Kate leaned forward on the tips of her toes and stretched out her hand to stop him. It took everything in her not to rush forward. She was afraid she’d burst into tears. Viewing Luke’s behavior had touched something deep within her.
If Luke had planned to drive away, he apparently changed his mind, because he slammed the door shut and resolutely faced the building again.
Knowing that the time to make her move was now, Kate casually turned the corner.
“Kate.”
“Luke,” she said, pretending surprise.
For a moment, Luke didn’t say a word. “I just got back to the ranch and discovered that the main house was empty. I thought you’d be there when I returned.”
“Mrs. Jackson said I could have the apartment Monday, and since Rorie, Clay and Skip were able to help me move, I couldn’t see any reason to delay.”
“You might’ve told me.”
Kate lowered her eyes, feeling a little guilty, since they’d parted on such unfriendly terms. “I tried, but you’d already left for New Mexico.”
“Bill did say you wanted to talk to me,” he conceded.
“Would you like to come inside?” she asked, opening the door for him.
“All right.” He sounded reluctant.
Once in the apartment they stood looking at each other, and Kate felt suddenly awkward. Luke’s eyes were dark and luminous and his face had never seemed so dear to her—familiar, yet in some exciting new way, not fully known. She would’ve liked nothing better than to walk into his arms. She wanted to tell him how sorry she was about the way they’d parted, to tell him she was ready to accept his proposal on any terms. But her pride made that impossible.
“Nice place,” he said when the silence became painful. He tucked his fingers in his back pockets again.
“Can I take your coat?”
“Please.” He took it off and gave it to her.
She motioned toward the sofa. “Would you like to sit down?”
He nodded and sat on the edge of the cushion. Leaning forward, he balanced his hands between his knees and rotated his hat with his fingers. Luke had sat on this very same sofa a thousand times, but he’d never looked as uncomfortable as he did now.
“I came to apologize for the last time we spoke.”
“Oh, Luke,” she whispered, sitting in the overstuffed chair across from him. “I felt bad, too. Why do we argue like that? Some days I feel we’re growing further and further apart, and I don’t want that.”
“I’d like to suggest we put an end to this nonsense, but you’ve made your views plain enough.”
“You still want to take care of me?”
“I don’t think that’s so wrong.”
“I know.” She sighed, tired of repeating the same arguments. “But I’m fully capable of doing that myself.”
“Right,” he said with deadly softness. “You took care of yourself pretty well during that snowstorm, didn’t you?”
“Why don’t you throw Eric Wilson in my face while you’re at it? I thought you came because you regretted our last argument, but it looks to me as if you’re trying to start another one.”
“All right,” he shouted, “I’ll stop! You asked me not to bring up the distasteful subject of marriage and I agreed. It’s just that—” He clamped his mouth shut. “We’re better off dropping the subject entirely,” he finished stiffly.
“I hate when we argue,” Kate said.
“So do I, Princess.”
Although his tone was light, Kate heard the distress in his voice. It filled her with regret, and she longed for something comforting to say, something that would ease this awkwardness between them, and restore a sense of balance to their relationship.
“Do you need anything, Kate?”
“No. I’m fine,” she rushed to assure him. She might occasionally date the wrong men and take foolish risks in snowstorms, but she could manage her own life!
Luke glanced around the room, then slowly nodded as if accepting the truth of her words.
“It was kind of you to stop by… I mean, it’s good to see you and I really am grateful you wanted to clear the air, too.”
“Are you saying you missed me while I was away?”
She had, terribly, but until that moment, Kate hadn’t been willing to admit it, even to herself. Unconsciously she’d been waiting for Thursday, hoping to hear from Luke—but not really expecting to. For the past few days, she’d worked frantically to unpack her things and make her apartment presentable. And all along it had been an effort to prove to Luke how efficient and capable she actually was. After falling on her face so many times, she wanted this transition from the ranch house to her first apartment to go off without a hitch. It was a matter of pride.