***
“Hello, gorgeous.” Luke pulls me in his arms and kisses me soundly.
“Hello, handsome.” I smile up at him and usher him inside the house.
“Are you ladies ready?” He looks delicious in his black jeans and untucked white button-down shirt.
I run my fingers through his soft blond hair. “Yes.”
“You look happy.” He kisses my cheek and hugs me to him again. “And beautiful in this red blouse.”
“It’s new.” I feel my cheeks flush.
“Yeah? I like it very much.”
“Thank you, for everything.” I kiss him, cupping his beautiful face in my hands.
“Did you have fun?”
“We had a great time. You spoiled us today. Thank you for including Jules.”
“I’m fond of Jules.”
“Oh?” I raise an eyebrow.
“She loves you, and she’s your best friend.”
Damn, he’s just so sweet.
“Oh God, please don’t be like this all night.” Jules walks into the foyer and rolls her eyes.
“Hello to you, too.” Luke laughs and kisses my forehead, then releases me.
“Thanks for today, Luke. We had a great time, and I am now the proud owner of this delightful handbag.” Jules smiles sweetly.
“It suits you. You’re welcome. Shall we go?”
I grab my camera bag and follow Luke out to the car. He raises an eyebrow, glancing at my bag. “Do you think I’m going to a family dinner with a brand new baby without my camera? I’m a girl, Luke.”
He smirks and opens my door for me.
Luke and I follow Jules in a separate vehicle to her parents’ house. They live in a new subdivision in North Seattle where most of the houses look alike. Well-kept lawns, small front porches with hanging baskets of colorful flowers and kids riding bicycles on the sidewalks. The house is average in size, with a large backyard.
No one, even the Montgomerys themselves, know that I’m the anonymous donor who paid their mortgage off earlier this year.
“This is a nice neighborhood,” Luke comments, and I smile at him.
“It is. It suits Jules’ parents. They’re empty nesters, so the house is the perfect size for them. I’m glad it’s a nice day today. We can all sit out in the backyard. Her dad has done a great job landscaping it. You’ll love it.”
We pull up to the house, and Jules’ mom, Gail, comes running out to greet us.
“Oh, my girls are home! Hello, honey.” She envelops me in her arms, and I feel tears prick my eyes. This woman is so special to me.
She pulls back and looks at me, her hands still gripping my shoulders. “You look lovely, dear. Happy birthday.”
“Thank you, Gail. This is my boyfriend, Luke.”
“Mrs. Montgomery.” Luke offers his hand, but she also wraps him in a big hug.
“It’s so nice to meet you, Luke. Please, call me Gail. Welcome.”
His smile is wide and a little bit shy. “Thank you.”
“Hi, Mom.” Jules hugs her mom tightly.
“Everyone else is here. We’re in the backyard. Your dad is grilling, and I’m praying he doesn’t burn the house down.”
Luke takes my hand, and we wander through the beautifully furnished home, past the state-of-the-art kitchen and out to the backyard. I smile at Luke’s gasp.
“I told you,” I murmur to him.
The back of the house faces a greenbelt, so there are no neighbors behind them. The yard is just under an acre. Beautiful shrubs and bushes border the tall privacy fence that encloses the yard. Stone paths lined with solar lights lead to different gardens. There is a riot of color from all the flowers, reds and yellows, purples, pinks. Some of the gardens have little benches next to them to sit and enjoy the day.
There are also large fruit trees for shade. Steven Montgomery spends endless hours on this garden, and it shows.
The patio is also large and covered. A huge stainless steel grill occupies the far left corner, smoke billowing out of it. Two round patio tables, with six chairs around each, sit in the middle of the patio, and to the far right is a seating area of two rocking love seats.
“I could spend all day out here,” Luke murmurs, and I nod.
I glance at the tables and spot two familiar, but unexpected faces, and whirl around to Luke. “Your parents are here!”
He blushes a bit and shrugs. “Jules asked me if she could invite them, and I thought it would be a good idea. I want our families to get to know each other, Nat.”
