Chapter 10

That night, Leanne put on a pair of red yoga pants and a long-sleeved white T-shirt and shoved her feet into a pair of fuzzy slippers. She’d just gotten out of the shower and felt relaxed after the long day. As she blow-dried her hair, she smiled over how funny Lucas had been at lunchtime.

He’d told her how hungover he’d been that morning and about his experience at Fish’s dealership. She’d been a little miffed because she hadn’t seen that outfit on Fish yet. After she’d razzed Lucas for not taking a picture, he’d texted Fish to send him a selfie.

They’d laughed over all the dramatic poses that Fish had sent to them. He’d even gotten Melanie in on the act. Their favorite was where she and Fish had pretended to be in a passionate clinch.

Her text message alert broke into her thoughts. She smiled when she saw that it was from Lucas.

Lucas: Hey, beautiful. Feel up to watching a movie? I’ll bring the popcorn.

Happy warmth spread through Leanne. Spending the evening with Lucas would be the perfect way to end the day.

Leanne: Hmm, watch a movie with a handsome guy or do laundry. It’s a tough choice.

Lucas: Can I entice U with ice cream?

Leanne: What kind?

Lucas: Rocky road and chocolate chip cookie dough.

Leanne: Well ... ok. You twisted my arm. LOL

Lucas: Good. Answer your door.

Loud rapping on the front door carried back to her bedroom. She giggled as she jogged through the cottage to the foyer. When she opened the door, Lucas held up two plastic grocery bags.

“I come bearing gifts.”

Leanne waved him inside. “I never refuse gifts of popcorn and ice cream.” She took the bags from him. “You can hang your coat there. I’ll go start the popcorn and put the ice cream in the freezer.”

“Okay.”

Lucas could hardly take his eyes off her as she walked away. The way her shapely rear end moved in her yoga pants mesmerized him and he missed the coat rack on the first try. Get it together. Normally, Lucas could control his body, but whenever he was around Leanne, he felt like a teenager again.

Spotting other footwear sitting underneath the coatrack, Lucas took off his boots and left them there before following Leanne. The hardwood floors in the place had seen their share of use, but their beautiful patina spoke of good care. Various pictures of the Gladstone family and their friends hung along the hallway.

He stopped at one in which Harry, Leanne, and a young Heathe all wore silly faces. Harry was making rabbit ears behind his siblings’ heads. They wore summer clothing and Lucas wondered if they’d been at a picnic or just goofing around by the pool. He liked trying to figure out the stories behind people’s pictures.

The next one showed Harry and Mysti hugging while they smiled at the camera. After that, the people in the pictures grew younger and Lucas realized that the pictures were arranged in chronological order. He went to the kitchen doorway and started slowly walking back towards the living room.

Younger versions of Hal and Sue Gladstone held babies and Lucas easily spotted Leanne’s big gray eyes and wild red curls. She and Harry were the only kids in the pictures until Harry looked to be about nine or ten. Then there were photos of a very pregnant Sue. He smiled at the one of Leanne kissing Sue’s rounded belly.

The next one struck a chord deep within him. The close-up of Hal and Leanne smiling at each other as he held her was incredibly sweet. The happiness on their faces and the love in their eyes brought an unexpected lump to Lucas’ throat.

It made him realize that Hal’s warning to him about Leanne hadn’t been an idle threat. The father and daughter might have their issues, but Hal loved his little girl, and he wouldn’t tolerate anyone taking advantage of her.

“This is what we call the Hall of Memories,” Leanne said, startling Lucas. He hadn’t heard her come up behind him.

“Hall of Memories?”

Leanne nodded. “Our parents and my aunt and uncle are all shutter-happy and love taking pictures. Mom and Dad’s house is full of them. This is just the overflow. Shortly after I moved in here with Harry, Heathe found boxes of pictures in their attic and brought them over here since they didn’t have any place to hang them there.” She touched the frame of a picture in which she sat on a couch, holding baby Heathe while Sue sat beside them. “Heathe was about four months old here. Mom and Dad had to fight me for him sometimes.”

“You guys are close, huh?”

