Redeeming Luke, page 9
part #1 of Days of Grace Series
“Enough to never count on him for physical labor, or get stuck behind him in a potluck line.” Luke winked.
The wink left her speechless. She forced herself to breathe again.
He walked to the pile of chairs, picked up two, and carried them down the creek bank where Emma had begun setting up.
Emma struggled to find her footing with him again. “So, you know Pastor Hudgins and his wife?”
“Yeah. They’re good people.”
“Yes, they are.”
Emma wondered at the relationship. Did he open up to them and share the things about himself she wanted to know?
She followed Luke’s lead and made several trips back and forth from the chair pile to the organized rows until the job was complete.
Emma dusted her hands and took in the setting. Clear blue sky, sparkling water flowing down stream, birds flitting from one tree to the next. She closed her eyes and breathed in the fresh, clean air. “It’s going to be a beautiful service.”
“I ‘spose so.”
Emma motioned toward the chairs they’d set up. “Would you like to sit for a few minutes?”
Luke’s eyes narrowed as his gaze turned toward the sound of laughing adults and squealing children. Emma hoped he would realize no one seemed to be interested in what was happening on this part of the beach.
He rubbed his neck. “I guess I could, for a few minutes.”
They sat in the front row of chairs, with one chair between them, and stared out across the water.
Emma sighed. “Sonoma County is a really beautiful place. All the hills, and valleys, creeks and lakes. I can’t wait to see the ocean.”
Luke turned to her, surprise ignited in his dark eyes. “You haven’t been to the ocean yet?”
“No. I lived too far inland in Oregon. It was something I always planned to do, but … ”
He turned his attention back to the water. “I could take you.”
Emma looked at his profile, struck again by his rugged features. His firm, defined jaw line, long straight nose, strong brow. She forced her attention back to the creek. “I—I’d like that.”
She sensed his eyes on her and turned to face him. Pinned to her seat by his dark, gaze, Emma did her best to hold her own.
He nodded once. “All right then.”
Emma quietly drew air into her lungs and looked away. It seemed the water was the only safe place to look.
Luke‘s deep voice drew her attention back to him. “Can I ask you a question?”
Pushing down the balls of nerves he’d turned her into, she risked a look at him again. “Of course.”
“How did a woman like you get tangled up with a guy like Jasper Loomis?”
Emma blinked at the mention of Jasper. She hadn’t expected such a personal question, and wasn’t she sure she was ready to lay her heart bare about the topic.
She looked down at her hands on her lap. Her heart raced. The letter in her pocket dared her to tell him the truth.
“I’ve often wondered what he might have said to you when you called him about making the repairs,” she said.
“Enough to let me know he never deserved you. He still thinks you‘re going to come running back to him, you know.”
Heat raced up Emma’s neck into her cheeks. Clearly Luke knew more about her all this time than she knew about him.
“I know he does.”
“That’s why he sent you to that place.”
She risked a glance at him. “Yes. I assumed that the first time I saw it.”
“And he takes money from you for it?”
“I insisted. I refused to take anything from him for free. It would only give him power over me again.”
Luke’s forehead creased. His eyes turned dark. “What does that mean?”
Emma squeezed her hands together. Birds chirped around her. Children laughed in the distance. Water lapped against the shore of the creek. She drew in a deep breath and sat up straighter. If she wanted Luke to ever open up to her, she would have to trust him and open up first. Somehow she always knew that‘s how it would be with him. But how much should she tell him?
“Jasper’s family is very wealthy and powerful in Pine Bluff, Arizona. Among other things, they controlled the school board. He invited me to dinner repeatedly but I always turned him down. Until he threatened my job.”
Luke‘s eyes narrowed. “He blackmailed you into being with him?”
Emma’s breath hitched. What will he think of me? She couldn’t tell him everything. Perhaps just enough to satisfy his curiosity.
