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When Caleb introduced me to Lucas, I wasn’t really sure what I was expecting from him, but the confident and warm greeting he offered surprised me. Lucas shared the same height and lean musculature of his older brother, as well as the dark-brown hair and wide shoulders. He even had similar facial features and expressions to Caleb when he spoke, but his right cheek—from the corner of his eye, down and around the bottom of his ear, leading even farther down his neck and disappearing into his shirt collar—was marred with considerable scarring. His eyes were also unusual like Caleb’s in their coloring, but not in the same way. Lucas’s eyes were green but his right eye was partially brown. An anomaly of genetics but strangely beautiful. Similarly, his prominent scarring didn’t detract from his handsomeness at all in my opinion. I imagined it probably made him even more attractive to women. I wondered what the story was there. Regardless, the younger Blackstone brother was no Quasimodo, living in seclusion on an island in desperate need of social skills. He was doing just fine.
“Lovely to meet you finally, Lucas. I hear nothing but good things from Sylvie. She adores you.”
“Ahhh, well I am a lucky man because she spoils me rotten. It’s nice to meet you officially, Brooke.” He handed me a business card. “My cell is on the back. If you ever need anything please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I am here on the island ninety percent of the time.”
I tilted my head at him. “Did Caleb tell you to look out for me while he is away, Lucas?”
“Ummm . . .” he stalled, darting his eyes between his brother and me.
“It’s okay, Lucas. I won’t take it out on you,” I said, focusing my annoyed eyes on Caleb, who was doing his best at melting me with his signature cheeky charm.
“Well, in that case, yes he did, Brooke, but please know that I am nothing but honored.” Lucas gave off his own version of the Blackstone charm in the form of a sincere smile. These men were good at charming women of all ages, I’d predict. Very, very good.
Must be a superb gene pool.
“Well then, I thank you, Lucas. That is very kind.” I put his card into my pocket.
“I’ll just start her up then, bro, give you a minute. Brooke, I’ll see you soon.” Lucas kissed my cheek before walking over to the huge machine and climbing inside it.
Caleb waited until Lucas was out of earshot before asking, “Did that make you mad I asked my brother to watch out for you?”
“Not really, but it will take some getting used to,” I answered truthfully.
“You can trust Lucas with your life. If you need anything at all, you call him. Can you do that for me, baby?”
He pulled me against him, and I took in his scent in a deep inhale. “I will remember. It’s nice that you are so protective and concerned.”
“It’s the only way I can leave you right now and not lose my mind.”
“I’ll be busy here for the rest of the week, and then on Monday I’ll be back at work in the city. You don’t have to worry about me. Just miss me.” I lifted my lips for him to kiss.
He brought both hands up to my face to hold me to him. “The first request is impossible, and the second is definite,” he said, before kissing me deeply enough that the taste of him would linger for a while.
“My PA, Victoria Blakney, will have the keys delivered for the penthouse so you can get in for whatever you need to start on the job. I’ll be back a week from tonight, and I would love it if you’ll plan to stay that night with me, because I will need to show you how much I missed you while I was gone.”
“Oh? You plan to demonstrate this?” I couldn’t resist winding him up.
“Most definitely. I will need to show you over and over again just how much I missed you. In fact, it will probably take me all night long. I would plan on taking Thursday off from work if I were you, because I’m imagining a sick day for both of us.”
“I see.” I put my hand on his chest right over his beating heart and felt the pulsing rhythm. “I will remember to be well rested on Wednesday afternoon, then.”
Teasing was the only way I could get through sending him away without crying. Of course, now was not one of those times I burst into unexpected tears or laughter. Thank God. I did feel like I was finding myself again, though. I’d lost my sense of fun with Marcus. It was as if he’d turned off the light within me, which I’d never allow anyone to do again. I was strong, able, and tough when I needed to be, and now I was finding joy again, too. And all because of the gentle, attentive, loving man who I would miss terribly during the next seven days.
Accept it, fool. You’re already in love with him.
LUCAS gave it three days before he called.
I was delivering the last boxes of Nan’s things to Herman’s house and feeling more than a little emotional, so his timing was perfect. “Brooke, can I invite you to dinner tonight? We can talk about politics, religion, and money to make each other awkwardly uncomfortable before we bond over embarrassing childhood stories about Caleb.”
I laughed at his teasing, knowing I’d say yes for a couple of reasons. I knew it would make Caleb happy, and I was curious about his family. “Well, Lucas, when you tempt me like that, I have no choice but to accept. I’ll be over by six o’clock, and I like my wine on the sweet side.”
LUCAS had a glass of sangria waiting for me and a collection of delivery takeout menus to choose from when I arrived at his house. I accepted the delicious, fruity wine and vetoed the takeout. Instead, I asked to be shown to his kitchen where I found two aprons—one for each of us—and announced we would be cooking something much better than anything we could order in. Making myself at home in his pantry, I rummaged through ingredients and fired off some questions about any possible dietary restrictions until we settled on a salad and chicken fettuccine Alfredo.
By the time our dinner was ready, we’d progressed to well past the getting-to-know-you stage and were down to being best buddies. When crying over chopped onions and minced garlic together, those walls go down quickly. The only reference he made to his scarring was to tell me his hearing was impaired in his right ear, so to speak to his left side if possible . . . and not to take it personally if he seemed to ignore something I said. I told him not to take it personally if I suddenly started weeping or laughing for no reason . . . and pointed to the scar at my hairline. He nodded in understanding, and I would bet Caleb had already filled him in on me, because he didn’t question my bizarre statement in the slightest.
In that moment, I knew I’d made a true friend in Lucas Blackstone, because we had clicked. For whatever reason, we just sort of bonded in a way that was easy and very comfortable. I felt that our friendship would stand regardless of wherever Caleb and I ended up, and that was something meaningful. I didn’t have a great many friends, but the ones I did have were very precious to me, and it was always welcome to make a new one.
Lucas spent the remainder of the evening teaching me to play iInVidiosa, the game he’d created. I sucked at video games, but he sucked at making dinner, so it all evened out in the end. I made him promise that our next dinner would be at my place before I left. Lucas made me promise to call him as soon as I made it home to let him know I’d arrived safely.
