Back To Luke

“That sounds like a threat.”

He stared down at her. His dark eyes had deepened to almost black and were intense. Angry. “If that’s what’s needed, then consider yourself threatened.”

Since she’d made her mark in architecture, Jayne had often needed to deal with men on building sites. Early on, she’d learned how to be confident—or, when she wasn’t, at least to look as if she was. She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. “Back off, Luke. I’m not as easily intimidated as I was when I knew you in New York.”

He made a sound of disgust. “I never knew you, lady. Never.” With that, he stalked away.

She watched as he spoke quietly to Eleanor, unleashed the dog, picked her up and headed around the house. They made an incongruous picture—the big guy with the tiny puppy in his arms. Suddenly, Jayne wondered what had happened to him in the intervening years, if he’d ever married, had kids. And why on earth, after all this time, did the possibility of little boys with Luke’s eyes or tiny girls with his smile make Jayne feel so bereft?

LUKE SWERVED his red truck into the driveway of his sister’s house on Houghton Plot, got out and slammed the door. He tried not to think about Jayne Logan, but she’d gotten under his skin again, just like before, and it was a position he’d never put himself in with women since.

Little Karl came running out the door and toward him. “Uncle Luke!” he said as he flung himself at Luke. The boy was the spitting image of him, which always made him smile.

Right behind Karl was his brother, Kasey, tottering along on stocky little legs. His blond wispy hair was more like his dad’s. Luke hefted the youngest up to his chest, then clasped Karl’s shoulder.

Karl wrinkled his nose. “Eee-u, you stink.”

“Been sweating my…butt off all morning.” And since he’d made an excuse not to stay for lunch, he hadn’t cleaned up either.

His older sister had followed her kids out and smiled warmly at him. Of all the girls, he resembled Belle the most. They both had dark hair and eyes, which explained Karl’s resemblance to him.

“Hey, babe.”

“You look mad. Certainly not at Miss Ellie.”

He set his nephew down and let the dog out of the car. “Nah, she’s got a guest who torqued me off.”

Krystle nipped at the boys’ feet and began to run around the front yard, making them giggle as they chased her. They loved playing with Maria’s dog.

“Can you stay? Nick and Kenny are golfing. They’re trying to spend some father/son time together.” Belle had had one kid in her early twenties, then two more later on when she got bored with her job as a nurse and decided she wanted a bigger family.

“Yeah, my afternoon’s clear.”

Grinning, she kissed his cheek. “Go clean up, then I’ll fix you lunch and we can chat after the boys go down for a nap.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

It was a good one. After a hot shower and a change into clothes he always left here and at his other sisters’ houses, he made small talk with Belle during lunch and Luke paid attention to the kids. As always, they charmed him, even when Kasey smeared peanut butter over his face and then, when Luke laughed, covered his arms, too. Belle made him give the kid a bath, and then he put both boys down.

In a better mood now, he joined his sister out on the deck overlooking the wooded backyard. Never one to mince words, she said, “Okay, what happened, Luciano?” The only boy in the family, Luke was named after his dad.

He had to tread carefully here. For twelve years he’d kept his previous relationship with Jayne Logan secret from everyone, not because Jayne wanted it that way, but because initially he’d been embarrassed about how it had ended—a woman had actually dumped him! And then, when he’d gotten home and found out about Jayne and Jess, Luke had been humiliated at how she’d taken him in. “Do you remember Jayne Logan, Jess’s friend?”

“The woman from college.” Belle’s eyes widened. “Oh, the one Naomi suspected Jess was involved with?”

Right after Luke came back to town, over a few late-night beers, Belle had told him about Naomi’s suspicions concerning Jess and Jayne’s relationship.

“Yeah, she’s the one. She’s in town and went looking for Jess. Since he’s at Disney World, she hunted up Miss Ellie.”

Belle cocked her head. “Miss Ellie loved Jayne. She came to Riverdale on vacations and even a summer or two and stayed with them.” She frowned. “Much to Naomi’s distress.”

“Yeah, but Jayne abandoned Miss Ellie when she got rich and famous.” She was very good at abandoning people.

“Why’s she here now?”

“She’s in trouble.”

“What kind?”

“I didn’t stick around to find out.” In truth, he didn’t want to know. He remembered his protective instincts where Jayne was concerned and he certainly didn’t want to fall victim to them again.

Picking up her soft drink, Belle frowned. “Didn’t you work with Jayne in New York?”

“Uh-huh. Briefly.”

“Naomi said she made a name for herself in the architectural world in California and got caught up in the glamour and success there.” Then Belle added gently, “You did too, Luke, when you became partners with Madison Conglomerates in New York.”

“Yeah, but I learned my lesson. From what I’ve heard, she still feeds on fame.”

Belle stood. “I’ll be right back.” She hustled off the porch and in no time returned with her laptop.

“What’s that for?”

Luke had developed an aversion to the Internet. He kept all his business records on a computer, did e-mail and often ordered materials online, but he didn’t surf in cyberspace anymore. He’d done all that when he’d first become successful. The Net was a connection to his previous life that he wanted to forget.

“This is a way to find out what trouble Jayne Logan’s in.”

Hmm, he guessed he could make this one exception. “Good thinking, Isabella, mi amore.”

“Smarts run in the family, little brother. Now, isn’t her first name spelled funny?”

ONE OF THE BEST things about Eleanor was that she took pleasure in small things, like this outing. For years, Jayne had spun fantasies that if she ever had children, Eleanor would be a surrogate grandmother.

Jayne and Ben Scarborough, her college boyfriend of two years, had talked about having kids. Then he’d betrayed her, and that dream, with him at least, was dashed. Even when she’d met Luke, five years later, she was never able to completely trust him. When their relationship had begun to get serious, she’d fled.

“I’m paying, dear. I dragged you here.” Eleanor was standing with Jayne in line at the Fox Theater, the only cinema in town, waiting to see the matinee of the new release of The Little Mermaid.

“You didn’t drag me here. I’m happy to come. The last time I saw a Disney movie was when—” Jayne had to think “—I came with you and Jess to one in college.”

“Ah, yes. He indulges my whims, too.”

As they moved along, a warm breeze ruffled the tails of the pink shirt Jayne wore with jeans. “Jess sounded great on the phone when you let me talk to him.”

“He was delighted that you’re here.”

Jayne smiled. “He threatened never to speak to me again if I left before he got back.” She cleared her throat. “I didn’t tell him what happened. I was afraid it would ruin his vacation.”

“It would have. He loves you like a sister.”