“My mother was sickly and my father had lost his job when The Market crashed. I moved back into their home to provide for them. My income was all we had.” Her throat thickened. She fought to control the tremble in her chin. “My father was humiliated to have his daughter supporting him. Every single day he tried to find work, but there wasn’t any. I couldn’t go to the school board for a raise because, as I said, Jasper’s family controlled it. They controlled everything. Everyone was afraid of them. I had no choice.”
Luke stood and walked to the creek’s edge, standing with his back to her.
Her shoulders sagged. “He was always a gentleman …” The words sounded weak in her own ears.
Luke spoke without looking at her. “But you had no feelings for him. He had to have known that.”
“I suppose he did. He just didn’t care.” Emma hugged herself. “When my mother was hospitalized and I couldn’t afford to pay, Jasper asked me to marry him.”
Luke turned and faced her.
Emma shrank back at the disgust in his eyes. She could only stare at her hands. She couldn’t bear to continue with her story.
He muttered something she was pretty certain she should be thankful not to have heard. He walked back and sat beside her again. This time without another chair between them. His leg brushed against hers, cueing the butterflies in her stomach. She braced herself against the storm of conflicting emotions that assaulted her.
“How did you get away from him?”
“My mother got better.” She closed her eyes and forced out the words. “I didn’t need him anymore to pay the medical bills.”
Unable to sit any longer, she stood and attempted to walk away. Her knees trembled and she stumbled. Luke’s hand grasped her elbow. He turned her around to face him.
She ducked her head.
Luke gripped her shoulders. “He gave you no choice, Emma. He used his power to manipulate you.”
“But I didn’t have to allow it. I could have—” Her mind went blank.
“Could have what?” Luke‘s eyes bore into hers. “Let your parents go hungry? Let your mother die? You did what you had to do, Emma. He took your choices away from you.”
“But I promised myself to a man I didn’t love, for such self-serving motives.”
“And he didn’t love you either.”
Emma blinked.
“He didn’t love you, Emma. He didn’t want to love you. He wanted to own you.”
Why had she never seen it? How could she have believed that everything Jasper did was out of some uncontrollable love? She had convinced herself that he wasn’t as bad as he was. That he was motivated by love, albeit a selfish love.
“I’m just so ashamed.”
“Don’t be. The only person who should be ashamed is him. No real man treats a woman that way.” Luke brushed a wayward curl off her cheek. “So what about your parents? Where are they now?”
“When they found out I wasn’t in love with Jasper, they told me to get as far away from the man as I could. They made plans to move to Arizona and live with my aunt. When I told Jasper, he said I could stay in a ‘lovely cottage’ his family owned, and that he would help me get the teaching job here. He insisted I only needed time to think about things. That I would be back when I realized how difficult life is without money.” She looked past Luke. “I guess I’m still using him. But I didn’t know what else to do.”
“You’re surviving.”
The fusion of emotions his earthy brown eyes could project left her breathless. She saw anger, disgust, understanding, and compassion all abiding together and speaking with one glance things the man himself couldn’t, or wouldn’t, communicate in words.
Luke touched her cheek, tracing her jaw line with his thumb. “You’re too good for him, Emma. I’m glad you didn’t marry him.”
Words choked in her throat. She averted her gaze and stared at the water. She couldn’t possibly tell him everything now.
The echo of voices grew closer, breaking the moment of intimacy.
Luke lowered his hands. “I better go.”
Emma wanted to grab his hands and beg him to stay. Instead, she folded her arms in front of her. “Thank you for your help, and—for not judging me.”
Luke glanced in the direction of the voices. “I know too much about being judged and how it feels, to do it to someone else.
Emma watched him disappear in one direction as the people from the social started to appear from the opposite direction.
She closed her eyes. She should have told him.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Emma dropped chunks of ice into the pitcher of lemonade while Luke repaired a broken shutter outside for her. She snuck a peek at him through the kitchen window. What motivated Luke Morgan? For a man who clearly enjoyed his solitude, he had taken an interest in helping her. Why did he reach out to some people, and avoid others?
