Authors: Marie Force
Luke stared at her as if he’d heard her wrong, while the others hooted with laughter.
“What the heck did you say?” Janey asked, wiping tears from her eyes.
“I asked him to thank Jesus for me, and then I closed my eyes for at least as long as he had closed his. Then I opened them, and I said, ‘I talked to Jesus, too, and he said this date is over.’ I got up and walked out. The restaurant called me a cab, and that was that.”
“Fabulous,” Joe said. “Good for you.”
“You never heard from him again?” Mac asked.
“Oh, I heard from him. The phone calls started at eight the next morning and kept up until I mentioned the words ‘restraining order.’”
That earned her another round of laughter.
“And that was my only foray into dating.”
Luke slipped an arm around her and kissed the top of her head. “Jesus told me to give you all the wine you can drink.”
As the others cracked up, Syd rewarded him with a big smile. “And for that I shall be eternally grateful.”
Luke thought his eyes were surely deceiving him when Grant McCarthy strolled into the bar.
“Mac, Janey,” Luke said, nodding to the doorway.
“What the hell?” Mac said, grinning. “Janey, look who it is.”
Janey let out a piercing shriek when she saw her second oldest brother coming toward them wearing a big smile for his siblings. She launched out of her seat and into Grant’s welcoming arms. “What’re you doing here already? The wedding isn’t for another two weeks!”
“The only reason I’m allowed to come home is for your wedding, brat?”
“We’re not supposed to call her that anymore,” Mac said dryly.
“And how’s that going?” Grant asked.
“Not so well,” Janey said with a scowl for Mac.
“When did you get in?” Joe asked, shaking hands with Grant.
“On the last boat. Mom and Dad said you guys were here.”
Luke introduced Grant to Sydney.
“I think we might’ve met years ago,” she said.
“I remember. Nice to see you.”
Grant shook hands with Owen and hugged Luke. “Good to see you.”
“You too. How are things in Lala Land?”
“Fake, pretentious and utterly decadent.”
While the others laughed at Grant’s description of Hollywood, Luke took a moment to study his old friend. Of all the McCarthy brothers, Luke had always been closest to Grant, even though the two of them didn’t have a damned thing in common.
Grant had been the smartest kid in their small island school, and no one had been surprised when he grew up to be an Academy Award-winning screenwriter. Since moving to Los Angeles more than a decade ago, he’d been back to the island only a handful of times—most recently for Mac and Maddie’s wedding last summer.
Grant hugged Mac and made a fuss over Maddie’s round belly. “Thank you for taking the pressure off the rest of us, big brother.”
Mac sent his wife a salacious smile. “My pleasure.”
“
Mac
,” Maddie said, smacking him.
“What? It
was
my pleasure.”
“Shut up.”
As Grant laughed at their banter and joined the group, Luke thought his friend looked tired and maybe a little sad.
Since he was sitting next to them, Luke saw Janey place a hand over Grant’s. “You’ve heard about Abby,” she said quietly.
Grant replied with a short nod, his jaw tightening with tension.
“Is that why you’re here?”
Grant seemed to rally for Janey’s sake. “I came for your wedding, brat.” He kissed his sister’s forehead. “Don’t worry about me.”
“What’ll you do?”
“Whatever I can,” Grant replied grimly.
On the way home, Sydney told herself to relax and not to freak out every time a car came at them from the other direction.
Luke reached for her hand. “You okay over there?”
“Trying to be.”
“We’re almost there. Just another minute. Hang on.”
Sydney cradled his hand between both of hers. “Sorry to be so skittish.”
“Don’t be sorry. It’s understandable. Did you have fun tonight?”
“I sure did. Maddie is campaigning hard for me move here permanently.”
“Is she now?”
“She says it’s a lot more fun in the winters than it was growing up. Of course that’s because she has Mac now.”
“I’ve never seen him so happy.”
“What was going on with Grant? He got really quiet.”
“His ex-girlfriend Abby got engaged recently. She owns Abby’s Attic in town.”
“Oh, I love that store. Max and Malena used to drag me in there at least once every summer.”
“Grant and Abby were together forever, sort of on-again off-again recently. I never heard what happened, but something went bad last summer when he was here for Mac’s wedding. Next we heard, she was dating the new doctor.”
“LA is a long way from Gansett Island.”
“So is Boston,” he said.
Sydney looked over at him. “Not that far.”
“All depends on your perspective.”
“Maddie asked me to help with the baby’s nursery.”
“You feel up to doing that?”
“It’ll be fun. Maddie knows decorating is one of my hobbies. In fact, before the accident, I’d been thinking about leaving teaching to give it a whirl full time.”
“Is it something you might still want to do?”
“Maybe. I’m told I have a knack for it.”
“I should hire you to update my place. I haven’t touched a thing since my mother died.”
“No,
really
?” she said, smiling.
He laughed at the face she made at him. “You’re itching to get your hands on it, aren’t you?”
“I always thought you could better highlight the amazing views.”
“That’s a very diplomatic way of saying it needs everything—furniture, paint, updated appliances, new bathroom.”
Syd fanned herself and shivered dramatically. “Don’t toy with me this way.”
Luke pulled up to the house and killed the engine. “That’s all it takes to make you hot? Clearly, I’ve been going about this all wrong.”
“Going about what?”
He leaned over to plant a kiss on her neck. “Convincing you to stay here with me permanently.”
“Luke, I—”
Cupping her face, he turned her to receive his kiss.
Her hand pressing on his chest brought him back to his senses.
“Is that what you want? For me to stay here permanently?”
“Of course it is, but only if it’s what you want, too.”
