“Maybe not, but you have to admit you’re not the most forthcoming person in the world.”
“Guilty as charged.” Rae settled her purse in her lap and focused through the windshield as Luke pulled out of the snow-drifted lot and onto the plowed road. He’d offered a little something about himself. Maybe she should do the same. He was, after all, the father of her child. Even though they’d known each other for a year, they barely knew each other at all.
“Here’s the thing,” she said, borrowing Luke’s phrase. “I’m guarded. I’ve been guarded for a very long time. Because of my background, the life I’ve led, the people I’ve dealt with … I don’t trust easily. I’m not big on sharing my feelings because they usually end up getting trampled. I’m not fond of sharing personal information or even general opinions because they almost always end up twisted or manipulated or in the tabloids. That’s my story and it’s not likely to change anytime soon.”
She waited for him to jump all over that. You’re pulling the poor-little-rich-girl card?
He glanced over. “You’re also the most complicated woman I’ve ever met.” His eyes sparked with something she couldn’t quite discern. Curiosity? Wariness? “Sam came to see me.”
Hello, mental whiplash. “And?”
“He’s still hot for you, Rae. You have to tell him you’re off-limits.”
Luke’s revelation was unsettling on two levels. Rae addressed the latter. “Why?”
“Because you are. Because you’re pregnant. With my baby.”
“I know my situation, Luke.”
“He’s my cousin for chrissake.”
“Is that why you’re upset? Because Sam’s family? What if Adam asked me out? Or any other guy in town—local or transient? I’m a free agent, Luke. Just like you. Just because we hooked up—”
“If you say, it was just sex—”
“Well wasn’t it?” Rae worked hard to keep her heart out of her eyes as she met Luke’s gaze. She couldn’t deny to herself that she was infatuated with Luke, even though he’d been a jerk back in Bel Air, but she wasn’t about to admit her tender feelings, unless.… Was it possible he felt something, too?
Luke dragged a hand down his face then focused back on the road. “Getting back to Sam. Don’t you think it’s unfair to give him false hope? Thinking he might have a future with you, only to learn a month down the line that you’re pregnant with another man’s baby? My baby?”
Rae wasn’t altogether sure why Luke’s observation ticked her off. He was right about Sam. Not that she intended to lead the man on. “For what it’s worth, I told Sam I’m not interested in an intimate relationship. He promised he wouldn’t press the issue.”
“He doesn’t have to press. He’s patient.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It’s his secret weapon. Patience.”
Rae rolled her eyes. Luke made it sound as though Sam was a crafty Casanova. A game player. The man was, in fact, a straight shooter. Calculated seduction wasn’t his style.
Luke on the other hand … Luke Monroe was the biggest flirt in town. He loved women and women loved him. He had a long history of maintaining simultaneous casual sexual relationships. No doubt he had a playbook of various seductions. Rae was beginning to rethink her willingness to permanently relocate to Sugar Creek. She’d been thinking about how much she loved the area, the people. She’d been thinking this would be a nice place to raise her child and that her child deserved to know the love of her/his father.
She hadn’t been thinking about what it would feel like watching Luke carrying on as always with his revolving girlfriends.
Rae’s temples throbbed. She was fatigued. She was hungry. And she was more than a little frustrated with the situation. “Listen, Luke. I know how devoted you are to your family.” It was one of his most attractive qualities. “I’m not going to hurt Sam, if that’s what’s worrying you. My focus is on reestablishing Sugar Tots and hopefully helping the Cupcake Lovers. That, and reaching some sort of understanding with you regarding my baby.”
Luke steered the SUV into the driveway of the magnificent old Colonial that Rae had known as Daisy’s home. Thank God. She’d reached her emotional limit for today. Three-quarters to numb, at least she wasn’t as worried now about her meeting with Rocky.
“I’d mind,” Luke said as Rae unbuckled her seat belt. “If you went out with Adam,” he added when she cast him a questioning look. “Or anyone else. I can’t help it. It bothers me. You’re pregnant with my baby.”
Rae’s stomach knotted. She was picking up a theme here. A theme that revolved around her behaving in an expected manner. Not because Luke had feelings for her, but because she was the mother of his child. Period. She shouldn’t have expected more, but dammit, she’d hoped.
“If you think I’m going to be celibate for the rest of my life, think again.” She plowed on, needing him to know she wasn’t a doormat or easily manipulated. “I’m not saying I’m looking to get involved with someone now, but if an attraction happens to flare, I’m not going to ignore it.” She pushed open the door, heart pounding as she issued a parting plea. “Please don’t come inside and please don’t wait. I’ll call a cab when I’m ready to leave. And Luke,” she said, willing every fiber of dignity and calm, “don’t seek me out again until you’ve thought this out. Either you want to me to settle in Sugar Creek so you can play an active and constant role in your child’s life, or you don’t. This isn’t about us. There is no us.” He’d made that pretty clear as far as Rae was concerned. “This is about the baby.”
“Wait.” Luke reached across the seat and caught her wrist. “I need a favor.”
She couldn’t imagine.
“I was hoping … I need a mentor.”
As in someone to help him conquer his reading disability? Was he seriously confiding in her? Admitting he had a problem? Reaching out for help? She couldn’t believe it.
“I’m this close to getting kicked out of the Cupcake Lovers.”
“What?”
“I joined the club a few weeks ago. Sam didn’t tell you?”
“No.” Shocked, Rae frowned. “You bake?”
“Not well. Hence the upcoming boot. I thought … If you could come over, give me some lessons.”
“Why me?”
“I’m too close to everyone else.”
She thought about that. “Harder to take offense when being advised by a stranger. I get that.” Sad that it made her feel even more distant from the father of her child. “Regardless, I’m not sure it’s a good idea.”
“You think spending time together, getting to know one another better given the circumstances, is a bad idea?”
It was in fact a brilliant idea. Luke had found safe common ground. Cupcakes. Either they’d hit it off as friends, discover they were, against odds, a good match, or … they’d end up despising each other. At least they’d know how to proceed instead of lingering in this wretched limbo. Rae nodded. “Fine. I’ll drop by tomorrow. What time?”
“Noon. I’ll pick you up. We’ll do lunch, then bake.” He squeezed her hand. “Sound good?”
It sounded dangerous. “See you then.” Rae slid out of the SUV, feeling more rattled than she’d felt all day and that was saying a lot. Even though she had to trudge through snowdrifts and freezing winds to get to Rocky’s house, Rae’s skin still burned from Luke’s touch. She couldn’t teach him to bake in a day. It could take weeks. And a good dose of one-on-one time. The prospect was daunting and thrilling and somewhat suspicious. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being manipulated by Luke—the Charmer of Sugar Creek—Monroe.
But to what end?