fourteen
She hadn’t thought that Luke had planned for anything more than a fancy dinner. But when he pulled up in front of the Amway Grand in downtown Grand Rapids, Hannah about passed out.
Luke jumped out of the car and came around to open her door. He extended his hand with that charming dimple in his left cheek. “Ready to go to the prom?”
His warm hand engulfed hers as he tucked it into the crook of his arm and gave the keys to the valet.
“So, what’re we really doing here?” she asked.
A stretch limo pulled up to the curb where her car had been a moment before. Laughter spilled out when the driver opened the door, and one by one, four couples emerged. Sequins, taffeta, tuxes, and only one or two old enough to vote.
Luke led her through the main doors where a sign welcomed Riverwest High School.
Hannah was really at a high school prom for the first time at age twenty-five. A laugh bubbled up inside her.
Her steps faltered as they neared the line where they were expected to hand over tickets. “Luke, we can’t go in there. We don’t even know where Riverwest High is.”
“It’s west of a river.” He gave her hand a squeeze and pulled past the line, aiming for the door. “Just smile.”
A round woman’s lips thinned as they approached. She marched toward them, sprouts of hair escaping from what was probably once a nice hairdo. “You there.”
They were going to get kicked out of the prom before they even got in.
The woman bore down on them, sweat beading at her temples. “Glad you two are finally here. I can’t do everything. Cover the dance floor. I’ve got to keep these yahoos from bringing more of this junk in here.” She held up a flask and eyed it with longing.
“Sorry we’re late.” Luke’s voice was calm, confident.
She snapped her focus back to him. “Just keep them from getting indecent on the dance floor, would ya?”
“Nothing indecent. Got it.” Luke pulled Hannah toward the archway of balloons that led to the main hall.
The area was dim, but different-colored lights angled around. “I thought you just came up with this idea,” Hannah said. “Did you volunteer us to—”
“No, but since it’s May and this is one of the most popular places to hold a prom, I took a chance that there would be one tonight and they’d be shorthanded on chaperones.” He entwined their fingers and led her through a clump of teenagers. “Looks like I was right.”
Hannah shook her head. “What would you have done if you were wrong?”
“Toured this beautiful building with you. Maybe taken a walk by the river. Danced by the car. I don’t know.” He took both of her hands in his. “We don’t have to stay if you don’t want to.”
“Are you kidding?” Hannah pointed to the banner. “The theme is Reel Romances. I love movie romances. Let’s go look.”
She yanked Luke to the side, where a row of six-foot line drawings on plywood stood up like paper dolls. All unforgettable cinematic moments. “There’s Audrey Hepburn from Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and there’s Baby and Johnny’s final dance from Dirty Dancing, and of course, the flying scene on the bow from Titanic.”
Luke stared at her. “I’m glad you’re having fun.”
Wrapping her arms around his neck, she dropped a quick kiss on his dimple. “I am. Thank you.”
A cutout of a boom box peeked over Luke’s shoulder, and she spun him around and pointed. “Lloyd.”
“Lloyd? The radio dude?”
“John Cusack in Say Anything . . .” She tugged him over to the cutout and handed her phone to him. “You have to take a picture of me.”
“You and your Lloyd.” He snapped it and shook his head.
“Don’t worry. I think I like you better.”
“You think?” Luke grabbed her hand and pulled her to him, wrapping her in his arms.
“Okay, I know. Let’s get a picture of us too.” She took her phone back and tapped on the screen so they could take a selfie.
“Dance with me?” He tugged her close, his gaze intense.
Hannah melted a little before her pulse started to climb. Somehow their fun, joking banter of the evening had turned serious. The smoky-eyes kind of serious. She swallowed and drew a breath. She’d forgotten to do that for a minute.
She followed Luke out on the dance floor and leaned into him. They might fail as chaperones since she couldn’t make herself pay any attention to what was going on beyond the set of wide shoulders where her head rested.
After three dances, a Beyoncé tune picked up the tempo, and the teens around them began to move in ways that didn’t look much like dancing to Hannah. Had she really been out of high school that long? Luke led her to the side, where they found an empty table.
