A Heart Decision

by Laurie Kellogg

  Tyler had married his first wife, Erica, for all the wrong reasons, none of which had been love.

  “So how do I fix it with Ben?”

  “Just give him some time. He’ll eventually get over it.”

  “Could you forgive me if I’d taken Annie from you?”

  Tyler glanced back at the kitchen. “Maybe not. But then, Sabrina’s heart never really belonged to Ben. And deep down, he knows it. It’ll take him a while, but eventually, he’ll own up to his part in the fiasco.”

  If Luke knew his friend, Tyler would make sure BJ heard how much he was to blame. Brutal honesty wasn’t something Tyler shied away from.

  “So?” Tyler crossed his arms over his chest and smiled. “Seeing as you have no intention of marrying my sister after having your way with her, do I kick your ass now, or should I wait until after dinner?”

  “Definitely after we eat. I can’t handle an ass-kicking on an empty stomach.”

  ~*~

  Sabrina had to talk to someone about her suspicions. While she husked the corn, she told Annie what had happened in the last few days. “I’m really sorry I let Ben announce our engagement at my birthday party. It’s a bit embarrassing to have to tell everyone we broke up already.

  “Don’t be ridiculous, Sabrina. These things happen. It’s the whole reason people get engaged before they tie the knot—to give them time to make sure they’re making the right decision.”

  “Well, I doubt my brother will be quite as understanding about me coming between his two best friends.”

  Annie winced. “I didn’t think of that.”

  “That’s not even the worst of it.” Sabrina went on to explain what she’d seen in Luke’s mail and the significance of the newsletter.

  “Don’t you think you’re jumping to conclusions?” Annie asked, removing a large bowl of pasta salad from the fridge.

  “Unfortunately, no. It all fits.”

  “I’ve heard of Huntington’s, but I don’t know a thing about it.”

  “It’s an inherited neurological disease. Everyone has the Huntington’s gene, but some people have an abnormal one that causes the cells in certain areas of the brain to progressively degenerate, which results in a loss of physical and mental abilities until eventually patients become totally dependent on others for their care. The earlier the first symptoms appear, the faster it seems to progress. Currently, there’s no treatment to slow the disease down—only to alleviate some of the symptoms. I once took care of a little boy with end-stage juvenile Huntington’s. The disease is awful enough for an adult, but for a child—”

  “So when does a person usually start showing signs of having it?”

  “It can vary, but the average onset is around forty.” Sabrina paused a moment and then added, “Luke will be thirty-three the middle of October.”

  Annie’s mouth hung open as she sank onto one of the stools at the counter. “And you think he’ll get it?”

  Sabrina shrugged. “I’m pretty sure his dad had it, which would give Luke a fifty-percent chance of inheriting it. And for some reason, when the abnormal gene is passed on by the father rather than the mother, the onset of symptoms tends to be earlier in the offspring.”

  “So Luke probably figures he has, at best, only six or seven good years left.”

  Sabrina ripped the leaves and silk off the last ear of corn. “Please don’t say anything to Tyler. Or if you do, make sure he doesn’t mention it to Luke. I don’t want him to know I discovered his secret.”

  “So what’re you gonna do?”

  “You’ve got me.” She heaved a frustrated sigh. “Somehow I have to find a way to convince Luke I want to be with him no matter what. Do you have any ideas?”

  Annie pursed her lips. “The only thing I can think of is sort of drastic, but it might work.”

  “What?” Sabrina squeezed her hand. “Please, I’ll try anything.”

  “Why don’t you simply turn the tables on him? Let him find out how it feels to be on your side of the situation.”

  She’d have to tell one heck of a whopper to do that. The thought of faking a serious illness was completely repugnant to the nurse in her. But speaking strictly as a woman in love, she was desperate. She couldn’t think of another way to get through to Luke.

  She wouldn’t have to deceive him for long. Just a few moments of horror should be enough to help him understand that loving someone really is for better or for worse. After all, when it came to the big picture, what did a few lies matter? She loved him too much not to fight for him.

