Lovers Like Us Read online

  “And you couldn’t take a minute to call? I left several messages.”

  No, she really had not wanted to be disturbed. Luke Donovan had that effect on her. “I’m sorry. I was preoccupied...” She should keep quiet but what if her sister decided to hire that investigator? Then she’d find out about Luke and there’d be questions, and something told her Luke wouldn’t be happy if anybody dug around in his business. “I’m working on a new project and I don’t want to jinx it, but it’s been taking over my life lately...”

  His name is Luke Donovan.

  He’s tall, rugged, so handsome.

  And he’s consuming my every waking and sleeping moment.

  “Oh.” And then “I’ll bet you’re watching Pride & Prejudice for the seventy-fifth time, aren’t you?”

  Helena picked up her pen, doodled on the corner of the grocery list. Mr. Darcy had nothing on Luke Donovan. “Something like that.”

  “Okay. Good.” Pause, another huff. “How is the inspiration going? Do you think you’ll be home by the end of the month?”

  That was only two weeks away. “Umm...I’m not sure.” If she left then, what would happen with Luke? He’d told her he traveled with a crew and worked on houses, but what were the odds he’d end up in San Diego? Two weeks was not a lot of time to find out if there was more to “them” than sex and a few conversations. Okay, the sex was great, and the conversations were deep, but still, they didn’t know each other very well...not well enough to ask a person to come to San Diego, or worse, try for a long-distance relationship. She hadn’t even been able to manage a relationship with a guy in the same city, so how would this ever work?

  Had Luke said anything about long-term?

  Had he even hinted he’d like her to stick around?

  Of course, he hadn’t.

  But then, neither had she.

  “Helena? Is something wrong? You don’t sound like yourself.”

  Her sister had a way of sniffing out Helena’s emotional state, like a beagle on a hunt. “I’m fine. Really, no worries here. I’ll be in touch.”

  Chapter 3

  Luke bought a bouquet of pink roses and one of those mushy cards that talked about being happy when the other person was near, and how they were the other part of the whole. Whatever. It sounded good, and he thought Helena might like it. Actually, it was kind of how he felt even though he didn’t want to admit it. He’d always been a man’s man, tough and not given to flowery words or sentiment. If he cared about a woman, she’d know it, so he shouldn’t have to spit out the niceties more than once. And love? He’d never used that word unless he was referring to a new tool or a football game. But with Helena, he had a feeling that things would be different.

  He could probably get used to spitting out the words she wanted to hear, especially if she gave him that slow smile that said she wanted him to come closer so she could touch him. Yeah, a few smiles and a touch and he’d spew sentiments like a gusher.

  This was all moving way too fast and he couldn’t get a handle on what was happening or find a way to slow it down. Every time he was near Helena he wanted to touch her, talk to her, see her face light up the way it did when he said something she liked. Damn, he sounded like a puppy looking for a pat on the head. What was happening to him and how did he stop it? If his buddies could see him, they’d laugh him off the job site.

  But so what?

  He could play macho and act like he didn’t care about Helena, but why?

  For the first time in his life, he did care about a woman, really cared, and he wanted to be with her even though two weeks ago he hadn’t known she existed. So what? Did it really matter? Did anything matter but being with her, getting to know her on such a deep level that she’d become part of him? The other half of the whole? Maybe that was all BS, or maybe it was real.

  He didn’t know, but he sure as hell wanted to find out. Luke grabbed his jacket, the card, and the bouquet of roses from the counter and headed out the door.

  As the weeks passed, Luke knew he and Helena were meant to spend their lives together. She was an angel sent to transform his philandering ways and show him what true love meant. He wanted to commit to her and only her, and if she would give him an opportunity, he’d spend the rest of his life proving his worthiness.

  Yes, he’d really said that.

  All of it, and more.

  She’d listened, those full lips quivering, the amber eyes rimmed with tears. And told him she felt the same.