Hannah snapped a few photos of the room and then scanned through the ones she’d taken so far. She stopped at the one she’d snapped from her photo album. It captured Luke and Mrs. Shoemaker at their eighth grade graduation. Him with his goofy grin and Mrs. Shoemaker with her ever-present gray bun and dressed in her Sunday best. She was smiling as wide as any proud parent.
“Remember when you said at the hospital that you were never wanted?”
He tensed and nodded.
“I think you’re wrong. Mrs. Shoemaker may have had her own issues, but she loved you and wanted you. Just look at her face.” Hannah passed over her phone.
He studied it a minute and handed the phone back. “Trying to fix my issues again?”
“No, I—”
“Relax.” He reached over and claimed her hand. “I was just teasing. Maybe you’re right. Either way, I appreciate that you care.”
Maybe he’d feel the same way about Al. Or maybe not.
“Would you send that to me? Along with the photos of us.” Luke stood and motioned toward the refreshment table. “Want me to get you some punch?”
“Yeah, but you better make sure it isn’t spiked.”
As Luke disappeared into the crowd she texted him the photos, then sent a few to Janie. Wait until she found out Luke and Hannah were really at a prom.
“You’re too beautiful to leave alone.” A voice that had changed maybe six months ago did its best to sound older than the person it belonged to. “Want to dance?”
“She’s with me.” Luke’s voice came from behind her.
The boy paled and backed up. “Sorry, mister.”
Luke’s suit emphasized his wide shoulders. Yes, he could be intimidating. Unless it was Hannah looking at him, then his appearance made her insides go warm.
“He’s right, though, you are too beautiful to leave alone.” His gaze darted back to the stage. “Want to dance?”
“Where’s the punch?”
“I’ll get it in a minute.” Luke captured her hand and pulled her toward the dance floor.
“We have a special request from someone tonight.” The DJ spoke into the mic with a smooth tenor. “It dates back a bit, but considering the theme, I thought it fit right in. And he gave me fifty bucks.”
Luke shifted from one foot to the other, waiting for the song to start. Strange. He wrapped his arms around her, but his hold was stiffer than before.
The first few notes traveled through the room, and she leaned back and stared at Luke. “This is that song from Say Anything . . . I was telling you about. ‘In Your Eyes’ by Peter something.”
“Peter Gabriel.” He seemed to be holding his breath.
“Wait, you requested this?”
“Too cheesy?” One eyebrow lifted, his back still ramrod straight.
Hannah reached up and brushed her lips across his. “No. I love it.”
He released a breath and pulled her to him, cradling her head against his shoulder. “I’m glad, because I’m not up to doing the whole boom-box-in-the-road thing.”
Hannah laughed and sank into the smell of Luke. It couldn’t get more perfect than this. She leaned her head back and met his gaze. “Have I changed your mind about selling your house?”
He leaned down and pressed his lips next to her ear, sending a chill down her side. “Let’s get out of here.”
He pulled her through the crowd. Good thing. She wasn’t sure she could have navigated it at the time. Her brain had started misfiring the second his breath traveled along her neck. This would definitely be a night she wouldn’t forget.
It had been two weeks since Madison left, and he still hadn’t gotten the guts to bring it up to Janie. Thomas added up the last of the receipts from the day and tried not to look at her. Didn’t work. She wiped the counter down from the last customer before her eyes darted to him and then away. No doubt she was waiting for him to spill his big secret. No, she was waiting for him to say they still had a chance, but he couldn’t do that. Whether he was engaged or not, the real problem hadn’t changed.
Gideon, Janie and Olivia’s eighteen-year-old brother, poked his head in the front door and shook the remains of the rain from his shaggy blond hair. “Ready, Olivia?”
“I thought I was taking you home.” Janie stood up straight and folded the rag in her hand.
“Gideon offered, so I’ll go with him.” Olivia gave her sister a pointed look and nodded in Thomas’s direction before walking out the door.
That was subtle. There was no more avoiding it. “Janie, I need to tell you . . .”
“Yes?” Janie twisted the rag in her hands.
Thomas swallowed against his tight throat. “I’m sorry I almost kissed you. That was out of line.”
The color drained from Janie’s face. “I see.” She scrubbed at a spot on the counter, this time with a little more vengeance than the coffee smudge required. The patter of the rain on the roof filled the silence.
