“Oh Luke. You can’t carry this around with you anymore. It’s tearing you up inside. Even if it’s only once a year that these feelings resurface, it’s not healthy. You have to let it go.”
She reached for him, wrapping her arms around him and burrowing her head against his chest. Luke’s fingers trailed through her hair and she closed her eyes, praying as she did so that Luke would be able to release himself from his survivor’s guilt. She couldn’t imagine how terrible it must have been for the Duvall family to fly home to Savannah as a family of three rather than as a foursome. And the days, weeks and months afterward must have been agonizing. And yet, Luke was still mourning this anniversary as if no time had elapsed at all.
They cradled each other for a few minutes. Morgan prayed Luke was drawing strength from her. She would let him lean on her for as long as he needed.
She felt Luke gently untangling himself from her.
“I hate to leave, but I need to get back to work before they send out a search team,” Luke teased. His tone sounded lighter. The expression in his eyes wasn’t as cloudy as it had been earlier. She hoped in some small way she’d helped ease his burden and dulled his pain.
“I’d say we should race back to the house, but something tells me you’d beat me hands down.” Luke flexed his arm. “I’m going to have to get back in the gym and work out.”
“Thanks for coming over. You brightened my day,” Morgan said.
Luke pressed a kiss against her forehead. “You gave me a lot to think about. There’s no place I’d rather be today than with you.”
“I want to jump down,” Morgan said, surprising herself with her announcement. She wasn’t a big fan of heights, and from this vantage point, the ground seemed so very far away. She was going to do it anyway. She was literally going to step out on a ledge and take a leap of faith. Morgan was discovering with each day that she could be brave. Small steps led to bigger ones.
“Let me head down so I can spot you.” Luke turned and headed down the ladder, reaching the sand in seconds.
Morgan peered over the edge. She felt a trickle of fear shoot straight through her. What if she twisted her ankle? Or hurt herself in some other way? It seemed much higher now than when she’d climbed up here.
This was ridiculous! As a child she’d jumped effortlessly from this exact lifeguard chair. When has she allowed fear and doubt to creep into her soul?
“Come on. Jump.” Luke’s steady voice spurred her on. Murmuring a prayer for safekeeping, she threw her arms out to the side and jumped. As Morgan jumped down from the lifeguard chair, Luke reached up and caught her just before she touched the ground, grabbing her around the waist to steady her landing. She knew that he did it by instinct, not wanting Morgan to fall. At the same time, she reached for him, wrapping her arms around his neck. With the briny scent of the sea filling their nostrils, and the wind whipping against them, Morgan almost felt as if they had been transported to another place and time. Their own little paradise. Morgan couldn’t remember a time in her life when she’d felt so blissful. So content.
She prayed it would continue.
**
By the time Luke made his way back to the offices of Duvall Investments, it was late afternoon. He hadn’t been in his office for more a few minutes when his cousin, Case, came striding through the doors.
“Hey, cuz. I’ve been looking for you all afternoon.” Case—tall and broad-shouldered with dirty blond hair—was the quintessential businessman. Dressed in a dark suit with a light blue dress shirt and turquoise tie, he looked like he’d just stepped out of the pages of GQ magazine. Prior to his engagement to Fancy, Case had been a much sought after bachelor in Savannah. They were getting married in a few weeks at Savannah House, right before Christmas. Luke had happily agreed to be his cousin’s best man.
“Sorry. I lost track of time,” he said. His mind was still back on Tybee Island with Morgan. Something about being in her presence always lifted him up. She always gave him hope for a brighter day. And it felt good to be able to talk to her about Rachel and know she understood how he felt. Her words of wisdom had packed a solid punch. Blaming himself for Rachel’s death was pointless. And maybe he’d been punishing himself as a way of holding on to Rachel.
“What’s with the giddy smile?” Case asked with a frown. “You look like the cat that swallowed the cream.”
He sat back in his leather chair and crossed his hands behind his head. “Oh. Not much. I was at Savannah House.”
