**
“I’m sorry it had to be like this.”
“No, you’re not.”
“Yeah, maybe not. Someone takes money from me, I expect it back.”
“I’ve already told you everything I can about that. You have your money now, Denny.”
“You’re lucky I didn’t charge interest. The least you could do is sleep with me one last time.”
“Goodbye, Denny.”
Amy rested her head against the back of the restaurant. For a split second she had money from Uncle Tom, an opportunity to grow and start her own business, and a chance to finally step from the shadows and become her own person. When she called Denny and told him she had his money he didn’t believe her. He thought it was a trap to set him up. Their last encounter lasted only a few minutes and Denny said he would be in touch if and when the check Amy gave him bounced. The check didn’t bounce. It cleared from Uncle Tom’s bank to Amy’s and then the same to Denny’s account.
It hurt to give that money to Denny but it obviously was the right thing to do. Amy didn’t deserve that money, no matter what Denny had done to her or threatened. She wasn’t raised to be that kind of woman and she never wanted to end up that way.
Luke getting his own apartment to show care and respect for Amy made her finally accept that she had fallen over the ledge for Luke. She’d been flirting with that edge for sometime, but now she loved him. She admitted it to herself as she stared in the mirror one night after a shower. Here she was, a head chef at her uncle’s restaurant just outside Syracuse, in love with the mega rockstar lead singer of Fallen Tuesday.
Each time she thought about it, Amy smiled.
Amy heard a knock and looked over her shoulder. Uncle Tom stood in the doorway.
“You okay?”
“I’m great,” Amy said. “A little tired. Had a late night here and came in early this morning.”
“Glad we got that order finished,” Uncle Tom said.
“Me too. Thanks for letting me stock up on supplies for more desserts.”
“Not a problem,” Uncle Tom said. “You’re second in charge, Amy. You have an idea, tell me. You have a suggestion, tell me. You need anything, tell me. We have to keep our doors open to each other.”
“I know that,” Amy said. “Thank you.”
“Haven’t heard you talk about that guy lately,” Uncle Tom said. “That moron with the bike.”
Amy nodded. “He’s gone, for good this time.”
“Best news I’ve heard in a long time. How’s your guy friend?”
“Good,” Amy said. “He’s staying here. In this area, for a while. The band is going to record new music.”
“Amazing how fate works,” Uncle Tom said. “You could open a burger and hotdog stand to impress a girl and end up with a restaurant like this. Or you could meet a musician and fall head over heels.”
Amy’s cheeks blushed.
Uncle Tom winked and went back to the restaurant. Amy took more time to herself, relaxing and thinking. There was a feeling in the pit of her stomach that left her uneasy. Maybe it was the idea that Uncle Tom had given all that money back to Denny. Maybe it was the idea that Amy actually considered opening a bakery before paying back her debt. Maybe it was that she didn’t feel like she deserved Luke.
Another knock sounded and Amy turned, expecting to see Uncle Tom or Jeff needing her. Instead, it was Luke standing in a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt. Amy had become obsessed with what Luke wore because of how sexy he looked in everything he wore.
“Luke,” she said. “I thought you were with the band today.”
“I was,” Luke said. “We met and talked. They’re heading to the studio for a bit to look around. I wanted to come here and talk to you first.”
“Here I am,” Amy said.
Luke came to her and placed his hands to her hips. He kissed her, sending warm chills through Amy’s body. All it took was a kiss from Luke to make the entire world seem right.
“Have you heard from Denny at all?” Luke asked with his forehead touching Amy’s.
“Not at all,” Amy said. “It’s done now. He got what he wanted.”
“I’m sorry you went through that,” Luke said.
“I’m not. I did that to myself. I had to fix it.”
Luke moved back but kept his hands on Amy’s hips. “I said I came to talk to you about something.”
“You did say that,” Amy said.
“When I offered to help you with Denny, you refused.”
“Are you mad about that?”