“Wow.” I’m struck dumb. He never stops surprising me.
“Is it okay?”
Is it okay? I love him. His parents are lovely, and yes, I want them to know my family. Jules’ family is the only family I have.
“It’s great.”
He smiles, relieved, and kisses my hand.
I lead Luke over to the tables and begin introducing him to Jules’ large family, hugging Lucy and Neil.
“It’s so good to see you, darling girl.” Lucy holds me extra tight, and I return the embrace.
“Thank you for coming. I’m happy to see you both.”
Jules’ dad abandons the grill and jogs toward me. “Come here, birthday girl!” He sweeps me up in a big hug and twirls me around in a circle. “You’re too thin. I’m going to fatten you up today.”
I laugh and kiss his smooth cheek. He’s a shorter man, but made of solid muscle like his sons, and balding on top, though he used to be blond like his daughter. He’s one of the kindest men I’ve ever known. “I can’t wait. I’m hungry.”
“Good. Is this your man?” He turns to Luke and holds out a hand.
“Yes, this is Luke.”
“Some kind of fancy movie star, aren’t you?” Oh God. He’s going to give Luke a hard time. A hush falls over the patio as everyone stops talking to listen to the exchange.
I blush scarlet and start to interrupt, but Luke puts his hand on my elbow and smiles down at me before shaking Steven’s hand firmly.
“No, sir, I’m not fancy or a star. Thank you for including me and my family here today.”
“Am I going to have to kill you for hurting her?” Steven keeps Luke’s hand in his own, narrowing his eyes at him, and I just want to die. Now.
Holy fucking shit.
Luke laughs. “No, sir. Can I help you at the grill?”
“You know your way around a grill?” Steven smiles, and I exhale deeply.
“I do.”
“Well, why didn’t you say? We’re cooking ribs and chicken.” And just like that, Steven slaps Luke on the back and leads him over to the grill.
Jules’ brothers wander over to introduce themselves to Luke and offer him a beer, and the chatter resumes.
Isaac’s wife, Stacy, hugs me tight. “Happy birthday.” She’s a petite woman with red hair and laughing blue eyes.
“Thank you. You look fantastic! Where’s the baby?” My eyes scan the patio until I find Sophie cradled in Jules’ arms on one of the rocking love seats.
Stacy and I join her, and I hold my hands out. “Baby. Mine.”
Jules laughs. “I just got her.”
“I don’t care. I’ve never held her. Hand her over, Montgomery.”
Jules passes me little Sophie, and I just melt. She is tiny, less than two weeks old. Her dark hair is long and soft and a little wild in the way baby hair is, and Stacy has put a pretty pink headband on her. She’s in a beautiful pink little dress with pink bloomers, and she’s barefoot.
I run my hand down her cheek and press my lips to her forehead. She’s sleeping, oblivious to the party going on around her.
“Oh, Stacy, I’m in love with her.” I smile up at the new mother, and she preens.
“She’s such a good baby.”
“She’s precious.” I look down at her again and move her so she’s resting on my chest, curled up under my chin. I rub her back and begin to rock and hum. There is just nothing like having a newborn on you.
“Y
ou’re so sweet,” I murmur down to her.
I look up to meet Luke’s intense gaze. He’s watching me, his look unreadable. What’s he thinking?
I smile at him, and one corner of his mouth curls up, and his eyes soften.
I glance to my left and find Lucy’s gaze also trained on me thoughtfully. A slow smile spreads across her face, and she winks at me.
Sophie makes a mewling sound, and I look down at her. I grab her pacifier and plug it into her mouth, and she sucks greedily as I run my fingertips down her soft hair.
“Natalie!”
“Huh?”
Jules is laughing. “I asked you if you brought your camera.”
“Of course. I’m holding my newest model now. Maybe we can get some family shots after dinner?”
“Absolutely. Now give me back the baby.”
“No.”
“You’re so selfish.” Jules scowls at me, and Stacy laughs.
