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And who’s job was it to forgive him? Hers? Nate’s? His opponent’s family?
Hannah always came back to the same conclusion: It wasn’t her job to judge him, and it wasn’t within her ability to declare him forgiven. Only the Lord could do both of those things, and Luke had to live his life according to his conscience.
She wished she could tell him all of that, but she didn’t feel like she could. He had not come to church even once, and when everyone returned from the sermon, his truck was usually gone. He’d return around lunchtime, and he’d come over to the Annex and eat with everyone. He hadn’t gone to the beach again, and Hannah felt like he had some dangerous things building behind a dam that would break eventually.
“Joey’s pretty responsible,” Luke said. “We worked in housekeeping in the resort growing up.”
Hannah swung her attention back to him. “Like, you can make a bed with crisp, hospital corners?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he drawled, and in that sexy cowboy hat and his golden-boy smile, Hannah fell a little bit more in love with him.
She laughed and shook her head, sobering as he made another turn, this time into a driveway.
“All right,” he said. “Here we are.”
Hannah peered out the windshield at the house, impressed by the pristine nature of it. The pink brick had seen a lot of days, but it looked proud and clean, and the house charmed Hannah with a single glance. The front flowerbeds contained rose bushes that someone loved very much, and the grass practically shone like an emerald.
“Wow,” she said.
“My uncle lives here,” he said. “My parents are already here.”
“How can you tell?”
He nodded toward the huge, white SUV in front of him. “My father won’t drive anything smaller than a tank, and that has a rental car license plate.”
The front door opened, and a thin woman stepped outside.
“That’s my momma,” Luke said, though Hannah had never heard him say anything but mom when referencing his mother. She’d also never heard this tone of voice—one filled with happiness and love and laughter all at the same time. He got out of his truck, already laughing.
He jogged toward his mother and lifted her right up off her feet. She laughed, but when Hannah closed her door, the resulting slam drew his mother’s attention. Luke put her down, and the two of them faced her.
Luke radiated joy, and Hannah’s smile sprang to her face because of the one on his. She wiped her hands down the front of her slimming jeans, glad she’d chosen to wear them despite the length.
“Mom,” Luke said. “This is Hannah Otto.”
“Hello, Hannah,” his mom said in a warm voice. She glanced at Luke and extended her hand toward Hannah.
Hannah quickly closed the last of the distance between them and secured her hand in his mother’s.
“Hannah,” he said. “My mom, Starr.”
“Starr,” Hannah repeated, pouring warmth into her tone. “So nice to meet you.” After the handshake, she immediately slipped her hand into Luke’s, and his mother watched it all.
Her eyebrows shot up, and Luke added, “We’re dating. She’s my girlfriend.”
“Is that right?” Starr asked. “I see why you wanted to come back to Texas so badly.”
Luke laughed, but he didn’t deny it. “I hated selling houses in the desert,” he said. “That had something to do with it too.”
“Yeah, yeah,” his mom said. “C’mon in, you two. I hope you’re ready for the circus. The twins are here, and they brought all of their kids.”
“Perfect,” Luke said, but his tone of voice suggested it was the opposite of perfect. He let his mother lead the way inside, and he kept a grip on Hannah’s hand as he went second. The house was deceptively quiet, and Hannah’s nerves started to settle as she drank in the magnificent wood on the floor, the bannister right in front of her that went up to the second floor, and the lower half of the walls. That had been painted a bright white, with the upper half of the walls a light gray. Combined with the dark wood on the floor, the house was modern and clean while also maintaining its 1800s charm.
“This is beautiful,” Hannah said. “Oh, my word. Is that a Pollock?” She stepped over to a painting, sure it couldn’t be.
“Good eye on this one,” Starr said, smiling as she joined Hannah in front of the huge painting that took up the entire wall leading further into the house. “He came to Texas once, and my brother had the opportunity to house him in one of our places here in Beeville.”
Hannah heard the words, but they really made no sense to her.
