The thing was, though, I kind of missed having Piper and Lucy to call all the time to share my successes with. I still could call them—I was the problem not them—but I didn't want to interrupt young love.
"You're nuts," Lucy assured me over a coffee in my office Tuesday afternoon. "We always want to talk to you. We miss you, you big idiot."
"I assume idiot is a term of endearment."
"You assume correctly," he said, grinning. "So, Luke the hottie heads back to New York for a few days tomorrow. It'll be nice to return to an all-girl work space for a while."
"You don't like Luke?"
"Oh yeah, I really like him, but this is probably the end of an era. The roll out of the franchises will be starting soon and the intimate business Piper has set up is going to morph into something else. I'll be slipping off the hairnet and sliding in behind a desk. A few last days of just us will be bittersweet."
"I can see that. Change is good though."
"Says the woman who avoids change like the plague."
"I do not."
"You kind of do, but that's okay. If it ain't broke, why fix it."
"Do I really?"
"Well, you won't hire an assistant."
"That's just one thing."
"True. You don't seem too keen to move house."
"That's strategic. I've invested in property you know. And I'm looking after Nona."
"You avoid relationships with anyone that challenges you."
"Whoa, where did that come from?" I could not believe she'd said that.
"You do. And you know how I know? Because I was exactly the same until you practically forced me into a relationship with Chase. I'd been burned by everyone I loved, and I was scared to take a risk. What's your excuse by the way?" Lucy asked me nonchalantly as if it were the most casual question in the world. "You seem to have had a pretty normal life."
"You think my family is normal? You're more screwed up than I thought." I tried to make light of this.
"Nice deflection, Cherie. You're really good at that. You don't like talking about feelings and emotions much, well not yours much anyway."
"Have you been studying to be a therapist while I haven't been watching?"
"Well, I do have a psych minor, but no, just the last little while I got my head out of . . . well, I've been paying attention more."
I didn't want to get into this with Lucy, but maybe she was the one to tell. I could trust her not to tell Piper and Aaron. I needed to talk to someone.
"Okay, I'll spill but not now. I have some serious work to do and it is complicated. What about Friday night? Meet me for a beer at O'Shaunnessy's?"
"Cool." Her pretty little face lit right up.
"But there's a catch. I don't want you repeating what I tell you to anyone, so decide if that will feel weird for you keeping a secret from Piper or not. I get it if it will."
"You don't want to tell Piper?" Her brow furrowed.
I gave my head an adamant shake. "Nope, it's for your ears only, so think about it, okay?"
"Sure."
When she left, I sent Luke a quick text. It was true I didn't like change, but Luke had been thrust into my life. And maybe this was a demon I needed to slay so I could move on and meet someone new, someone just for me.
Drinks, your hotel, seven?
See you in the lobby.
#
The Copley Hotel
I didn't have time to go home and change. Really I barely had time to meet Luke for a drink, but it needed to be done. Maybe my feelings were just a mix of the shock at seeing him again and the realization that he was as I remembered him and not some complete heartless bastard, which is what I had turned him into since he left. Then again, maybe he was. All I knew for sure was he worked in advertising, Lucy and Piper liked him, and he was not bad company at a group dinner. Oh yeah, and he made my whole body hum.
The bar was buzzing with tourists and businessmen when I arrived. I didn't look out of place in my black skirt, knee-high patent red boots, and matching red silky top. I had a sparkling cardigan I kept at the office for such occasions slung over my knock-off Kelly bag. Luke was sitting at the bar fiddling with a bowl of olives. A tall and rather exquisite looking blonde was attempting to engage him. He was being polite but not showing any overwhelming interest. I would have happily told her to back off if he were in fact mine or if he'd been outrageously flirting with her.
I walked up and tapped him on the shoulder. The blonde gave me a quick appraisal, and Luke leapt from his chair and kissed my cheek.
"You made it!"
"I did."
"Will you excuse us, Amber? It was lovely meeting you." Amber mumbled something and stalked off to find new prey.
Luke gestured to the barstool beside his. "It's crowded. They're giving us the next table."
"This is fine." I slid onto the chair making sure my skirt rode a little, but not too far, up my thigh.
"You look amazing. I guess you always look amazing these days."
"What, as opposed to the days I wore a hot pink donut shop uniform?"
"I guess so." He grinned. "Even after work you had a slightly more laid-back style then."
"Yeah, well, this is just another uniform, jeans and sneakers aren't the appropriate attire for real estate."
He leaned in close. "I've met some realtors in my time, Cherie, and I can assure you not one of them looked anything like you do."
I felt that warmth spreading to my extremities again. “It pays to shop around."
This bar was famous for its martinis, so I perused the menu. "Maybe save the one that comes with the engagement ring for the second drink, Cherie," he teased.
"Good thinking." I chose an apple one instead.
All of a sudden I felt nervous. What were we going to say to each other? Why was I here?
"I've liked working with your friends. It's amazing what those two women have managed to pull together in such a short time with so little real experience."
"I think sometimes that works to people's advantage in business, not always of course, but hard work, enthusiasm, and trial and error often generate creative solutions that a more experienced person would find."