She reached for the canister of sugar and worried her lower lip about all the repairs needed to make the cottage habitable.
Why do I stay in this place? And why can’t I simply tell Luke the truth?
She knew very well why. She didn’t want to lose him.
Her hand hovered over the sugar canister. She didn’t want to lose him? He wasn’t hers to lose!
Shaking her mind free of such disconcerting thoughts, Emma swept the back of her hand across her forehead and stirred the sugar into the lemonade.
She inhaled the scent of fresh lemons and reflected on this complicated dance she found herself sharing with Luke. Was she right to tell him about Jasper? At the present moment, she didn’t know. She only knew what she’d felt standing on the creek bank with Luke. Safe. A desire to share her secrets with him. It seemed to have inspired a new closeness between them. The rest of her secret weighed heavily on her mind though.
Emma stared into the swirling lemonade as the wooden spoon rotated it into a tiny whirlpool. She scooped up a spoonful and saw no more sugar granules. She gave it a final stir, then tasted, knowing Luke preferred it tart.
Perfect. She picked up a glass and the pitcher and started to pour.
“I need to go back to the hardware store.”
Emma startled. She dropped the glass, spilling its contents on the floor. The lemonade sloshed in the pitcher, threatening to spill before she set it firmly on the counter with both hands. She turned to him, planting her hands on her hips.
He tipped his hat back and grinned. “Maybe lemonade just isn’t your gift.”
“Maybe knocking isn‘t your gift.” She snatched a dishcloth from the sink and started to clean up. “Why do you have to go back to the hardware store?”
“Ran out of nails. You want some help?”
She looked up at him, surprised by the offer. “Sure.” She tossed the washcloth at him.
He caught it before it slapped him in the face. His stunned expression prompted a bubble of laughter. He looked at the cloth in his hands. “You think I’m not capable of cleaning?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never seen you do any.”
He took three steps to stand inches from her at the sink. She looked up at him, heart racing. Her breath caught in her lungs at the glint in his dark eyes. He leaned in closer.
Good night, was he going to kiss her?
His voice, low and smooth, sent a trail of gooseflesh down her arms. “You’ll need to step aside.”
Emma blinked twice, her mind stuttering. She gathered her composure and moved out of his way, holding her hand to her heart. Luke cleaned up the spilled lemonade and broken glass, putting the shards in the waste basket. He rinsed out the wash cloth, then folded it and laid it across the faucet. He got another glass, filled it to the rim without spilling a drop and held it out to her.
She took the glass, ignoring his teasing wink, and sat at the table. He certainly did enjoy toying with her. What frightened her was how much she enjoyed it.
Luke joined her at the table with a glass of his own.
Eager to fill the silence, Emma set hers aside. “Can I ask a question?”
“Depends.”
Did she dare push him too hard to open up? What if she risked it, only to have him run out and never speak to her again? She tilted her head, with a shrug of her shoulder. “I was just wondering … What is that project you’re working on, out in the barn every night?”
Luke held her gaze for a long moment. She could almost see the war going on in his mind, whether to answer or not. Whether to let her into his private world. His dark eyes drew her in, and held her at bay at the same time.
“I’m sorry.” She held up her hand. “I don’t mean to pry.”
In the quiet that followed, she traced the condensation on her glass with her finger. She risked a peek at him, thankful he didn’t catch her. The tiny frown between his brows held no clue for her.
Luke lifted his shoulders. “It’s a—I don’t really know what to call it yet.” He scratched his temple. “I have this idea.” He shifted in his seat. “To help kids. Crippled kids. Blind kids.”
Emma frowned, picturing the odd metal contraption surrounding a … saddle. Understanding dawned, igniting wonder. “So they can ride a horse?”
He nodded, looking for all the world like a little boy who feared being laughed at. She wanted to reach for his hand. Instead, she cupped her hands around her glass.
