threw his head back and roared with laughter. “Only if you allow me to stand up and accuse you of dumping me in a very loud voice.” He dramatically put his hand on his forehead. “Oh the inhumanity!”
Both launched into hysterics, baffling the waiter who arrived with their entrees with a perplexed expression stamped on his face. He gingerly placed the plates down on the table in front of them and then quickly disappeared.
Luke reached for his wine glass and lifted it in the air. “Let’s make a toast.”
Violet grabbed her glass and raised it up.
“To love. May we both settle for nothing less than love everlasting.”
As they clinked glasses, Luke uttered a silent prayer that Morgan’s feelings for him were half as strong as his own. If so, anything was possible.
***
Morgan sat in her chaise longue chair, bundled up in her cozy robe and sipping hot cocoa with cinnamon as the cool night air floated through the open window. One of the things Morgan loved best about Savannah weather were the seasonable temperatures, even in November.
It allowed for pleasant weather all year round. Although she had a book propped open at her side, Morgan hadn’t read a single sentence. Her thoughts were consumed by Luke.
Sweet, unforgettable Luke. Her Luke.
It would be wonderful if she could show him her new place. She looked around her in awe. This was her home. It wasn’t anything grand by any means, but it was hers. The little cottage had belonged to her grandmother. When she’d moved in a few months ago the place had looked like a wreck. Hard work and help from a few local contractor friends had transformed it into the place of her dreams. It sat about one hundred feet from the house she’d grown up in—the home her mother still lived in. Although she appreciated her mother’s generosity in allowing her to live at home, Morgan had felt the need for her own space. Living in Paris had shown her the benefits of being on one’s own.
The cemetery where her grandparents were buried lay just over the hill, close enough so that Morgan could bring flowers once a week to their graves. And she still lived on the family property, so she was able to help Mama with grocery shopping or errands.
All in all, it was shaping up to be an idyllic living situation. Luke’s face suddenly flashed before her eyes. She felt a sudden yearning for him. What would it have been like if she and Luke had stayed together and settled down? Maybe this cottage would have been too small for the two of them, but she imagined they might have put an addition on it and outfitted it for the two of them. She tried to shake away the image of Luke being here in the cottage with her, but for some reason she couldn’t get the image out of her mind.
A sudden pinging sound grabbed her attention. She sat up straight. Although it was very slight, she knew that she hadn’t imagined the sound. It was coming from her bedroom. She got up and walked in, making sure she turned out the light so no one could see inside. She’d never felt afraid living here, but she knew a woman living alone needed to be on alert at all times.
Ping. She heard the noise again. It sounded like something was being thrown against the windows. From a safe distance, Morgan peered outside.
Although it was dark outside, her outside porch light illuminated a tall figure standing about ten feet from her house. It was Luke!
She lifted up the window. “Luke! What are you doing here?”
He took a step closer. “I’m sorry about the pebbles. I figured it was better than ringing your bell at this time of night. I know it’s late, but I needed to tell you something.”
Morgan frowned. It must be important if Luke had decided to just show up here unannounced at almost eleven o’clock at night. She prayed nothing was wrong.
“Come outside.” He beckoned her with a wave of his hand.
“I’ll be right there. Just give me a minute.” After quickly tossing off her robe, Morgan threw on a sweatshirt, leggings and a pair of moccasins. She made her way to the front door and stepped outside into the glorious night.
Luke was right there to greet her.
“What’s going on? Has something happened?” she asked, her nerves on edge even though she sensed there was no crisis. Luke’s expression didn’t display any distress. If there had been something urgent, his face would have betrayed it.
“I’m sorry if my being here startled you. Everything’s fine. I just really needed to talk to you.” He was looking at her with such intensity. It made her shiver. She folded her arms across her chest. She almost felt as if she needed a buffer to protect herself from the feelings Luke was stirring up inside her. She’d never been entirely comfortable with the way he made her feel.