  Life was full, heaven was within reach, and they were going to grab it and spend the rest of their lives in total bliss. That’s what he told her and some nights, that’s what she told him. Maybe if he hadn’t been so hypnotized by her presence, he’d have noticed the tiny inconsistencies: the hesitation when he asked about her family, the catch in her voice that preceded her responses, even the time or two she looked away. But he’d missed every single clue because he hadn’t been looking for them.

  Ten weeks after Luke walked into the Chinese restaurant, life surprised them with a pregnancy. Sure, the timetable wasn’t ideal, but they loved each other and wasn’t that all that really mattered? Yes, absolutely. They were going to share a child, a bond that would tie them together for the rest of their lives. Luke ignored the queasiness in his gut, bought a ring and proposed. The quiet civil ceremony followed two weeks later, along with a honeymoon weekend at a swanky ski resort. Marriage, a kid, a new life.

  It would all be worth it as long as Helena was at his side.

  But the moving from town to town, the dingy hotels and restaurant meals that had been part of his life for a lot of years? Those had to go. It was time to make decisions that weren’t just based on what he wanted or didn’t want. He had a wife and kid to think about.

  They needed a home. Stability. They needed family and that’s why they were headed back to his hometown. Helena hadn’t been too keen on driving cross-country to meet a bunch of strangers even if they were his family. She’d worried they would judge—for the unplanned pregnancy, the quickie wedding, the snap decision to move back to Reunion Gap. How could he tell her that with a family like his, they’d be watching and drawing conclusions no matter what the circumstances?

  While it hadn’t been his first or second choice, he’d offered to head to San Diego to meet her brother and sister, maybe find a place nearby if she’d rather stay close to them. He’d never pictured himself settling down in a city but then he’d never pictured himself settling down at all, or meeting someone like Helena. It would be untrue to say he didn’t feel relief when she declined the offer of a San Diego move or a meet-and-greet with her siblings. She said that could come in time and he didn’t push for reasons, though later, he’d realize he should have.

  For now, his thoughts were on heading home after a too-long absence with a wife and a baby on the way. That would create turmoil and a million questions. The turmoil he didn’t mind; it was the questions he wanted to avoid. People would ask where he’d been, what he’d been doing, and why he hadn’t come home to help when his father needed him. It was the last question they really wanted to know but they’d work their way up to it, and then wait for his answer. What could he say? Certainly not the truth; I ran away because I didn’t want to deal with their pain? What kind of person does that? Not an honorable one, that was for sure.

  And then the town would inquire about his new wife. She’d cause as much controversy and curiosity as the reason he hadn’t returned home. The woman who’d won his heart and his name was not going to be welcomed in a town where he’d broken a lot of hearts, even if those hearts had not listened when he’d told them he was not a one-woman man.

  But the worst of it would come from his own family. Not his mother, or his Aunt Camille or Uncle Oliver, but his brother and sister. Rogan and Charlotte would want details and confirmation that he really did love Helena and that he understood what that meant, as if he were an idiot. Rogan would no doubt lecture him on marriage and monogamy and how you didn’t put that
ring on your finger unless you could commit to both. Sure, let him talk, because Luke had never been more committed to anyone in his life.

  Charlotte would probably want to have a chat with Helena, a.k.a., interrogate her and he could imagine his sister’s questions. She’d never been one for subtlety and he doubted she’d refined her touch.

  Where did you meet my brother?

  What made you so sure he was the one?

  Were you ever in a long-term relationship before?

  Live-in? Married?

  Can you see yourself with Luke twenty years from now?

  When he walks into a room, do you find it hard to breathe?

  Will you love him, no matter what?

  And once she found out about the baby, the gloves would come off in her effort to protect him.

  Did you trap my brother into marriage?

  Did you want to get pregnant?

  Are you sure you didn’t trap him?

  Why didn’t you use protection?

  Don’t hurt my brother.

  I mean it.

  Do not hurt my brother.

  His kid sister was a fighter, always had been even when it wasn’t her battle, and Rogan was no different. He had a bit more polish than Charlotte, but he was all about protecting family, even the ones who’d disappointed him—like Luke.

