Up to the Challenge ai-2 Page 25

  Wine glasses reflected the setting sun, and as she arrived at the table she spotted silver domes covering each plate. He definitely hadn’t found those in her kitchen. How much trouble had he gone to? No one had ever done anything this nice just for her.

  “I wanted the setting to be as beautiful as the woman it was for,” Lucas said, stepping out from under the far umbrella and sliding his hands into his pockets. “But I should have known better.” He’d changed into black pants and a white dress shirt, the sleeves rolled nearly to the elbows. It was as if he’d stepped out of her dreams.

  “I’m afraid I can’t compare to all this,” she said, feeling small and inadequate. Lucas was the epitome of sophistication. Her opposite in every way.

  “There is no comparison,” he said, pulling out her chair. “Thank you for wearing the dress.”

  That’s when she noticed they matched, except Lucas wore shiny black dress shoes. “I didn’t have any shoes—”

  “It’s perfect,” he said, then leaned forward. “You’re perfect.”

  A snort threatened, but the look in his eyes said he meant the words. Butterflies the size of seagulls took flight in her stomach. “Thank you,” she whispered, sinking as ladylike as she could into the seat he offered.

  Sid wasn’t used to accepting compliments. This one went down like a sardine can, odd-sized and hard to swallow, but she did her best.

  “Would you like some wine?” he asked. “I have beer in the cooler, if you’d prefer that.”

  She was not about to ruin his elegant evening by drinking a beer. “Wine is fine, thanks.”

  Sliding the linen napkin across her lap, Sid wished she’d known what Lucas had been planning so she might have asked Curly how to behave. This whole setup was out of her league. More proof she did not belong in Lucas’s life on a permanent basis.

  “How was work?” he asked, dropping his own napkin across his lap. “Busy?” Lucas poured and Sid considered mentioning the phone call, but the timing didn’t feel right.

  “Not really, which is strange. The crowds are usually much bigger in August.”

  “Do you remember what it was like last year?” he asked, seemingly very interested in her answer.

  She thought back. “Thinner than the year before, but not this bad.”

  “That’s what I was afraid of.”

  “What do you mean?” Sid sipped the white, surprised by the smooth, buttery taste.

  Lucas sat back and swirled the liquid in his glass. “Nothing,” he said, failing to meet her eye. “Time to unveil the main course.”

  Not the most graceful change of subject, but she let it pass as Lucas reached across the table and lifted her silver dome away. An earthy hit of goodness nearly overwhelmed her senses, causing her mouth to water instantly. “This explains why the house smells so good. Did you really make this?”

  “I did,” Lucas said proudly. “I’ve been perfecting this recipe for about two years. Surprising how easy it was to find all the ingredients here on the island.”

  “Yes,” she said, fork in hand. “What a surprise to find fancy ingredients on a little speck of dirt like Anchor.” Before digging in, she asked, “Are there onions in here?”

  “No onions,” Lucas replied with a sheepish grin. “For obvious reasons.”

  “If you mean because I’m allergic, then yeah, obvious.”

  “Wait,” Lucas leaned toward her. “You’re allergic to onions?”

  “Just cooked ones. I can eat them raw, which makes no sense, but it’s true.”

  “That’s awful.” The concern on his face was almost comical.

  “Not really.” Sid picked up the butter knife to cut her chicken, but it fell apart with the first stab of her fork. “I haven’t eaten anything this fancy that wasn’t cooked in a restaurant since before I left Florida.”

  “Did your mom cook a lot?” Lucas asked, then took his first bite. “Man, I amaze myself sometimes.”

  Sid chuckled. “Your modesty is astounding. Yeah, mom cooked, but my grandmother on my dad’s side was the real queen of the kitchen. She was half Italian and half Puerto Rican, so it was this weird fusion of flavors.”

  “Sounds wonderful.” Lucas took another bite and his eyes rolled. She’d never seen a man enjoy his food in quite this way.

  “Are you having some kind of food-gasm over there?” Then she took a bite and got an extra hit of flavor. “Holy shit, this is good. I just got a bite of something … smoky?”

