Redeeming Luke, page 18
part #1 of Days of Grace Series
“No.”
He turned and walked back to the house.
****
Something was definitely wrong. Ruth took another bite of peas, eyeing Grady and Luke. Luke seemed perfectly content, but Grady—she had never seen him so down.
“Nella showed me how to make her dinner rolls today,” she offered in her most cheerful voice.
No response.
“And Emma offered to help me sew some new clothes tomorrow. Nella has a whole trunk full of old dresses we’re going to take apart, so we can use the fabric.”
Nothing.
Dabbing her mouth with a napkin, she tried another line of conversation. “So, how did the chores go today?”
Luke kept eating.
She turned to Grady.
Grady glared at Luke. “Fine.”
“Just ‘fine’?”
“Yes.” Grady’s eye snapped at her. “Just fine.”
He got up from the table so quickly, his chair made an awful racket against the floor.
“Grady!” Ruth stood. “Where are you going?”
Grady looked at Luke again, who still paid no mind to what was happening around him.
“I’m going to the barn. With the horses. Where I belong.”
With the slam of the screen door, he disappeared. Ruth spun on her heels to face Luke.
“What did you do to him?”
Finally, her uncle raised his head, as if he hadn’t noticed anything at all. He lifted his hands.
“Nothing.”
Ruth sat back down. “Then what did you say to him?”
“I said a lot of things to him. I had to work with him all day long. And trust me—it made for a long day.”
“Luke! He is upset! You had to have done or said something to make him act this way!”
Pushing back his chair, Luke wiped his mouth with his napkin and set it on the plate.
“Well why don’t you go on out there and wipe his tears away, and find out what it is then? I’m tired.”
Ruth watched Luke leave the kitchen. After a moment she heard the crackle of the radio, and then a news program coming from the living room. Staring at the table, with all the half eaten food—except for Luke’s plate, of course. She looked at the screen door and wondered if she should go after Grady and find out what was wrong.
But if Luke was awful to Grady, did she really want to know? Couldn’t she just ignore it all and pretend everything was fine? She rested her elbows on the table, and her head in her hands. Having Grady stay here wasn’t working. Luke was making it as difficult as possible, she knew it. But she couldn’t let Grady leave. He may never come back.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Luke lifted the ladle from the bucket of water outside the barn and drank from it. Ruth was off at Nella’s again, sewing clothes with Emma.
He didn’t want to think about where he’d be without Nella and Emma right now. Barbara Hudgins had also been a huge help, picking Ruth up a few times, and taking her out just to talk. But why did it always come at the expense of leaving him with Grady?
Grady had been looking for a job for the past month and a half, but like a lot of people these days, he wasn’t having much luck. That left him here all day, and Luke certainly wasn’t going to let him sit around and do nothing. Not that Grady did sit and do nothing. Even Luke had to admit, the kid was a hard worker. But Luke wanted to see more from him. He wanted the kid to learn to be a man. Stand up for himself. How was he going to protect Ruth and their child if he just kowtowed to everyone?
Luke dipped the ladle in the water again, took his hat off, and poured the water on his head. He envisioned steam rising from his head. What he wouldn’t give for a nice, crisp breeze to blow through and cool everything down. Even the animals moved in slow motion, barely able to garner the energy to eat. From inside the barn he could hear the scrape of a pitchfork against the dry ground. Grady cleaning out the stalls. He’d had the kid working since sun-up. And not once had Grady complained. From mucking stalls to loading straw in the barn loft, brushing down horses, and pulling weeds in the vegetable garden, no matter what Luke threw at him, he did it. Luke knew he should be impressed, but instead irritation hammered at his nerves.
The scrape of the pitchfork stopped. Footsteps alerted him to Grady’s approach.
The kid stopped short. He gazed at the ladle dripping with water, and licked his lips. Luke handed it to him. Grady drank his fill and slumped against the barn wall. He rubbed his arm against his forehead.
“I want to thank you. For letting me stay here all this time. I appreciate the support.”
