“Hello, Luke,” she said, trying to sound breezy and amused. “What’s this about you and Beth Hammond?”
“You heard already?” He looked stunned.
“Good heavens, yes. You don’t expect something like that to stay quiet, do you?”
“When…who told you?”
“I went to the grocery store and ran into Sally Daley.”
“That explains it,” he said, pacing her carpet with abrupt, impatient steps. He stopped suddenly and turned to study her. “It doesn’t bother you that I’m seeing Beth?”
“Not at all,” she lied. “Should it? Would you like some coffee?”
“No.”
Desperate for a chance to escape and compose herself, Kate almost ran into the kitchen and poured herself a cup, keeping her back to him all the while.
“You seem to be downright happy about this,” he accused, following her into the small, windowless room.
“Of course I’m pleased. I think it’s wonderful when two people fall in love, don’t you?”
“I’m not in love with Beth,” he said angrily.
“Actually I think dating Beth is a wonderful way to kill all the rumors floating around about us,” she said, finally turning toward him. She held her coffee cup close.
Rubbing his neck, Luke continued his pacing in the kitchen. “I thought you might be…jealous.”
“Me?” She refused to admit she’d been dying inside from the moment Sally had told her. “Now why would I feel like that?”
“I don’t know,” Luke barked. “Why would you?”
Before Kate could answer, he stormed out of the apartment, leaving her so frustrated she could have cried.
“You should’ve told him how you feel,” she reprimanded herself. “Why are you such a fool when it comes to Luke Rivers? Why? Why? Why?”
“I saw Luke yesterday,” Rorie said, watching Kate closely as they sat across from each other in a booth at Nellie’s.
“That’s nice,” she said, pretending indifference and doing a good job of it.
“He was with Beth Hammond.”
Kate’s breath caught in her throat at the unexpected rush of pain. “I…see.”
“Do you?” Rorie inquired. “I swear I could shake the pair of you. I’ve never met two more stubborn people in my life. You look like one of the walking wounded, and Luke’s got a chip on his shoulder the size of a California redwood.”
“I’m sure you’re mistaken.” Kate concentrated on stirring her coffee and avoided Rorie’s eyes. Her heart felt like a ball of lead.
“When’s the last time you two talked?”
“A couple of days ago.”
“Honestly, Kate, I can’t understand what’s wrong with you. Clay and I thought…we hoped everything would fall into place after you moved to the apartment. Now it seems exactly the opposite has happened.”
“Luke’s free to date whomever he pleases, just the way I am.”
“There’s only one person you want and that’s Luke Rivers and we both know it,” Rorie said with an exasperated sigh. “I shouldn’t have said that. It’s just that I hate the idea of you two being so miserable when you’re in love with each other.”
“Is love always this painful?” Kate asked, her question barely audible.
Rorie shrugged. “It was with Clay and me, and sometimes I feel it must be for everyone sooner or later. Think about it, Kate. If you really love Luke, why are you fighting the very thing you want most?”
“I don’t know,” she admitted reluctantly.
When they parted shortly afterward, Kate felt a new sense of certainty and resolve. She did love Luke and if she didn’t do something soon, she was going to lose him.
She drove to the Circle L, her heart in her throat. Luke’s truck was parked behind the house, and she left her car beside it, hurrying through the cold to the back door. Luke didn’t respond to her knock, which didn’t surprise her, since it was unusual for him to be in at this time of day. But she couldn’t find him outside, either, and even Bill didn’t know where he was.
Making a rapid decision, she let herself into the house and started preparations for the evening meal. It gave her a way of passing the time. Dinner was in the oven and she was busy making a salad, when the back door opened and Luke walked into the kitchen.
Apparently he hadn’t noticed her car because he stopped dead, shock written on every feature, when he saw her standing at the sink.