  “Probably the prosciutto. That I had to steal from Mom’s kitchen.” He licked his lips. “Which means I risked my life to make you this meal. Hope you’ll remember that while you’re deciding how to thank me.”

  His brows wiggled up and down, earning a giggle from Sid. Something she only seemed to do when Lucas was around. “So you were at your mom’s house today?”

  There was no way she could enjoy the dinner until she knew if he’d gotten the phone call.

  “Just this morning,” he said, reaching for his glass. “Then I hit the grocery store, and swiped the umbrellas from the coffee shop.”

  “Swiped?” How did one steal patio umbrellas without getting caught? “Wouldn’t it look bad for a lawyer to get busted for umbrella theft?”

  “It would probably be bad for anyone to get busted for umbrella theft. Technically, I borrowed them.”

  At least she didn’t have to worry he’d be arrested any minute. “Good to hear you stayed on the right side of the law. So you were here in the afternoon then?”

  “Sure. I did the cooking here.” He speared a piece of asparagus. “Drillbit wanted to help, but I suggested she stick to observing.”

  “My kitten offered to help you make dinner?”

  “That’s what I assumed when she clawed her way up my leg and hopped onto the counter before I could wipe off my hands.”

  “She didn’t.”

  “She did,” he nodded. “Twice.”

  Lucas didn’t sound mad. In fact, there was a hint of affection in his voice. “You like that little fur ball, don’t you?”

  He set his fork on the table, wiped his mouth with his napkin, and sat back. “Not as much as I like her owner.” This declaration should have been accompanied by Lucas’s best bedroom eyes, but the look on his face said something else. Something she didn’t want to believe, not if he would be leaving in a matter of days.

  “You got a call at the restaurant today. I gave him this number.” She pushed a piece of chicken around her plate. “Did he get a hold of you?”

  Lucas’s fork stopped halfway to his mouth. “Um … yeah. He did.” He lowered the bite back to the plate. “Just a work question, that’s all.”

  A chill filled her chest as Sid stared at her plate. Questions raced through her mind, but she kept them to herself. He wasn’t going to tell her.

  He hated lying to Sid. Hadn’t intended to do it, but his brain backfired when she mentioned talking to Holcomb. Lucas refused to let that call ruin Sid’s night. He’d gone to a lot of trouble to make the evening special, and she deserved all of it after what he’d done.

  His efforts at conversation had fallen flat through the rest of the meal. Sid seemed preoccupied, but when he asked if something was wrong, she’d claimed to be fine. Lucas may not have been a master at reading women, but even he knew the word “fine” never really meant fine.

  After dinner, he’d pulled the radio from under the table and proceeded to dance with Sid on the pier. Stars filled the sky as if he’d flipped a switch to create the perfect mood lighting. As they swayed, her soft curves pressed along his body, Lucas breathed in the scent of salt air and Sid’s fruity shampoo. He wanted to hold her there forever.

  Two more days. He’d have to fit forever into the next forty-eight hours. He had to tell her. Sid deserved to know that he was leaving early. Maybe in the morning. Just not tonight.

  When the CD finished and the music faded, Sid stepped back. “Let’s go inside,” she said, taking his hand and pulling him behind her. With a
combination of slow deliberation and frantic need, they’d made love with the full moon shining through the window. There were no words. No teasing or laughter. No questions or promises.

  Just a woman holding nothing back, and a man saying good-bye.

  Order up!” The words came through the kitchen window and Lucas set down the glass in his hand to move the food over to the pickup station. As if some tourist god had answered his silent pleas, Dempsey’s was a madhouse this morning.

  The rain probably had more to do with it than divine intervention, but whatever the reason, Lucas was happy to see the dining room full. Sid and Annie were being run to death so they’d called Daisy in an hour before, which lightened the load a bit. He and Sid didn’t talk much before work that morning. They’d cleared the table off the pier before the rain got heavy, then worked together in the kitchen until all evidence of the previous night was cleaned and put away.