He punched a few numbers on the cash register and the drawer popped open. “Why don’t you go home before the rain gets too bad? I’ll finish up here.”
She stared at him for a beat, then tossed her rag in the bucket and marched toward the kitchen. She must have parked in the alley. The back door rattled as it slammed.
That hadn’t gone well, but then what had he expected? How would they survive working together much longer?
The bell above the door jingled as Hannah pushed in and fought to put down her umbrella. “It’s starting to really come down out there. Where’s Janie?”
“Just left.” Lifting the twenties out of the cash drawer, he started counting. “Jar’s over there.”
Hannah retrieved the jar before returning to the counter where he was working. “Have you told her yet?”
“I told her that I was out of line for nearly kissing her.” He stared at the money in his hand. Shoot, he’d lost count.
Hannah dropped her purse on the counter with a thud. “I got a call on your house today. Are you still selling?”
His hands paused on the money. “Yes.”
“That’s really what you want?” Her tone punched out each word.
He pulled a velvet box from his pocket and set it in front of her. “It’s really what I want. Here, you and Luke might need it someday.”
Hannah flipped it open and shook her head as she slid it back toward him. “Grandma Hazel left it to you. For your wife.”
“What wife?” Thomas pushed the box back to her. He scratched the amount of the twenties into the right column of his ledger and reached for the tens. “At this point, it doesn’t seem as if I’ll ever have one.”
“You’d have one if you’d be honest.” She slammed the box on his ledger.
“We’ve gone over this. Besides, the ring needs to be passed down. Face it, I won’t have anyone to pass it down to. I can’t have kids, remember?” His voice rose to a near shout as he slammed the box down in front of her.
Hannah’s eyes widened. “Janie—”
“Janie wants a big family. I can’t give her that.” Thomas dropped the tens back in the drawer and pushed it shut. He’d count it later.
Her lips tightened. “Stop—”
“No, you stop.” He was tired of this. Wasn’t his sister supposed to be on his side? “Don’t you know how hard this is for me? Why can’t you support me?”
“Janie’s behind you.” The words came out rapid-fire.
Janie stood about ten feet behind him, her hand clutching the pass-through door to the kitchen. Her face ghostly pale. “I forgot my sweater.” She lifted it from the hook, her eyes not focusing on anything. Her hair, damp from the rain, clung to the side of her face, and goose bumps covered her arms. “Did you really break up with me because you found out that you can’t have children?”
“And that’s my cue to go.” Hannah grabbed the jar of money and her keys, shouldered her purse, and pushed through the front door into the rain.
Thanks a lot, little sister.
“Did you?”
She wasn’t supposed to find out like this. Or ever.
The ticking of the clock echoed in the room. The storm outside even paused for his answer.
“Answer me.” Her face was still pale. Her hands clutching the sweater shook.
Thomas took a hesitant step toward her, then stopped. “I found out last summer. Because of my treatment for cancer I had as a kid, I can’t have kids. I know you want a big family—”
“So you dumped me?” Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes.
“I did it for you, Janie. Can’t you see that?”
“For me?” She marched toward him. “Oh, please, do explain.”
Thomas stood up straighter. “I know how much you want to be a mother. Don’t you know how much I wanted to give that to you? But I can’t. You deserve to be with someone who can.”
“You think I wanted that more than I wanted you?” She shoved her arms into her sweater with such force he feared she might rip it.
“My mom never wanted kids, and she’d always dreamed of spending her life traveling the world.”
“And . . .”
He leaned against the counter, gripping the edge. “Don’t you see? My dad knew that, but he married her even though his life was here. Then two kids later she finds herself strapped to a town and a life she never wanted. How fair was that? Who could blame her for leaving?”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “It wasn’t your dad’s fault that your mom left, Thomas. She left because she was selfish.”
She didn’t get it. But how would she, coming from her perfect Leave It to Beaver family?
Thomas stared at the floor, then pushed away from the counter. “Yeah, well, my dad knew what she wanted when he married her. But he trapped her here just the same.”
“Trapped her? Did she marry him against her will? Was she unaware that your dad’s job was here when she married him? She chose the marriage as much as your dad.” A crack of thunder rattled the front window.
“That’s my point. He convinced her she wanted it. Kids were never in her plan.” He raised his voice to be heard above the rain.
