Anything but Love

When I get out, what do you say we go house hunting?”

She looked over her shoulder at him. “Don’t you need to go to work?”

“Not until tonight.”

“I have a real estate booklet that I picked up down in the lobby,” she said. “I circled some contenders.”

“Sounds good. I have a place in mind, too. Eat up and get dressed, Champ. Full day ahead.”

He disappeared into the bathroom, leaving Rae alone and wondering. Champ? He’d never called her that before. An endearment of sorts and not one she’d ever heard him use on anyone else. Something unique to her. She smiled. The warm feeling blossomed as she followed her nose.

Scrambled eggs, wheat toast, and a side of pancakes. OJ and milk. He’d remembered the things she’d like most from the other morning. She massaged an ache in her chest, touched by Luke’s thoughtfulness.

He cared.

Cared enough to remember what foods she liked. Cared enough to take off half a day to help her find a house. And because he cared, he’d pressed her about Geoffrey. Logically, she knew that and her mind whirled, unsure how to handle the subject if it came up again. Because Luke cared, if he learned Geoffrey had made a sexual advance, and then proceeded to use that against her.… If he knew how the man had continued to taunt Rae.… How he’d made her question her judgment.… How he’d tried to influence how she handled her inheritance.…

Luke would intercede on her behalf.

She couldn’t allow that.

She couldn’t risk Geoffrey using his power and influence to push back and push back hard. Who knew how far he’d go? What if he somehow compromised Luke’s finances? His business? His reputation?

Although she couldn’t prove it, Geoffrey had somehow cost Rae the two teaching positions she’d recently applied for within the Los Angeles school district.

“Maybe you’d have better luck in another part of the country,” he’d taunted the last time Olivia had had Rae over for dinner, just days prior to Rae learning she was pregnant.

Clearly Geoffrey wanted Rae out of their lives and the farther away the better. It was the first time she’d seen eye to eye with the man. Considering Olivia had no intention of leaving her husband and especially after Rae had learned she was pregnant, leaving California—for good—had been an easy decision. The way Rae saw it, as long as she didn’t rattle Geoffrey’s chains, she was free and clear to live the life of her choosing.

The in-room phone rang and Rae abandoned her breakfast to answer. “Yes?”

“Ms. Deveraux? This is Len Jeffries, comanager of the Pine and Periwinkle. I thought you’d want to know that a couple of photographers and reporters are lingering in the lobby. I think they’re hoping to get a picture or a word with you. One of them asked about you at the front desk. We didn’t give out your room number or any personal information. But they seem tenacious. As they haven’t done anything wrong, I can’t ask them to leave. I just thought you should know.”

“I appreciate that, Mr. Jeffries.”

“If you’re planning to leave at some point today and don’t wish to interact with these gentlemen, I could come up and escort you out through a lesser known exit.”

“That’s very kind.”

“We at the Pine and Periwinkle appreciate your business and strive to respect the privacy of all our guests. I’ll give you my cell number. Call any time.”

Rae jotted down the number and thanked the man. She hung up then contemplated switching on her laptop and the television. Was she in the news again today? What were they saying? Her curiosity almost got the best of her but then she decided she didn’t want to know. Not this minute. She’d had a roller-coaster morning with Luke. She was eager find an even keel. To get her thoughts together. What did she want most to accomplish and how much could she reasonably take on while allowing time to settle into a new home as well as building a relationship with Luke? Problem was there was so much she wanted to do, so many people she wanted to help and now that she had the finances to work wonders, she was like a flipping kid in a candy store.

Anxious to get on with her day, Rae gobbled down two more forkfuls of eggs and bit off a hunk of toast before moving to the bureau. She rooted through her wardrobe, settling on dark blue jeans and a funky tunic sweater. She also pulled on a pair of flat-heeled sweater boots, a style she’d favored while posing as frumpy Rachel. Only these boots hugged her legs to the knees instead of scrunching to her ankles. She dragged some gel through her hair then, standing at the small vanity, used the blow dryer and her fingers to style her hair.

She’d just finished lining her eyes and swiping on red-tinted lip balm when Luke emerged from the bathroom.

“You look pretty,” he said.

“You look sexy.” He’d pulled on a pair of jeans and zipped, but had yet to fasten the button. The waistband parted enough to tease Rae with thoughts of the delectable package just below. She dragged her hungry gaze up his bare torso, amazed yet again at all the glorious ridges. “I think your muscles have muscles.”

“Are you ogling my body, Ms. Deveraux?”

“I shudder to think what you have to do to look like that. How many hours do you spend at a gym?”

“Home gym and not all that much. I’ve always been athletic.”

“Not me. I’m a klutz when it comes to sports.”

“Do you like sports?”

She shrugged. “In school, I was one of those people who was always last to be picked on the team. So, no.”

“What about something like pool? Or bowling?”

“Not something I’ve been exposed to.”

“We’ll have to do something about that.” He held up an incredibly wrinkled brown tee. “Would you be embarrassed to be seen with me wearing this?”

“Would you like me to iron it for you?”

“I guess that’s a yes. You iron?”

“Don’t you?”

“I toss wrinkled stuff in the dryer.”

“No dryer here as you can see.” Rae moved to the closet and took out the ironing board.

“Let me help. The least I can do since you’re ironing my shirt.”

Rae grabbed the iron while Luke unfolded the board. “The comanager of the inn called while you were in the shower,” she said.

“Len?”

“Yes. Len Jeffries. Do you know everyone in town?”

“Pretty much.”

“Anyway he said there are reporters and photographers waiting for me. He said he can sneak me out the back if I want.”

“How do you feel about that?” Luke asked as he poured a cup of coffee from the carafe.

“I don’t know what they’re going to ask me and I’m undecided on how I want to move forward with a couple of things.” Rae said as she ironed. “I think I’d like to avoid the press until I know more details about what’s happening with Sugar Tots and the CL recipe book. I also have to figure out how I’m going to handle all these requests for donations. Of course, I could always just answer their questions with “No comment.”

“I’m not sure that’s the best tactic. Sounds like you’re hiding something that will only make them snoop or hound you more.”

“True.” Rae glanced up. “Why are you smiling?”

“I like watching you iron.”

Her stomach fluttered. “That’s just weird.”

Still smiling, he finished off his coffee.

Rae tossed him his shirt and unplugged the iron. “To be honest, I usually throw wrinkled stuff in the dryer, too. This suite is spacious and lovely, but I’m missing the conveniences of a house or apartment. The place you want to show me. Does it come with appliances?”

“It does,” Luke said as he pulled on the tee and then a green and brown long-sleeved flannel.

“Where is it?” Rae asked as she stuffed her own real estate booklet into her purse.