A Family for Luke. Carolyne Aarsen
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But she had served squares at the anniversary tea, smiling and chatting and then dragged herself back here and kept going. Sometimes she felt as if she kept pushing her exhaustion into a box and sitting on the lid. One of these days it would all jump out and overwhelm her.
Dodie had accused her of being independent. But what else could she be? She had three children, and she was their sole caregiver. She had messed up once and was determined it would never happen again.
When she was finished with the floor, she brought the cleaning supplies back to the supply cupboard. And sighed. Dodie hadn’t put the cloth back where it was supposed to be, nor was the cleaning solution capped.
If you want something done right, you’ve got to do it yourself, she thought, cleaning up behind her sister.
While she wiped out the pails and tidied up the rags, she heard Dodie and Todd talking to someone. She stepped out of the room in time to hear a familiar male voice.
Luke.
She pulled off the bandanna covering her head to fluff her hair, then stopped herself mid-primp.
What are you doing?
She retied her bandanna and strode out to the coffee shop area.
Luke stood just inside the doorway, laughing with Dodie. Sawdust sprinkled the burgundy corduroy shirt he wore tucked into faded jeans. He must have come right from the job site.
“Can I help you?” Janie asked, as she came nearer. Why had Dodie let him into the shop?
Luke glanced at Janie, and the smile animating his face slipped away.
“Sorry to bother you. Dodie just told me you’re not open today.”
“Not on Sundays.” Janie wished she didn’t sound so snippy, but she couldn’t seem to keep that tone out of her voice around him.
He unsettled her, and she didn’t like being unsettled.
“I just saw people inside and assumed you were open.” Luke straightened. “I was hoping to get some coffee for my crew.”
“Hey, Mr. Luke. Is Cooper in your truck?” Todd asked, pushing himself up so he could sit on one of the tables. “Can I see him?”
“I left him at home. I think he’s done enough damage for a few days.” Luke gave Todd a quick smile, his eyes drifting to Janie as if getting verification of that fact.
He was probably wondering if she was going to be issuing any more “stay away from my children” alerts.
She knew she had overreacted this morning, but she felt she had just cause. She didn’t know him, and her previous neighbors had been a rowdy bunch that she’d had to constantly watch out for. One could hardly blame her for making sure he understood the boundaries.
And there was Autumn to think of.
“Mommy, I’m here.” Autumn skipped into the coffee shop, then stopped when she saw Luke. And promptly burst into tears.
Janie crouched down, taking her little girl into her arms. “Honey, what’s wrong?”
Autumn sniffed, her head buried in Janie’s neck. “Is the dog here?” she asked, the fear in her voice tugging at Janie’s heart and reminding her again why she had cautioned Luke and his dog to stay away from her children.
“No honey. The dog is gone.” She stroked Autumn’s hair, wishing she had taken a bit more time to console her daughter yesterday. She truly thought she was okay.
Luke held up his hands. “Hey. I’m sorry. I had no idea the dog would be so rowdy. But he didn’t hurt her. I saw him.”
Janie gently smoothed the tears from her daughter’s cheeks. “Do you want a pop?”
Autumn sniffed. “I love pop.”
Janie knew. She seldom let her children have it; however, the situation required a bit of sweetening.
“Suzie, can you get Autumn a pop?”
“Can we have one, too?”
“Sure.”
Todd jumped off the table, his interest in Luke trumped by the unexpected treat.
“I’ll get them set up so they don’t make a mess.” Dodie turned her back on Luke as she gave her sister an arch look, which Janie ignored.
“I’m sorry. I can’t get you anything,” Janie said, turning back to Luke.
“Of course not. Can’t be breaking the fourth commandment,” he said, with a twinkle in his eye.
Her surprise must have shown on her face.
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy?” he prompted.
“I know the commandment,” she said.
“But you’re surprised that I do?” He effected a hurt look. “I used to go to church you know. You’re not living next door to a perfect heathen.”
“Used to go?” The phrase gave her a surprising sense of sadness.
“Yeah. When I lived with my foster father.”
And didn’t that little phrase create an intriguing hook?
“Mommy, Mommy, I made moose juice.” Todd came running toward her, and Janie turned in time to see him trip over the leg of a table.
With a sense of inevitability, she watched pop arc out of his cup, then drop to the floor in a spectacular splash of reddish brown fluid.
“I’ll get it,” Dodie said, holding up a hand to stop her sister. “Don’t even move.”
But Janie was already on her knees, helping her son to his feet, checking him for pain and injury and trying to avoid the spreading sticky mess.
As she looked up, she caught Dodie smiling at Luke.
And Luke was smiling back.
She was surprised at the tiny hitch of disappointment. She knew this was how it should be. Owen had taught her some hard lessons. She had no right to be harboring any fantasies when it came to men.
She had the responsibility of her children, the emotional detritus of a messy marriage and a divorce. Keeping herself and her family independent of men was the only way to maintain control of her life.
“Mom, I’m sorry I spilled the pop,” Todd said, “but can I have another one?”
Janie glanced at Todd’s stained clothes, then did some quick mental calculations. “Sorry, honey. We have to get back home so you can change, and then I have to take you to Cousin Ethan’s farm right away. Otherwise I’ll be late for Suzie’s dance recital.” If she didn’t get Suzie to her recital, her mother, who had bought front row tickets as soon as they were on sale, would be disappointed. Again.
One step at a time, she reminded herself, doing the deep breathing exercise a friend had taught her the one time she made it to an exercise class. Relax.
Todd acknowledged this with a reluctant nod. “Maybe Cousin Ethan will have some pop for me.”
“Maybe he will.” Janie ruffled his hair, then called out to her sister. “I gotta get going, Dodie. Can you finish cleaning and then lock up?”
The only response she got was a giggle and then a belated, “Sure. I’ll do that.” It seemed Dodie’s full attention was on Luke.
“Bye, Mr. Luke,” Todd called out, tossing Luke a quick wave as Janie ushered them out the door.
“Bye, Todd,” he called out. “See ya, Suzie, Autumn. See you later—”
Janie shut the back door, cutting off the rest of his farewell.
Chapter Three
Luke snapped open his ringing phone and glanced