“Life doesn’t always turn out the way we expect, but it doesn’t mean we throw in the towel. Yes, that’s what your mom did, but it doesn’t mean that’s what I’d do.” Janie dug her fingers into her hair. “Don’t you get it? I was ready to commit ’til death do us part.”
“But I didn’t want you to have to give up your dream.” His voice echoed in the room as the rain quieted.
She marched over and jabbed her finger in his chest. “No, you didn’t want to take the chance that I’d turn out like your mom. But instead of giving me the chance, instead of trusting me, you decided for me.”
Thomas captured her hand as his voice quieted. “You say that, but I know how much having a big family means to you. Passing your heritage on and all that.”
“Heritage isn’t bound to the genetic code, Thomas.” She yanked her hand from his grasp and took a few steps back. “It’s what we give the next generation, whether by birth, adoption, being an aunt or uncle, or mentoring a kid in the community. It’s investing in others, and that investment is a choice.”
Crossing his arms over his chest, he shook his head. “You think it wouldn’t bother you to never have kids?”
The wind picked up, whipping the tattered awning back and forth against the front window.
“That’s a dumb question. Of course it would. It’s something I’ve always wanted, but it’s out of my control. No matter who I marry, it’s out of my control. What if I’m infertile? What if I carry a rare genetic disorder that affects my kids? People like to pretend they’re in control of the whole children thing, but they’re not.” She pressed her lips together and stared at him. “If I never have kids I’m sure I’ll grieve that dream, but that won’t be the end. God will give me a new dream.”
The growing rumble of thunder indicated the worst of the storm hadn’t even passed.
“God would’ve given us a new dream together. Don’t you see? I wanted to walk through this with you. Cry with you and find answers with you.” The tears spilled down her cheeks and she wiped them away with the sleeve of her sweater. “You never gave me a chance. You just shut me out. That’s not love.”
Thomas took a hesitant step toward her. “You’d have regrets.”
She backed up to the kitchen door. “No. The only regret I have is trusting you with my heart in the first place. You obviously don’t believe in me.” Shaking her head, she wiped away another tear. “I wonder if you ever did.”
Lightning flashed again, followed quickly by a crack of thunder. The lights flickered but stayed on.
“So thank you for dumping me. Because I’d hate to marry someone who thought so little of my character.”
The words were like a sucker punch. How could she think that? “That’s not—”
“True? Fair? Kinda stinks having others tell you how you feel, doesn’t it?” Janie marched through the kitchen, and a moment later the back door slammed again.
A crack of thunder shook the diner again, then the lights went out and stayed out.
Luke added the numbers in his checkbook for a second time. Unfortunately, his math had been right. Fixing the truck had nearly emptied him out. If he hadn’t still been paying on it, he’d have scrapped it and bought a new one. His and Hannah’s date this weekend would have to be a night in. A rented movie and frozen pizza. He could afford that. Maybe.
Sweat dripped down the side of his face, and he rubbed his cheek against his shoulder. Ugh. Summer warmth had decided to arrive in spades. He flipped the latch on the window above the sink and cranked it open, letting the afternoon breeze flow through the house.
His goal had been to save enough each month so he could stop living paycheck to paycheck. But between the money he’d put into updating the house and his truck, he’d landed himself back at the bottom.
He cringed as he mentally added up how much he’d invested in this house already. If Kensington bought the house, it would be a total loss. After all, Luke had no right to the property. Maybe he could return the windows he’d yet to install. But they were all custom sized.
He’d take on more hours at work, but the gazebo was eating up all his extra time. Then there was the website he hadn’t even started yet. He poured himself a glass of water and dropped into his computer chair. Luckily, Hannah’s tastes in websites ran simple. He could do simple. Probably.
He slid the SD card out of her camera into the port of his laptop and dragged the folder icon to his desktop. The icon transformed into a spinning hourglass and Luke rolled his head around, waiting as the photos transferred. One. At. A. Time.
What he wouldn’t give for a new computer. And something stronger than this water or he’d never stay awake.
He pushed out of his chair. Please let there be a Coke left.
He was halfway to the fridge when a loud crash halted his steps. Twisting around, he caught sight of Spitz crashing through the room as he chased a squirrel that ran along the porch railing outside the window. “Spitz, no!”