“Yes. Sophie and I are going for a walk.” I stand with her and wander down one of the paths to a shady garden.
“Aren’t the flowers pretty, Sophie?” I croon to the sleepy baby and rock her back and forth.
“You’re good with her.” Luke has joined us, and I smile lazily at him.
“I love babies. I never had siblings, so I’m living vicariously through Jules.” I shrug and kiss Sophie’s head.
He reaches out and runs the back of his finger down Sophie’s cheek, and I feel my heart flip. His finger looks so big on her tiny little cheek.
“She’s sweet,” I murmur.
“You’re sweet.” He tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear and runs his thumb down my jaw before slipping his hand back in his pocket.
I gaze down at the sleeping baby, and for the first time in my life, I imagine that I might have this one day. A husband and a baby, and when I picture it in my head, it’s this man before me by my side.
I’ve got it bad. Stop this. Get rid of the baby.
“Hey! Dinner’s ready, and I want that baby back!” Jules is standing at the edge of the patio yelling toward us, and I smile at Luke.
“I’m gonna have to arm wrestle her later to get this baby back.”
Luke laughs and escorts us to the patio for dinner.
***
This has been the best birthday dinner of my life. The Montgomerys have seamlessly folded Luke’s family into their own, engaging them in lively conversation and enjoying their company. Neil and Lucy seem relaxed and happy, laughing with Steven and Gail, sharing stories about when their children were young.
All of the brothers—Isaac, Will, Caleb and Matt—have teased Luke mercilessly about being a famous actor, asked questions about pretty actresses, and done a lot of talking about football since Will is currently playing with the Seahawks, and they’re men.
What is it about boys and football?
Luke has laughed more than I’ve ever seen him, and I’ve fallen even more in love with him while watching him with my family. He’s been attentive to me, refilling my drink, holding my hand and keeping tabs on where I am all evening. I suspect I would have felt smothered by anyone else, but he makes me feel loved.
Because he loves me.
Baby Sophie has been passed around all evening and is currently lying quietly in Lucy’s arms. Lucy is cooing at her.
“Aren’t grandkids the best?” Gail smiles softly at her beautiful granddaughter.
“We don’t have any yet, but I can’t wait.” Lucy grins at Gail and then over at Luke, and he squirms in his seat.
I can’t help but laugh out loud at him.
“Do you find me funny, baby?” Luke narrows his eyes at me, but I see the humor in them.
“Yes, that was funny.”
“Okay, cake time!” Jules comes out of the house carrying a beautiful chocolate cake with twenty-six candles lit on it.
“You’re going to burn the house down with that, Jules.”
She smirks and sets it in front of me.
“Make a wish,” Luke whispers in my ear.
I blow all the candles out in one breath.
Gail cuts the cake and passes it around. It smells heavenly. Gail makes the most delicious cakes.
“Thank you for making my favorite cake, Gail.” I lean over and kiss her cheek.
“You’re welcome, darling. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“Okay, now presents!” Jules hops up, and I frown.
“No presents. How many times do I have to tell you people? No presents!”
Everyone just laughs at me.
“We don’t listen to you, brat.” Isaac smirks at me, and I glare at him.
“I don’t like you.”
“You love me.”
“You guys do too much for me already.” I glance at Luke nervously. “It embarrasses me when you buy me stuff.”
“It’s not your birthday unless you have presents.” Jules sets a red gift bag in front of me. “Open mine first.” She’s hopping in her seat in excitement, and my mood lifts.
She’s bought me my favorite perfume and a beautiful silver bracelet. “Oh, thank you! I love it!”
“Can I borrow it?” Jules asks.
We all laugh, and I’m relaxed again, enjoying my family.
As usual, they’ve gone a bit overboard. The brothers all pitched in on a gift card.
“More shopping!” Jules and I exclaim in unison, and we break out into giggles.
Luke laughs next to me and kisses my temple, and I smile shyly at him.
Lucy and Neil give me a very generous gift card to use at the Microsoft Store in Bellevue. Wow.
