“That is what you want, isn’t it?” he repeated, hoping for a denial he could buy.
Tommy heaved a sigh. “Would you believe me if I said no?”
Luke wished he could say an unequivocal yes. He wished with all his heart that he didn’t remember each and every time Tommy had sworn something to him, only to have his promises turn out to be lies. The stakes were too high this time for him to allow himself to be taken in.
“Never mind,” Tommy said. “I can see the answer on your face.” He turned and headed for the door. “See you in court, big brother.”
The screen door slammed behind him. Only after the sound of his footsteps had faded did Luke dare a look in Katie’s direction. She seemed as shaken by the outcome of the encounter as he was.
“Luke?”
“Don’t even say it,” he warned. “I won’t start feeling sorry for him.”
“But what if all he really wants is someone to love?” she asked, voicing the thought that had been taunting him for the past few minutes. “What if this isn’t just about Robby, but about you, about getting your attention and your love?”
“He’s always had my love,” Luke said tightly. “All those years, even when everybody said I was a damned fool, Tommy had my love. He’s my brother, for God’s sake.”
“He had it and threw it away,” she pointed out. “Maybe he doesn’t realize that it’s still here just for the asking.”
“Dammit, Katie, don’t start thinking like that. Whatever his real agenda is, he’s using Robby as a pawn. I doubt I’ll ever be able to forgive him for that.”
Before she could turn those big green eyes of hers on him and change his mind, he set his unfinished glass of tea on the table and headed for the back door. “I’m going to the park to find my son.”
Though a part of him wanted to desperately, he didn’t invite Katie to go with him.
* * *
“Of all the pig-headed, stubborn, mule-brained men on the face of the earth, you are at the top of the list, Luke Cassidy!”
Unfortunately there was no one in the kitchen to hear Katie’s proclamation. The back door was still rattling on its hinges from Luke’s exit.
Katie stood where she was, ticking off all the logical reasons Luke had to distrust his brother. But as rational as his response was, she couldn’t help thinking that maybe, just this once Tommy deserved to be heard with an open mind. If he really was just using the custody suit because it was the only way he knew to get Luke’s attention again, then someone had better listen before they all wound up in court. She was hardly Tommy’s biggest fan, but it appeared it was up to her to get through to Luke.
She hurried upstairs, showered and changed to a pair of khaki shorts, a striped cotton blouse that she tied at the waist and sandals. Filled with determination, ten minutes later Katie was on her way to the park.
She had no trouble at all locating Luke. He was the tallest person in the small playground area with its slides and swings and colorful climbing equipment. Mrs. Jeffers had retreated to a bench in the shade under a huge old oak tree nearby. Robby was screaming with glee as Luke pushed him higher and higher in the swing.
For a moment Katie stood still and simply watched the two of them, wondering at the twist of fate that so unexpectedly had made them part of her life. She’d been married and a stepmother for little more than forty-eight hours and yet the feelings that were growing inside her were as powerful as if Luke and Robby had been a part of her life for much longer. The need to protect them from harm flooded through her as if a dam had burst in her heart.
Right now, though, the need to shake some sense into Luke was stronger. She walked over to the swings, aware that Luke’s gaze was riveted to her as she approached. He didn’t seem exactly thrilled to see her.
“Hi, guys,” she said casually. “Having fun?”
“Wanna swing, Katie? Daddy could push you, too.”
She grinned at Robby. “I think I’ll pass. I might get dizzy going up as high as you. You must be part bird.”
Robby nodded enthusiastically. “An eagle,” he declared. “I told Daddy I wanted to soar like an eagle. We saw one once, in Colorado.”
“I’ll bet that was exciting.”
“Mommy got scared. I don’t think she liked being up on that ridge.” At a look from his father, Robby’s expression faltered. “Did I say something wrong?”
“Absolutely not,” Katie reassured him. “I want to hear about all the things you did before I met you. Maybe we can make a deal.”
