“That’s wonderful news. I’m thrilled for you.” Stella could feel a gigantic smile stretching across her face. There was no way of reining it in at this point. Good things happening in Luke’s world made her happy.
“Uncle Luke!” Stella and Luke turned just in time to see Miles running full tilt in their direction. He crashed into Luke’s chest with all the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old boy. Luke steadied Miles by placing his arms on his little shoulders. “Whoa there. Where’s the fire?”
“There’s a three-legged race competition over by the gazebo. I want you to be my partner.” Miles pressed his hands in front of him in prayerlike fashion. “Please. Please. The winner gets a gift card from the toy store.”
“What about your dad?” Luke asked. “I don’t want to hurt his feelings. Maybe he wants to partner with you.”
Stella wasn’t sure what was going on, but she had the strangest feeling that Luke didn’t want to partner with his nephew, which made absolutely no sense. Luke was absolutely crazy about Miles, and there didn’t seem to be a single thing he wouldn’t do for him. She would bet her last dollar that no one in Mistletoe could outdo this very fit Navy SEAL in a three-legged race. It would be an easy win for Miles. Unless of course Luke’s leg was bothering him. Stella hadn’t noticed him limping, but she sensed Luke could tolerate a high level of pain without flinching.
“Dad won’t care,” Miles insisted. “He wants us to spend quality time together. That’s what I heard him telling Gram and Pops on the phone this morning.”
Stella resisted the urge to chuckle. It seemed that Miles, like her baby sister, enjoyed eavesdropping on conversations. She was happy to know Tess wasn’t the only ear hustler in town.
Miles tugged at Luke’s hand. “Let’s go, Uncle Luke. It’s about to start. We don’t want to be disqualified.”
“Okay. Let’s do this!” Luke looked over at Stella, sending her a pleading look. “Are you coming, Stella? We need a cheering squad.”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Stella said as she trailed after them. As they raced toward the gazebo with Miles in between them, Stella felt a jolt of happiness wash over her that she hadn’t felt in a really long time. It seemed as if all was right with her world. A foreign concept after the last few years of turmoil. She was beginning to think it had everything to do with Luke…and it scared the life out of her.
Chapter Fifteen
For the next few days Luke kept a low profile in Mistletoe. He spent quality time with Miles, made a few stops at the library, and pursued some job leads. He’d been asked by his childhood friend, Lamont Green, to work at his construction site and oversee some of his crews. Luke was considering it, purely out of boredom. There was only so much he could occupy his time with before he started feeling useless. He hadn’t seen Stella since the Chowder Fest event, which had been by design.
He was still feeling stunned by the kiss they’d shared. It had been strategic on his part, but he hadn’t expected fireworks and sparklers to go off. And the feelings of protectiveness she stirred up within him were slightly alarming. He’d wanted to protect her from Rafe even though he hadn’t approached or even come within thirty feet of Stella.
Luke got behind the wheel of his truck and made his way to the downtown area. He was meeting up with one of his closest friends and SEAL team buddies, Brandon Wong. Most days Luke didn’t even want to admit to himself how much he missed his team members. It was like a huge chunk of his heart had been cut out when he’d been sidelined.
Along the way to the Coffee Bean he passed by Mistletoe High, catching a glimpse of the football field where he’d spent so much of his time. Glory days. Back then he’d never dreamed where his life would take him. He’d pursued the path of becoming a Navy SEAL as a lark, never imagining it would become his heart and soul. As he drove past the marina, the lure of the ocean and the magnificent boats drew him in. He wondered if Stella might want to head out with him on the open seas for an afternoon of sailing. Did she enjoy boating? Who was he kidding? Going sailing with her would be purely for his own enjoyment and not simply for the town’s benefit.
He liked spending time with her.A lot.
He liked Stella.A lot.
Luke felt comfortable being around her. Something just clicked between them.
And it had absolutely nothing to do with convincing the females in town that he was off the market. It had to do with how she made him feel. Luke wanted to be around when she managed to put the past in her rearview mirror. He thought a lot about doing regular, everyday activities with her. Going clamming at the beach. Seeing classic movies at Casablanca’s. It was confusing to feel these emotions when he’d convinced himself he didn’t want or need romance in his life. But Stella inspired him to want more for himself. And part of that was being with her.
Once Luke arrived at the coffee house, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee led him to the counter where he ordered two cold brews and a few pastries. Minutes after Luke sat down at a table outside, he spotted his buddy striding toward the establishment from the parking lot.
Brandon Wong, otherwise known as Brando by their SEAL team, was a welcome sight. With spiky dark hair and a compact physique, Brando was an exceptional SEAL and a wonderful human being and friend. As Brando drew closer, Luke waved him over to the patio and stood up to greet him when he reached the table.
“You have no idea how good it is to see you, man.” Luke clapped him on the shoulder as they went in for a hug.
“Likewise. The whole team misses you something fierce.”
“That means a lot. I miss being over there with you guys, although I’m coming to terms with the Navy’s decision to take me off of active duty.” It was hard for Luke to admit it, but he wasn’t in top shape anymore. If he’d had a flare-up during a mission, it might compromise their objectives and safety protocols. He couldn’t live with himself if anyone else died because of him.
“I know it might sound corny,” Brando said, “but you went out like a champ. If it hadn’t been for your actions, we would have sustained more losses. You were in superhero mode that day.”
On some level Luke knew that Brando was dropping truth bombs, but he couldn’t focus on those aspects. It was so much easier for him to dwell on the things that hadn’t gone according to plan.
“How’s your leg?” Brando asked. “You’re looking good. I bet that I can still do more pull-ups than you can.”
“In your dreams, Brando.” Luke shrugged. “The leg hasn’t been doing too well. Two steps forward, five steps back. I’m getting these attacks where it seizes up and I’m racked with pain.”
Brando narrowed his gaze as he looked at him. “Your body is trying to tell you something. Are you doing physical therapy?”
“I just started,” he admitted. “I should have signed up as soon as I got home, but I thought I could handle it on my own.” Just saying it out loud made him realize how stupid it sounded. As a SEAL, Luke had always treated his body like a temple and committed himself to working out and healthy living. Neglecting his physical condition had been foolish. At least now he was doing something to improve his situation.
