Anything but Love

TWENTY-SEVEN

Luke was reminded yet again of how much he hated hospitals when he accompanied his dad to the medical center. It didn’t matter that the sun was shining or that it was a balmy seventy-nine degrees. His mood was sour and his blood ice cold. Had his dad taken a turn for the worse? Had the cancer spread? Would he need to undergo surgery? Or had there been a glitch in the previous assessment? Would he be cleared to go home?

Needless to say they were all praying for the latter.

“I hate waiting rooms,” Rocky said as she paced back and forth.

“Join the club,” Luke said. This one, in particular, rattled his composure. The few other people awaiting news about loved ones looked stone-cold miserable. The place was a chaotic mess. Magazines scattered all over. Crushed beverage cups abandoned willy-nilly instead of properly discarded. The ugly blue carpet was sun-spotted and worn from countless visitors, countless worried souls who paced incessantly like his sister.

Luke turned his focus from Rocky and the disheveled room to his composed and ever-tidy mom. Her chin-length hair, curly and blonde like her daughter’s, was pulled back in a neat ponytail. Like Rocky, she wore no makeup. She didn’t need it. She was fifty-seven and looked maybe forty-five. She’d married young, had her kids young, and had often boasted about her good fortune. About how her golden years would be her best.

Only they’d turned out to be the worst.

Luke’s heart ached as he tried to read his mom’s mind. She was sitting two chairs down reading a paperback book. Kaye Monroe had been a pillar of strength throughout Jerome’s diagnosis and treatment. She never doubted her husband’s ability to persevere. Never fell apart. Yet Luke knew she was shaken to her kind-hearted core. What kind of strength did it take to keep that kind of intense fear bottled? How the hell did she do it? “You look so calm, Mom.”

“Not calm,” she said. “Patient and optimistic. This has pretty much been my life for the last several months. I’ve learned to cope.”

Luke and Dev traded a look. They were of the same mind. Pissed that their dad had kept his condition a secret for so long. Pissed that their mom had had to “cope” on her own.

Jayce strolled into the waiting room carrying a tray with four steaming cups. “I sampled mine,” he said. “Swill compared to Moose-a-lotta’s coffee, but loaded with caffeine.”

“Come to papa,” Luke said. He’d barely slept last night and considering the bedraggled look of his brother and sister and Jayce, he knew they’d suffered the same restlessness.

Rocky paced by and grabbed her cup without missing a step. When riled or upset, Rocky became a frenzied blur. That was her coping mechanism. “Why is it taking so long?”

“It’s been less than an hour, dear,” Kaye said.

“The scan should be over soon,” Dev said. “I was told the images would be stored electronically on a computer and that after reviewing, the radiologist would inform Dad’s doctor, who promised to expedite the entire process. We should have a report shortly.”

“Pacing won’t help, dear.”

“Cool your heels, Dash.” Jayce moved in and took his soon-to-be-wife in hand. “You’re messing with your mom’s zen,” he said with a soft smile.

Luke sipped his coffee and tried to relax. Any other time he would have enjoyed being in Florida. Especially in February. A respite from the harsh Vermont winter. Not that he typically minded the cold. But who wouldn’t enjoy flying south for a few days? A few days of warmth. A few days of sand and surf.

Out of nowhere, Luke imagined Rae and her kickass curves. He pictured her in a tiny bikini. Imagined them walking along the beach, hand in hand with a little girl or boy, splashing up the frothy waves, kicking up sand. He’d have to make that happen someday. In a heartbeat, Luke imagined a few other happy scenarios—all involving Rae and their kid. Tension eased from his shoulders, his head throbbed a little less. Apparently fantasizing was Luke’s coping mechanism.

He’d spoken to Rae a few hours earlier. A brief call. He’d promised to call her when he knew the results. Her trip to the hospital had turned out well. Maybe Luke was on a roll. Maybe this visit would also end with tears of relief.

Because the scan wasn’t invasive, his dad would come walking into the waiting room any minute now and then, like Dev said, they’d know something conclusive not long after. Come on, good news!

Luke glanced at the television hanging on the opposing wall, seeking mindless distraction. Some gossip show—Hollywood Insider? Hollywood something. The sound was down. The featured reporter babe was gossiping about whatever. Several candid photos scrolled by—Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Miley Cyrus …

“What the … Is that Rae?” Luke bolted out of his seat. Coffee sloshed on his pants. “Damn.” He ignored the burn and moved closer to the screen. Rocky and Jayce moved closer, too.

“It is,” Rocky said.

“That second shot,” Jayce said. “That’s Main Street.”

“Paparazzi in Sugar Creek?” Kaye asked.

Luke stared at the headline at the bottom of the screen, scrambled to get the letters straight in his head. “Trust Fund Baby—”

“—Turns Philanthropist,” Rocky finished.

And just like that the show jumped to the next story.

“What’s going on?” Kaye asked.

Luke had a clue, he just hadn’t expected the news to break so soon and not while he was away. He turned and saw Dev, Rocky, and Jayce scrolling through their smart phones.

“It’s all over the Net,” Dev said.