"You're right. They work incredibly long hours, especially Piper."
"She lived up above the kitchen until not long ago. I think she's finding the commute eats into her time."
"The commute not the husband?"
"Well, both, but she's happy about the husband. The commute not so much."
I lifted the pretty green martini that had been placed in front of me. "Shall we toast?"
He lifted his beer. "To old friends."
If that's what we were. "To old friends."
Damn that drink was good. The sharp bite of alcohol and the sweetness of apple. I sighed.
Luke's eyes never left my face. "What?"
"I'm just trying to figure you out."
"Oh well, good luck, I'm an enigma," I joked.
"Really?"
"No, not really. There's not much to figure."
"I think there is."
"So, what about you? What's life like for Luke these days?"
"It's like this. I develop branding and advertising strategies for our various franchise models. Obviously I have a team and we outsource things, but I'm in charge. I travel a bit because the part I love is this early stage where we get a feel for the brand and set its path. I also travel to see how what we are doing works, not just in terms of sales but on the ground for the franchisees. That's my life."
"It sounds interesting," I said. I thought it sounded a little lonely, too.
"I guess so. I've been with this group seven years. I was in an agency before that." He swigged his beer.
"I love this hotel," I said, looking around. It was a random comment, I know.
"It's nice. I've stayed in some dives. Some of our franchises have started out in rather less salubrious places. Benny's Barbeque Hut for example. Not many hotels near Benny's."
"Good barbeque, though, I bet."
"Excellent."
There was a lot of small talk. It was nice. Luke was attentive. It felt like a date, but was it? And what date was it? First? Twentieth? I had no idea.
"You look, worried."
"Do I?" Crap, my face had given me away. "I'm not."
Lucky for me, a waiter came and directed us to our table. Unlucky for me, we were wedged in a corner and there was no option but for Luke to sit on the bench seat impossibly close to me. I was fine when he kept a safe distance, but when I could feel the warmth of him near me I reverted to the eighteen-year-old version of myself.
"This is snug."
"It is." He raked a hand through his hair. "I have to tell you I was really nervous about tonight. I was nervous about seeing you and nervous you wouldn't show . . ."
"You were?"
He raised his eyebrows and nodded. "Very. It was a long week waiting to hear back from you."
"Well, I wouldn't have stood you up." If it was honesty time, I guess it was my turn. "I was kind of nervous, too. I'm not quite sure why you wanted to see me to be honest."
"We have a history . . ."
"Yeah, well, that's a long time ago. Some things are best left forgotten."
"Forgotten?" He looked incredulous.
"Maybe that was the wrong word. Maybe some things are just best left . . .” This was awkward.
And then we were interrupted by a large man in a Stetson calling across the bar to Luke. "Luke, son, is that you?"
He waved and smiled while muttering some expletives under his breath. The large man crossed the bar in record time. Luke was on his feet being pulled in to an almighty man hug and having his back slapped loudly in no time.
"Man, it's good to see you. And who is this pretty little lady?"
"Ah, Chip Lonregan, meet Cherie, an old friend of mine."
He leaned in to kiss my hand. "Well, charmed I'm sure. Now son, I'm only in town this one night and I insist you two join me for dinner."
"Sir, we . . .”
"Now, son, I insist. I never get to see you anymore. I'll get us a table at the restaurant and see you two there in fifteen." With that, Chip Lonregan was gone.
Luke looked completely crestfallen.
"It's okay; we can go to dinner. Or you can go and I'll leave."
"No, you're not leaving. I'm so sorry. That is Chip Lonregan, my boss and the owner of the company that has bought Pied Piper's Pies."
"He seems . . . nice."
"He is actually a good guy, but, among other things, he is exhausting." Luke sighed. He clearly didn't want to elaborate on the other things.
"It'll be fine." I patted his hand. It was a foolish move on my part because it reminded my libido that it still existed, and Luke looked at me then. Really looked at me with those sexy blue eyes. It was almost as if my touching his hand had a similar effect on him. "It's just dinner."
"Just dinner." He shook his head and I removed the offending hand. "I was looking forward to spending the evening with you."
"Lucky you, now you get me and Chip."
"Lucky me!"
Chapter 6
Chip was already seated when we arrived. He looked smaller without the Stetson, which seemed to have its own chair. Still, he was a large man with a booming Texas drawl. It occurred to me there was a reason for clichés about people from certain places because this guy was not far removed from a cartoon version of a Texas millionaire.
"You sit by me, darlin'." And, of course, I did.
Within minutes, the waiter had been waved down and we were sipping on a very nice bottle of red.
"So, you're up here working with the pie girl?"
"Yes, sir, Pied Piper's Pies. It's been going very smoothly."
"Good to hear." Chip turned his attention to me. "I don't really concern myself with the day-to-day stuff anymore. I'm more focused on the acquisitions and the overall company."
"I see." It felt like I should ask a question. "And how long have you been in business, Mr. Lonregan?"