  He kept meaning to tell Sid that he was leaving. The words hovered at the tip of his tongue several times, but then she’d give him a smile and he’d swallow them again. Would she be angry? Or hurt? Would she ask to go with him? Ask him to stay?

  She’d be miserable in the city, and him staying on Anchor was out of the question. He couldn’t abandon his life and career in Richmond. He’d worked too hard to throw it all away.

  “I need three Millers and a Coke for table eight,” Sid said, breezing away to deliver the food order.

  She hadn’t joked with him today. Hadn’t called him “fancy pants” or “sweet cheeks” like she usually did. He chalked it up to being busy, but something still felt off. Sid just wasn’t acting like Sid.

  “Did I miss a tour bus outside or something?” Will asked, stepping behind the bar and shoving her bag in the drawer under the register. “Got to love a rainy day.”

  Daisy stepped up to the bar and Lucas asked, “Could you cover back here for a couple minutes? I need to talk to Will.”

  “Sure,” Daisy said, setting her tray down. “What do we need?”

  Lucas repeated Sid’s order, then nodded for Will to head toward the office.

  “You’re not firing me already, are you?” Will asked, walking into the office in front of him.

  “What?” Lucas said. “Why would I fire you?”

  “I don’t know,” she shrugged. “You look like you’re about to do something you don’t want to do.”

  She had that part right. “Do you think you’re ready to handle the bar on your own?”

  Will’s brows drew together. “I’m ready whenever you need me to be. But why?”

  Lucas closed the door. “I haven’t told my parents or Sid yet, so I’d appreciate it if you’d keep this to yourself until I do. I’m going back to Richmond on Sunday.”

  “You’re what? What do you mean you haven’t told Sid?”

  “I didn’t know myself until yesterday. I’m going to tell her today.”

  “But why? I don’t understand,” Will said. “You’re supposed to be here for six weeks until your dad recovers. You can’t just walk away now.”

  “Will, I don’t have a choice.” He wished he did. “And no offense, but I don’t have to justify my actions to you.”

  “You sure as hell have to justify them to Sid. What are you going to tell her?”

  That was the million dollar question. “I’m going to tell her I have to go. She always knew I wasn’t here to stay. I’m just leaving a little earlier than planned.”

  “A little?” Will’s eyes flashed. “Weeks, Lucas. And don’t talk about her like she’s something you can toss away. She’s a person, not a used-up pair of socks.”

  He’d had enough. “Can you run this bar or not?”

  “I said I can.”

  “Then we’re done here.”

  He opened the door and motioned for Will to exit, but she didn’t move.

  “Don’t hurt her,” she said. Three words that sliced him in half.

  “I won’t,” he replied, but something told him the promise would be difficult to keep.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  Thanks, Daisy. I can take it from here.” Will tied an apron around her waist, mumbling under her breath.

  “What’s wrong with you?” Sid asked, loading the drinks onto her tray. “O’Hagan give you flack about quitting?”

  “No,” Will said, jerking a knot in her apron strings. “My former employer is not the problem today.”

  Sid watched her struggle with the strings another ten seconds. “Come over here and let me fix that.” She squeezed her tray between her knees. “If it’s not O’Hagan, who is it?”

  At that moment, Lucas stepped through the kitchen doorway. The dull ache that had been sitting in Sid’s chest since taking the phone message the day before flared to life. As it did every time she looked at him, knowing he wouldn’t be around much longer.

  The apron secured, she glanced up to see Lucas and Will exchange an unfriendly glare.

  “What’s up with you two?” It wasn’t like Will or Lucas to be outright hostile, especially to each other.

  Another brief hesitation and Will finally said, “Nothing. I’m good.” Grabbing a rag from beneath the bar, she asked, “How about you, Lucas? You got anything you want to say?”

  The tone of her voice made it clear nothing was something.

  “No, Will,” he ground through a clenched jaw. “Thanks for asking.”

  She’d definitely missed something, but preferring to let the pair work out whatever spat they were having on their own, Sid turned to go back to the floor and nearly ran into Beth.

  “Hey,” Beth said. “You guys look crazy busy in here.”