“So, it’s a type of … cage?” She leaned forward. “To help them stay in the saddle?”
“Yeah.” He rubbed his neck. “So they don’t have to balance on their own, or worry about falling off.”
Emma sat back in her chair and stared at him. She imagined crippled children, bound to a wheelchair, riding atop a horse. A kind of freedom of movement they could never experience otherwise. And blind children, feeling the large animal move beneath them, the wind in their hair, carefree and unafraid of bumping into anything they can’t see.
She reached out and covered his hand with hers. “That is wonderful, Luke. It’s—it’s—brilliant.”
He stared at her hand. Emma blinked at the realization of what she’d done and started to withdraw, but Luke turned his hand palm up, capturing her hand in his palm. She found herself drawn into his gaze, like the tide drawn by the moon, helpless to fight the magnetic pull.
“Wha—” her voice cracked. She cleared her throat. “What gave you such an idea?”
The gentleness in his eyes shifted quickly into a “No Trespassing” sign.
“I better get to the hardware store before Finn closes it up.” He abruptly stood, the chair skidding across the wood floor. The screen door slammed behind him as he made his exit.
Left sitting alone, her hand still warm from his touch, Emma’s thoughts and emotions tangled together like an unkempt ball of yarn.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Luke slapped dust off his pant legs, and swiped sweat from his brow with his sleeve. Keeping the horses safe in this heat was quite a challenge. Like him, they couldn’t seem to get enough water, and their energy lagged. He wasn’t one to shy from hard work and in fact, got to feeling restless when he was still for too long. Today though, Luke would gladly sit in the shade, sip lemonade and let someone else worry about the ranch.
He walked back toward the house in time to see Percy Slocum pull into the driveway in his shiny, black Cadillac.
Percy exited his brand new, shiny black Cadillac and waved at Luke. “How’ya doin’, Morgan?”
“Real good.” Luke walked to the car and opened Mrs. Slocum’s door for her.
Mrs. Slocum offered an elegant, poised smile. “Thank you. Children, come say hello to Mr. Morgan.”
The couple’s two children, Matthew and Margaret, ages twelve and fourteen, climbed out of the car and obediently greeted Luke. They all wore riding clothes and boots.
Percy pumped Luke’s hand. “How are the horses doing?”
“They’re in good shape. Follow me.” Luke led the family to the corral holding their four horses, making small talk with the family on the short walk. “I saddled them for you, and they’ve been fed and watered. They’re ready to go.” He opened the corral gate and let them inside.
Each family member went to their respective horse clucking their tongues at the animals. Percy looked over all the horses and returned to Luke.
“They look excellent.” Mr. Percy patted his horse’s neck. “By the way, Logan Prentiss asked me to let you know he’ll be here next week with his wife, to ride.”
Luke nodded and adjusted his hat. “I’ll be ready for them. Thanks.”
“Good, good.” Percy patted Luke’s shoulder. “How’s the boarding business these days?”
“Holding its own, thanks to you spreading the word.”
Percy waved a hand in the air. “It was nothing. I simply recommended you. You’re the one who did the impressing. And believe me, I know how finicky some of those clients I sent your way can be.”
Luke grinned and nodded his agreement.
“By the way, I received your letter before we left, about the business opportunity. Are you free after dinner this evening?”
“Yes, I am. That would be fine.” Luke helped Margaret up onto her horse. He smiled up at her. He wasn’t oblivious to her crush on him, and thought It was sweet how she blushed whenever he showed her attention. He turned back to Percy. “You and your family have a good ride.”
Mr. Percy guided his horse to exit the corral. “I’m sure we will. We’ll be back in a couple of hours.”
Luke ran his gaze over the four horses again. “Be sure to stay near the creek. They may need more water in this heat.”
“Good idea.”
Luke watched the family lead their horses out of the corral, then closed the gate behind them. The busy season of boarding horses had begun. Every week for the rest of summer, owners would come and go. But this particular owner was especially important. If he could get Percy in on the idea of helping crippled children ride, he could expand the business to what he really wanted.
