As soon as he sat down, though, he realized his mistake. Jessie represented more than warmth. She exuded heat and passion, at least to him. His body responded at once, predictably and with the kind of urgency he hadn’t known since his teens.
“Sherry, Lucas?” his mother asked.
“Hmm?” he murmured distractedly.
“She’s asking if you would like a drink,” Jessie explained as if she were translating a foreign language. There was a look of knowing amusement in her eyes he couldn’t mistake.
“No thanks,” he said.
“I’m very surprised to see you here, Lucas,” his mother commented.
“But we’re delighted, aren’t we, Mary?” his father said, a warning note in his voice.
His mother seemed startled by the sharp tone. “Well, of course, we are. I’m just surprised, that’s all. He hasn’t been here for months. And,” she added pointedly, “he told me quite plainly that he couldn’t get here over the holidays. As I recall, he told you the same thing just yesterday.”
Luke refused to be drawn into a quarrel. “Plans change,” he said.
“Will you be staying long?” his mother asked.
“Mary!” Harlan protested. “You’ll make the boy think we’d rather he stayed home.”
His mother flushed. “Well, of course, I didn’t mean that. For goodness’ sakes, Harlan, I was just trying to think ahead and make some plans. I was wondering if we should have another party, perhaps for New Year’s Eve.”
Luke shuddered at the thought. “Not on my account,” he said with absolute sincerity.
“I think a quiet celebration is more in order this year,” Harlan said, regarding him with something that might have been understanding. “I think we had enough chaos around here last night to last till next year.”
“Chaos?” Mary repeated, red patches of indignation in her cheeks. “I worked for weeks to make sure that we had a lovely party for our friends on Christmas and you thought it was chaos?”
Harlan sighed. “I didn’t mean any disrespect, dear. Your parties are always well attended. They’re the high point of the social season around the whole state of Texas. Everyone knows that. I just think one is enough.” As if he sensed that his fancy verbal footwork hadn’t yet placated her, he added, “Besides, I know firsthand how much the planning takes out of you.”
Mary sighed heavily, her expression put-upon. “I suppose a quiet family occasion would be nice for a change. Perhaps for once Jordan and Cody can be persuaded to leave their current paramours at home.”
“I doubt that will be a problem,” his father said. “Jordan claims to be fed up with the social whirl and Cody’s trying to put a damper on Melissa’s enthusiasm for a spring wedding. I suspect they’ll be happy to come alone.”
“That was certainly the impression I got from them, too,” Jessie chimed in. “I never thought I’d see the day when those two would turn up anywhere without a woman, but they seemed almost relieved to be on their own last night.”
After the initial awkwardness and minor bickering, the rest of the evening settled into something astonishingly comfortable. Dinner passed quickly with quiet conversation about old friends and plans for the next few days of the holidays.
“The McAllisters’ annual party is tomorrow night,” Mary reminded them. She looked at Luke and Jessie. “I’m sure you’ll both want to come.”
“Not me,” Jessie said at once. “I’m not quite up to partying yet, but the rest of you go.”
Luke noticed that Jessie claimed a lack of energy only when it suited her purposes. She’d always hated the stuffy McAllisters and the collection of rich and powerful they dutifully assembled periodically to prove their own worth to the neighbors.
“I believe I’ll stay here, too,” he said, studiously avoiding Jessie’s gaze.
His mother opened her mouth to protest, but to his surprise, his father defended his decision. “Mary, leave him be. If it were up to me, I’d stay home, too, but I know you won’t have it.”
“Well, for goodness’ sakes, it’s social occasions like this that make the kind of business contacts you need,” his mother grumbled. “I should think Luke would be aware of that, as well.”
Luke settled back in his chair, his decision reinforced by his father’s surprising understanding. “I prefer to make my business contacts in an office, Mother. That way there’s no confusing my intent. As I recall, the last time I tried to do business at one of these social occasions, Henry Lassiter thought I was going to trade a herd of cattle for his daughter’s hand in marriage.”
Next to him, Jessie choked back a laugh. Her eyes sparkled with undisguised merriment. “How on earth did you extricate yourself from that?”
“Thank goodness I didn’t have to,” he said, laughing at the memory. “Janice Lassiter was as appalled as I was. She told her father in no uncertain terms that she was not a piece of property he could trade in to get a prize bull and a few cows. I have to admit I found her a bit more intriguing after she said that.”
To his surprise his mother’s mouth curved into a smile. “You never told us that story.”
“Of course not,” Luke said. “Do you realize how embarrassing it was to realize that I’d made some innocent remark that got mistaken for a marriage proposal? It’s not something a man wants getting around.”
Jessie leaned close and whispered, “There are some women who might even take you up on an innocent remark even without the offer of the cattle. Those are the ones you really have to watch your step with.”
Luke shifted and stared at her, his blood suddenly thundering in his veins. He could feel his cheeks flush and prayed that his very observant father was watching something else at the moment. If Luke meant anything at all to Angela,