“I’m not. . . I can’t. . .”
“You’re not ready to decide anything yet.”
“No,” she said.
“That’s okay. We don’t have to worry about any of that now.” He kissed her again. “In the meantime, knock yourself out here and at Maddie’s.”
“You have no idea what you’re saying.”
Laughing again, he said, “Yes, I do.”
“No, you don’t. Seth used to go ballistic when he’d come home to a whole new living room.” She glanced at him, pained. “Sorry. I don’t know where that came from.”
“It came from your life, and you don’t need to apologize or feel like you can’t mention his name around me.”
Sydney placed her hands on his face and drew him into another kiss that had them both breathing hard by the time they came up for air.
“I’ve had to wait hours and hours,” he said between kisses. “I had to keep my hands to myself in front of our friends. I can’t wait another minute.”
“Then let’s go put you out of your misery.”
They met at the front of his truck for another heated kiss. Luke slid his hands down her back and shocked her when he suddenly lifted her and hooked her legs around his hips.
“Nice move,” she said, linking her arms around his neck.
“You like that?”
“Uh-huh.” As he walked them to the door, their lips met and melted, tongues teased and enticed.
“You’re making my legs weak,” he said, pressing her against the door. His hands slid up her bare legs, under her skirt to cup her ass.
“Luke,” she gasped, tightening her arms around his neck.
Through her shirt, he rolled her nipple between his teeth and pushed his erection against her core.
“Now,” she said as he fumbled with the door. It opened abruptly and sent them sprawling into the house.
“Shit,” Luke said, laughing as he managed to land them awkwardly on the sofa. “That was graceful.”
“And it started so well.”
“It’ll end even better.”
She clutched handfuls of his hair and brought his mouth down to hers. “Promises, promises.”
A low-pitched moan stopped them cold.
“What was that?” she asked. “Where’s Buddy?” She’d been so absorbed in Luke, she’d failed to notice Buddy hadn’t met them at the door. “Buddy?” Sydney disentangled herself from Luke and hurried down the hallway to the bedroom where she found the dog’s hind legs sticking out from under the bed. “Buddy? What’s wrong? Luke!” She reached under the bed to stroke the dog’s body, and he let out another moan. “
What’s wrong with him?
”
“I’ll call Janey.” Luke rushed from the room.
Sydney swallowed the hot ball of panic that lodged in her throat. “Please God,” she whispered as she ran her hand gently over the dog’s soft coat. “Please don’t take Buddy, too. Please.”
Luke returned a minute later. “She wants us to bring him to the vet clinic. I’ll carry him to the truck. Help me get him out of there.”
They tried to be gentle but Buddy’s discomfort was amplified by their efforts to get him out from under the bed.
Tears burned her eyes as she spoke softly to Buddy, trying to settle him.
Buddy growled and snapped at Luke, just missing his hand.
“It’s okay, boy,” Luke said as he lifted Buddy as carefully as he could. “I know it hurts.”
Stuck under a tidal wave of fear, Sydney couldn’t seem to move.
“Syd.” Luke’s firm tone snapped her out of the daze she’d slipped into. “Go to the truck. I’ll bring him out. Hurry, honey.”
The urgency she heard in his voice spurred her to move on unsteady legs. Her heart beat too fast, and her hands shook as she flew out of the house and into the truck.
Luke followed right behind her, carrying Buddy. He deposited the dog gently onto the bench seat, his head resting on Syd’s lap. “There you go, boy,” Luke said as he got in and started the truck. “Probably just something you ate that you shouldn’t have.”
“You really think that’s all it is?” Syd asked, blinking back tears as she cradled Buddy’s head. This could
not
be happening. “I don’t know what I’ll do if—”
Luke’s hand covered hers. “Don’t go there. He’s going to be fine.”
While Sydney hung on to his reassurances, the speed with which he maneuvered the winding roads where she’d been so frightened the night before told her he was worried, too.
Janey chugged a steaming cup of coffee in the vet clinic break room while Joe massaged her shoulders. She’d been tense from the moment Luke called Joe looking for her.
“What’re you thinking?” Joe asked. He’d insisted on coming with her to the clinic.
“That I wish Doc’s niece hadn’t chosen this week to get married.”
“There’s nothing he could do for Buddy that you can’t do, too.”
“What if he needs surgery? Oh my God.” She shuddered and fought back the need to puke and hyperventilate at the same time. “I’ve certainly never done that on my own.”
“But you could. If you had to, you could.”
“Keep reminding me of that, will you?”
“I’ll be right here, baby. Whatever you need, I’m here.”
She leaned into his strong embrace. “Thanks.”
He turned her to face him. “You’ve been training for this your whole life, Janey. Whatever Buddy needs, you’ve seen Doc do it a million times.”
“I know.” Janey took another deep breath and released it. “You’re right. I can do this.” She rolled the tension from her shoulders and mentally prepared to fly solo.
“Luke said he’s a young golden retriever, so it’s probably nothing serious.”
“Let’s hope not. Otherwise, he’s got a second-year vet student on his case.”
Before Joe could reply, they heard the clinic’s main door push open.
“Janey!” Luke called out.
“Showtime,” she whispered to Joe, who squeezed her hand and released it.
“Right in here.” She ushered Luke, who was carrying Buddy, and Sydney into an exam room. Janey took one look at the dog, who was clearly suffering, and could tell right away this was no simple case of an upset belly.
Figures
. The dog cried out in distress when she examined his rigid abdomen.
“Oh God. Buddy.” Sydney seemed to be trying—and failing—to keep a lid on her panic. “Will he be okay? Janey, please, tell me he’ll be okay.”