Stella reached out and tickled him near his collarbone. “Did you think you had some competition?” Luke tried to ward off Stella’s hands. It was one of his deep dark secrets that he was very ticklish. Stella found all of his vulnerable tickle spots and wouldn’t let up until he surrendered.
“Okay, okay. I give up,” he said, holding up his hands. “I’m really glad that Rafe is firmly in the past.”
“He is,” Stella acknowledged with a nod. “Your being in my life showed me that I’m truly over him. I’m not stuck in that awful limbo anymore.”
Luke knew all about being stuck in the past. For him, it was as if he were standing in quicksand and unable to move forward. His PT sessions had shown him that it was much easier to work on physical injuries than emotional ones. He was ready to work harder on resolving those issues. Meeting with Kenny’s folks would be a huge step in the healing process.
“I think we should walk over to Casablanca’s now,” Stella suggested. Luke jumped to his feet and offered his hands to pull Stella up. They quickly packed up the blanket and deposited their trash in the garbage and recycling bins. Stella reached for his hand as they walked back toward Main Street, admiring the art installations that had been strategically placed all over the downtown area. This year’s theme was “Under the Sea” and it included sculptures of mermaids, dolphins, lobsters, whales, and other aquatic sea creatures. It was a fantastic way to feature local up-and-coming artists and make the town’s landscape even more vibrant.
Although they were full from dinner, Luke insisted on buying a big tub of popcorn, M&M’s, and two sodas once they were inside the theater. “Can’t watch a flick without treats,” he said to Stella, who gave him a nod of approval. For the next hour and a half, Luke was transported into the musical love story featuring dazzling actors Lena Horne and Bill Robinson. At the end of the movie, everyone in the audience clapped and cheered, highlighting the intimate nature of Casablanca’s.
When they came out of the movie theater, Luke reached for her hand as they walked across the town green to his truck. “Okay, so I have to admit that I’m not very knowledgeable about old movies. I grew up onStar WarsandFast and the Furious. But I really liked the movie. It was cool. And different.”
“Hey, I loved those movies too, but I also had grandparents who adored old movies. My granny, Lula, especially loved them.”
“Lula, huh?” Luke asked, smirking.
Stella grinned as she said, “Yep. If you merge Lucy and Stella it kind of gets you Lula. At least that’s what my mom thought.”
“Sort of, kind of,” he teased.
She laughed along with him. “So Granny Lula used to host Lucy and me every month at her house for classic movie night. Popcorn. Candy. Soda pop. The whole nine yards. I learned so much about the old film studios like MGM and Warner Brothers. The whole studio system was fascinating. Bette Davis and Joan Crawford were legendary. Lena Horne was one of the most beautiful women in her day but because she was African American she didn’t get as many opportunities to star in major films.”
“That’s a shame. She was a triple threat from what I just saw. Singing. Acting. Dancing. The whole package as far as I’m concerned.”
“She sure was. I love seeing all the clothes and the cars from this time period. I’m not saying I would have enjoyed living then, but they sure had style.”
They reached Luke’s vehicle, and he moved to open the door for Stella and helped her in, firmly closing the door after she was inside. Once he was behind the driver’s seat and revved the truck, Stella didn’t hesitate to commandeer the radio. She loved powerful ballads by Celine Dion and Mariah Carey. He tried his best to hide the smirk tugging at his lips. It was wonderful how she didn’t have the best singing voice, but she kept on belting out songs with all the confidence of a balladeer. Seeing her happy made him ecstatic. She’d changed since the day they’d met at her school. She’d always been sweet and kind, but now she was more centered and confident. She didn’t seem as stuck in the past as before. Now, it was just him trying to wrestle with the past and make sense of his future.
“I’m thinking more and more about visiting Kenny’s family,” Luke admitted. “It’s been gnawing at me that I need to see them face-to-face.”
“If it’s weighing on you so heavily, you need to listen to your gut,” Stella said. “Trust your instincts.”
“I’ll keep you posted on what I decide,” he promised. He was definitely going to update Stella. Being out on the town with Stella felt like a declaration of sorts. They were no longer hiding behind a fake relationship. It was all out in the open for all to see. For both of them, it was progress.
“Great.” Her gaze was intense as she looked at him. “Just remember that this one meeting doesn’t determine your future.”
Although he nodded his head, Luke wasn’t sure he totally agreed with Stella. Being able to talk to the Smiths and connect with them was monumental for him. As much as he truly believed they needed to hear about their son’s heroism, Luke knew he needed something from them as well. He needed to know that they were navigating their way through the grieving process. Luke owed it to Kenny. And he genuinely cared about what they were going through. How many nights had he lain awake thinking about them? How many times had he wondered if he’d failed in his duty as team leader by not seeing them in person?
Touching base with the Smith family could be mutually beneficial. Looking into their eyes as he offered them his condolences would be powerful. Maybe then he would be able to stop blaming himself.
Chapter Twenty-Two
The rainy, gray weather caused Luke to scrap plans for a beach day with Stella. He’d been looking forward to his first dip in the waters of Blackberry Beach. Instead, she was coming by to pick him up so they could grab lunch in town and hit up a few stores. Luke needed some summer reading, so they were going to browse at the library and the Bookworm shop. All he really cared about was spending time with Stella. For all he cared they could be doing laundry or painting Nick’s fence. His world lit up every time she entered the room.
A little while ago he’d received a text from Winona, Aaron’s widow, inviting him to Skype with her. He’d been calling and leaving messages for several weeks but hadn’t heard back until now. She was visiting her parents in Colorado and unable to meet up with him in person. Winona apologized for not getting back to him earlier. Just knowing she was receptive to speaking with him made all the difference in the world. He was getting tired of carrying the weight of Kenny’s and Aaron’s deaths around his neck. When the time came for the Skype call, Luke’s nervousness evaporated the moment Winona’s smiling face appeared on-screen. Having met her a few times in person, he was struck by how great she looked despite everything she was going through. She’d cut her long red hair into a short bob that suited her oval-shaped face. He felt a twinge of disappointment in not seeing the boys in the background.
“I have to apologize in advance if I cut the call short. These boys are quite a handful and they might wake up at any time,” Winona said with a chuckle. “They’re both doing well and growing like weeds.”
“That’s good to hear. I’ve been wanting to talk to you since Aaron passed away,” Luke acknowledged. “Thanks for arranging this. It’s really comforting seeing you looking so well.”
Winona crossed her hands in front of her. “Luke, I’ve so appreciated your cards and messages. And the stuffed animals you sent the boys are their favorites.” She let out a beleaguered sigh. “For a long time, I wasn’t ready to talk to anybody. Losing Aaron was just so devastating. And the idea of raising twin boys without him seemed impossible. But in the last two months I turned a corner and things are looking up. Being in Colorado with my parents and siblings helps. I have so much support on a daily basis.”
He let out the deep breath he’d been holding. “I’m so happy the three of you are doing so well. Honestly, you look wonderful,” Luke said. “You’ve all been in my thoughts and prayers.” And he meant it. Not a day went by when he didn’t offer up a prayer for their well-being and comfort. Aaron would be so proud of Winona holding down his family.
“We are, Luke. The twins are growing and thriving. They’re content. I wish they’d gotten more time with their dad, but I’ll be able to tell them all about his heroism and show them pictures of him holding them. They’ll always know how much he loved them.”
“Well, if you ever need me to step in for any reason, I’ll be happy to tell them how he bragged about them to the whole team.” Luke teared up at the memory. “You would’ve thought those babies were made of solid gold. He adored them…and you.”