  He’d tried to prepare Helena for the Donovans and the small town where he’d grown up, but some things had to be experienced to be understood. Helena had eased up on her nervousness about meeting his family and said they could stay as long as he wanted. Hadn’t she made a reference or two about settling down there, finding a home and being near his family?

  She had no idea what she was saying. No idea at all. It would be a disaster. People would poke at their business every second, telling them what to do, what not to do, even why they should or shouldn’t do it. Who needed that? But there was a small part of him that wondered what it would be like to drop in for a beer and conversation—if the conversation weren’t about him.

  It took four days to reach Reunion Gap. Luke’s truck was a gas hog, but with an extended cab it was a lot more comfortable than Helena’s compact, which they’d sold to one of the waiters at the restaurant. They’d probably have to trade in the truck and get something more baby-friendly, maybe an SUV. Not a minivan. Good Lord, he was not ready for one of those. He guessed they’d have to talk about it, along with the hundreds of other considerations new parents discussed. It would have been a lot easier if they’d been a couple first and parents second, but when had he ever done anything the easy way?

  They entered town early one February morning as snow coated the ground and the wind drove down the temperatures. He’d always loved winters in Reunion Gap: the landscape stripped bare, trees weighed down with ice and snow, the winds howling, Exposed. Raw. Dangerous. His father had once said only the very brave or the very stupid ventured out in weather like this. Luke always figured he fit into the latter category because he was one of the first to volunteer to deliver groceries, plow driveways, and dig out cars that were buried in the snow. Was it noble? He never stopped to think about it. They were jobs that needed doing and who better to do them than a guy with no ties? No wife, no girlfriend...nothing to hold him back.

  But now life was different. There was Helena and the baby, and he couldn’t run off at the first sign of distress—his or anyone else’s. He sucked in a breath, blew it out, and pulled into the driveway where the Donovan house stood, looking worn and sad, not much different from the last time he saw his father.

  “Welcome to Reunion Gap,” he said, easing the truck into Park, and clasping his wife’s hand. Her smile made him forget how much he still didn’t know about her. Luke leaned forward, placed a soft kiss on her lips. What else did he need to know? They loved each other; they’d figure it out as they went along...

  Helena clutched Luke’s arm and held tight as they made their way to the front porch of the weathered farmhouse. He’d tried to reassure her that the areas had been plowed and there was no danger of slipping, but that wasn’t her issue. No, the grip she had on him was about bone-deep fear.

  It was one thing to pretend with the man who’d become so absorbed with her that he wasn’t looking for inconsistencies—in her stories or in her. But to meet his family, a clan who, by his own admission, was too inquisitive, too protective? Too opinionated? They’d see right through her before the first meal was over. It wasn’t that she was trying to hide something to hurt Luke because she wasn’t. If he really cared about her and the past several weeks had not been mere infatuation, he’d stand by her when he found out she’d lied about a few things. Okay, yes, they were important, but so was making sure she didn’t get played again. Another month or two and she’d have her answers and if he were still all-in, she’d find a way to tell him. She clutched his arm tighter, sucked in tiny breaths of cold air. Would he be happy? No, a man like Luke Donovan wouldn’t want to be lied to, especially from someone he trusted. But once she explained her reasoning for keeping the truth from him, he’d understand and that’s why the family couldn’t suspect anything.

  “Hey, relax.” Luke smiled down at her as they stood on the front porch. “My mother’s going to love you.” He leaned down, kissed her temple, murmured, “Probably almost as much as I do.”

  I love you, he’d said when she told him about the baby. So damn much you make my chest ache. Oh, but he made her chest ache too, with more love than she’d ever thought possible. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  Luke straightened, stroked her cheek. “Anything for you, Mrs. Donovan.” He opened the door, motioned for her to step inside. “Welcome to the Donovan homestead.” He helped her out of her jacket, hung it on the coat tree in the corner. “There are a lot of stories floating between these walls.” A sigh, a shake of his head. “That’s for damn sure.”

  “Lucas?” A petite, older woman with dark hair approached them, her expression one of joy and excitement, her blue eyes sparkling. “Oh, Lucas, I’ve missed you.”

