“I’m sure,” she said with a nod, slightly distracted by her unruly thoughts. “Thanks for the getaway car. It felt a little bit like we were Bonnie and Clyde taking off like that.”
Luke grinned at her, flashing a Colgate smile. “Anytime, Stella. I’ve always been partial to that movie. Do you mind if I turn on the radio?”
“Go for it,” Stella said. Music always lifted her mood. Spending time with Luke and being surrounded by his calming presence had made her feel so much better. “There’s a great new R & B station. 107.9.”
Luke fiddled with the dial and programmed the station in. The upbeat rhythms of Kem filled the truck, and Stella found herself humming along with the song. For the duration of the ride back to Rosie’s they listened to the soothing tunes with no conversation taking place. Strangely enough, it felt comfortable and natural. She didn’t know why being around Luke felt so natural, since they hadn’t known each other very well back in school. Not to mention the years standing between the present and the last time they’d seen each other. But there was no denying their easy rapport. She wondered if he felt it too.
“Well, we’re back where this little adventure began,” Luke said as he pulled into the lot behind Rosie’s salon. He looked around a little bit and said, “Looks like the coast is clear.”
Relief flowed through her. “Thank goodness. I’m parked right over there.” Stella pointed to her dark compact vehicle. Luke pulled his truck alongside her car and put his vehicle in park.
Stella unlatched her seat belt and grabbed her purse. “I appreciate what you did for me today, Luke. I owe you one.”
“I’m definitely going to call you on it. When you least expect it, you’re going to have to repay this debt.” Luke’s eyes twinkled and he let out a devilish laugh. Her heart lurched a little bit. This one could charm all the ladies in Mistletoe without even trying.
“Whatever you say, Godfather,” she said, referencing her favorite Francis Ford Coppola movie. With a final wave, Stella got out of the truck and shut the door behind her. Luke’s laughter trailed after her, warming her insides and serving as a reminder that she’d made it through this storm. She was way stronger than she believed herself to be. As she started up her car and made her way back home, Luke permeated her thoughts.
After all these years, Luke Keegan was still one of the most swoon-worthy men she had ever known. And he wasn’t just eye candy either. He brought so many things to the table—loyalty, honor, humor, and strength. If Stella wasn’t so gun shy about men and relationships, she might just be tempted to give it a whirl with the scrumptious Navy SEAL.
Chapter Seven
You heard what?” Stella asked Lucy in a raised voice that she hoped hadn’t carried into the living room, where her mother and Tess were playing cards. She lowered her tone. “Please tell me you’re not serious.” She didn’t know why she was surprised. Stella had suspected this would happen after Patsy’s comments about her and Luke.
Lucy looked back at her with wide eyes. “Yep. Today at the library I overheard Laura Jean and Violet talking about you hooking up with Luke. Something tells me they wanted me to hear them because they were not being discreet at all with their gossip.” Lucy made a tsking sound. “I imagine they were looking for confirmation from me, so at first I just pretended not to hear them.”
Laura Jean Samuels was a former classmate of theirs while Violet Stewart was an older woman who considered herself a matriarch in Mistletoe. As far as Stella was concerned, neither one had any sense. Laura Jean liked flirting wildly with other women’s husbands, while as town historian, Violet was rumored to carry around a notebook detailing all of Mistletoe’s scandals. She was second only to Patsy in the gossip game.
“That’s absolutely ridiculous,” Stella sputtered. “Why on earth would they say something like that?”
“They said Patsy told them,” Lucy said with a shrug. “No big surprise there.”
Stella pressed her hand to her forehead and groaned. “Patsy! I should have known it was her. She loves finding a bone and running with it.”
Lucy sent her a knowing look. Patsy was legendary in Mistletoe for being a chatterbox, and that term was being kind. With all the luck, Stella just happened to live next door to her. Violet was no better. She was a notorious gossip with zero remorse about spreading lies all over Mistletoe.
“I eventually walked over and told them it wasn’t true,” Lucy added, “but I don’t think they believed me.” Lucy leaned in toward her. “It’s not true, is it?” she asked in a low whisper.
“Lucy!” Stella gasped and swatted her sister with her hand. “You know it isn’t. I totally forgot that Patsy saw Luke at my place the other day. We were out on the patio. Even though I tried to shoot down her comments about us being involved, she wouldn’t listen to me.” Stella threw her hands up in the air. “You know how she can be. Completely intractable.”
Lucy rolled her eyes. “I sure do. That woman spreads gossip like it’s a paying job. And she convinces herself it’s the truth.”
“Well, I have a few choice words for her when I see her again.” Stella stabbed a fork into the salad, then poured dressing in the bowl and tossed it. “Did you get a sense of what exactly she’s saying?”
Lucy bit her lip then turned toward the stove so that Stella could no longer see her expression. Stella knew her sister well enough to know she was low-key trying to avoid the question, which meant it was bad. “Lucy. It’s okay. I can take it. What is Patsy saying?”
“That she caught the two of you half-dressed on your patio,” Lucy said, turning back around to face Stella. “She made it sound like the two of you were getting frisky right out in the open.”
Stella sucked in a shocked breath. “What a liar!” she seethed. “I was simply getting Luke some bottled water.”
Lucy bent over and took a sheet of taco shells out of the oven, then placed them on the stove. “Leave it to Patsy to turn a simple act of kindness into a torrid affair.”
“It was all perfectly innocent,” Stella explained. “Coco Chanel got loose so I chased her down the beach where I ran into Luke who was out on a run. He managed to catch Coco Chanel, so as an act of gratitude I offered him a cold water. Patsy saw us together and decided to go hog wild with the details.”
“Ugh. She really has been relentless ever since Frank died. Maybe being a widow is leaving her with too much time on her hands,” Lucy said with a shrug. “She needs a hobby. Or a man of her own.”
“There are no excuses for spreading lies and gossip. Luke just arrived here in town and now he’s caught up in the Mistletoe rumor mill.” She groaned. “It’s embarrassing.”
“Stella!” Lucy put her hands on her hips. “Luke is a smoke show. There’s absolutely nothing humiliating about having rumors flying around town that you’re involved with a smoldering Navy SEAL. In fact, it’s pretty thrilling.” Lucy wiggled her eyebrows.