Too late.
The dog crashed into the side of his computer desk, toppling the glass of water all over the laptop. The screen blinked twice before going black. No. No. This wasn’t happening.
He raced back to the computer, his fingers fumbling as they pulled out the SD card and shoved it into the camera. ERR flashed on the display. His pulse pounded an ache into his temples.
Shoot.
He held up the computer by one corner as the water dripped off while he yanked out the power cord and disconnected the battery. He pulled a towel from the drawer, laid it out, and did his best to towel off the laptop. Rice supposedly helped, but he didn’t have that much on hand.
Thomas was a techie. Luke reached for his phone.
“Hey, Luke, what’s up?”
Luke ran through the scenario of what happened. “Any hope for the card?”
“With only an error message it’s hard to say.”
Luke flipped the camera on again and hit Display as if it might miraculously start working. Nope.
“Sometimes the data can be recovered. I know a few guys in Grand Rapids. It’s not cheap, though, and no guarantees.”
His bank balance flashed through his mind, and he rubbed his eyes with his hand. He bit back a few unpleasant words.
The phone beeped in his ear. He glanced at the screen. Hannah was trying to call. The phone nearly slipped out of his sweat-slicked palm. Shoot. He’d call her back. The last thing he wanted to have to tell her was that he’d lost the photos. “Know anyone who does work on the side, in town?”
“There is someone local who could probably help, and he might not charge you because he’s not hurting for money, but . . .”
Not hurting for money? That could only be one person. “Who?”
“Derek. He had a computer minor in college.”
Of course. Luke’s gut tightened. “I’ll figure something out.”
He threw his phone aside. Maybe he could take the SD card in after payday and Hannah would never be the wiser. He might be able to distract her for a few days.
His voicemail chirped. He picked up the phone and tapped the screen. “Hey, Luke, I just wanted to know if you’ve gotten the photos yet for the website. I really was hoping to get the site up and running before Friday. Call me.”
Okay, waiting until Friday wasn’t an option. Luke reached for the phone book. Derek was going to be able to save the day for Hannah once again.
Thirty minutes later, he pulled into the Kensington estate, following the long drive up to the pillared house. Mansion. He hadn’t been here since Jon had left for Europe. He slid out of the car and headed toward the door, but Derek had it open before he got there.
“Derek.”
“Luke.”
Okay, he needed to sound a bit friendlier. Derek was saving his hide, after all. A fact Derek wouldn’t soon let him forget, no doubt.
“Thanks for doing this.” There, that sounded . . . pleasant. He could be nice.
“Does Hannah know you jacked up her card?” Not so pleasant.
Luke pressed his lips together to keep from saying something he’d regret. “Can we get on with this?”
Derek stepped back inside, leaving the door open. Luke followed him through the house to the office. Neither spoke as Derek dropped into a plush leather chair and held out his hand.
Luke passed over the card. He had no desire for chitchat.
Derek slid the card into the computer and punched a few keys until a progress bar appeared. One percent done. This could take a while.
“So, I hear you’re losing your house.” Derek tapped a pen against the desk as the bar moved to two percent.
Luke crossed his arms in front of him. “The town council hasn’t voted yet.”
Derek offered a half laugh and rocked back in the chair. “Formality. My dad can pay more than it’s worth. We Kensingtons tend to get what we want.”
“Hannah,” Luke coughed into his hand.
The muscle in Derek’s jaw twitched. “You think this little fling you two have going will last? Come on. You know she wants to stay in town, and if you lose that house . . . There isn’t much for sale right now in town, but you could always look at the housing in Muskegon.”
“I’ll remember that.” Luke leaned against the wall behind him. “I heard you fudged the numbers on the survey. Guess things aren’t looking so great for the assistant fireman’s job. Too bad Ted signed off on it too.”
Derek’s eyes hardened. “Well, at least I didn’t break protocol and run into the burning building without equipment, costing personnel and resources to save me.”
The bar on the screen crawled a little farther. Four percent done. Really?
Derek must have read his thoughts. “I can drop it off.”
Derek stared at him. “Sure.”
Luke made his way to the front door, doing his best not to slam it on the way out. Derek would drop off the photos and Hannah would never have to know. He just had to keep Hannah distracted until then.