Sunrise on Cedar Key (9 page)

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Authors: Terri Dulong

Tags: #Romance

BOOK: Sunrise on Cedar Key
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12
M
y foot was better the next morning—at least enough to allow me to meet Lucas as planned. I walked, with only a tad of a limp, into his bookshop and was greeted with that killer smile I was coming to love.
“Ah, the patient is better, I see,” he said, coming to give me a kiss on each cheek.
“Much. Thank you. Aunt Maude insisted I barely move until this morning, so it had a good chance to heal.”
“Very good. Then we can get started on you teaching me to become a coffee maker.”
I followed him into the coffee café and let out a gasp. “Oh, Lucas, it looks wonderful,” I said, as I realized he'd followed my suggestions to a tee. Wrought iron bistro tables and chairs lined the entire wall, and two love seats and a few cushy chairs filled the middle space. “It's certainly more upscale than Coffee, Tea and Thee was. I love it. I just love it.”
“Then I'm glad,” he said, a warm smile covering his face. “I hoped that you would.”
My glance went to the coffee machines behind the counter. “Okay, let's get to work. But I have a feeling you're going to be a good student and learn quickly.” I now saw the large sign hanging on the wall behind the counter listing the prices of various coffees and teas. “We'll go through your list one item at a time. You might want to take notes,” I said, and smiled when he held up a notebook and pen. I loved an organized man!
I had been right. By the end of the afternoon, Lucas displayed the ability to operate the coffee machines and had an understanding of the various terms.
“I think we both earned a double espresso,” he said, preparing the machine before setting two demitasse cups on the counter.
A soft whooshing sound filled the room, along with the aroma of great coffee.
I pulled up a stool to sit across the counter from him. That had been fun. A few hours of something so simple, yet I had enjoyed it tremendously.
As if reading my mind, he said, “That was fun, and thank you for being such a patient teacher.”
“My pleasure,” I said, lifting my cup to touch his. “And here's to great success. You officially open tomorrow, right?”
He nodded. “Yes. If you get a chance, perhaps you could stop by.”
“Absolutely. I'll have to come and check on my star pupil.”
“How's your sister doing? Do you think she likes it here on the island?”
“It's always hard to tell with Chloe. She's such a private person. Most of our conversations have been very generic, but I think she wants to like it here and settle in. My aunt and I are taking her to the yarn shop this evening. Monica has resumed the Thursday knitting nights for the winter, so we'll introduce my sister to the other women.”
“That'll be good for her,” he said, as I got up to place my cup in the sink behind the counter.
As I did, I dropped the napkin I'd been holding. Both of us bent down at the same time to retrieve it, and like the day before, our faces were inches apart. Neither of us moved for a second, staring into each other's eyes. But this time before I had a chance to pull away, Lucas leaned forward and placed his lips on mine with a soft, gentle kiss. I stood up slowly as he did the same, and now I was looking up into those gorgeous deep brown eyes, unsure what to do next. I felt his hands go around my waist as we continued standing there.
“That was nice,” he said, before bending his head and allowing his lips to connect with mine again.
I slid my arms around his neck while savoring the intensity of his passion, which matched my own. His tongue slid inside my mouth, allowing me to remember what it felt like to experience desire and feel desired. As my libido began to notch up, I heard bells ringing in the distance. It was Lucas who broke our embrace, and I realized the
bells
I heard were the wind chimes on the bookshop door indicating he had a customer.
Lucas ran a hand through his curls and gave me a slow, sexy smile. “I'm sorry,” he said. “That we got interrupted.”
I returned his smile and let out a deep sigh. “Me too.”
“Thank you again for your help.”
I nodded. “I'll drop by tomorrow,” I told him. “You know, just to make sure the coffee business is going okay.”
I headed home along Second Street in a daze. What was that all about? Yes, I had suspected that Lucas liked me, but his kiss indicated a definite attraction. I think I could now tell Suellen that
acquaintance
no longer defined our relationship, but I wouldn't tell her what a great kisser this man was. I was still reeling from the emotions his kiss had stirred up. My mind wandered to the few guys whom I'd dated over these past ten years. None of them had had the impact on me that Beau Hamilton had created—none of them, until Lucas Trudeau. It seemed that up until now an invisible line had been drawn and Lucas hadn't been willing to step over it, despite the fact that from the first time I'd met him I felt a chemistry pulling us together. I didn't have the best track record with men, so prior to his kiss I felt maybe that chemistry was wishful thinking on my part—which I knew now it wasn't. One thing I did know for sure—I was becoming more and more attracted to Lucas Trudeau.
And did I want to risk possible heartache again?
I walked into the garden to find Chloe reclined on a lounge working on a gorgeous Aran sweater.
“That's beautiful,” I said, sitting beside her and leaning over for a better look. “For you?”
“Thanks. No, it's for Mathis. He's working in Paris now, you know.”
My nephew was working in Paris? “No, I didn't know. Actually, I don't know him or Eli very well at all.”
Chloe nodded and continued knitting. “I know that—and it's my fault for not staying in touch with you and Aunt Maude. But yes—Mathis is working for a company that transferred him to France. He speaks fluent French—must be in our genes—and he loves it there. Although I don't hear from him much.”
Amazing. My sister actually admitted that it was her fault for the lack of relationship I had with her sons, but I also noticed she had stopped short of saying
I'm sorry
. “And Eli?” I asked. “Where is he?”
“Living and working in Manhattan. He's with an accounting firm and seems to enjoy his work, but I don't hear from him very often either.”
I wasn't sure what to say, so I remained silent.
“Years ago I thought I was doing it all the right way. The perfect wife for Parker—learning how to properly entertain for his clients, joining so many organizations and committees that would make him proud, being the perfect mother to Mathis and Eli. But I can see now that I didn't do any of it right.”
The emptiness my sister felt came through in her words. I remembered what that deep void could feel like. “Nobody's perfect,” I told her. “You were a good wife and a good mother.” I refrained from saying
it's the sister relationship you never got right
. “People change. Kids grow up and become their own person. Life changes and ... we have to change with it. For what it's worth, I think you're doing well. Because it's not easy starting over.”
Chloe laid her knitting in her lap and looked at me. “You'd know that, wouldn't you? Coming here, alone, ten years ago. I'm not sure I could have done that all by myself.”
Was my sister paying me a compliment? “Can I ask you something, Chloe?”
“Yeah.”
“Why didn't you stay in touch with me and Aunt Maude? Why was it always Parker's side of the family for holidays and get-togethers? Why did you never allow me to get to know you or my nephews? Why were Parker and his family always more important to you than we were?” All the questions of my growing-up years tumbled out of me.
Chloe bent her head and remained silent for a few moments. “I don't know. I honestly don't know,” she said, reaching over to give my hand a squeeze before standing up to walk into the house.
 