The wink left her speechless. She forced herself to breathe again.
He walked to the pile of chairs, picked up two, and carried them down the creek bank where Emma had begun setting up.
Emma struggled to find her footing with him again. “So, you know Pastor Hudgins and his wife?”
“Yeah. They’re good people.”
“Yes, they are.”
Emma wondered at the relationship. Did he open up to them and share the things about himself she wanted to know?
She followed Luke’s lead and made several trips back and forth from the chair pile to the organized rows until the job was complete.
Emma dusted her hands and took in the setting. Clear blue sky, sparkling water flowing down stream, birds flitting from one tree to the next. She closed her eyes and breathed in the fresh, clean air. “It’s going to be a beautiful service.”
“I ‘spose so.”
Emma motioned toward the chairs they’d set up. “Would you like to sit for a few minutes?”
Luke’s eyes narrowed as his gaze turned toward the sound of laughing adults and squealing children. Emma hoped he would realize no one seemed to be interested in what was happening on this part of the beach.
He rubbed his neck. “I guess I could, for a few minutes.”
They sat in the front row of chairs, with one chair between them, and stared out across the water.
Emma sighed. “Sonoma County is a really beautiful place. All the hills, and valleys, creeks and lakes. I can’t wait to see the ocean.”
Luke turned to her, surprise ignited in his dark eyes. “You haven’t been to the ocean yet?”
“No. I lived too far inland in Oregon. It was something I always planned to do, but … ”
He turned his attention back to the water. “I could take you.”
Emma looked at his profile, struck again by his rugged features. His firm, defined jaw line, long straight nose, strong brow. She forced her attention back to the creek. “I—I’d like that.”
She sensed his eyes on her and turned to face him. Pinned to her seat by his dark, gaze, Emma did her best to hold her own.
He nodded once. “All right then.”
Emma quietly drew air into her lungs and looked away. It seemed the water was the only safe place to look.
Luke‘s deep voice drew her attention back to him. “Can I ask you a question?”
Pushing down the balls of nerves he’d turned her into, she risked a look at him again. “Of course.”
“How did a woman like you get tangled up with a guy like Jasper Loomis?”
Emma blinked at the mention of Jasper. She hadn’t expected such a personal question, and wasn’t she sure she was ready to lay her heart bare about the topic.
She looked down at her hands on her lap. Her heart raced. The letter in her pocket dared her to tell him the truth.
“I’ve often wondered what he might have said to you when you called him about making the repairs,” she said.
“Enough to let me know he never deserved you. He still thinks you‘re going to come running back to him, you know.”
Heat raced up Emma’s neck into her cheeks. Clearly Luke knew more about her all this time than she knew about him.
“I know he does.”
“That’s why he sent you to that place.”
She risked a glance at him. “Yes. I assumed that the first time I saw it.”
“And he takes money from you for it?”
“I insisted. I refused to take anything from him for free. It would only give him power over me again.”
Luke’s forehead creased. His eyes turned dark. “What does that mean?”
Emma squeezed her hands together. Birds chirped around her. Children laughed in the distance. Water lapped against the shore of the creek. She drew in a deep breath and sat up straighter. If she wanted Luke to ever open up to her, she would have to trust him and open up first. Somehow she always knew that‘s how it would be with him. But how much should she tell him?
“Jasper’s family is very wealthy and powerful in Pine Bluff, Arizona. Among other things, they controlled the school board. He invited me to dinner repeatedly but I always turned him down. Until he threatened my job.”
Luke‘s eyes narrowed. “He blackmailed you into being with him?”
Emma’s breath hitched. What will he think of me? She couldn’t tell him everything. Perhaps just enough to satisfy his curiosity.