“Oh. I see,” Case said with a wide grin. “And did you see Morgan by chance?”
Luke felt a gigantic smile breaking out on his face. He couldn’t contain it! He imagined it was written all over his face. “Yes, I did. She had a kitchen crisis precipitated by a sick sous-chef. I ended up helping her with the lunch service, which was phenomenal of course.” He shook his head. “I think that woman could cook blind-folded. She’s incredible. We spent some time on the beach talking and relaxing. It was nice.”
“I’ll bet. I have to say, I never heard you talk this way about Violet. So it’s just as well that you guys broke up. Life is way too short for either of you to settle for anything other than the real deal.”
“Morgan is the real deal. It’s rather incredible to be back together with her.”
“You love her. I get it. You don’t have to say another word. I support the two of you in this relationship. You’re both pretty special individuals.”
“I appreciate that sentiment. If Morgan and I can get to a place where we’re as blissful and centered about the future as you and Fancy are, I’ll be very grateful.”
Case chuckled. “If anyone had told me last year that Fancy and I would be walking down the aisle in a few weeks, I’d call them certified. We went through our trials and made it through the fire. I can’t say that I relish those hard times, but it certainly made us stronger as a couple and more grounded in our faith. We know God led us through the turbulent times. He never stopped leading us straight back to each other.”
Luke nodded. He knew that he was in it with Morgan for the long haul. His faith was an important part of his life, as well as Morgan’s. If things went according to his grand plan, he would marry Morgan, build a family and they would stay with each other, come what may. Through good times and bad.
“I agree with you wholeheartedly. I’ve uttered a lot of prayers over the past years about my future with Morgan. Some days I didn’t feel that God was listening, but I know now He was. And I’ve learned a lot about patience and His timing. I’ll admit that before I pretty much expected God to deliver things when I needed or wanted them.” He threw his head back and laughed. “I’ve grown up a bit since then.”
“Haven’t we all?” Case asked. “I learned a lot from my failed engagement to Fancy. This time around, I’m not going to allow pride or jealousy to get in the way.”
“Your big day is rapidly approaching,” Luke noted. “Any wedding jitters?”
Case’s smile was nice and easy. “Not a single one. I’d marry that woman any day, any hour, any time. Speaking of which, I’ve been looking for you to find about your tux rental. Make sure you have all the details squared away. My best man has to look sharp.”
Luke held up his hand. “No worries. I’ve got it all under control. Hunter and Jax have already ordered their tuxes as well.” He rubbed his hands together. “Can’t wait to see you dragging your knuckles down the aisle.”
Case straightened his tie. “Are you kidding me? I’d be shocked if the Savannah Times didn’t feature me as the most debonair groom in Savannah history.”
Luke made a face, then began chuckling with laughter. Case joined in and the two enjoyed the easy camaraderie that they always did. They were cousins by blood but best friends by choice.
“Hey,” Case said, his voice softening. “How you holding up today? I saw Uncle Lionel earlier and he seemed to be doing the stiff upper lip thing.”
“Sounds like Pops. He’ll throw himself into his work and p
retend that today is just another day. Mom won’t leave the house though. She’ll sequester herself in her bedroom and pore over old albums.” It made Luke’s heart hurt to think about his mother combing through old pictures in an attempt to hold on to the memory of the daughter who’d passed away so tragically. He knew exactly what it felt like to try and hold on to the memories before they slipped through your fingers like sand in an hourglass.
“And you?” Case asked pointedly. “I know this isn’t easy for you, Luke.”
“I’m doing okay. Seeing Morgan made it all better. That lady possesses more humanity and compassion and wisdom in her little finger than most people have in their entire bodies.”
Case shook his head and laughed. “Man, you’ve got it bad. Your face changes when you talk about Morgan. And your voice too. You get this look on your face that’s all animated and mushy.”
“I can’t help it. She makes me happy,” Luke confessed.
