TEN
Jess stood at the kitchen sink in the manor house, washing dishes and watching Luke, Owen and Kendall taking her brothers on at touch rugby on the swathe of lawn just beyond the window. Luke looked happy, Jess thought. He was dirty and sweaty, but laughing at the creative insults her brothers traded on a regular basis.
Jess felt a feminine hand on her back and smiled at Clem. ‘Hi.’
‘Hi, back. Why are you hiding out in the kitchen?’
Jess lifted one shoulder. ‘I needed a break.’ She looked at Nick’s partner and said a quiet thank-you to Nick for bringing such a wonderful woman into their family, her life. She adored her sisters-in-law but, despite not knowing Clem for very long, felt closest to the ex-model and socialite.
‘Are you okay, Jess?’
Jess pushed her hair off her forehead with the back of her wrist and shrugged. ‘Yes...no...confused.’
‘Luke?’
‘Who else?’ Jess looked out of the window. ‘He’s got baggage, Clem...’
‘Don’t we all, sweetie? You have a frequently impossible family and a strong independent streak. I had no idea who I was or what I wanted before I met Nick. I was the ultimate spoilt princess.’ Clem leaned her bottom against the counter next to Jess and crossed her long, slim legs. ‘None of us is perfect, Jess-jess.’
‘And he doesn’t want a relationship. What did he say to me...? He doesn’t want to have to “handle” any woman.’
‘Ouch. And do you want a relationship with him?’
‘Kind of.’ Jess gave Clem a rueful smile. ‘I’ve fallen in love with him. When Luke stood up for me to my brothers last night I knew that he was the man for me.’
‘Yeah, I realised that too. He’s strong enough, secure enough, smart enough—perfect for you.’
Clem just got it. Jess didn’t need to explain that she felt Luke was the flipside of her coin. Strong enough to lean on, masculine enough for her to enjoy, even flaunt her femininity, with enough tenderness to balance out his machismo.
This was what love felt like, Jess realised. Like a multi-layered, delightful cake, each layer rewarding in its own right. Attraction that ignited a low hum in her womb whenever he looked at her, a touch that chased sexual shivers up her spine, a dry sense of humour and a sneaky intelligence that kept her off guard.
He was her perfect fit—except...
‘Except he isn’t interested. Not in permanence, commitment, marriage or any possible combination or permutation of the above.’ Wasn’t it just so typical that when she finally found someone she was prepared to fall in love with he was unavailable and uninterested?
Clem rubbed her shoulder with her hand in a gesture that was as sweet as it was comforting. Jess told Clem about the disastrous shoot earlier in the week and her part in it.
‘I really wanted a family scene, but I can’t—won’t—put Luke through that again.’
Clem looked at her for a long minute, held up a finger and walked away. Within a couple of minutes she was back, a hand-held camcorder in her hand. Clem nodded to the window and handed Jess the camcorder. ‘There’s your family scene, Jess. Film it.’
Jess looked out and saw what Clem was getting at. There were the Sherwood wives—gorgeous and relaxed, wine glasses in hand, talking furiously—sitting on a patch of grass to the side of the mock rugby pitch. Jess lifted the camera and zoomed in, then tracked the outline of the manor house onto the veranda, where her father sat in an easy chair, a sketchpad and John’s three-year-old on his lap, directing his hand as he drew. Liza had a sleeping baby in her arms and was watching the rugby.
Jess panned the camera over the table between them: St Sylve wine bottles and half-filled glasses, an open book lying face-down, a baby’s pacifier, a colouring book and crayons, a half-empty bowl of the apple crumble they’d had for pudding...
Jess went to Luke, hands on his thighs, his face turned away. He looked happy, she thought, relaxed—as she’d wanted to catch him the other day. Enjoying himself, having fun.
Jess carried on filming and her mouth curved into a delighted smile. ‘You, Clem Campbell, are a genius.’
Clem looked at her nails and smiled. ‘I know, but feel free to remind Nick.’
* * *
Luke followed the massive Sherwood clan to their hired cars and hung back as Jess kissed and hugged her family goodbye. The days had passed quickly, and Luke realised that he’d had more fun than he’d had in ages with her family. He hadn’t had much time to himself or with Jess, and neither of them had got any work done, but he was okay with that. He felt as if he’d had a mini-holiday without leaving his house.