succeeded.
He was falling hard and quick. Too hard? Too quick?
His senses told him Terri Mitchell was solid gold. His doubts weren’t about her. They were about her past and the pain she was still carrying.
With care and patience, they could handle anything that was thrown at them. He was sure of it…
He pushed away a second shadowy whisper of prescience.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
‘TERRI! You’re here!’ squealed Allie.
Luke’s head snapped around as his daughter dropped the cutlery she’d been setting out on the table to race over and hug their guest. Hard to believe from Allie’s behaviour that she’d seen Terri only a matter of hours ago. Though he certainly couldn’t chip her on her over-enthusiasm, given the great line of somersaults his own gut was doing.
‘Come and see where we’ve put the rose I picked for Mum,’ said Allie. ‘We planted it as soon as we got home. Granddad had the garden all ready.’
‘Give Terri a chance to say hello to everyone else before you start dragging her off, Allie,’ Luke said, placing the chairs he’d been carrying around the table.
‘Hi, Luke.’ Terri’s smile was wary as he drew near and put his hand on her shoulder. He leaned forward to give her a peck on the cheek. Low down, right beside her mouth. Her skin was soft beneath his lips. She smelled delicious, fresh soap, light fragrance. All woman. All Terri.
‘I brought a bottle of wine.’ She stepped back and thrust a bottle into his hands.
He looked at the label, giving himself a precious moment to regroup. A South Australian white wine. ‘Thanks. You must be psychic. Mum’s baking fish on the barbecue.’
‘Not so psychic.’ She grinned. ‘I spoke to Vivienne when we got home from the nursery earlier.’
‘Clever, then.’
The back door opened. ‘About time you showed yourself around here, young lady,’ said Will as he carried the large bowl of salad to the table and then crossed to hug Terri. ‘I was starting to wonder what that new hospital director had done with you.’
Unexpected heat crept into Luke’s face. He knew what the new director had been doing with her.
And what he planned to do, given half a chance.
‘Oh, just the, um, usual. You know, work, work, work,’ Terri said with a weak laugh. Her cheekbones flushed becomingly as her eyes slid in Luke’s direction and then quickly away.
Will frowned. ‘Humph. I still say the board did the wrong thing by you.’ Luke stifled a sigh when his father shot him an ambiguous look. ‘I told Luke he was stepping on toes. You did an excellent job as acting director.’
‘Thank you, Will, but it’s working out well having Luke in charge.’ This time, when she slanted a look at Luke, she met his eyes. He enjoyed the tiny conspiratorial moment. ‘We’ve got the new boy licked into shape now and you know how much I detest paperwork. We don’t let Luke go home until he’s cleared his desk.’
‘Like me with my homework,’ said Allie with a big grin. The way his father and daughter responded to Terri was beautiful.
‘Exactly like that.’ Terri smiled as she ran a hand down Allie’s stubby ponytail. ‘Yes, I think your father’s proving to be quite satisfactory, Allie.’ She looked at him from under her lashes. ‘All things considered.’
‘Thank you for that faint praise,’ Luke murmured, feeling close to tongue-tied. She was flirting with him. His heart wobbled and then melted.
‘Oh, it’s important to give encouragement…where it’s deserved, of course,’ she said, obviously struggling to keep a straight face. Her lovely brown eyes were alight with laughter. ‘And a reprimand where it’s not. I’m sure, as the new director, you’d agree, Luke.’
‘I do agree.’ Luke smiled, sending a promise of private retribution in his gaze.
Her answering smirk had his overworked pulse leaping about in anticipation.
His father’s expression eased into a relieved grin. ‘As long as the two of you are working it out.’
Luke could see Terri’s teasing had been a thousand times more effective than all his attempts to soothe his father’s concerns.
‘Now, can I show Terri the garden?’ said Allie in long-suffering tones.
‘Sure,’ said Luke. ‘Don’t be too long, though. Dinner’s nearly ready.’
‘Come on, Terri.’ Allie took Terri’s hand and tugged her along the path.
As they disappeared round the side of the house, his father said, ‘Perhaps I should go, too. Terri might appreciate my tips for growing roses.’
‘Perhaps another time, Dad.’ With only the smallest trace of guilt Luke handed the wine bottle to his father. ‘Terri brought this. Would you mind putting it on ice?’
He set off down the path after Terri and Allie, leaving his father to draw his own conclusions.
‘Oh, this is gorgeous,’ said Terri, when she saw the neatly laid-out garden.
‘Dad put up the arch and we both planted the rose. See, it’ll grow up all over the trellis.’ Allie waved her hands expansively to demonstrate. ‘I put in the little plants where Granddad said. And we have this bench. Come and try it.’ Allie sat on the concrete seat and patted the area beside her. ‘There’s thyme on the ground underneath. It grows flat so when you stand on it, it smells nice.’
‘You’ve all done a fabulous job.’ The fresh clean aroma of the herb rose to greet Terri as she sat on the bench.
‘Yes.’ Allie’s face held deep satisfaction. ‘Dad said Mummy would like it.’
‘I’m sure he’s right,’ Terri said, a lump in her throat. Sue-Ellen had been a much-loved wife and mother. What a wonderful epitaph to have earned.
‘Yes.’ Allie leaned sideways and rested her head on Terri’s upper arm.
The simplicity of the moment was a gift that had Terri’s heart stuttering. A snug, warm band tightened around her chest as she looked down on the dark head.
‘And how are
‘I’m good. Daddy said you and him might go out sometimes.’
‘Did he?’ Terri swallowed. ‘Well, we might. Is that okay with you?’
‘I think it’d be cool and I’d be able to come, too, sometimes, wouldn’t I? Like today with the plants.’
‘Of course. I’d like that.’
Terri looked up and saw Luke. He’d propped one shoulder against the smooth trunk of a gum, hands in the pockets of his jeans. He’d obviously showered and changed not long before she’d arrived because his hair was still dark and spiky with dampness.
His face, as he looked at Allie, glowed with love and pride. But when he moved his eyes to her, Terri read something different altogether. Dangerous. Seductive. Irresistible.
Her heart jolted, her defences crumbling. In that moment she realised she had little hope of protecting herself against this man and his daughter. By sharing themselves so unconditionally, they’d made a serious chink in her armour.
It was more than she’d ever thought she’d have in her life.
More than she deserved.
A shadow passed over her spirits. Would she end up letting them down, failing them in some way she couldn’t predict?
She would have to make sure she didn’t.
Terri worked her magic effortlessly on his whole family, Luke realised as he looked around the table a couple of hours later.
He took a sip of wine as he watched his mother. Her face was alight with laughter at something Terri had said as the two of them stacked the dishes from the meal.
His mother obviously adored Terri…and this from the woman who’d given him and Kevin such a hard time about their motorcycles.
