“Aw, c’mon. At least take a look.”
Ally waved a hand. “Plenty of time for that later. The wedding’s not for ages.”
Wrong. There were less than three weeks before Nate sprang his surprise wedding, and she had to get Ally a wedding gown. She stalked after her friend. “Ally,” she began, but before she could continue the doorbell jingled and two customers came in.
“Hi, Tyler,” the first woman called out. “Mags and I couldn’t resist coming over for a visit.”
Tyler blinked in surprise at Rosie and Mags. She’d assumed Luke’s twin sisters had just been polite in mentioning they’d visit the gallery, but here they were, looking rather pleased with themselves. She introduced them to Ally and invited them to have a look around.
“So they’re the sisters of your good-looking neighbor,” Ally said to her on the quiet.
“How do you know he’s good-looking?”
“Hey, I’ve seen the poster in Fiona’s bookstore. She has to clean that window every day because of all the women drooling over him.”
“That poster isn’t a very good likeness of him,” Tyler said. “He’s much hotter than that.”
“Ah.” Ally’s eyebrows shot up.
“‘Ah’ yourself. I’m just stating a fact.”
Her friend grinned mischievously. “Bet you’ve got him eating out of your hand already.”
Tyler began to tidy up the sugar sachets next to the espresso machine. “I wouldn’t go that far.”
“Oh?” A puzzled look descended on her friend’s face. Ally, bless her, had this misguided notion that Tyler only had to bat her eyelashes at a guy to make him fall to his knees. It was a flattering idea, but not too accurate in Luke’s case. Oh, the attraction was definitely there, but Luke wasn’t about to keel over in a heap of lust. He was made of sterner stuff.
“He’s only here temporarily,” Tyler added. “He’ll be gone as soon as he finishes his book.” From the other side of the gallery Rosie beckoned her over. “I’d better go see to my customers.”
Rosie and Mags were standing next to the display cabinet housing Tyler’s jewelry. “We love these pendants of yours,” Rosie said. “Can we have a closer look?”
“Sure.” Tyler took out several of her sterling-silver-and-precious-gem pendants for Rosie and Mags to inspect.
“That one.” Mags pointed to a lace-etched teardrop pendant decorated with a sparkling aquamarine gemstone. “She’ll love that.” She turned to Tyler. “We’re buying a gift for Helen. It’s her birthday next week.”
“She’ll be thrilled with this,” Rosie said. “She’s so practical and down-to-earth, she’d never think of buying something as pretty as this for herself. We should buy her a silver chain to match, too.”
Tyler spent several minutes helping the twins choose a chain for the pendant. Then Rosie couldn’t resist a pair of earrings for herself, and Mags spotted a glass vase she had to have. When they’d completed their purchases, they decided to order coffee and cake.
“We were thinking of dropping by Luke’s place,” Rosie said to Tyler as she brought the order to their table, “but we didn’t want to interrupt his writing. I think we wore out our welcome over the weekend.”
“We can’t help worrying about him.” Mags paused, glanced around the half-empty store, and patted the seat between her and Rosie. “Won’t you sit down for a while?”
Tyler sat, wondering where this conversation was headed.
“You and Luke seem to have quite a, er, rapport,” Mags began. She tore open a sugar sachet and stirred its contents vigorously into her coffee. “Do you know how his writing is going?”
“No, not really. Luke doesn’t talk about his writing with me.”
Mags pulled a face. “He doesn’t talk about his writing with anyone. In fact, he doesn’t talk about himself much at all. He’s an introvert, always has been. Definitely not shy, but being around people tires him out. That’s why he’s perfected this gypsy lifestyle of his. That way, he can’t be pinned down.”
“But since Mum passed away, he hasn’t been the same.” Rosie poured sugar into her coffee, too. “Well, none of us are the same, but it hit Luke harder. Helen, too. They seem constantly at loggerheads over Mum’s house. She left it to Luke, you know, hoping he’d come back and settle there.”
Tyler glanced at both twins. “And you were okay with that? You don’t think she should have left the house equally to all of you?”