“My mother was sickly and my father had lost his job when The Market crashed. I moved back into their home to provide for them. My income was all we had.” Her throat thickened. She fought to control the tremble in her chin. “My father was humiliated to have his daughter supporting him. Every single day he tried to find work, but there wasn’t any. I couldn’t go to the school board for a raise because, as I said, Jasper’s family controlled it. They controlled everything. Everyone was afraid of them. I had no choice.”
Luke stood and walked to the creek’s edge, standing with his back to her.
Her shoulders sagged. “He was always a gentleman …” The words sounded weak in her own ears.
Luke spoke without looking at her. “But you had no feelings for him. He had to have known that.”
“I suppose he did. He just didn’t care.” Emma hugged herself. “When my mother was hospitalized and I couldn’t afford to pay, Jasper asked me to marry him.”
Luke turned and faced her.
Emma shrank back at the disgust in his eyes. She could only stare at her hands. She couldn’t bear to continue with her story.
He muttered something she was pretty certain she should be thankful not to have heard. He walked back and sat beside her again. This time without another chair between them. His leg brushed against hers, cueing the butterflies in her stomach. She braced herself against the storm of conflicting emotions that assaulted her.
“How did you get away from him?”
“My mother got better.” She closed her eyes and forced out the words. “I didn’t need him anymore to pay the medical bills.”
Unable to sit any longer, she stood and attempted to walk away. Her knees trembled and she stumbled. Luke’s hand grasped her elbow. He turned her around to face him.
She ducked her head.
Luke gripped her shoulders. “He gave you no choice, Emma. He used his power to manipulate you.”
“But I didn’t have to allow it. I could have—” Her mind went blank.
“Could have what?” Luke‘s eyes bore into hers. “Let your parents go hungry? Let your mother die? You did what you had to do, Emma. He took your choices away from you.”
“But I promised myself to a man I didn’t love, for such self-serving motives.”
“And he didn’t love you either.”
Emma blinked.
“He didn’t love you, Emma. He didn’t want to love you. He wanted to own you.”
Why had she never seen it? How could she have believed that everything Jasper did was out of some uncontrollable love? She had convinced herself that he wasn’t as bad as he was. That he was motivated by love, albeit a selfish love.
“I’m just so ashamed.”
“Don’t be. The only person who should be ashamed is him. No real man treats a woman that way.” Luke brushed a wayward curl off her cheek. “So what about your parents? Where are they now?”
“When they found out I wasn’t in love with Jasper, they told me to get as far away from the man as I could. They made plans to move to Arizona and live with my aunt. When I told Jasper, he said I could stay in a ‘lovely cottage’ his family owned, and that he would help me get the teaching job here. He insisted I only needed time to think about things. That I would be back when I realized how difficult life is without money.” She looked past Luke. “I guess I’m still using him. But I didn’t know what else to do.”
“You’re surviving.”
The fusion of emotions his earthy brown eyes could project left her breathless. She saw anger, disgust, understanding, and compassion all abiding together and speaking with one glance things the man himself couldn’t, or wouldn’t, communicate in words.
Luke touched her cheek, tracing her jaw line with his thumb. “You’re too good for him, Emma. I’m glad you didn’t marry him.”
Words choked in her throat. She averted her gaze and stared at the water. She couldn’t possibly tell him everything now.
The echo of voices grew closer, breaking the moment of intimacy.
Luke lowered his hands. “I better go.”
Emma wanted to grab his hands and beg him to stay. Instead, she folded her arms in front of her. “Thank you for your help, and—for not judging me.”
Luke glanced in the direction of the voices. “I know too much about being judged and how it feels, to do it to someone else.
Emma watched him disappear in one direction as the people from the social started to appear from the opposite direction.
She closed her eyes. She should have told him.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Emma dropped chunks of ice into the pitcher of lemonade while Luke repaired a broken shutter outside for her. She snuck a peek at him through the kitchen window. What motivated Luke Morgan? For a man who clearly enjoyed his solitude, he had taken an interest in helping her. Why did he reach out to some people, and avoid others?