Luke raised a brow. “I’m not doing it for you.” He adjusted his hat and walked toward the corrals, swallowing a nasty remark when Grady followed him.
“I know that, but still. I appreciate you letting me stay here and be with Ruth.”
Luke spun around so fast Grady stumbled. Luke stepped closer. “I am not letting you stay here so you can be with Ruth.”
For the first time since he’d met Grady, the kid held didn’t flinch.
The boy gave a huff, and scowled. “Then why are you doing it?”
The last ounce of self-control Luke possessed began to evaporate. “I don’t have to tell you why I do anything.”
Grady stood taller and squared his shoulders. “With all due respect, I think I deserve to know why I’ve been busting my hind quarters these past three months for you then.”
The muscles in Luke’s jaw tightened to a painful burn. “You think you’ve been doing all this for me? You ain’t doing a thing for me, boy.”
Grady closed the gap between the two of them, the veins in his neck protruding. “Then tell me who I am doing it for!”
Luke felt his hands form fists. He spoke in a low growl. “I oughta knock you from here to next Sunday.”
“Then do it! Just do it!” Grady howled. “Come on, punch me in the gut!” He pounded his fists against his chest. “Do something besides glare at me and threaten me and make me feel like I’m worse than dirt around here!”
He pointed a finger at Luke. “Let me tell you something, Mr. Morgan, you can’t possibly make me feel any worse than I already do! So why don’t you go ahead and do what you really want to do to me, and get it over with!”
“Because beating the tar outta you won’t prepare you for what’s waiting out there, boy!” Luke’s pulse throbbed in his ears. The muscle beneath his right eye twitched.
“Do you have any idea what you are facing? Do you have any clue how you are going to provide for this baby? Have you ever had a real job in your life? Ever get those lily white hands dirty before you came here?”
Something flashed in Grady’s eyes. Before Luke had a chance to react, Grady’s fist landed firmly on his jaw. Pain shot seared through his jaw, into his skull. Luke bent at his knees, refusing to go down to the ground. His vision blurred as he sucked in air and fought the darkness closing in on him.
As his lungs finally filled with air again and his vision cleared, Luke gathered his senses and stood upright, fists clenched, retaliation overriding caution. He raised his fists, poised to beat the young upstart half silly.
But something stopped him. Grady’s eyes held something Luke had been trying to ignore. Fear. Pain. Confusion. And … grit.
Grady stood with his fists ready. As Luke drew back, prepared to throw his first punch, he suddenly saw all the overwhelming emotions bottled up in a kid only seventeen years old, facing a situation in life he didn’t have the experience or the skills to face. A kid who knew everyone had turned on him, including his own father. A kid who had always done the right thing and now found himself not knowing who he was or what he was capable of. The boy had had enough. He’d finally snapped and found someone to take it all out on.
Luke’s fists relaxed. He stared at Grady, wondering … if he had lost it all those years ago and punched someone in the jaw, let them know how angry and scared he was, would things have turned out differently for him and Sadie and their baby?
He lowered his hands to his sides.
Grady glared at Luke, knuckles white against hardened fists. He spoke through clenched teeth. “I’m not sorry.”
Luke worked his jaw, touching the painful spot. “I know you aren’t.”
Raising his fists higher, Grady challenged, “So are you just going to stand there, or are you going to fight me?”
Luke turned his head, spitting out the taste of blood in his mouth. “I’m not going to fight you.”
He walked past Grady toward the garden. He’d walked several steps when, to his dismay, he heard Grady’s shoes scuffing along behind him. Luke stopped at the garden and pointed to a pile of weeds that had been pulled.
“Clean those up. Put them in the wheelbarrow over there, and then dump it on the other side of the fence behind the corrals.”
Grady didn’t answer. All the huff and puff seemed to have gone out of him. But Luke could tell he walked a little taller. He watched Grady retrieve the wheel barrow and begin to clean up the weed pile. Luke touched his sore jaw again, wincing, and went about feeding the horses.
He ruffled Leah’s mane while she ate. “He’s got more fight in him than I gave him credit for.”