The idea seemed to intrigue Robby. “What kind of deal?”
“I’ll read you a story every night, after you tell me a story about something you did. That way I can share vicariously in all of the adventures you’ve had.”
“What’s vicar...vi? You know, that word you said.”
Luke grinned at him. “It means that Katie hasn’t had any adventures of her own, and she wants to pretend she’s shared yours.”
“Should I tell her about the snake?”
Katie was beginning to regret her willingness to hear about the kind of adventures that appealed to a small boy. “The snake?” she said warily.
Robby nodded sagely. “I know, you’re a girl and girls don’t like snakes. Mommy really, really hated that one, too.”
“A sensible woman,” Katie declared.
Luke shot a startled look in her direction, as if he couldn’t believe that she would side with Betty Sue about anything. Their gazes caught and held, and for just a moment air between them crackled with awareness.
“Robby, why don’t you go get your bike?” Luke suggested, his gaze never leaving Katie’s face. “Maybe Mrs. Jeffers will go with you while you take another ride around the park.”
“Yeah, she’s probably all rested by now.” He grinned impishly at Katie. “She says I wore her out before.”
“I can imagine,” Katie said.
As soon as Robby had scampered off, Luke gestured to the swing he’d vacated. “Have a seat. I promise you won’t get dizzy.”
Too late, Katie thought. Her head was spinning from the provocative gleam she’d seen in Luke’s eyes. Still, she took the seat he’d offered and allowed him to give her a slow, steady push until she was soaring almost as high as Robby. On the descent, Luke captured the swing and held it so that her back was pressed against his chest.
“Giddy yet?” he inquired softly, his breath fanning across her cheek.
Katie’s pulse bucked at the seductive teasing. “Steady as a rock,” she claimed.
“Then what are those goose bumps doing on your arms?” he taunted.
“It’s chilly.”
Luke’s laughter rippled over her. “It’s ninety-five degrees out here, and the humidity must be close to that.”
“It was ninety-eight yesterday,” she countered. “There’s been a break in the weather.”
“Not enough to account for those goose bumps. Must be something else.”
She took a huge risk with her already wavering equilibrium and leaned back against his chest. “Such as?”
He slowly trailed a finger up her arm. “Maybe that?”
Katie shivered.
“Gotcha!” Luke murmured triumphantly.
She twisted in the swing until she could gaze up into his face. “There was never any question that you could get a response out of me,” she admitted. “That was true six years ago and it’s true now. The big difference is that now I’m old enough and wise enough not to act on that response.”
Before he could challenge her on that, she slid out of the swing and stood facing him. “I came here to talk, not to play games.”
Luke’s expression sobered at once. “Forget it. I don’t want to discuss Tommy.”
“Then don’t. Just listen. Are you willing to risk the opportunity to settle this before Robby ever finds out just because you’re too stubborn to keep an open mind about your brother’s motives?”
Luke scowled at her. “Weren’t you the one who used to
tell me repeatedly that I was too lenient, that I gave Tommy the benefit of the doubt too often?”
“That was then. This is now.”
“What’s the difference? Tommy hasn’t changed.”
“Maybe he has, maybe he hasn’t. You won’t know for sure until you’ve spent some time with him.”
“I can’t risk letting him around Robby.”
“Then spend time with him away from the house. Take him fishing. Give him a job. Whatever it takes for you to get to know him again. Judge for yourself what his real motive is.”
“I know...”
Katie shook her head. “You’re reacting with all the pain and anger you felt when he ran off six years ago and left you to deal with Betty Sue.”
“It’s not just what happened back then. He’s threatening to take my son.”
“But you may be able to stop him.”
“Exactly. In court.”
Katie shook her head. “Maybe just by giving him his family back.”
“I can’t take that risk,” Luke said with an edge of desperation in his voice as his gaze sought out his son who was pedaling his bike like crazy while Mrs. Jeffers struggled to keep up with him.