Luke shook his head. “Not at all. I think you were right. If you took that money it would have been something between us.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. You did tell me though I needed to invest in something.”
“I was just talking,” Amy said.
“But the thing is, Amy, I hate that money. I told you that and I meant it. I didn’t asked to be paid from Chasing Cross for those shows. They did it to be fair. It almost cost me my career… and for all I know, it may still have. I haven’t tried singing and can’t for a little while. When I do try, I may have no voice or I may hurt it again. This can define me. The money was given to me out of respect. I wanted to do the same with it.”
“You invested it? In what?”
“Something local,” Luke said. “Something I can watch grow and be proud of.”
“Like what?”
Luke produced a black box and Amy let out a gasp. She assumed it was an engagement ring. Luke had invested in a diamond ring to give to Amy. That’s what he meant when he said about growing and being proud. It would be he and Amy together, in marriage. But then Amy noticed the box was bigger than a diamond ring box.
“Open it,” he said.
“What is this?”
“Just open it, Amy.”
Amy opened the box. She touched the key and looked at Luke. “I’m confused…”
Was it a key to his apartment? Was it a key to a house he bought? What was it?
“Okay, come with me then,” Luke said. “I want to show you something and you can’t get upset with me.”
“I can’t promise anything,” Amy said.
Luke put his hand out and Amy took it. Their fingers interlocked and Luke led the way. The first thing she saw was a small crew of people working on the building next to the restaurant.
“Why are you showing me this?” Amy asked. “Someone bought it.” Amy swallowed and had the urge to cry. She knew the building wouldn’t stand empty forever. But why was Luke showing her this? “I don’t get it.”
A man with a ladder paused and put the ladder on the ground. He waved at Luke and walked away.
“What is this?” Amy asked.
Luke took the key from the box and placed it in Amy’s hand. He walked forward and turned. “Go open your new bakery, Amy.”
The words didn’t register at first. It took Amy three times looking between the key and Luke to make the connection.
“What did you do, Luke?” she asked.
“I invested that Chasing Cross money. I bought this building and it’s becoming a bakery. Since I can’t even bake brownies from a box, someone needs to do everything. Someone smart. Someone beautiful.”
Luke smiled. Amy touched her cheek as a tear fell from her eye. She slowly stepped forward, unsure what to look at. Luke or the building. When she was close enough to Luke she fell forward into his arms.
“Why? Why did you do this? I’ll owe you forever.”
“That’s the deal then,” Luke said.
“What?”
“Amy, I did this because I wanted to. I’m not giving money away. I invested in you. In your dream. You’ll make it all work, I know it. And yes, you’re going to owe me… like you just said, forever. You owe me forever, Amy.”
Luke took Amy’s hand and placed it to this chest. His other hand touched her face, wiping a tear away.
“I’m in love with you,” Luke said.
&
nbsp; “Luke, I’m falling in love with you too,” Amy said. “I really am.”
“So then there’s nothing to worry about,” Luke said.
“There actually is,” Amy said.
“What’s that?”
Amy broke away from Luke, leaving him lingering for a kiss. She walked to the building and slid the key into the lock. She turned and felt the deadbolt engage. She smiled. She turned it again and felt the door unlock. This was really happening. This was her building her business. She’d work at the restaurant and the bakery. Her life would be busy as ever. She’d have Luke by her side. He’d write and record with Fallen Tuesday and tour the world.
It was all so much at once.
“Amy, what else do you need?” Luke asked as he stepped up behind her.
She looked over her shoulder at him. “I need a menu. There’s so much to think about. So much to bake. To practice. To taste test…”
Luke licked his lips. He came down to Amy’s mouth and kissed her. The kiss lasted for a few hot seconds out on the cold street.
“That tasted damn good to me,” Luke said.
Amy smiled. “Then I guess we’re off to a great start.”
A Voice to Love (Fallen Tuesday Book One) (A Brothers of Rock Novel) Page 21