  ~*~

  All through dinner on the terrace, Sabrina squirmed under her brother’s speculative gaze every time Luke smiled at her. As soon as the kids were finished eating, Annie excused them to play on their gym set.

  Tyler leaned his forearms on the glass and wrought iron table and stared at Sabrina. “So, how long are you gonna wait to tell me?”

  She stared down at the chicken bones on her plate. “Ben called you, huh?”

  “No.”

  Sabrina glared at Luke. “Well, that leaves only one other person with a big mouth.” She flashed an apologetic smile at her brother. “I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to cause this kind of trouble.”

  “It’s okay, squirt.” Tyler reached across the table and took her hand. “I don’t blame you. I’m glad you called off the wedding.”

  “You are?”

  “Are you forgetting I was once in a loveless marriage? I don’t want that for you.”

  Sabrina glanced at Luke and sighed. “Now my only problem is finding a home for a slightly used puppy. I can’t keep Mopsy if I won’t be moving to Ben’s.” Tears welled in her eyes. In just a few days, she’d become very attached to the two dogs. She didn’t want to leave either of them. “My apartment complex doesn’t allow pets.”

  “I didn’t think of that,” Luke said. “I’ll keep her until you move somewhere else. You can visit as often as you want.”

  “Or I could just move in with you.”

  His jaw tightened. “Don’t start, Sabrina.”

  Tyler turned to Annie and diplomatically changed the subject. “So, how’d your dentist appointment go? Any cavities?”

  “Nope.” She bared her dazzling teeth. “Miraculously enough, I got through my pregnancy without getting even one.”

  “That reminds me,” Sabrina said to Luke. “I also have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow afternoon. Do you think you can manage by yourself for a couple of hours?”

  “Sure, no problem.”

  Tyler wiped his mouth with his napkin and jerked his head toward the back of the yard. “So, pal, you ready for that ass-kicking now?”

  Sabrina’s attention snapped to Luke. “What’s he talking about?”

  A lazy smile curled Luke’s mouth. “Ty thinks I stole your virtue.”

  She rolled her eyes at Tyler. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, Big Brother, but I lost my so-called virtue back in college. I’m all grown up now and can make these kinds of decisions for myself.”

  “You may be an adult, but you’re still my baby sister.”

  Sabrina put her arm around Luke’s shoulder. “Well, do you think you could postpone this A-kicking at least until the man can stand on two feet?”

  “I suppose so.” Tyler heaved an impatient sigh and pointed his finger in Luke’s face. “But, by then, you’d better be ready to enter into connubial bliss with my sister, or you’re dead meat.”

  Luke crossed his arms over his chest. “Then I guess I’ve got an ass-kicking to look forward to.”

  “Could we drop this macho display?” Annie asked as she scraped their plates and stacked them.

  “Sure, sweetheart.” Tyler leaned over and kissed her cheek. “How was school today?”

  Annie bit her lip. “Maybe I should go wake Sam up. Otherwise he’s going to get his days and nights mixed up again.”

  “No, let me.” Sabrina kicked her sister-in-law under the table. “Talk to your husband.”

  “
What’s the problem?” Tyler asked.

  “Ummm, I, uhhh....”

  “Your wife isn’t sure she wants to continue going to school this fall.” Sabrina informed him as she stood to go get the baby. “She’s afraid you’ll be disappointed in her.”

  “Is that true?” He peered into Annie’s face.

  “Sort of. I just don’t want to leave Sam right now.”

  “No, I mean that you think I’ll be upset if you don’t go to school.”

  Annie lifted one shoulder in a half-shrug.

  “I thought I convinced you before we got married that I love you exactly the way you are. I just want you to be happy. I thought you enjoyed school.”

  “I do.”

  “Can I make a suggestion?” Luke interjected.

  Annie and Tyler both looked at him.

  “Why not drop all but one course? You’d only be at school one or two mornings a week.”

  A smile spread over Annie’s face. “That’s a great idea.”