“You can’t not take it,” Katie countered.
“I married you to keep Tommy out of our lives. Now you want me to welcome him back,” he said, running his fingers through his hair in a gesture of frustration. “What the hell went wrong?”
Katie ignored the pain that sliced through her at his blunt assessment of his reason for marrying her. Forcing a grin, she shrugged. “Hey, if you misjudged me, maybe you’ve misjudged Tommy, too.”
She watched as he struggled to accept her challenge. A part of her wished he would ignore her pleas. Because if it turned out she was wrong about his brother, she knew without a doubt that she would lose Luke for the second time in her life. This time she wasn’t sure she would ever recover.
CHAPTER NINE
The next morning Katie figured that as long as she was back in Clover anyway and wide awake, she might as well go in for her regular shift at Peg’s Diner. Despite Luke’s promised bailout of the boarding house, she wanted to contribute as much as possible to the upkeep. She was determined that Luke not mistake for one minute that it was her business.
Peg was still checking the setups of napkins, salt, pepper and sugar on all the tables when Katie unlocked the diner’s front door just past dawn. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee scented the air. Katie headed straight for the pot and poured herself a cup before Peg could even manage to snap her mouth shut.
“And just what do you think you’re doing in here?” Peg inquired, facing her down, eyes blazing.
“Unless you’ve fired me, I work here.”
“You’re on your honeymoon.”
Katie shrugged. “We’re home. I figured I might as well get back into my regular routine.”
Just then the sound of another key being turned in the front door had Katie spinning around. She turned just in time to see Ginger catch sight of her and freeze, her expression uncertain. Katie stared at her teenaged boarder.
“What are you doing here?”
Ginger regarded Katie with dismay, then turned to Peg. “You didn’t tell her?”
“Tell me what?” Katie demanded.
Peg sighed heavily. “Well, the truth of it is that I hired Ginger to take your place.”
“You mean while I was out of town,” Katie said slowly, looking from one to the other. Both women looked guilty as sin. She began to get the idea that she was not going to like any further elaboration they offered.
“Not exactly,” Peg admitted. “Actually, I figured now that you’re married and have Robby and all, you’d be too busy to be carrying a full load here the way you were doing before.”
“So you fired me?” Katie said incredulously. “Without even talking to me about it?”
“I didn’t fire you,” Peg insisted.
“Just replaced me.”
“I cut back on your hours,” she countered.
“How far back?” Katie challenged. “You know this place can’t afford to keep two waitresses on the payroll besides you.” She glanced at Ginger’s crestfallen expression. “Ginger, would you mind leaving me alone with my aunt for a minute?”
“Sure, Katie. I’ll help Sonny in the kitchen.” She rushed through the swinging door to the back as if she couldn’t get away from the tension-filled atmosphere fast enough.
“You’re not telling me everything, are you?” Katie demanded. “You wouldn’t do something like this all on your own. I’m practically your own flesh and blood, for goodness’ sakes. You wouldn’t just toss me out on my rear end without someone putting you up to it.”
“I don’t know what you mean,” Peg replied, looking everywhere but into Katie’s eyes. Her hand was shaking so badly, she’d spilled more salt all over the table, than she’d gotten into the shaker.
Katie recognized all the signs indicating the depth of her aunt’s distress. Normally Peg was as steady-handed and direct as any person on the face of the earth. “Peg, you are my aunt and I love you, but you are a pitiful liar. This was Luke’s idea, wasn’t it?”
Finally Peg’s gaze clashed directly with hers. “Well, for once, I agreed with him,” she said with a touch of defiance. “You were working yourself to death before. It’ll only be worse now, if you try to keep doing everything.”
Indignation and outrage boiled over inside Katie. “If I want to work myself to death, it’s my decision,” she practically shouted. Forcing herself to lower her voice, she said, “Dammit, I like being busy. I like working with you. I like talking to the customers.”