“Okay. Shoot. I’m listening,” she said.
A frown marred his otherwise perfect face. “I didn’t like the way we left things the other day.”
“No?” Why was her heart beating like a jackhammer? Luke’s presence always caused a physical reaction. It felt like pure adrenaline was racing through her veins.
He took two steps closer to her, making the existing distance between them nothing more than a foot or so. He was so close to her she could easily reach out and touch him. The very thought of it made her nervous. She could hear the sound of her ragged breathing
“Morgan. I’m tired.” For the first time Morgan noticed the lines at the side of his eyes and the slight shadows resting underneath.
“Are you well?” she asked, fear gnawing at her at the idea of Luke being sick. When he’d been hit by a car a few months ago and been hospitalized, it had been an earth shattering experience. She’d uttered more prayers for Luke’s well-being than she could ever remember saying in her whole life.
“No, I’m not. And I don’t think I will be until you’re back in my world.”
She raised a hand to her chest to try and soothe the achy feeling inside. Her heart was reacting to Luke, bouncing around in her chest as if it could take flight and soar.
She shook her head, then took a step backward. Being alone with Luke in the moonlight was a terrible idea. He had a girlfriend. She respected that fact, even if it sometimes made her feel jealous and out of sorts. For the most part she tried not to think of the two them together as a couple. “Luke, we can’t—”
“Things between Violet and I are over.”
Luke’s announcement had the effect of a grenade going off in her heart.
Had she heard him correctly? He and Violet were over?
“Really? You guys broke up?” A feeling of joy rose up inside her. She felt like doing a little jig right in front of Luke. Even though she’d tried to convince herself over and over again that Luke had a right to move on with Violet, her heart had never been fully convinced. It had hurt to know that he’d possibly found love with another woman. Feeling that way had always made her feel guilty, especially since she knew that loving a person was the most natural thing in the world. “Love one another.” It had been God’s command to His people. It was the most precious gift one person could give to another. Love.
“What happened?” she asked, needing to fill the silence with words. She didn’t know how to react, what to say to Luke. It might look insensitive if she started jumping up and down in celebration.
“Violet did the honors.”
A stab of disappointment pier
ced her insides. It hadn’t been Luke’s decision to end things. “I’m sorry. That stinks.”
He grinned at her. “Not really. Violet and I had great affection for one another, but there was always something missing. The romantic feelings were seriously lacking for both of us. And when she broke things off, Violet mentioned you.”
“Me? Why would she mention me?” Morgan asked in a high-pitched voice. She did not want to be dragged into Luke’s breakup.
Luke stepped closer toward her, eating up all the space between them. “Because she knows I’m in love with you.”
A small sound escaped Morgan’s lips. It made her sound like a squeaking mouse.
He reached out and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer toward him. Luke looked down at her, his eyes darkening with emotion. “She knows that for me, there’s no other woman who stands a chance of capturing my heart.”
“Luke.” She breathed his name like a prayer. A part of her had desperately wanted to hear these words from his lips, even though she still wasn’t sure she deserved it. Two years ago she’d been weak and insecure and foolish. Walking away from the love of a lifetime was cowardly. And she still wasn’t sure if she was brave enough to claim this love. No matter how much she wanted to be with Luke, she didn’t know for certain she could go the distance this time.
“Two years ago I let you walk away from me. I was so wounded by your decision to end things I could barely see straight.” Luke’s voice had a ragged edge to it. Morgan knew he was speaking directly from his soul. “I didn’t really question it until you were settled into your new life in France. My pride wouldn’t let me follow you across the Atlantic, even though I wanted to see you and talk things out. I wanted to take you in my arms and show you that there was nothing to be afraid of. I needed to make you understand that for me, there’s only you. Then. Now. Forever. That’s not about to change. I love you, Morgan.” He placed a kiss on her forehead. She closed her eyes and nestled against his chest.
For Love Alone (Secrets of Savannah Book 4) Page 5