I looked around the group seated at Yarning Together and smiled. All the women I loved, sitting companionably, talking and knitting. It seemed odd to see my sister in this group, but there she was chatting away with Eudora Foster about some knitting patterns. Our conversation from the afternoon seemed to have been a slight opening for us as sisters. I knew we still had a long way to go, but everything begins with one small step.
“Okay, ladies,” Monica said, clapping her hands together. “I have an announcement to make.”
“Oh, that's right.” Twila Faye leaned forward in her chair. “You had that ultrasound yesterday, didn't you? So what is it? Boy or girl?”
“Yes,” Monica said, as we sat there waiting for her answer.
When she remained silent, Sydney looked at her daughter. “Well, don't keep us waiting. Am I getting a granddaughter or a grandson?”
“Yes,” Monica replied again.
What the heck? And then it hit me. “Oh. My. God. You're having both, aren't you?” I exclaimed.
Monica burst out laughing. “Gracie, you're so perceptive, but not perceptive enough.”
“You're having twins?” Eudora said with excitement.
“Twins! Girls, boys, or both?” Polly asked.
Monica continued laughing.
“Oh. My. God,” I said again, as I finally caught on. “She's having triplets. You're having
triplets,
aren't you, Monica?”
Pure joy covered my friend's face as she got her laughter under control. “Jackpot, Grace. Yes—I'm having triplets! Two boys and one girl.”
Sydney jumped up to hug her daughter as the room filled with laughter and exclamations.
I shook my head in disbelief. “Wow,” I said. “Wow. When you do it, you do it well.”
“I'm still as shocked as you are,” Monica said. “I thought poor Adam was going to pass out when the doctor told us, but I swear his feet haven't touched the ground since he found out.”
“Are you feeling okay?” Sydney asked, the mother and nurse coming forward.
“Wonderful. A little large,” she said, and we all laughed.
“I thought you were kind of big for only four months along,” I told her.
“You ain't seen nothing yet.”
“What exciting news,” Dora said. “How does Clarissa feel about this?”
Monica laughed. “Over the moon. We swore her to secrecy until I could tell all of you tonight, but tomorrow she gets to spread the news at school. She's so excited about all of it, and that just makes it even more wonderful.”
“This certainly calls for a celebration,” Chloe said, getting up. “I'll start passing out the lemon squares that Dora brought.”
“I'll help ...” Monica started to say.
I jumped up to give her a hug. “You'll do no such thing,” I told her. “Between Adam, Clarissa, and all of
us,
you're going to really learn the meaning of the word
pampered
over the next five months.”
After we finished the lemon squares and coffee, I saw Aunt Maude and Chloe coming from the back room, each carrying a large wicker basket overflowing with yarn and needles. They set them down in front of me.
“This is for you,” my aunt said. “All of us felt so bad about you losing all of your yarn and supplies in the fire. So we all chipped in and bought you some replacements.”
I looked down at the baskets of luscious colors and fibers and then around the room at the smiling faces. Moisture filled my eyes as I reached to fondle a soft skein of dusty rose cashmere. “I ... don't know what to say. You guys did this for me? You're the best. The absolute best!”
 
Drifting off to sleep that night, I marveled at all the surprises the day had brought. My sister and I seemed to be turning a corner. My friend was pregnant with triplets. Friends and family had been very generous and kind to me. All of which were very good things. But what kept playing over and over in my head was the kiss I'd shared with Lucas, leaving a warm feeling in my heart as sleep overtook me.

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