Istood in the entryway of the Rooftop bar and restaurant, the finest establishment in Poplar Springs, waiting for Cal to arrive. The rest of our party was already sitting at the table, and I had volunteered to wait at the entrance to greet Cal. Those few extra moments in his company would give me the chance to become accustomed to seeing him and school my features into a professional mold, I hoped.
When he’d appeared earlier, I’d been blown away by the resemblance between him and Luke. For the first time in my life, I’d seriously thought I was going to pass out and crash to the floor. I probably would have if Cal hadn’t steadied me. And been so nice about it.
Since I’d had a few hours to steel myself, when he came through the restaurant door I was able to smile at him with barely any strain, drawing on my professional experience in public relations to guide me through the moment.
“Sorry if I’m a mite late,” he said. He removed his hat, and in spite of my best intentions, I found myself mentally ticking off ways he was like my deceased husband and the ways he was different. The lean, muscular build was the same, though Luke had been a littletaller. The dark brown hair worn a shade too long had hints of gold that my husband’s had lacked, but looked to be just as thick and silky.
It was Cal’s eyes that hit me the hardest. They were the exact shade of green as Luke and his younger brothersandLaura, my mother-in-law. One of the differences was there, too, though. The creases near Cal’s eyes spoke of someone who had laughed at more jokes and squinted in more sunshine than my husband had gotten the opportunity to do.
“Not at all. Let’s head to the table.” I walked in front of him, overly conscious of the stares turning in our direction. The restaurant was busy, filled with the sounds of conversation and silverware tapping on plates, but a shocked lull seemed to travel in our wake. I was casting a look back at Cal to see if he was as aware of it as I was when a sudden crash drew everyone’s attention to the entrance to the kitchen. A fully loaded tray of food lay on the ground while the waiter—a man who’d gone to high school with my husband, as I recalled—gaped at me and Cal.
I slid quickly into a chair at our table and gestured for Cal to sit next to me. I should have made the introductions standing, but I didn’t want to garner any more attention than we already had.
“Cal, this is Bob McCall and Bob Jackson, two of our town council members. With Mayor Lumley on medical leave, they’re helping out.” While I spoke, I noticed the usual restaurant sounds resuming. “Bob and Bob, meet our rodeo star Cal Pierce.”
“Pleased to meet you.” Cal shook their hands, a grin threatening to grow on his face. “Is it a requirement to have the name Robert to hold a position of authority around here?”
“Well, Robert orAmybecause we’d all be in big trouble if she wasn’t around to keep everything running,” Bob McCall said while both Bobs chuckled.
“Good to meet you, young man. I see what the fuss is about now that I’ve got a look at you,” Bob Jackson said in his characteristic blunt way. “Youarethe spittin’ image of Luke Thorne. God rest his soul.”
I cringed slightly. While both Bobs were enormously capable, they also didn’t mince words, and tact wasn’t at the top of the list of traits I’d attribute to either man.
“So it seems,” Cal said smoothly and the uncomfortable moment passed. “I appreciate the dinner invite, folks.”
“Least we can do since you’re donating your time and name to help us out,” Bob McCall said. “We’re looking forward to rebuilding our community center.”
“I imagine it’s the center of the town’s social life.” Cal had a polite smile on his face. He was clearly used to playing the PR game. Luke had always been a charmer, too.
“You bet it is,” Bob Jackson said. “Everything goes on there from afterschool and summer programs for the kids to wedding receptions and senior events. We sure do miss having the building. And I hope by this time next year, we’ll have it completely rebuilt, better than ever.”
“I’m sure you will.” Cal took the menu a waiter offered him.
“You’ll have to come back and see it,” Bob McCall invited. Cal let that pass without comment as they began to place their orders.
He wouldn’t be back, I thought. He was a rodeo guy, and they were always just passing through. Not to mention, this had to be awkward for him. He was probably counting the days until he could leave town. I was half listening to the others’ orders when I heard Cal’s. He requested a steak with mushrooms and onions, a loaded baked potato, a salad with ranch dressing, and a side of corn. I could have recited his words because they were exactly what Luke would have ordered.When Cal added a particular beer, Luke’s favorite, I had to grip the edge of the table.
This was surreal. How could he be so much like my husband? It was the wildest coincidence of my life and I couldn’t stop myself from analyzing everything he did and said. His voice was a tad deeper but otherwise the same. The charming smile he gave the server who brought their salads could have been Luke’s. Even the way he let the bottle of beer slide through his fingers and thump against the table was the same. Everything was all too familiar.
As was the feeling of guilt that washed over me. I could feel the sympathetic looks of fellow diners. They were wondering how I was managing to sit there with a clone of my husband and make conversation when my heart had been so thoroughly broken by the tragic end of our perfect marriage. They must be thinking that it was like being stabbed repeatedly, and it was.
But not for the reason they all assumed.
I’d loved my husband at one point, but I’d realized a year before his death that I no longer did. Other loves had made me stay in the marriage. Love for my son Henry, my in-laws, the people of Poplar Springs. I’d found a home here, even if my happily-ever-after marriage had been a façade.
Luke had been so good at creating a persona. He was the golden boy in this town, and I’d fallen for that, too. When I’d met him in college, he was a starter on the USC football team and he’d had this knack for talking in such a way that folks seemed to hang on his every word. Including me. I was head over heels for him. When we married and settled back here in Poplar Springs, I saw that his charm wasn’t just effective on college students. Everyone loved him, and the entire town was overjoyed when the prodigal son returned.
But that wasn’t Luke in private. Far from it. Sometimes I thought I was the only one who saw him for what he was—spoiled and insincere with a me-first attitude that made me feel like a trophy rather than a partner.
I hated that about him and us. Over time, as my initial infatuation wore off, my frustration with his attitude ate away at our relationship. But every time I thought about leaving, Luke somehow keyed in on it because his attitude would shift. He’d become sweet, attentive—like the young man I’d fallen in love with. The pattern was obvious and I fell for it time and time again because I desperately wanted it to be real. But it never lasted.
FOUR
AMY
“Tell me about the town, Bobs,” Cal said pulling me out of my thoughts and back to the dinner.
Bob McCall launched into his list of reasons why Poplar Springs was a great place to saddle your horse and hang your hat with Bob Jackson filling in details. Of course, they made sure to bring up the legendary greatness of the high school’s football team. All three Bobs—including the mayor—had been on Pop High’s football team almost fifty years ago, and bragging on the team was one of their favorite hobbies. In truth, the team’s record had always been pretty solidly middle of the road, but the Bobs weren’t ones for letting accuracy get in the way of a good story. The Bobs ended their litany with a question for Cal. “Are you from a small town or are you a city boy at heart?”