"Call me Chip, darlin'." He patted my hand in a fatherly way. Then he began a long, loud story that began on a farm in the Texas midlands, moved to a chain of steakhouses, and finally ended with the fast-food mogul I saw sitting before me.
"Well, that's quite a journey!"
"Ain't it? If you asked me as a boy what my life was going to look like at sixty, I'd have laughed you off the farm." He chuckled.
"Life's funny like that."
Luke was nodding and smiling but remarkably quiet over on his side of the table. In fact, this was the quietest I'd ever seen him. I was happy enough to come along but I didn't see why I needed to be doing all the heavy lifting.
"Better take a look at this menu," I said by way of extricating myself from the center of the proceedings. I held the menu a little too high and hid behind it.
"You haven't been down to Dallas much lately, son."
"No, sir, I haven't."
"There's no need to be a stranger. We all miss you."
"I'll keep that in mind."
I wondered what that was about, but the waiter came and rescued us all. The men ordered steak and I ordered salmon.
"So, how do you know Luke here, Cherie?"
"Luke spent a summer living across the road from me many, many years ago."
"Did he now? I didn't know you lived in Boston."
"I was visiting my grandparents," he said. He sure wasn't wasting his words.
"And you two stayed in touch?" Was he prying or curious?
"Actually, no. I happen to be friends with Piper, of Pied Piper's Pies, so I ran into Luke last week."
"Ain't that the darndest thing, Lukey. It's a small old world, isn't it?"
"It sure is."
Everything was going well till dessert. The wine, and we were on our second bottle, made big Chip even more relaxed. I had to admit he was a very likable man.
"So, did Luke tell you he was engaged to my daughter, Marigold?" I managed not to spray my vanilla panna cotta across the table.
You could have knocked me off my chair. Luke had been engaged? "No, sir, we really haven't had much time to catch up, so we have lots to cover."
So much for my somewhat deluded notion that Luke has spent the last decade or so regretting walking away from me.
"Yes, they were great together."
"Sir, I don't think . . ." Luke couldn't finish his sentence.
"No, son, I know you don't like to talk about it, but well, sometimes it feels like yesterday to me. Other days, it feels like no one remembers Marigold; it's like she never existed."
"Of course she existed," Luke said. "She was very loved."
I didn't know what to do or where to look. Something had happened to Marigold but what I had no idea. I felt like I didn't belong in the middle of this private and intimate conversation.
"I just can't make sense of it you know," Chip said, his first quiet comment all night.
Luke looked bereft and lost as to what to do. His blue eyes fell on me, pleading.
"What happened, sir?"
"Drugs, darlin', drugs happened. She had too much money, too much time, and took too many drugs . . ."
"We didn't know . . ." Luke said. How could you be engaged to someone doing drugs and not know? "It's rather complicated. I was traveling, she made some new friends . . . the wrong ones I guess . . ."
"I'm sorry for your loss." I didn't know who to look at. I squeezed the hand of each man. It felt like a very strange prayer circle.
"Well, anyway, we lost Marigold and we lost Luke, too . . . he doesn't like to visit. Too many memories."
"I see. Well, it's good you two get to catch up now. Clear the air a little. I'm sure now Luke knows you miss him he'll visit."
"Yeah, I'll try," Luke said. It wasn't very convincing, but it was something.
"Thanks, son." He turned to me. "I'm sorry I ruined your evening, darlin'."
"It's fine. There'll be other evenings."
Though to be honest, I wasn't so sure about that.
Chapter 7
On Thursday I was possibly even more tired than I'd been on Wednesday.
I dragged my butt to work because dinner with Luke had proved a few things to me. One was I wasn't going to sit around waiting for some guy who may or may not come back for me; that's what Marigold had done and it hadn't gone so well for her. Another was that Luke hadn't been pining for me for the last ten years or so. Yes, he was happy to see me but he hadn't spent his time waiting for that day, so what's wrong with me moving on, nothing. Third was that he was right; I just thought I knew Luke, but this guy wasn't my Luke. This was a whole other guy who had a whole other set of stories I didn't know.
What I knew was this: I had a good job, good friends, a decent if domineering family, and it was time I went on with my life and started going after a few more things I wanted. All I needed to do was figure out what they were.
It was true Luke did attract me in a way no other man had but that didn't mean there weren't other men out there whom I might be attracted to if I gave myself a fighting chance. And it was time I tried.
Now that my mother had announced I didn't have to go Italian to gain her approval that opened the field considerably. Now all the cute blond men on the planet were mine to peruse, and I was ready to start.
After dinner, Luke had walked me out to the front of the hotel to put me in a taxi. He handed me cab fare and asked for my car keys.
"I'll drop your car at your office on the way to see Piper in the morning," he explained.
"I can come and get it."
"Please, allow me."
I'd dropped the keys in his hand as the doorman opened the taxi door for me.
"Safe travels," I said. His hands were by his sides. No hug, no farewell kiss.
"Thanks." He paused. "And I'm sorry about tonight; this wasn't exactly how I saw the evening going."
Any Way You Fight It: An Upper Crust Novel (Upper Crust Series Book 3) Page 4