A Heart Decision (27 page)

“Good. I’ll even defrost some of my homemade
vegetable barley soup.”

“Umm. Just to be clear—we’re eating outside on your
patio, and I’m not going anywhere near your bedroom.”

“That’s fine.” The sofa would work for what she had
planned. She couldn’t let him say good-bye to her for over a month
without a few passionate kisses to remind him what he’d be
missing—possibly for the rest of his life.

~*~

He had to stop listening to his stomach as well as
his lower anatomy.

The moment they walked in the door, Luke knew he’d
made a mistake agreeing to have lunch at Sabrina’s apartment.

But, damn it, he really loved roast beef
sandwiches.

She immediately stripped off the tailored blouse
she’d worn over her stretchy pink T-shirt. “It’s been freezing the
last two days, and now it’s as hot as Hades again. I think we’re in
for a bit of Indian summer.”

She reached over and switched the thermostat to air
conditioning. The last thing he needed was for her to get cold. Her
nipples already stuck out so prominently under the tight knit
fabric he had trouble restraining his hands.

He jerked his gaze away as she strode into the small
kitchen where she dug the package of roast beef with all the
fixings from the fridge and placed them on the tiny round
table.

“You can sit and make the sandwiches while I heat
the soup. I’d like some thinly sliced onion and horseradish sauce
on mine, too.”

Hell, she even knew how he preferred his sandwich.
If he hadn’t shown up out of the blue that morning to ask her to
join him at his appointment, he’d swear she’d planned this
lunch.

He propped his crutches against the wall and sank
into one of the two chairs. While he quietly assembled three
sandwiches and slathered the crusty rolls with horseradish mayo,
Sabrina defrosted a block of frozen soup in the microwave, leaving
him too much time to think about how different their relationship
would be if she married Ben.

Now that Ben knew Luke was also in love with
Sabrina, BJ wouldn’t be eager for his wife to spend time with him.
If his friendship with either of them had a chance of surviving, he
needed to test negative.

After several minutes, she broke the silence,
asking, “Have you decided if you’re going to visit your father or
not?”

“I wish you wouldn’t call him that.”

“That’s who he is.”

“Yeah, I know. But it feels like a betrayal of my
dad to think of Tony that way.”

“I can see that. So?” She tipped her head as she
looked pointedly at him.

“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “Maybe.” If he could
summon up the nerve. This whole situation had taught him an
uncomfortable truth about himself. He was actually a big coward
when it came to confronting his feelings. He needed to grow a
pair.

“Well, even if you don’t go see him, I still think
it’s best if we follow Jake’s other advice.”

“You mean about me not seeing or talking to
you?”

“Right. At least until Thanksgiving.” The microwave
beeped, and she stirred the soup before setting the appliance’s
timer for another few minutes.

“You’re okay with that?”

“I’ll survive. Besides, I can always accept BJ’s
invitation and leave the country. That should keep me busy. I’ve
never been to Paris, and he said he would fly Annie and your
sisters over for a week to help me shop and choose bridesmaids
dresses.”

It was one thing to avoid seeing Sabrina for several
weeks, but he sure as hell didn’t want her shacking up with Ben in
some five-star hotel during that time.

His jaw clenched so hard, his back molars threatened
to crack. “Uhh, Tyler was released from the hospital only two days
ago. Is he ready to be left alone?”

“No, but in another week or two, he’ll be fine with
Dottie there taking care of the kids. When I asked Annie if she was
interested in the trip, she said she’d have to wait and see how
he’s doing.

“What about her class? Won’t she miss too much?”

“She dropped all of her courses after Ty’s accident.
She said she’ll go back in January. If she decides to join us in
France, she’ll probably bring Sam along so she doesn’t have to wean
him.”

“I think that has more to do with her not wanting to
be away from him.”

“You’re probably right. If she doesn’t come, we’ll
just order a dress for her and have it hemmed here. She and Crissy
are the same size.”

At least Sabrina wouldn’t be alone with Ben the
entire time they were vacationing in the most romantic city in the
world.