She bobbed her head up and down as if in agreement.
But even Luke never had the courage to do what Grady had done. Oh, he’d thought about it. A lot. But he kept it bottled up inside. Maybe Grady was better equipped to handle the storm headed his way than Luke had been. Maybe he was ready for the fight ahead.
The rumble of a car drew Luke’s attention as he watered the last horse. He turned back and looked toward the house, recognizing Harold Graton’s Cadillac.
Wondering what Harold could be doing all the way up here in Petaluma at this time of day, a twinge in Luke’s gut told him it wasn’t for anything good. He walked to the man, tugged off a work glove and held his hand out.
“Surprised to see you out this way. Can I help you with something?”
Mr. Graton shook Luke hand but his gaze darted everywhere except to him.
“Well, yes, you can. To be honest, this isn’t exactly a social call.”
Luke crossed his arms.
“The truth is, Luke—” Mr. Graton let out a loud sigh and kicked at a rock. “I have to take the horses.”
Luke stared at the man, feeling blindsided. “Why?”
“Well, it’s a bit of a sensitive matter.”
Luke stepped forward. “I think I have a right to know why you’re taking your business from me. Did someone else offer you a better deal? Because we can renegotiate the boarding terms.”
Harold smoothed one hand over his well-groomed hair. “I really don’t want to get into your personal business. But—actually it’s my wife. She heard about your niece.”
Luke pushed his hands into his pockets to avoid making fists. “What about her?”
Mr. Graton held his hands in the air. “I’m a business man just like you. And I have no interest in what goes on in other people’s private lives. But the missus—she doesn’t want our daughter coming here and seeing—” He clamped his lips shut.
“Seeing my pregnant niece.”
Harold offered a defeated nod.
Luke drew in a deep breath and held it. He blew it out slowly, removed his hat and calmly brushed it off with his hand. He replaced the hat on his head.
“May I ask exactly how your wife learned about my niece?”
“I guess she knows the Akins woman somehow.” Harold shrugged. “I don’t know to be honest with you. I don’t pay attention to all her women’s leagues and clubs and whatnot.”
“So, your wife has no problem being around the mother of the boy who got Ruth in this fix, but she doesn’t want your daughter at my ranch, because Ruth is here?”
“Look, Morgan, like I said, I’ve got no interest in what goes on in your private life—”
Luke stepped toward Mr. Graton. “But your wife does, right? And that’s what you base your business decisions on? I have to say, if that’s the case, I’m surprised you’re as successful as you are, considering how fickle women can be.”
Harold sputtered an unintelligible response.
Luke knew he should stop, but he didn’t care. “Your wife does know it’s not contagious, right?”
Mr. Graton stood to his full height, finally able to piece a sentence together. “Now, see here, I know this is a raw deal for you, but I won’t stand here and listen to you besmirch my wife like this!”
Towering over the man, Luke spoke through gritted teeth.
“And I won’t stand here and let you or your spoiled, debutante wife belittle my niece! Treating her like some kind of leper to be kept away from the pure, innocent children of the rich and privileged!” He threw one arm in the air. “Take your blasted horses, Graton! I don’t want your business.”
Luke strode away from the man, his hands balled into fists.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Emma walked up the porch steps of Luke’s home on feeble legs. This was a bad idea. In fact, now that she stood on his porch, in front of his door, she was pretty certain it was the worst possible idea. But she had come all this way, carrying Nella’s chocolate cake, and Ruth was expecting her.
Was Luke? Had Ruth told him? Ruth hadn’t really answered when Emma asked her.
Emma reached for the door and knocked. She stepped back, releasing tense a breath, praying Luke would not be the one who opened the door, remembering another time she’d breathed the same prayer.
This time, her prayer was answered. Ruth stood behind the screen door, wearing a yellow and white checked, ruffled apron over the new maternity blouse they’d made.
“Miss Darby. I’m so glad you came.” Ruth threw open the squeaky screen door and hugged Emma.
Fears of Luke’s reaction to her presence were, at least temporarily, averted.