She reached for the canister of sugar and worried her lower lip about all the repairs needed to make the cottage habitable.
Why do I stay in this place? And why can’t I simply tell Luke the truth?
She knew very well why. She didn’t want to lose him.
Her hand hovered over the sugar canister. She didn’t want to lose him? He wasn’t hers to lose!
Shaking her mind free of such disconcerting thoughts, Emma swept the back of her hand across her forehead and stirred the sugar into the lemonade.
She inhaled the scent of fresh lemons and reflected on this complicated dance she found herself sharing with Luke. Was she right to tell him about Jasper? At the present moment, she didn’t know. She only knew what she’d felt standing on the creek bank with Luke. Safe. A desire to share her secrets with him. It seemed to have inspired a new closeness between them. The rest of her secret weighed heavily on her mind though.
Emma stared into the swirling lemonade as the wooden spoon rotated it into a tiny whirlpool. She scooped up a spoonful and saw no more sugar granules. She gave it a final stir, then tasted, knowing Luke preferred it tart.
Perfect. She picked up a glass and the pitcher and started to pour.
“I need to go back to the hardware store.”
Emma startled. She dropped the glass, spilling its contents on the floor. The lemonade sloshed in the pitcher, threatening to spill before she set it firmly on the counter with both hands. She turned to him, planting her hands on her hips.
He tipped his hat back and grinned. “Maybe lemonade just isn’t your gift.”
“Maybe knocking isn‘t your gift.” She snatched a dishcloth from the sink and started to clean up. “Why do you have to go back to the hardware store?”
“Ran out of nails. You want some help?”
She looked up at him, surprised by the offer. “Sure.” She tossed the washcloth at him.
He caught it before it slapped him in the face. His stunned expression prompted a bubble of laughter. He looked at the cloth in his hands. “You think I’m not capable of cleaning?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never seen you do any.”
He took three steps to stand inches from her at the sink. She looked up at him, heart racing. Her breath caught in her lungs at the glint in his dark eyes. He leaned in closer.
Good night, was he going to kiss her?
His voice, low and smooth, sent a trail of gooseflesh down her arms. “You’ll need to step aside.”
Emma blinked twice, her mind stuttering. She gathered her composure and moved out of his way, holding her hand to her heart. Luke cleaned up the spilled lemonade and broken glass, putting the shards in the waste basket. He rinsed out the wash cloth, then folded it and laid it across the faucet. He got another glass, filled it to the rim without spilling a drop and held it out to her.
She took the glass, ignoring his teasing wink, and sat at the table. He certainly did enjoy toying with her. What frightened her was how much she enjoyed it.
Luke joined her at the table with a glass of his own.
Eager to fill the silence, Emma set hers aside. “Can I ask a question?”
“Depends.”
Did she dare push him too hard to open up? What if she risked it, only to have him run out and never speak to her again? She tilted her head, with a shrug of her shoulder. “I was just wondering … What is that project you’re working on, out in the barn every night?”
Luke held her gaze for a long moment. She could almost see the war going on in his mind, whether to answer or not. Whether to let her into his private world. His dark eyes drew her in, and held her at bay at the same time.
“I’m sorry.” She held up her hand. “I don’t mean to pry.”
In the quiet that followed, she traced the condensation on her glass with her finger. She risked a peek at him, thankful he didn’t catch her. The tiny frown between his brows held no clue for her.
Luke lifted his shoulders. “It’s a—I don’t really know what to call it yet.” He scratched his temple. “I have this idea.” He shifted in his seat. “To help kids. Crippled kids. Blind kids.”
Emma frowned, picturing the odd metal contraption surrounding a … saddle. Understanding dawned, igniting wonder. “So they can ride a horse?”
He nodded, looking for all the world like a little boy who feared being laughed at. She wanted to reach for his hand. Instead, she cupped her hands around her glass.
“So, it’s a type of … cage?” She leaned forward. “To help them stay in the saddle?”
