“My dad—my real dad and not the felon—he says I have a powerhouse personality.”
Lucas laughed. “That’s about right. But then, just when I thought I couldn’t be more crazy about you, my mom called to give me an update on how she’s been doing since she left my dad.”
Puzzled, she couldn’t imagine how those things connected.
“And?” She threaded her fingers through his hair, wishing she never had to leave Heartache and this boy who saw good things inside her.
“And she told me she met ‘the kindest young woman’ on a television segment she was asked to film about her struggle to start over again.”
Frowning, Sarah tried to make the pieces fit…
She blinked. “Oh my God. Your mom is Jamie Raybourn?”
Pieces fell into place as she pictured the tiny blonde who’d just gotten an accounting job at Finleys’ Building Supplies. The woman who Erin had helped get an interview outfit and a makeover.
“The one and the same. I always wished I had her last name instead of my father’s.” Lucas’s thumbs caressed her cheeks with infinite tenderness. “But she told me all about a beautiful, warmhearted girl who made her feel good about herself on a hard day. Sarah, I almost freaking cried when she told me your name.”
Her voice wobbled. “In a good way though, right?”
“She’s mymom. I nearly got my ass sent to jail trying to keep her safe. Yes, it’s a good thing you were kind to her.” Lucas kissed her lips with an intensity that was a whole lot different than the way she’d kissed him under the slide. There was intention in it. A depth of caring she’d never felt with a guy before.
“Oh.” She felt breathless. Dazed. “I thought so.”
“It’s been tough for me to live with my aunt and not be there for Mom, but my heart’s been with her, despite having to pull myself out of that whole mess for a while.” Lucas straightened. “I hadn’t wanted to tell you about me getting hauled into the station and the rumors around town that I’d gotten arrested before I started school in Heartache. But I’ve wanted to thank you for helping my mother and I couldn’t say it until you knew the whole truth about me.”
He sighed with the satisfaction of someone who had gotten a lot off his chest, a feeling she could identify with, having experienced it recently herself in the police station. What strange paths they’d walked to one another.
“Now I know you and I like you even better,” she admitted.
The idea worried her a little because it put a whole lot of pressure on her matchmaking scheme between Dad and Erin. She wanted to stay in Heartache more than ever. But how could she make her father fall in love in a week’s time?
He’d been moving through life at a turtle’s pace for months.
“You said you wanted to talk tonight, too,” Lucas reminded her as he wound a strand of her hair around his finger.
Right. She’d wanted to tell him about slowing things down, but she knew he’d be okay with that. If anything, he’d been trying to slow her down.
She also needed to tell him about leaving Heartache, but she didn’t want to think about that yet. Maybe she should tell him about the violence in her own past. But with this new tenderness in her heart, she wasn’t ready for that tonight, either.
“It can wait.” She tipped her face into the spring breezeand inhaled the scent of barbecue on the breeze. “We should go dance.”
“But your knees must hurt.”
“I’m fine and I want to twirl around with you under the stars. Besides, I need to see you two-step for myself.”
“Maybe someone there will have bandages and we can clean up the cuts.” He turned around so his back was facing her. “I’ll give you a piggyback ride.”
She eyed his shoulders, liking the idea though it seemed way too far for him to carry her.
“I don’t know…”
Bending his knees he lifted her, putting her on his back with ease.
“Come on, Cajun Queen. We’ll dance sooner this way.”
Sarah laid her cheek against his shoulder and wrapped her arms around him. Her legs locked around his waist.
“Let the record show, I tried to warn you it wouldn’t be easy.”
