Everything You've Got: Anything & Everything, Book 2 (34 page)

Conner wouldn’t be sick forever and the roof would take another weekend at most.

Luke was trying to show her that he was prepared to make a life here for good.

She gave it another two weeks. Tops.

It was an unconventional seduction to be sure.

And it was taking a hell of a long time.

Luke watched as Kat let herself into the city council meeting through the door at the back of the school’s gymnasium.

She was dressed in a black skirt, but her top was yellow, and her hair was curly and held back by a yellow headband. That was it. There were no streaks of color in her hair, no body paint visible and the only piercings were in her ears. She’d been dressing a little more conservatively since coming to Rolland. She hadn’t completely given up her makeup, but she seemed to be hiding less behind her costumes.

Tonight, however, she was wearing kick-ass black leather knee-high boots.

An incredible sense of need washed over him. It was becoming familiar now. Whenever he bumped into her in town—sometimes accidentally and sometimes not—the same powerful desire hit him. It was so much stronger than it had been in the beginning when he’d wanted her physically. Now he knew he was doing without so much more than just her incredible body. And he wanted it all.

But not yet. He was showing her that he was here to stay, that he
wanted
to stay. She had to believe that before they could move forward.

It had been six weeks since he’d been in her bed. It had taken him two weeks to get everything figured out in Justice so he could leave. Now it had been a month since he’d rolled into town in the RV.

Oh, he saw her. Quite a bit actually. They chatted at the post office, they’d worked together at Sunshine Estates twice since coming back, they got coffee at the convenience store every morning at the same time—which he knew was no coincidence—and she had to drive past the building site both to and from work every day. Also not a coincidence. Once he’d narrowed the build sites down to two, he’d easily chosen the one that would require her to pass him and the example of his commitment to this new life in this new town twice a day.

But every time he told her how much he liked it here, she rolled her eyes and said, “Okay.”

Clearly he hadn’t convinced her that he wanted to stay.

But the damnedest thing was, it was true.

He’d come determined to show her that he
would
make a life wherever she was because he wanted to be with her. But in the past month he’d learned that he wanted this new life too.

He took a seat in the front row even though she was in back. Bob Mason, the president of the city council, had asked him to make a few comments regarding the Fourth of July event next summer. He and Bob had gotten into a discussion about it while golfing last week and Luke had made some suggestions Bob really liked.

The council went over the usual business first. Old business included the grant for the new dirt and scoreboard at the baseball field, fees for renting the city center for personal events like wedding receptions, and planting more trees along the north side of the highway into town. New business included a revised trash pickup schedule and the appointment of the Fourth of July celebration committee.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, I know that you’ve all met Luke Hamilton over the past month,” Bob said as an introduction to Luke’s comments. “I think you would all agree when I say that he’s full of enthusiasm and it’s a pleasure to have him here.”

There was applause at that and Luke felt his wide, stupidly pleased grin.

“I know he’s new and Steve Schroeder did a great job with the Fourth celebration last year, but I’ve given this a lot of thought and I would very much like to appoint Luke Hamilton to be the chairman this year.”

Surprise rumbled through him as the audience applauded again.

“Luke, will you come up here, please?”

Bob waved him forward and Luke got slowly to his feet. He’d never been truly appointed to anything before. In Justice they’d either assumed he’d do it or he’d jumped in and offered.

“I don’t know what to say,” he told Bob as he joined him on the short stage.

“I know you have a lot going on with the restaurant. But we really want you involved. Just say yes, son,” Bob said, clapping him on the back.

“I…” Luke shrugged. “I’d love to.”

He looked out into the audience, searching the back row for Kat.

Just in time to see her leaving through the back door.

Dammit. What was that about?

“Tell everyone a little about what you’re thinking,” Bob said.

“I, um…” Luke tried to focus back on the audience in front of him. But something gripped him. A take-care-of-this-right-now urgency. “I’m sorry, but I have to go.”

“Go?” Bob asked. “But…”

“I have something I have to take care of. Right this minute.”

He bounded off the front of the stage and jogged up the center aisle. Pushing the door open hard enough that it banged against the concrete wall, Luke searched the immediate area, hoping Kat was just taking a phone call from a patient.

She was nowhere.

He scanned the parking lot just in time to see her car pulling out onto the street.

He ran to his car and followed her, speed-dialing her cell number.

She didn’t pick up.

Now what? Had the hospital called? But she took a right instead of a left at Jackson Street.

He followed until she turned into the park and pulled up next to the RV.
He watched, a bit dumbfounded, as she got out of her car and started toward the RV, shrugging out of her jacket as she went. Then she let herself into the RV without sparing him even a glance. Okay. Well, this was…hell, he didn’t know
what
this was but he knew what it was
not
.

She was
not
going to tell him to leave again. She was
not
going to tell him she was leaving. She was
not
breaking this off. In fact, he was done with the no kissing, no touching…

He stomped into the RV and promptly stepped on the yellow shirt she’d been wearing. He looked up to find her in the door to the bedroom dressed in a pink lace teddy and the boots.

“What are…” he started as all the blood pounding through his body quickly rerouted south.

“Marry me, Luke.”

He stared at her dumbly. “Huh?”

“Marry me.”

“But I… Are you… Back there…”

“Back there I realized that it had really happened. You are part of this town. You’re here to stay.”

“Just now?” he asked. “I’ve been here for a month.” He locked the door and headed for her.