  “Of course, it is.” Sabrina bent down and brushed Luke’s lips with hers as she headed toward the back door. “I only fall in love with brilliant men.”

  Annie poked Tyler in the rib. “And you want to kick this genius in the buttocks?”

  “No, sweetheart.” Tyler laughed, rubbing his side. “In his ass. There’s no such thing as a buttocks-kicking.”

  CHAPTER 10

  “Do you think he’ll ever get his days and nights straight?” Tyler nibbled on Annie’s ear while she nursed their son in bed.

  “Probably just about the time we have the next one.”

  “Don’t you think three kids is enough?”

  Her gaze snapped to his. “You mean you don’t want any more children?”

  “Sweetheart, I love our kids. I just want equal time with you.” He peered into her eyes. “This isn’t, by any chance, your way of telling me I’ve gotten you pregnant again already, is it?”

  “No.” She sighed. “I just thought we’d have at least one more baby. Maybe another little girl.”

  He was happy with their family just the size it was. “Let’s worry about that a year or two from now, okay?”

  “You’re just stalling.” She pouted.

  “How’d you get so smart?” He chuckled, nipping at her lower lip.

  “College?”

  “Don’t go there, Annie. I’m still upset that you think you need a degree for me to love you.”

  She snuggled into the crook of his shoulder. “I just don’t want you to ever get bored with me.”

  “How could I ever lose interest in a wife who’s astute enough to know when I’m giving her lip service?”

  Annie switched their son to her other breast and a deep crevice split her forehead. “Tyler, if I share something Sabrina told me today, would you promise not to say anything to Luke?”

  “If you’re talking about the problems between him and Ben, I already—”

  “No. It’s much worse than that. He has no idea she knows. So you have to promise to keep it to yourself.”

  Whatever Annie wanted to confide sounded too ominous for him to be comfortable making a vow of silence without knowing what he was promising not to reveal. But if he didn’t agree, his stubborn wife would never tell him. When she sat there staring at him, waiting, he finally tossed his hands up. “Okay.”

  She repeated her conversation with his sister, leaving him speechless. How could his friend keep something like that from him?

  It explained the drastic change in Luke their freshman year in college. “Thanks a helluva lot.”

  “Are you angry with me?”

  “Yeah, a little. Why would you tell me something like that and tie my hands by making me promise not to say anything to him? What was the purpose?”

  “Maybe because it upset me, and I needed you to know, too. He’s being so stubborn. Sabrina wants to be with him no matter what, and he won’t even consider it.”

  “I don’t blame him. I wouldn’t, either.”

  “How can you say that? Are you telling me if you’d been in the same situation you wouldn’t have married me?

  “That’s right. You and my sister can’t understand because you’re women. A guy’s whole identity is wrapped up in his job and taking care of his kids and the woman he loves. If he can’t do those things, he doesn’t feel like a man. The thought of you being saddled with me like that is so....” He shook his head, unable to express how horrific he found the prospect. “Let’s just say I’d rather die.”

  The bedside phone rang. When he picked up the receiver, Ben muttered in his ear, “Stay in bed tomorrow. I’m going to LA alone.”

  The following day, they were scheduled to tour the manufacturing facility of a floundering cosmetics company and meet with an actress who had approached Ben about the possibility of sinking several million dollars into a line of skin care products she hoped to use her celebrity status to promote.

  “You sure?”

  “Yeah. Stay home and catch up with your other clients. You can spend some time with Annie and the kids. I’ll do the face-to-face, and you can follow up on the phone with any questions I don’t cover.”

  Annie slid off the bed and motioned to Tyler that she was taking Sam back to the nursery.

  He nodded to her and said into the phone, “I thought you didn’t want to meet a man-eater like Laney Davis alone?”

  “I don’t.” Ben sighed. “But what the hell, it might do me some good to get laid for my money right now.”

  “Luke told me what happened between him and my sister. I’m sorry, pal, but you deserve everything you got. What’d you think would happen?”