Ruth inhaled dramatically. “Is that Nella’s chocolate cake I smell?”
“Yes, it is.” Emma handed the cake to her.
“Oh. How rude of me.” Ruth’s face fell. Concern worked into her eyes. “I should have invited her too.”
“I’m sure she didn’t mind. When I left she was sitting in the living room in her favorite rocker, happily reading her favorite Faith Baldwin book.”
Ruth giggled and straightened her back, lifting her chin. “You know, Mrs. Akins thinks that reading romance novels is trashy. Not at all a ladylike pursuit.”
Emma laughed. It was good to see Ruth in such high spirits. She raised a brow. “Well, I’d like to see Mrs. Akins say that to Nella.”
She followed Ruth into the kitchen, surprised at how the young girl seemed to have everything under control.
“It smells wonderful.”
“Thanks.” Ruth set Nella’s cake on the kitchen counter. “I picked some rosemary that’s growing out by the creek and added it to the chicken.”
“I can’t wait to taste it. Can I help with anything?”
“Sure.” Ruth handed Emma a bowl of green beans. “These are fresh out of the garden.”
“Okay.” Emma reached into the bowl and picked up a bean, snapped the ends off, and tossed the bean into one bowl, the scraps in another. “I take it Grady and Luke are outside working?”
“Yes.” Ruth opened the ice box and took out a jar of milk.
“You did ask him about inviting me, didn’t you?” Emma queried.
Closing the ice box door, Ruth winced. “Actually, I never got the chance.”
“Ruth!” Emma’s gaze darted around the room. Luke could walk in any moment! “I thought you were going to be sure before I came.”
“I was going to.” Ruth pressed her hands together as if praying. Her words rushed out in a flood. “But you know how stubborn he is! I really think this is best. Luke is trying to deal with everything, but it’s hard for him. He needs someone he can talk to and you know he doesn’t trust people easily. Especially Grady. He—” Ruth gasped as the screen door creaked open behind Emma. Ruth’s eyes widened.
Emma turned to see what had caught Ruth’s attention. Luke stood in the doorway, covered in dust. The dust wasn’t surprising. But the red and purple lump on his jaw was.
Luke stopped short at the moment his gaze landed on Emma. His dark, questioning eyes and tilt of his head told her that indeed, he had not expected her.
“Luke!” Ruth ran to him and reached up to touch his jaw. He flinched and backed away. “What happened?”
The screen door opened again, bouncing shut as Grady stepped into the kitchen. Eyes still locked on Emma, Luke motioned behind him with his thumb. “Ask your boyfriend.”
Ruth shoved past Luke. “Grady? Did you do that? Did you hit Luke?”
Grady shrugged his shoulders. “I didn’t plan to.”
Ruth slugged Grady on the arm. He grabbed his arm and took a step away from her. “Ouch!”
“That’s what you get!” Ruth set her hands on her hips. “What possible reason could you have for hitting him?” Ruth turned to her uncle. “Luke? Please don’t kick him out because of this. I don’t know what happened, but please, he has nowhere to go. If you kick him out—”
“Enough!” Luke held up his hand, finally moving his gaze from Emma. “No one is going anywhere. This is between Grady and me. And it’s over. I’ve got bigger things to worry about.”
“Like what?” Ruth inquired.
Luke rubbed his eyes. “Never mind.” He turned to Emma and stared at her.
Emma swallowed hard. “I—uh—”
His eyes still had the power to turn her into a bumbling idiot.
“Ruth invited me. But I assumed she had told you. I should have made sure about that before I came. This clearly is not a good time so I’m going to go.” She picked up her purse from one of the kitchen chairs.
“Don’t.” Luke’s hand on her arm sent gooseflesh dancing up to her shoulder.
“I think I at least owe you dinner.” He cast a brief glance at Ruth and Grady. “If not a full apology.”
Emma blinked, her throat constricting. She somehow formed the word, “Oh.”
Luke lowered his hand. Emma reached for the counter for stability. Warmth from his touch continued to tiptoe up her arm.