“Anyway, I think Jake made a good point this
morning. You need to focus on your own needs and make the decision
without any input from the people you love.”

The microwave beeped again. She removed the
delicious smelling vegetable soup and poured it into two bowls. “Do
you still want to eat on the patio?” she asked. “It’s pretty hot
out there.”

“I guess we’re okay in here.” He grinned. “It’s not
like this kitchen is big enough for any monkey business.”

“You’re a brave man to make wiseass remarks while
I’m handling hot soup.” She peered down at his crotch as if she
might spill the scalding liquid on him as she set it on the
table.

“Point taken.” He bit into his sandwich and groaned.
“This roast beef really
is
incredible, Princess.”

They ate in companionable silence while he polished
off his soup and two sandwiches before she finished the one he’d
prepared for her. She pushed away the last few bites. He promptly
popped them into his mouth. “Thanks. That was delicious,” he
mumbled. “What’s for dessert?”

“I have cookies from Sallie’s.” She stood and sank
onto his lap winding her arms around his neck. “But I was hoping
you’d settle for a few kisses, instead.”

“I’d better stick to the cookies.” He tried to hold
her off while she wiggled on his already stiff erection.
“
Pleeease
.” He gritted his teeth. “I’m only human.”

“That’s what I’m counting on,” she whispered,
nuzzling his neck. “If we’re not going to see each other for more
than a month, I need something to tide me over.”

“I shouldn’t, Princess.” He winced as she shifted
her weight again.

“
Pretty pleease
. It’s not like I’m asking you
to make love to me.”

He had no idea how he’d limit himself to just
kisses, but he couldn’t deny her. “If we’re gonna make-out, we’d be
a lot more comfortable on the sofa.” Or at least he would be
without her rubbing up against his overeager dick.

She laid her head on his heaving chest, panting in
time with his labored breaths. “Oh, Luke, the next six weeks are
going to be hell.”

No doubt. But it was time to stop putting his own
happiness first, and do what was best for her. Maybe a romantic
vacation with Ben was just what she needed to see the possibility
of a future with someone who wouldn’t lose his mind in the next ten
years.

~*~

They spent the entire afternoon watching movies
wrapped in each other’s arms. Sabrina fell asleep, waking as the
sun set, casting the living room in shadows. She felt so loved and
safe in Luke’s arms.

Tears seeped from her eyes, and her throat
tightened. If he tested positive for Huntington’s, how could she
keep her promise to marry Ben?

He stroked her hair, whispering, “I love you so
much.”

She used the edge of his shirt to dry her eyes. “I
love you, too.”

“I need to go home and let the puppies out.”

“I could come with you and make you supper.” She
glanced at the large wall clock hanging over the television. “It’s
almost seven o’clock. You must be ravenous.”

“Hmmm, I’d better head home alone and nuke a frozen
dinner. If you go with me, I won’t be able to let you leave again.
And then you’d miss seeing Paris.”

“Just say the word, and I’ll tell Ben I don’t want
to go.”

“Except, you do. I know you’re looking forward to
the trip.”

She played with the few hairs peeking out of the
open collar of his shirt. “Not if I get to stay with you,
instead.”

“No. You need to go, Brina. I don’t think with my
brain when you’re around.”

“Oh, what do you use?” She chuckled, slowly sliding
her hand down his abdomen.

He grabbed her wrist. “Not with that, either.” He
laughed and inched away from her. “Yeah, okay, I guess I do think
with that when I’m around you, but mostly I let my desire to please
you get in the way of clear logic. I have a tough decision to make
before Thanksgiving and it can’t hinge on whether you approve or
not.”

The last thing she wanted him using was logic.

“The choice whether or not to have the test is an
emotional one, Luke. It has to be a
heart
decision, not one
made by weighing the pros and cons of the issue.”

“But don’t you see?” He pulled on the sneaker he’d
kicked off his good foot. “All of the pros of spending my life with
you are for
my
benefit, and all of the cons will end up
ruining your life. I won’t be able to live with myself if I end up
putting my needs before yours, no matter how much you insist it’s
what you want. I love you too much to do that.”

