“It’s going to start out with no touching until I’m no longer married. And until you realize that I’m not like your father.”
“What?”
“You said I was like your father.”
“I know,” Joce said, and she stood up straighter, no longer leaning toward him. “But—”
“No buts. We’ll start over. So what devious plan did you and Gramps come up with to get me to do what he wants me to do?”
“First, you have to take golf lessons,” she said as she put a huge helping of pot roast and vegetables on a plate and served it to him.
“What?” Luke asked in horror.
“Just a few. Twenty or so, then he’ll give us the second part of the story.”
“And what do you have to do?”
“Pass muster of all your many relatives, make the town believe I’m worthy of a house they think is theirs, live up to comparisons of Miss Edi, be—”
“Okay, I get the idea. How are you doing so far?”
“What do you think?”
He gave her a look of such lust that Jocelyn could feel her hair roots becoming warm.
“What’s going on in here?” Tess asked from the doorway. “You two planning on giving Sara a run for her money? Watch out for carpet burns and splinters.”
“Are you talking about what I think you are?” Luke asked, sounding very prudish.
“Whatever fits your imagination,” Tess said as she smiled at Jocelyn.
“Do you need the kitchen?” Joce asked. Luke was halfway through the plate of food.
“No,” Tess said, “I came by to deliver a gift to the two of you.”
“So who knows we’re in my kitchen together?” Joce asked.
“Everyone who saw Luke drive his truck down Edilean Road heading for here knows.”
“Which means the entire town,” Luke said, but he seemed to expect it.
“So what’s the gift?” Joce asked.
“Oh, yeah.” Tess stepped back into the hallway for a moment, then returned with a big picnic basket with a bow on the handle.
“Did you and Jim do that?” Joce asked, smiling.
“Why would we?” Tess asked.
“Because you two use her kitchen, dumping all the expenses onto Joce, but you and that tightwad father of mine keep all the profits.”
“Oh, that,” Tess said as she shrugged. “But, no, it’s from Dr. Dave.” She put her hand on the back of Luke’s chair. “So how come Jim and his father-in-law can’t stand each other? Jim is so sweet. I can’t understand—” Pausing, she patted Luke’s back. “Are you all right?”
“No one’s ever called his father ‘sweet’ before,” Jocelyn said. “Luke and his mother team up against the dear man.”
Luke groaned as he kept eating. “My grandfather—”
In the next second, Luke and Jocelyn looked at each other, their eyes wide as it hit them who had sent the picnic basket. Instantly, they made a dash toward Tess. Luke got up so fast the chair fell backward and hit the floor.