“Mostly entertainment venues,” Jayce said.

“This has Harper written all over it,” Rocky said.

Still focused on his phone, Dev asked, “See that bit about the Cupcake Lovers self-publishing a recipe book? What’s that about?”

Rocky shook her head. “I don’t know.”

“You have a signed contract with Highlife.”

“I know.”

Luke thumbed his own phone. “I’ll call Rae.”

“I’ll call Chloe,” Dev said.

“Calling Harper,” Rocky said.

“I’ll do my thing,” Jayce said, which meant some sleuthing.

“I’ll be reading,” Kaye said, sounding irritated now. “Someone let me know something when someone knows anything. Wait. I’ll call Daisy. She knows everything about the Cupcake Lovers.”

Luke crossed the room, searching for a quiet corner as everyone connected with someone in Sugar Creek.

Rae answered on the first ring. “What’s going on with your dad?”

“Still waiting for news. What’s going on with you?”

“I guess you saw one of the reports.”

Luke jammed a hand through his hair, torn between worry and frustration. “Why didn’t you wait until I was back to unleash this media blitz?”

“I wasn’t me. It was Harper Day.”

“The publicist Rocky’s been working with.”

“That’s right,” Rae said, sounding a little out of breath. “It was a mix-up. A miscommunication. Daisy sent a text to Sam asking for Harper’s advice. Sam forwarded the text and … Harper’s a real go-getter who jumped the gun. She thought she was acting on Sam and the club’s wishes and a couple of leaked leads later.… It’s mushroomed throughout the day.”

“Are you being hounded?” Luke asked. “Reporters? Photographers?”

“I’ve gotten more phone calls than anything. Nearly as many as my lawyer. There are a lot of organizations desperate for a hefty donation.”

“Why did Gram tell Harper you wanted to give away your money like that?”

“I don’t think she did. I think that’s the angle Harper used to get the most publicity bang based on my buying the day care center and offering to fund the publishing of the Cupcake Lovers book. Speaking of,” she rushed on, “I heard back from Brett late this afternoon. Highlife does want to push on with the release. Except, the rest of the CLs heard about my offer through the news and, according to Daisy, everyone wants to bail on Highlife and go our independent way. I don’t know what to tell Brett. I don’t know the legal ramifications and my lawyer, Al, isn’t familiar with the contract. I don’t—”

“Reagan. Calm down.” Head down, voice low, Luke spoke in a soothing tone. “Getting worked up about this isn’t good for you or the baby. Listen, if all goes well, I’ll be home tomorrow. Hell, maybe I can catch a red-eye. I don’t know. Whatever the case, just lay low until I get there. Stop taking those calls and stay out of sight. I’ll give you Adam’s number. If you need to go somewhere, call him. Or hell, Sam or Leo. I’d rather they handle some obnoxious photographer than you.”

“I don’t think it’s that bad, Luke.”

“Humor me.”

She blew out a breath.

“Say ‘okay.’”

“Okay,” she said on a wobbly laugh. Then, “I’m sorry, Luke. Not knowing your dad’s condition I didn’t want to trouble you about any of this. Not until later. I know Chloe and Daisy felt the same about Rocky and Dev. I should’ve known one or another of you would’ve caught wind of the news via some outlet.”

“We’ll sort it out when I get home.”

“I know. I’m not worried.”

“You sound worried.”

“It’s the contract thing. What if I caused a legal mess for the club? What if—”

Her voice hitched and Luke frowned. “I’ll talk to Dev about it. He’ll know what to do. He always does. He’s a wiz at that stuff.”

“I know.”

Luke heard his family signing off their own calls. “I should go. I’ll call you again later.”

“Luke, I…”

The emotion in her voice, set him on edge. “What?”

“I … I’m thinking good thoughts for your dad.”

“Thank you for that.” Luke disconnected, his own emotions jumbled. If Rae hadn’t been so jazzed about so many projects, if she’d exercised a little restraint …

“I’m guessing you got the same scoop as us,” Rocky said. “What a mess. Although Harper swears she can spin things either way regarding the book deal.”

“I went over that contract with my lawyer with a fine-tooth comb,” Dev said. “There’s a way out if the club wants it.”

“From what Daisy said,” Kaye said. “They do.”

“From what little Chloe shared about self-publishing,” Dev said, “sounds to me like a sound financial risk.”

“How’s Rae holding up?” Rocky asked.

Luke crossed his arms, shook his head. “Not great. She’s caught me off guard more than once this week. Moments of supreme confidence and enthusiasm and then—wham—she’s fragile and vulnerable. It just hit me but, sometimes she’s like two different people.”

“Hormones,” Dev said. “Chloe was like that when…” He trailed off but not soon enough.

“I knew it,” Rocky said. “Rae’s pregnant.” She elbowed Jayce. “I told you…” She trailed off, too, suddenly conscious, as was Luke, of their mother hovering, eyes narrowed.

“Lucas Monroe,” she said in a tone every kid dreaded. “What have you done?”

And just because the situation wasn’t awkward enough, Luke’s dad ambled in, took one look at his family, and glowered. “What’s going on?”