Peg’s determined expression faltered. “I had no idea it would even matter to you,” she said. “If I had...well, I have no idea what I would have done. Luke was very persuasive.”
“Did he offer to pay Ginger’s salary?” Katie inquired irritably.
Peg looked shocked by the question. “Why on earth would he do a thing like that?”
“Force of habit,” Katie said. “He seems to think he can buy whatever he wants in life.”
“Meaning?” Peg asked, studying her with a speculative expression.
Katie sighed heavily. That was one question she had no intention of answering. A totally honest reply would only upset her aunt. “Nothing. Don’t mind me. I just resent what he did.”
“He couldn’t have done it without my cooperation,” Peg pointed out. “I sincerely regret that I gave it to him. I really am sorry, sweetheart. I’ll speak with Ginger.”
Suddenly the last of the fight drained out of Katie. “You can’t fire her. She needs the money.”
“But you’re right,” Peg argued. “I shouldn’t have made a decision like this without talking it over with you. Luke and I just thought it was for the best.” She brightened slightly. “Maybe both of you could stay on, take fewer hours. It’s summer, anyway. We’re always busier this time of year. Then in the fall, when Ginger’s back in school, we’ll reevaluate.”
Katie realized then that it was awfully silent in the kitchen. Usually by this time in the morning Sonny was slamming pots and pans around and singing at the top of his lungs. She had a hunch, though, that today he and Ginger were both hanging on every word she and Peg were speaking.
“I suppose we could try it,” she agreed, loudly enough to be overheard by anyone who just happened to be listening. “As long as we’re not bumping into each other in the aisles, it should be okay.”
Without waiting to be beckoned, Ginger rushed through the swinging door, a relieved smile spreading across her face. She threw her arms around Katie. “Thank you. I never meant to upset you. I guess I figured I’d be helping Peg out of a jam and earning some college money at the same time.”
Katie hugged her back. “None of this was your doing. It just seems my family has a tendency to make decisions for me.” She glanced pointedly at Peg. “At least my aunt knows now that this is a very bad idea.”
; Peg grinned at her and nodded. “You’ve made yourself perfectly clear to me. I’m not so sure I want to be around, though, when Luke finds out.”
Her concern was well-founded. Apparently the minute Luke figured out that Katie was nowhere in the boarding house, he yanked Robby out of bed and came storming over to the diner. His clothes rumpled, his hair uncombed, Robby appeared slightly dazed by the rude awakening. Katie winked at him as he passed by, but ignored her husband.
Luke took one look at Katie serving a table of tourists and turned a furious gaze on Peg.
Peg apparently wasn’t one bit daunted by his scowling demeanor. She shrugged. “Take it up with your wife.”
“Oh, I intend to,” he said, heading straight for a booth. He nudged Robby in ahead of him, then kept his gaze fastened on Katie with a blazing look that could have set half the town afire if the sparks had gone astray.
Katie decided this was not a discussion she cared to have in the middle of the diner with the entire town of Clover certain to hear the details before lunchtime. The decibel level was likely to reach a peak that could shatter glass. Still seething with resentment, she sent Ginger over to wait on him.
Ginger was back behind the counter in a heartbeat. “He wants you,” she said in a hushed tone.
“Well, he can’t have me. That’s not my station.”
“Actually it is,” Ginger pointed out.
Katie frowned at her. “Our agreement can be canceled just like that,” she said with a snap of her fingers. At Ginger’s terrified expression she relented. “Oh, never mind. I’ll go. Give me the coffeepot.”
“I’ve already poured the coffee,” Ginger said in a way that suggested Katie might not be trusted to pour it into a cup.
Katie plucked her order pad out of her pocket and marched over to Luke’s booth. She saved her friendly grin for Robby.
“Just get up?” she asked him.
“Daddy was in a hurry. He didn’t even make me brush my teeth,” he said with obvious amazement over his good luck.
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