But because it’s you and me
We got this darlin’, this song is ours
And everything else it’s meant to be ...
The still quiet of the morning is interrupted by a sputtering engine. Luke glances out the window, his country morning view replaced by Lacey’s zippy Beetle.
Knowing his day’s about to be firebombed, Luke gives one last scribble, closes his notebook, and gets up to pour himself a cup of coffee. He’ll never get any work done now. Not while Lacey and her mouth are on a run.
The front door swings open.
High heels clack in the foyer.
Soon she’s in the doorway, her arms crossed and face pinched. “Looking more homey around here,” Lacey sniffs. “Less distraught widower.”
Luke eyes his sister-in-law warily. She’s long since moved out to the bed-and-breakfast down the road, but she’s still hanging around. Taking every opportunity to drop in without notice and grace Luke and Sal with her pain-in-the-ass presence.
“Work,” he says as Lacey enters the kitchen. “Don’t you have work, Lacey? A life back in LA?”
“It’s called telecommuting, Luke,” she snipes. Her eyes brush to his notebook, labeled “Sal.” A flicker of a smile kisses her lips, but it’s gone before Luke can make heads or tails of it. “Maybe you’ve heard of it?” She drapes her purse over a chair. “Besides, I’ll go back when my sister remembers everything.”
Her voice drops on the word everything.
Luke bristles.
Hell no. He ain’t letting Lacey bait him into a fight. The last thing Sal needs is to walk in and find them arguing like fucking children.
Lacey swivels her head. “Where is Sal anyway?”
“Running,” he says.
Her green eyes narrow. “Oh good. She’s gone.”
Leaning back against the counter, Luke cups the back of his neck, trying to will away his annoyance. “What do you want, Lacey?”
“I want to have a party for Sal.” She helps herself to a cup of coffee. After dumping in a healthy dollop of cream, she seats herself at the high bar. Noticing Luke’s wary gaze, she sighs. “For her birthday, Luke. It’s next week.”
“Yeah, I know it is,” Luke bites back, irritated that Lacey would think he’d forget.
How can he fucking forget? Every anniversary that’s ever drop-kicked Luke in the nuts is fast approaching. Sal’s birthday. The photo of him and Alabama. Her car accident. The plane crash. Just because his wife’s back doesn’t mean everything hurts less.
They lost their little boy; Luke’s pretty damn sure he’ll never forget that.
Lacey’s lips flatline.
Luke prepares himself for verbal flambé status. But surprisingly, her face, her voice soften. “You can’t keep people from her forever, Luke. They miss her. Her friends, her family want to see her. See that she’s okay. That—”
“You’re right,” Luke cuts in. “You don’t have to convince me, Lace.” He nods and sips his coffee. “It’s a good idea.”
Lacey blinks. She was expecting him to put up a fight.
Not today. Not about this.
Luke wants to give Sal a party. Wants her to feel loved and appreciated and meet her friends and family. He knows she’s going stir-crazy around here, fed up and frustrated by what she can’t remember. She’s been cooped up in this house for so long, and that ain’t his wife. Not by a long shot.
She deserves it. She deserves to live.
The front door clatters. Lacey and Luke both turn, expecting it to be Sal.