His dark eyes flared. But his voice as he spoke to Kate was calm and reassuring, the voice of a man used to taking charge, to taking care of things. A man who could be trusted.
“Get his ass to bed soon,” he was saying. “I need him on shift at seven tomorrow morning.”
“I’ll be there,” Luke assured him earnestly.
Jack’s mouth curled. “I know you will. Great party, Luke. Your friends are good guys.”
He nodded. “The best. Best guys. Best time. Thanks, Jack.”
“Anytime, buddy.”
Kate slipped an arm around Luke’s waist. “I’ve got him from here.”
His deep blue eyes focused on her carefully. “I didn’t have that much to drink.”
Meg rolled her eyes.
Kate laid her free hand gently on Luke’s cheek. “Not too much. Did you have a good time?”
He turned his head, pressed a kiss to her palm. “Yeah. Thank you.”
Not simply for inquiring about his evening, Lauren thought, picking up on the current between them. Something else was going on, another question being asked and answered, another trust being given. For some reason, for no reason at all, her eyes pricked with tears.
Taylor paused the movie. “Did you win the poker game?”
Luke grinned. “Jack won. But he said I should take all his money and buy you girls presents.”
Lauren looked at Jack, who shrugged.
“Cool.” Taylor’s smile shed sunshine on them both. “You want to watch the movie with us?”
“I wish I could.” Jack’s gaze flicked briefly to Lauren. “I’ve got to go on a call.”
Disappointment and concern lurched inside her. “Nothing serious, I hope.”
“Nope. Alarm call at Evans Tackle Store. Owner’s already on the scene. But Hank’s got his hands full with some teenagers partying in one of the rentals, so I have to take the report.”
Lauren got her legs under her. “I’ll see you out.”
Taylor switched those huge blue eyes on Luke. “Can you watch the movie with us, Daddy?”
Luke’s arm tightened around Kate’s waist. He smiled down at his daughter. “As you wish.”
***
LAUREN WALKED WITHJack along the deck that ran the length of the house to the trellis-covered patio. The sky was like velvet, the stars scattered over it like a jeweler’s diamond display. The brutal sun slept. The close, sticky air of the day had lifted. A freshening breeze rose off the water, teasing the scents from the summer garden.
Jack turned to face her, his back to the house, a shadow against the deeper shadows of the porch. Tiny white flowers starred the vines behind his head.
Lauren took a deep breath of jasmine-scented air and thought,Take me.
“You’re missing the end of the movie,” he said.
She shrugged, trying to speak lightly. “I’m not really into revenge scenarios.”
He frowned at her.
“What?”