“Don’t apologize. It’s great seeing you like this. I can’t think of anyone more deserving of peace and happiness than you.”
“Thanks. And you know I’m excited about your nuptials. The Duvall family needs a happily ever after moment.”
“Who knows? You might be following right after me down the aisle.” Case began whistling the wedding march.
Luke picked up a pencil from his desk and threw it at his cousin. “Let’s get you married off first.”
He would never admit it to Case in a million years, but the idea of getting married to Morgan excited him. He’d loved her for so long. There were some things in life a person just knew instinctively. And he knew that if he lived another one hundred years, he would never find another woman as perfectly created for him as Morgan.
“When you fall in love it feels as if the world stops spinning. The sunsets, sunrises and rainbows seem to exist just for the two of you. It feels as if you’re floating on air.”
Fancy Tolliver
Chapter Six
“So, you’re going out on a date with Luke tonight?” Callie’s eyes were brimming with interest. “Fancy mentioned it.”
Morgan made a mental note to tell Fancy she was a blabbermouth. Honestly, she hadn’t wanted to say anything to Callie about her night out with Luke. For the moment, Morgan wanted to downplay everything so no one began making wedding plans for her and Luke. And since Callie was Luke’s sister, things were bound to get a little complicated.
“I think so,” Morgan answered. She bit her lip. Why was she wavering on whether or not tonight was a real date?
“You think so?” Olivia asked. Callie and Olivia exchanged a glance. “Why the confusion?”
“I haven’t been on a date in a very long time,” Hope admitted. “But I’d like to think I’d know a date if someone asked me out on one.” She crossed her hands in prayer-like fashion. “Please, Lord. Let someone ask me out on a date.”
“Okay, ladies. It’s a date,” Morgan admitted. Nervous excitement raced through her.
Callie, Olivia and Hope began clapping and making hooting noises.
Morgan raised a finger to her lips. “Shh. Our guests are going to think we’re crazy making all this noise first thing in the morning. Let me tell you what happened. A note arrived at my door this morning. It was from Luke. It basically said to be ready at six o’clock sharp. I’m not confused about whether or not it’s a date. I’m actually wondering what I should wear because I have no idea where we’re going. Luke is being deliberately secretive.”
“I like a man with a hint of mystery,” Olivia said. “Hunter likes to surprise me from time to time. He never fails to impress me.”
“Oh those millionaires,” Callie said dryly, making a reference to the huge fortune Olivia’s husband, Hunter Rawlings, had amassed as a businessman. Although Hunter had grown up poor, he’d parlayed his business acumen into a fortune. Thankfully, he’d remained grounded and humble. He and Olivia made a stellar pair.
Hope raised her hand in the air. “If he has any millionaire friends who are looking for a cute single mother, I’m ready and available,” Hope said in a teasing voice. Morgan grinned at her. She couldn’t get over how much Hope had come out of her shell in the last few months.
“I need to get back out front. We have some folks checking out this morning,” Olivia said, reaching out to give Morgan a hug. “I’m thrilled for you. This is a whole new chapter for the two of you. No dating in secret. No complications. Just straight up romance.”
Gulp. Little did Olivia know, but her kind words made Morgan feel as if the pressure was on. Now that she and Luke were openly an item, there would be plenty of probing eyes and gossip in Savannah. Morgan didn’t have any illusions about the Savannah gossip mavens and the society grand dames. Luke Duvall was expected to be paired up with society princesses like Violet, not a cash strapped chef who had been raised in a very humble manner. And although she would like to pretend it didn’t exist, she knew there might be some who didn’t think Luke belonged with a biracial woman. Morgan had grown up with acceptance and color blindness for the most part, but some of her experiences had shown her that there would always be people who sought to set her apart as different. Other.
“What’s wrong?” Callie asked. “You seem like you’re a million miles away.”
Callie and Hope were staring at her as if she had two heads.