  “I don’t know. I was acting more out of desperation than good sense. Before I realized how the idiot felt about Sabrina, I figured I could eventually help her forget him. But after I discovered he’s in love with her, too, I knew my marriage would be doomed unless Sabrina underwent some sort of Luke Marino exorcism.”

  “I just couldn’t believe you put him in that position—especially with what he’s dealing with. And now you have the balls to be mad at him when he did exactly what you asked.”

  “What do you mean?” A suspicious tone laced Ben’s voice. “What’s Luke dealing with? Other than a lousy broken ankle, which, in six weeks, I guarantee he’ll be hanging from while bungee jumping.”

  Damn it. Tyler punched the pillow. Annie was going to kill him. He hadn’t meant to open his fat mouth. But, hell, he needed to unload on someone, too, and he’d only promised he wouldn’t say anything to Luke. “Sit down, Beej. We need to talk.”

  ~*~

  Damn, she was gorgeous.

  While Sabrina brushed her teeth, Luke lay in bed and admired the reflection in the bedroom mirror of her silk nightie clinging to her curves. Watching her go through her nightly routine was way too reminiscent of the intimacy a married couple shared.

  He rubbed his chest, attempting to ease the tight yearning to keep her with him forever. In the last two days, he’d begun to fantasize about selfishly doing just that and taking his father and brother’s way out before he became a burden to her.

  But after watching Sabrina cuddle Sam earlier that evening, he couldn’t even contemplate it. She was meant to be a mother. And even if they used a sperm donor, he couldn’t bear the thought of his kids losing their father the way he had. He’d seen the hardship his mom had endured as a single parent. Even if he hadn’t inherited the abnormal Huntington’s gene, he was still a cop who put his life on the line every day.

  Sabrina’s toothbrush slipped out of her hand and clattered into the sink. “Darn it.”

  It was the fifth time he’d seen her drop something that evening.

  “So what’re you going to the doctor’s for tomorrow?” he called to her.

  Her spine visibly stiffened. “Uhhh, just an ordinary old visit,” she mumbled past a mouthful of toothpaste before spitting it out. “The doctor wants to discuss some test results.”

  “What kind of tests?”
<
br />   “You know, the usual kind.” She rinsed her mouth and the sink before turning off the bathroom light.

  No, he didn’t know. “You’re being evasive.”

  She crawled over him to the opposite side of the bed, brushing her soft breast against his face. “I’ve just had a few little headaches lately.”

  Cold dread ricocheted through him, causing every nerve to register the chill. Doctors didn’t usually ask patients to come into the office to discuss the results of tests unless they showed something abnormal.

  Sabrina snuggled against him and nibbled on his earlobe, her floral scent enveloping him like an erotic cloud. “I can think of much more interesting things for us to be doing right now than talking. It’s been over twelve hours since you made love to me.”

  Evidently, she wasn’t particularly concerned. Maybe he was worrying about nothing.

  He pulled her silky nightgown up and squeezed her bare bottom. “You have too many clothes on for that.”

  “Ummmm,” she purred in his ear and whispered, “If I get as naked as you are, can we have wild monkey sex?”

  “Unh-uh.” He stared into her eyes and stripped her nightie over her head. “Tonight, I want to take my time and memorize every inch of you.” He slid one hand over her face, mapping her features with his fingertips the way a blind man would.

  Sabrina closed her eyes and moaned softly as he explored her entire body the same way, reveling in its smooth perfection.

  Gone were the jokes and the teasing that had filled the bedroom the other times they’d made love. Instead, Luke concentrated on her satiny skin and heavenly smell, lapped up the delicious taste of her rosy nipples, and mentally recorded the sound of her pleasure to play back in his memory every night once she was gone.

  His throat tightened at the prospect of sending her away. “I love you, Brina,” he whispered. “More than you’ll ever know.”

  ~*~

  Showtime.

  Sabrina sucked in a deep breath to steady her nerves as she pulled her car into Luke’s driveway late the next afternoon. The tender way he’d loved her last night and the desperation in his kisses while he’d held her afterward had simply bolstered her determination to go through with the charade she’d hatched.