Leanne smiled. “Yeah. Sort of like Harry and Mysti. They’ve always been best friends.”

“Seems like you and Harry are close, too.”

Leanne nodded. “We are, but it’s a little different.”

“How so?”

“Well, you know how it is with older siblings,” Leanne said. “Harry has always loved me and looked out for me, but he didn’t want his little sister tagging along.”

Lucas said, “Yeah. I was the same way with Alanna. She’s four years younger than me and would’ve ratted me out to my parents.”

Leanne grinned up at him. “And what kind of bad things did you do?”

He shrugged. “The usual stuff that young, dumb guys do. Drinking, parties, taking their parents’ cars for a joyride and sinking it in a lake.”

“You sank a car in a lake?”

Lucas’ wicked smile gave her a fluttery feeling in her chest. “I didn’t mean to, but when we pulled up to the lake, Malory Johnston got handsy, and I hit the gas instead of the brakes.”

Laughter burst from Leanne and Lucas laughed with her.

“What did you tell your parents when they asked what happened?”

Lucas’ grin widened. “That it was dark, and I didn’t see the lake.”

“You didn’t see the lake?” Leanne dissolved in a fit of giggles as she pictured a young Lucas trying to convince his parents that he had somehow missed seeing a large body of water right in front of the car.

“I was grounded for almost two months,” Lucas said, laughing. “After that, I never let a girl put her hands on me before I turned the car off.”

“I don’t blame you,” Leanne said, heading back to the kitchen.

Lucas followed her into the rustic yet modern room. Stainless steel appliances kept company with blond pinewood counters and exposed, natural beams ran across the ceiling. The scent of warm popcorn wafted in the air as Leanne took it out of the microwave and cut open the bag.

Leanne poured the popcorn into a bowl and drizzled melted butter over the fluffy snack. She got a tray out of one of the cupboards and put the bowl on it. “Soda, iced tea, or water?” she asked Lucas.

“Water, please. Still flushing my system of toxins, per Mysti’s orders,” he said. “She’s as thorough as any doctor. Made me promise to drink only water for two days and stay away from booze for at least a week so my system fully recovers.”

Leanne opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water and a can of diet soda. “Some people think she’s weird, but her abilities are real, and she helps a lot of people. I’m proud of her.”

“You should be,” Lucas said. “I wouldn’t have recovered so fast if she hadn’t helped me.”

Leanne sat the drinks on the tray and started leaving the kitchen. “I’d never take you for the type to believe in what she does.”

“I could say the same for you.” Lucas looked at the pictures in the hallway again as he followed her. “You and I are a lot alike. Driven and career focused. Most people wouldn’t suspect that we believe in holistic medicine.”

Entering the living room, Leanne sat the tray on the coffee table and asked, “Can you see well in the dark?”

Lucas gave her a confused look. “Yeah, why?”

“Because I didn’t know if I should wait until you sat down to turn the lights off,” she said.

“Turn the lights off?”

Her smile dazzled him. “You can’t watch scary movies with the lights on. Where’s the fun in that?”

Lucas crossed to the overstuff, green-and-cream plaid couch and sat down. “Horror movies? I thought we’d be watching chick flicks.”

“Watch chick flicks on your own time, Hart. The scarier, the better for me.” Leanne picked up the remote and turned on the big flat screen TV mounted on the wall opposite the couch. “Horror, action, and comedy, in that order.”

Wonder showed in Lucas’ expression. “I think I love you,” he said as she turned out the lamps.

Leanne ignored the way her heart skipped at his playful words as she plopped down on the couch beside him. “I’m not surprised. Men always fall in love with me over my entertainment preferences.” She sent him an impish smile and found the Netflix channel. “Have you seen The Conjuring 2?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“Good. Is it okay if we watch it?”

“Will you hold my hand if I get scared?” he asked.

Leanne giggled at the fearful look he affected. “Oh, yes. I’ll keep you safe, don’t worry.”

“I’m going to hold you to that.”

Finding the movie, Leanne hit the play button and grabbed the bowl of popcorn, which she placed between them. She let out an excited little squeal and popped a piece of popcorn into her mouth.