Elsa’s temper burned, but Luke kept his cool. In fact, his expression turned stone cold.
“I was only trying to help. I wanted to surprise you.” Archer threw up his hands. “So much for that.”
“Surprise me how?”
“You said you wanted to find the aviary but haven’t searched properly since you’re here for work and shouldn’t take the time. I met Wesley Spalding after I saw him talking to you at Luna Park. We hit it off. He told me where the estate was. I only wanted to help you look for it.”
Luke glowered. “This isn’t your concern.”
“She’s my concern. If it’s important to her, it’s important to me.”
“Applesauce.” Elsa didn’t believe it. Not after his disregard for her on Coney Island.
“Consider it an olive branch after the way we parted Saturday night. Why don’t you tell the guard dog here to leave us alone so we can talk?”
Elsa bristled. “No.”
Luke looked from her to Archer. “Woof.”
The air seemed to crackle with the tension radiating from Luke. Archer ran a finger inside his overstarched collar. “Well, I got the feeling after Percy and I left you and Ivy in Luna Park that maybe I should have made sure you made it home all right.”
A muscle bunched in Luke’s jaw. “Maybe?Maybeyou should have made sure?”
“It was her idea,” Archer insisted. “She didn’t want to do the rides, so she suggested we go our separate ways. She said they’d take the subway home.”
“And you had no problem walking away from her on a Saturday night in a place where all kinds of people congregate and make trouble. You decided it was better to hit the roller coasters than be a gentleman and enjoy her company while ensuring she was safe at all times from the unsavory elements. You figured twowomen walking between subway stations in the dark to make their transfers was an acceptable risk.”
Archer spread his hands. “She’s fine, isn’t she? Ivy made it back all right, too, I guess?”
Luke opened the driver’s side door and waited while Archer got inside before slamming it shut. “That risk wasnotacceptable.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Elsa, you want to add anything?”
“Only that we were followed by a strange man right onto the subway car, gave him the slip, and took a taxi home instead. Yes, I think that covers it.”
As if he’d just heard this for the first time, tendons pulled taut in Luke’s neck. He turned to Archer, who peeled away before Luke could say or do more, pebbles spraying behind the rear wheels.
Elsa stared after the dazzling convertible until it rolled out of view. “He didn’t even say he was sorry,” she murmured. “He was probably too afraid of your fists to stick around, but ... I can’t believe he just left like that after what I said.”
“It’s a good thing he did. I was ready to pound him.” Luke shook his head and breathed deeply, expanding his already broad chest. “I’ve worked for years to control my temper. But so help me, if I see that rat again I don’t know what I’ll do.” A lump shifted in his throat as he cleared it. “What exactly is the nature of your relationship with this Archer character?”
“He’s a colleague. Up until now, I considered him a friend. Now I wonder if I can call him that. That isn’t how you treat friends.”
“No, it isn’t. Do you believe he came here to make amends with you?”
A beat of quiet followed until Elsa admitted, “He came for the aviary. He said so himself.”
“Do you trust he wants it for Danielle?”
She bit her lip. “I want to believe the best of people, but hisbehavior lately makes that a challenge. Hopefully your question is a moot point now. I don’t think he’ll be coming back.”
“Not if I have anything to do with it.” Luke took her hand in his calloused one. “I never asked how the walking went on Coney Island. How far did you go?”
“Far enough to do some good, I hope.”
The steel in his eyes flashed with understanding. “Far enough to hurt.” After she nodded, he pressed, “And your lungs? How did your breathing do?”
“We were only walking, no running this time. I promise.” She smiled.
He didn’t. “Tell me.”