  “Hi, Mom.” Luke made his way toward the woman and pulled her into his arms. “It’s good to be home.” His voice dipped, turned soft and gentle. “It’s been too long.”

  Luke’s mother eased back, sniffed. “It’s so good to have you home.” She turned to Helena, offered a welcoming smile. “And you’ve brought this beautiful young woman with you.”

  “Mom, meet Helena. Helena, this is my mom, Rose.”

  Rose Donovan didn’t hesitate or hold back when she hugged Helena. “I am so very happy to meet the woman who’s captured Lucas’s heart.” She hugged her once more, pulled away. “I knew it would happen one day.” Her voice drifted, turned sad. “If only his father had lived to see it.”

  “Mom, I think Dad knows.”

  She nodded, sniffed again, and worked up a smile. “Yes, of course he does. Lucas’s father always knew the goings-on in this family even when I didn’t, and I suspect nothing’s changed.”

  Luke told her his father had died, some sort of tragic accident that left them all devastated. He didn’t say more other than to admit he ran from the situation and left his oldest brother to handle the fallout, an action he later regretted. Helena had run away from her life in San Diego, but she’d never regretted it. How did a person regret bad memories and a hurt so deep she didn’t want to think about it? “I’m very sorry about your husband.”

  “Thank you, dear.” Rose Donovan’s gaze slid to Helena’s belly. “Jonathan would be so happy to hear he’s going to be a grandpa again.”

  “Again?” Luke asked, his expression curious.

  His mother laughed. “You’re not the only one with surprises. Rogan and Elizabeth are expecting, but we’ll discuss that over lunch. I made a pot of chicken soup with the tiny meatballs you like. Or, if it’s too early, I’ll whip up a batch of buttermilk pancakes with eggs and sausage links. There’s plenty of fruit, too, because I didn’t know what Helena could eat or what she might like.” She motioned for them to f
ollow her to the kitchen. “Helena, do you eat meat or are you one of those vegetarians or vegans or whatever they call it?”

  “I eat meat, but not a lot.”

  Rose slid her a look, nodded, as if to say, I hope you’re feeding my son because he likes meat—a lot of it, too. “If you’re going to be here a while, I can teach you how to make a few of Lucas’s favorite recipes. He always was a good eater, but no matter how much he ate, he stayed lean like his father.” Her voice slipped a notch. “Charlotte isn’t so lucky. That poor girl does love her food, but if she’s not careful, it ends up in places it shouldn’t.” She winked at Helena. “Hips, belly, behind...the usual. And then she’s miserable and complaining about why calories shouldn’t taste so good as she’s munching on a cookie or digging into the ice cream.” A raised brow and a laugh. “She’s getting better, though; exercises and takes the dog for long walks, and of course it’s all because of—” she gasped, cleared her throat “—all because of her new-found happiness, which you’ll hear about soon enough.”

  Luke narrowed his gaze on his mother, rubbed his jaw. “There’s a big hole in that comment and something tells me you left out the most important part.”

  “Maybe, but it’s a surprise and she’ll want to tell you herself. Now, I want to hear all about you and Helena. How did you meet? When did you realize you were meant to be together? And the wedding?” Her eyes misted, her voice grew soft. “I do so want to hear about that. I wish I’d been there.” Two blinks and a softer “I prayed it would happen and to have witnessed such a miracle?” Laughter spilled from Rose’s pale lips as she swiped at her eyes. “It would have been extraordinary.”

  Helena darted a glance at Luke, noticed the blush on his tanned face. So, he’d really been opposed to marriage...or maybe he’d been opposed to being with one woman. The truth wasn’t quite clear yet, and while he’d admitted he’d never imagined himself married with a child in the span of a few months’ time, she’d thought he meant the timing was lightning speed, and not what he’d expected. Now she wasn’t so sure he’d been talking about timing at all, but rather the marriage and the baby part, period. She placed a hand on her belly, rubbed the tiny bump. Would Luke regret the hasty marriage? The baby? Her? More belly rubbing, gentle, protective.