“Thank you so much.”
“Our pleasure, dear.” Lucy smiles and kisses Sophie’s sweet head.
“Ours next.” Gail hands me a purple gift bag with purple paper.
“This party is more than enough!”
“You will not sass us.” Steven shakes his finger at me and tries to look stern, but I’ve heard this before, and I giggle. “I will take you over my knee.”
“Yes, sir.” I open the bag to find a pair of earrings that I recognize, and I gasp, searching their faces.
They are both smiling tenderly at me.
“These are yours.” I look back down at the beautiful diamond drop earrings and run my finger over them. They’ve been recently cleaned and sparkle in the soft evening light.
“We want you to have them.” Gail has tears in her eyes, and I’m about to join her.
“They were your mother’s. They should go to Jules.” My voice is thick with tears.
“I have plenty of jewelry. They should be yours. Nana loved you.” Jules is running her hand down my hair, and I just know that if I move I will cry. I’m so overwhelmed by the love this family has for me.
I shake my head but scoot my chair back and round the table to hug Gail and Steven tightly. Gail dabs at her eyes, and Steven cups my face in his hands and grins at me.
“We love you, baby girl.”
“I love you, too. Thank you.”
I take my seat and look up into Luke’s beautiful face. He smiles and kisses my fingers.
“Last but not least.” Luke sets a manila envelope before me.
“No, honey, you’ve done way too much already.” I shake my head and scoot it back across the table toward him.
“Open it,” he says, exasperated, and pushes it back toward me.
“Just open it already!” Will yells from across the table, and I glare at him. “I can’t take the damn suspense!”
We all laugh, and I open the envelope. I pull out two passports and an itinerary. I read the itinerary and feel the blood leave my face and my jaw drop.
“We’re going to Tahiti?!”
The table erupts with whoops and whistles and shouts of joy. The brothers applaud, giving Luke a standing ovation, and he laughs.
“Yes, tomorrow, for a week.”
“But, we have work.”
“My current project just wrapped, and I’m hoping you??
?ll reschedule your appointments.” He’s gazing down at me with love shining from his blue eyes.
“Wow. Tahiti?”
He laughs and kisses me, square on the mouth, in front of my whole family.
“Get a room!” Matthew yells.
I clear my throat and look around the patio. “I just want to say,” I begin and blink the tears from my eyes, “all the people I love the most in this world are here, and I can’t tell you how thankful I am to have you. Thank you for all you’ve done for me, and not just these gifts, though they are wonderful. I am blessed. Even the boys have their good moments.” I smile at them, and they salute me with their drinks and throw winks at me.
I take a deep breath. “Thank you for making me a part of your family. I love you very much.”
I look up at Luke and around the patio into each face that is so dear to me.
“Now, give me that baby.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
“I enjoyed them.” Luke links his fingers with mine and kisses my knuckles as he drives us back toward Alki Beach.
“They enjoyed you, too. Thank you for coming, and inviting your parents. I had a great time.” I can’t hide my delighted smile.
“I’m glad. Are you excited about our trip?” His grin is wide.
“I have a lot to do tonight to get ready. Maybe I should stay home tonight so I can pack and make calls and stuff.”
Luke frowns. “It won’t take me long to pack. I can drop you off at home, go pack, and come back to your place.” He swallows and glances at me.
“What’s wrong?” Why does he suddenly look nervous?
“I don’t want you to bail on me.”
“Bail on you?”
“Yeah, decide you don’t want to go.”
Where is this vulnerability coming from? “I do want to go.”
“Good.” He smiles at me.
I find it doesn’t take me long to pack either. A whole week in Tahiti entails a few bikinis, sarongs, pullovers and flip-flops. I also add one nice tank dress, in case we have dinner, and a pair of heels, some shorts and tank tops.
I’ll throw my toiletries together in the morning before our nine a.m. flight.
I sit at the kitchen table and begin calling next week’s clients to reschedule when I hear Luke come in through the front door.
“Baby?”