“Yes, but you’ve been having coffee and golfing. Temporary things. The Fourth of July is nine months away. And you’re taking on the whole thing. You’ve committed to being here at least until then. You’d never tell them you’d do it if you weren’t
sure
you were going to stay.”

“I’m building a restaurant. That’s a pretty big commitment.” He stripped off his T-shirt.

“I saw that you finally got the foundation in this morning.” Her eyes roamed over him hungrily.

“So, that proves that I’m staying, right?”

She shrugged. “Maybe. But now you’re making lasting commitments to
people
, like the committee. For you, that’s bigger.”

“That’s all I needed to do?”

“That’s all you needed to do. You aren’t Luke without getting involved, doing stuff, fixing stuff. Now I know you’re really putting down roots.”

He unbuttoned his jeans and she licked her lips.

But she went on, “I’ve been in this town, with these people, taking care of them, working with them for six weeks now. They’re amazing. If you stay another nine months you will definitely think so too and never be able to leave.”

He liked the sound of that. He also liked the way she was watching him take his pants off.

“And now,” she said. “They’ve proven that they’re smart enough to put you in charge of things around here. They love you and they want you to stay too. That makes this the perfect town. We’d be stupid to leave.”

He was now in boxers only and stood directly in front of her. “Well, I’ve been telling you for a long time just how smart I am.”

She smiled and started untying the tiny bows that held her teddy together. “Yes, yes you have.”

As she peeled the pink lace away from her body, Luke swallowed hard. “And we’ve definitely made progress here.”

“Oh?” The teddy dropped to the floor.

“I have you in this RV and there’s not a pair of handcuffs to be found.”

Kat gave him a seductive smile and reached behind her. “Who said that?”

Epilogue

Kat watched Luke holding Sabrina and Marc’s new baby girl. He had his elbows propped on his thighs, the baby cradled in both big hands, nearly eye to eye with him. If she was awake, that was. Still, he was staring at her as if he’d never seen something so fascinating.

Marc had petitioned for naming her Guinevere, but Sabrina had rolled her eyes and filled the birth certificate in with Abigail. After Marc’s late mother.

Abby.

She was perfect.

Sabrina’s labor had been just long enough to allow Kat and Luke to get there, Kat to get into her scrubs and into position to welcome her goddaughter into the world.

Abby was six hours old and only now had her father gone to take a shower and her mother was napping.

Kat arranged the last of the flowers and gift baskets that had been delivered then crossed the room to sit on the arm of Luke’s chair.

“You know that whole have-my-babies-and-stay-home-to-raise-them offer you made me?” She brushed the soft hair off the baby’s forehead.

“Yeah?” Luke asked, eyebrows up.

“I think I’d like to do half of that.”

He gave her a grin. “Want to start work on that right now?”

“You’d have to put the baby down,” she pointed out.

His eyes went back to Abby. “Yeah, well then it might have to wait.”

Kat laughed softly. “I’ve already lost you to another female.”

He looked up at her quickly. “Never. She’s just…”

“Adorable,” Kat filled in with a little sigh.

“I’ll give you six if you’ve changed your mind about wanting only two.”

“Ah, sweetie.” She leaned over to kiss his cheek. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

Just then there was a knock on the door. “Dr. Dayton?”

Expecting a nurse with some paperwork Kat looked up. Then froze.

Julie Martin, Tom’s wife, stood in the doorway.

“Um, Julie, hi.” She scrambled to her feet.

“I’m sorry. I know you’re here with Marc and Sabrina. This is probably very inappropriate, but I had to take the chance to talk to you.”

Oh, crap. What was she supposed to say. Or do? Should she have her lawyer here? But she didn’t want to have her lawyer here. That didn’t feel right. She wanted to talk to Julie.

“Sure, Julie, it’s fine.”

Kat didn’t look her best. She barely looked like herself. Not only was she in scrubs, but she had no makeup on, no jewelry on and white tennis shoes on her feet. She felt the lack of armor more now than she had in all the time in Rolland.

“You okay?” Luke asked under his breath.

“I think so.” She gave him a quick smile. “Be back soon.”

Nothing Julie could say could change that Luke loved her and vice versa. That was the most important thing. It also wouldn’t change her place in Rolland. She loved her job, her coworkers, her patients—and it was mutual. Plus, Stan and the rest of the physician team had her back.

But Julie could hurt her. Kat acknowledged that on her way to the door. Julie could hurt her because she still cared.

“Did you come over here just to talk to me?” Kat asked. “You could have called.”

“Some things should be said in person,” Julie told her. “And yes. We’re staying here in Alliance right now while Tom undergoes more rehab and when I saw the post on Facebook that Sabrina and Marc were here having the baby I knew you’d be here too.”

“Well, I’m glad you came to find me. If there’s something you want to say, I’m glad you have the chance.” Even if it was bad, Kat told herself. Julie had the right to tell her whatever she was feeling or thinking.

Julie stood before her, pressing her lips together, her arms crossed tightly over her stomach.

Kat just waited. It was all she could do.

“I um…” Julie trailed off, then laughed lightly. “This is a little awkward.”

Well,
that
she could do something about. “Julie, I don’t blame you and your family for turning my name into the licensure board. You had a legitimate concern. I’m
very
sorry to have caused that concern. But I’m not angry.”

Julie’s eyes got a little brighter. “That’s incredibly gracious of you, Kat. And this probably sounds cliché but I have to say it. We didn’t want to. We were encouraged to do that.”