  “You think?” Sid asked. “What was your first clue?” Now she was doing it. “Sorry. What’s up?” Realizing the time, she added, “Aren’t you supposed to be at the art store?”

  “Unlike here, that place is dead,” Beth said. “But Lola is there.”

  Sid blinked. “Lola who is in New Orleans?”

  “Was in New Orleans. They came back a week early.”

  “Seems a lot of things are happening early around here,” Will mumbled, loud enough for everyone around to hear.

  Now Sid caught on. So Lucas had told Will before he’d told her. She supposed Will did need to know since he’d be dumping the bar in her lap.

  “Will,” Sid said. “I need to see you in the back.”

  “Why not,” Will huffed, throwing her rag on the bar. “Maybe I’ll just work from the office today.” Then she marched into the kitchen.

  Before Sid could follow, Beth caught her arm. “Wait. I came to ask you and Lucas to come to breakfast at Patty and Tom’s place tomorrow morning. Can you guys make it?”

  Sid looked over to Lucas, who shrugged. “I don’t see why not. What time?” he asked.

  “Nine.” Beth gave Sid a hug, then pulled back, eyes beaming. “Okay. See you later.”

  As Beth practically waltzed through the front door, Sid turned back to Lucas. “What the hell was that about?”

  “I don’t know,” he said, moving glasses into the chiller. “But you’ve got Will waiting in the back.”

  “Shit.” Sid left her tray on the bar. This was not going to be fun. “I’ll be right back.”

  When she stepped into the office, Will was sitting behind the desk, jaw tight, arms crossed. Sid shut the door.

  “I know he’s leaving,” she said, seeing no reason to dance around the issue.

  Will stood up. “You what? He said he hadn’t told you yet.”

  “He hasn’t.” She’d realized during their dinner the night before that Lucas’s leaving had always been inevitable. If she’d fallen too hard too fast, that was her own fault, not his. Lucas never made any promises about sticking around. She’d known what she was getting from day one.

  “And you’re not mad?” Will asked, leaning on the desk. “You two have been playing house for weeks and now he’s just leaving without any warning? Doesn’t that piss you off?”

  What Sid fe
lt was far from anger. But then she’d always been forgiving of Lucas. Clearly to her own downfall.

  “It’s been two weeks and we both agreed this was a temporary, casual fling. The temporary part was supposed to last a few more weeks, but he was always going to leave.”

  “But he—”

  “He what? He made me feel special? He made me giggle?” Sid sat down in the chair behind her. “The man made me giggle, Will. Do you know how many times in my life I’ve giggled?”

  Will looked like she was considering her answer. “I’m guessing not many. In fact, I’m trying to imagine it right now and can’t do it.”

  “Exactly.” She shook her head. “I can’t ask him to stay here. Opal said I should fight for him, but Lucas doesn’t belong here. He’s meant for bigger things than Anchor can give him.”

  Will squatted in front of Sid’s chair. “Anchor can give him you. Or you could go with him. Not that I want you to leave but—”

  “I could never live in the city. I hated Miami with a passion. All those people and the noise.” She exhaled, shoulders falling in resignation. “Besides, I’d only embarrass him at those fancy dinner parties Curly talks about. I don’t think greasy work boots and profane T-shirts would be acceptable attire.”

  Will rose back to full height. “So he won’t stay and you won’t go. Man. This is a cluster and a half.”

  “That’s one way to describe it,” Sid said, dragging herself out of the chair. “Just cut him some slack, okay? And don’t tell him I know.” She opened the door. “He’ll tell me when he’s ready. At least I’ll be prepared when he does.”

  By the next morning, Sid was ready to shout the words, “I know you’re leaving!” The strain of keeping it in, pretending she didn’t know, had her shoulders aching. She may have even been grinding her teeth in the night, considering how badly her jaw hurt when she woke up.

  Lucas had looked ready to tell her several times. When he set the homemade pizza on the coffee table. While they were doing the dishes. As he handed her a cup of coffee that morning. But every time, he seemed to tense, flash an empty smile, and keep silent. Why wouldn’t he just tell her already? How long was he going to wait?