He was right. She needed to go to Paris with Ben and
let Luke envision her having the time of her life with his friend.
The only way he would ever listen to his heart was if he got a
taste of what it would be like to lose her.

If that didn’t convince him they belonged together,
nothing ever would.

~*~

Three days later, Luke pulled Cal’s car up to the
gates of a huge estate on the mainline, a few miles northwest of
Philly.

He sat there for several minutes, summoning the
courage to press the call button on the intercom. Something rapped
on the car’s window, making his heart leap into his throat.

He jerked his gaze to the rearview mirror where a
man in a dark suit stood next to the Prius’s back door.

Shit! Where the hell had he come from? It was as if
the guy had materialized out of thin air. Either he’d gotten soft
or his concussion had damaged his spidey sense.
He was a cop, for crying out loud. He wouldn’t live long
letting anyone get the drop on him.

The burly man made a rolling motion with his hand.
No doubt he was one of Dante’s henchmen.

Luke took a deep breath to slow his pulse and
lowered the window.

“Can I help you with something?” the man asked.

“I was hoping to speak to Mr. Marino.”

“Antonio or his son?”

“Either will be fine.”

“And you are?”

Uncertain how to identify himself, he chose to say,
“Antonio’s nephew, Luke.”

The man spoke quietly into his cell phone, and the
gates magically swung open. He pointed to several chimneys peeking
over the trees. “Follow the driveway up to the house. They’re
expecting you.”

The driveway turned out to be more of a road that
wound through acres of manicured lawn and colorful gardens. When he
rounded the third bend, the so-called
house
came into view,
and he nearly choked. The ancient gray stone manor resembled a
beautifully landscaped castle more than a home.

He’d always known his dad and mom were honorable,
hardworking people, but he’d never appreciated exactly how high
their moral standards were until now. Obviously, they’d valued
their principals more than the incredible wealth they’d
shunned.

So these were his unsavory roots, huh? He chuckled,
recalling the way Ben and Tyler had always called him a peasant
because he preferred beer and pizza over champagne and lobster.

After parking the car in the circular drive, he
climbed out, and the front door opened. On the threshold, stood a
slightly younger, thinner replica of him—albeit a more polished
version with a hundred-dollar haircut and Italian leather
loafers.

Although, people had frequently likened Luke to a
young George Clooney, he looked more like the actor when he’d
played Jack Foley in the movie
Out of Sight
, while his
half-sibling mirrored the sophistication of Miles Massey in
Intolerable Cruelty
.

How ironic that his doppelganger character should be
on the wrong side of the law, while his mob-connected brother’s
played a slick, mostly law-abiding attorney.

“Hello, Lucca. It’s nice to finally meet you,” Dante
said, extending his hand as Luke approached the door.

Luke shook his hand. “You know who I am?”

“Yes. A better question is whether you know who
I
am?”

“I do.”

“Come in.” Dante stepped aside so Luke could enter
the large foyer. “What brings you to see me after all these years?”
Dante led the way through a wide archway on the right into an
immense living room and gestured for Luke to take a seat. “I’ve
been working overtime to clean up the family business, so I hope
you’re not here to arrest me for anything.”

“No.” Luke chuckled, sinking onto the overstuffed
sofa across the armchair Dante chose. “You’re a bit out of my
jurisdiction. I’ve never visited before, because my mother didn’t
tell me about our relationship until last week when, under duress,
she admitted I have a relative with Huntington’s disease.”

“I’m surprised the old man told her. It’s not public
knowledge. The media only knows he retired due to illness.”

Luke studied him for several seconds trying to
ascertain if Dante knew the truth or if he believed they were
merely cousins. “Let’s lay our cards on the table, okay?”

“All right.”

“There’s a good reason your father felt my mother
needed to know about his HD. Do you know what our real relationship
is?”

“If I didn’t know before, I would’ve as soon as you
climbed out of the car. I saw pictures of you when you were in
college, but I never realized that, in the flesh, we have such an
uncanny resemblance to each other—and Pop, when he was
younger.”