“Oh no.” Rosie shrugged. “Luke bought her the house when his book started selling, so even though it’s our childhood home, in all fairness it was his property. Besides, he gave each of us a handsome chunk of money, too. Luke’s always been generous like that.”
“Yeah, the only thing he splurged on for himself was that Range Rover,” her twin concurred.
Typical of Luke. The only possession he’d bought was something he could escape in.
“But he might have no money soon,” Rosie said darkly.
Tyler stared at her. “Why?”
“If he doesn’t finish that book and fast, he might lose his contract and have to repay the advance.”
Tyler sat back, all the breath leaving her body. She knew from personal experience what it was like to skate over the thin ice of financial misfortune. Luke didn’t have any dependents, and if he failed he was still hugely talented and would bounce back, but even so, it must be a worry for him.
“I’m sure he’ll finish the book,” she said stoutly, as if she had to convince herself. Luke wouldn’t fail. He’d finish the book. She’d make him, if need be.
Rosie chuckled. “You look like you’re going to chain him to his desk until he does.” She exchanged looks with her twin, who nodded encouragingly. “About Helen’s birthday, Mags and I were hoping you’d come to her party, too.”
“Me?” Tyler eyed them cautiously. “Are you sure? I’ve only just met you guys. Helen might not like a virtual stranger at her birthday party.”
“But you were so good at diffusing the tension between Luke and Helen,” Mags said. “And besides, we like you,” she added with disarming honesty. “Please come, and bring Chloe with you. It’s just going to be a casual family affair next week Sunday, nothing fancy.”
I like the twins, Tyler thought, and I always enjoy a party, but still she hesitated. “Does Luke know about this?”
Mags waved her hand airily. “Sheesh, we don’t need his permission to invite you. And you don’t need his permission to come, either.”
Tyler couldn’t help smiling. Maybe Luke wouldn’t like her butting in at a family gathering, but what the hell. He wasn’t going to be around long, and when he left, she’d still have two new friends in the twins.
“In that case, I’d love to come.”
Chapter Six
Luke stared at the man sitting opposite him, feeling like all the air had been punched out of his lungs. Was this really happening? Years ago, after his father had left, Luke had waited for him to come back. Waited and hoped, for a long time. If his dad came back, maybe his mum would stop looking so sad and start singing like she used to. But his dad never came back, and gradually his mother stopped looking quite so sad, though he never heard her sing again.
Over the years, Luke had gradually stopped thinking about his dad, but every now and then he’d wondered what had happened to him, whether he was still alive, what he looked like. Now he didn’t have to wonder anymore.
The man sitting opposite him was tall and dapper, his figure still upright, his dark hair thick, neat, and only lightly peppered with gray. His brown suit was impeccably tailored, though old-fashioned and slightly worse for wear, his leather shoes were polished, his striped tie a perfect Windsor knot. He sat easily, fingers loosely linked, black eyes patient as Luke stared at him.
More than five minutes must have passed since Patrick Maguire had knocked on his door and Luke, dazed after the first shock of recognition, had allowed him into the house. Silence stretched between them, unbroken in the cool, calm living room. Luke felt anything but cool and calm. A hundred questions and accusations battered his head.
“Mum died last spring,” Luke blurted out.
His father inclined his head. “I know. I’m very sorry. She was a fine woman, your mother.”
Luke chewed the inside of his cheek. “You knew? Why didn’t you come to the funeral?”
“I didn’t think I’d be welcome.” He spread his hands, gesturing regret.
Luke tensed. Until then, he hadn’t realized how many memories of his father’s hands he retained—memories of those elegant hands turning the pages of a book, writing with a fountain pen, shaving his handsome face. Stroking Luke’s hair, tucking the blankets around him.
Luke forced the memories away. “Where have you been all these years?”
“Around the country, overseas. Where haven’t I been?”
“Working? You have a job?”
“Of course I have a job.” Patrick brushed his sleeve and crossed his legs. “And an apartment in Sydney with harbor views of the opera house.”