“You look scared,” Hope noted. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m not scared,” she said in a low voice. She pressed her palm against her belly. “I have butterflies flying around in my stomach. I…I really want things to work out this time for Luke and me, but I sort of feel like I don’t know completely what to expect.”
“Expect the best. Expect to be happy,” Hope said in a chirpy voice. With her long, dark hair and brown, almond-shaped eyes, Hope had a very expressive face. And despite her circumstances, she always had a great outlook on things.
Months ago, Hope had shown up for the reading of Miss Hattie’s will with a baby daughter named Ella in tow—a baby whose existence had been a tightly-held secret. To this day, Hope had chosen not to divulge the identity of Ella’s father, and other than a few discreet hints, none of them had put her on the spot.
“I want to be with Luke. I really do. And I’m well aware of the fact that I was the one who messed up last time. I gave in to my fears and insecurities.” Morgan fiddled with her fingers. “It’s just a little daunting thinking all of Savannah will have their eyes glued to us.”
Callie swatted a hand in the air. “Do not worry about those gossipy snobs. They had plenty to say when they learned about Mac being my brother. Don’t you remember? They wrote about it for weeks in the gossip rags and made up so many scandalous stories that it made my head spin. What I learned from that experience was to hold my head up high and know that the truth will prevail. It doesn’t matter what they think or what they write or insinuate. You know that what you and Luke feel for each other is real and meaningful. And it’s something that most people can’t ever hope to find.”
Hope began clapping. “Amen, sister.”
Morgan blinked away tears. Callie’s pep talk had happened at just the right time. Luke meant the world to her. Simply put, he was her everything. And she knew that part of being together meant stepping up and dealing with the reality of dating someone from a prominent Savannah family. Although she’d known the Duvall family her entire life, their lifestyle couldn’t have been more different from her own upbringing.
“Just don’t break his heart, okay? He has a heart of gold and he isn’t half as tough as he looks.” Callie wagged a finger at Morgan. “It’s very clear from the way he talks about you that he’s completely smitten.” Callie narrowed her eyes as she gazed at Morgan. “I know you aren’t the type to shout your feelings all over town, but I hope you care as much for him as he does for you.”
“I care for Luke so very much,” Morgan admitted. She wasn’t about to tell Callie that she was in love with Luke. She hadn’t yet summoned the courage t
o say those three gigantic words to him, and she wasn’t about to shortchange Luke by telling Callie first. Callie would just have to wait a little bit until she told Luke that she loved him.
She hated to admit it, but Callie was one of the reasons she’d been a bit hesitant about her relationship with Luke. Callie was fiercely protective of her brother—as he was of her—and Morgan had never wanted to jeopardize her friendship with Callie. They’d been friends ever since they were five years old, shortly after Callie had been adopted by the Duvall family.
It added an extra layer of pressure to the situation.
“That’s good to know,” Callie said with a smile. “I’ve got to go look at the books and juggle some things,” she said in an airy voice as she turned on her heel and headed out of the kitchen.
“I’ve got to get moving as well. I’m picking up Ella from my parents’ house so I can spend some quality time with her this afternoon.” Hope winked at her. “May you have the most romantic night of your life this evening.”
“From your lips to God’s ears. I am definitely in need of a little romance,” Morgan quipped.
Once Hope left, Callie had the kitchen to herself. Henry was out running errands and wouldn’t be back for at least an hour. She reached into her apron pocket and pulled out the note Luke had left for her this morning. The envelope with her name on it was a beautiful blue, the color of a robin’s egg.
Luke. She let out a sigh. She pressed the envelope against her chest. Luke’s beautiful handwriting had made her heart skitter when she’d first noticed the envelope in her mailbox.
Back when they were in elementary school, Luke had won a contest for best penmanship. When his friends had teased him about it, Luke had thrown the trophy in the trash bin during lunch period. Once the lunchroom had cleared out, Callie had dug in the trash and recovered the penmanship trophy. She’d held onto it for a few months, then returned it to Luke one hot summer day.
For Love Alone (Secrets of Savannah Book 4) Page 8