“Yeah.” He rubbed his neck. “So they don’t have to balance on their own, or worry about falling off.”
Emma sat back in her chair and stared at him. She imagined crippled children, bound to a wheelchair, riding atop a horse. A kind of freedom of movement they could never experience otherwise. And blind children, feeling the large animal move beneath them, the wind in their hair, carefree and unafraid of bumping into anything they can’t see.
She reached out and covered his hand with hers. “That is wonderful, Luke. It’s—it’s—brilliant.”
He stared at her hand. Emma blinked at the realization of what she’d done and started to withdraw, but Luke turned his hand palm up, capturing her hand in his palm. She found herself drawn into his gaze, like the tide drawn by the moon, helpless to fight the magnetic pull.
“Wha—” her voice cracked. She cleared her throat. “What gave you such an idea?”
The gentleness in his eyes shifted quickly into a “No Trespassing” sign.
“I better get to the hardware store before Finn closes it up.” He abruptly stood, the chair skidding across the wood floor. The screen door slammed behind him as he made his exit.
Left sitting alone, her hand still warm from his touch, Emma’s thoughts and emotions tangled together like an unkempt ball of yarn.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Luke slapped dust off his pant legs, and swiped sweat from his brow with his sleeve. Keeping the horses safe in this heat was quite a challenge. Like him, they couldn’t seem to get enough water, and their energy lagged. He wasn’t one to shy from hard work and in fact, got to feeling restless when he was still for too long. Today though, Luke would gladly sit in the shade, sip lemonade and let someone else worry about the ranch.
He walked back toward the house in time to see Percy Slocum pull into the driveway in his shiny, black Cadillac.
Percy exited his brand new, shiny black Cadillac and waved at Luke. “How’ya doin’, Morgan?”
“Real good.” Luke walked to the car and opened Mrs. Slocum’s door for her.
Mrs. Slocum offered an elegant, poised smile. “Thank you. Children, come say hello to Mr. Morgan.”
The couple’s two children, Matthew and Margaret, ages twelve and fourteen, climbed out of the car and obediently greeted Luke. They all wore riding clothes and boots.
Percy pumped Luke’s hand. “How are the horses doing?”
“They’re in good shape. Follow me.” Luke led the family to the corral holding their four horses, making small talk with the family on the short walk. “I saddled them for you, and they’ve been fed and watered. They’re ready to go.” He opened the corral gate and let them inside.
Each family member went to their respective horse clucking their tongues at the animals. Percy looked over all the horses and returned to Luke.
“They look excellent.” Mr. Percy patted his horse’s neck. “By the way, Logan Prentiss asked me to let you know he’ll be here next week with his wife, to ride.”
Luke nodded and adjusted his hat. “I’ll be ready for them. Thanks.”
“Good, good.” Percy patted Luke’s shoulder. “How’s the boarding business these days?”
“Holding its own, thanks to you spreading the word.”
Percy waved a hand in the air. “It was nothing. I simply recommended you. You’re the one who did the impressing. And believe me, I know how finicky some of those clients I sent your way can be.”
Luke grinned and nodded his agreement.
“By the way, I received your letter before we left, about the business opportunity. Are you free after dinner this evening?”
“Yes, I am. That would be fine.” Luke helped Margaret up onto her horse. He smiled up at her. He wasn’t oblivious to her crush on him, and thought It was sweet how she blushed whenever he showed her attention. He turned back to Percy. “You and your family have a good ride.”
Mr. Percy guided his horse to exit the corral. “I’m sure we will. We’ll be back in a couple of hours.”
Luke ran his gaze over the four horses again. “Be sure to stay near the creek. They may need more water in this heat.”
“Good idea.”
Luke watched the family lead their horses out of the corral, then closed the gate behind them. The busy season of boarding horses had begun. Every week for the rest of summer, owners would come and go. But this particular owner was especially important. If he could get Percy in on the idea of helping crippled children ride, he could expand the business to what he really wanted.
