“Yes, I know.” Katy laughed. “I have to admit, I can’t imagine Luke as an innkeeper.” She gave Iren n amused look. “Does he issue long lists of rules to his guests?”
At that moment, Irene spotted Luke coming toward her. He was accompanied by his father, Jason and Hackett.
“Let’s just say that checkout times are strictly enforced at Sunrise on the Lake Lodge,” she said.
She turned to watch the men approach. She had met Hackett and John earlier when she and Luke arrived. She had also had a chance to greet Jason. But this was the first time she had seen all four of the Danner men grouped closely together. Each was impressive in his own right, but taken en masse and dressed in hand-tailored tuxes they were enough to make any woman sit up and take notice.
All three of John Danner’s sons had their father’s bird-of-prey eyes, but aside from that feature, ther as little resemblance. It was obvious that Hackett and Jason owed their good-looking, aristocratic features to Vicki.
The men came to a halt. Irene noticed that Hackett looked first at Katy. The pair exchanged a silent message. Katy’s gaze slid away first. Irene thought she saw a melancholy shadow cross her pretty features.
“I can’t believe another year has slipped past.” John took Vicki’s hand and threaded her fingers through his own. He smiled down at her. “Where does the time go?”
“Don’t pay any attention to the Old Man,” Jason said to Irene. “He says that every year.”
“That’s because it’s true every year.” John dropped a light, affectionate kiss on Vicki’s cheek. “But a east these damn birthday parties give me an excuse to dance with the most beautiful woman in the world.”
Vicki’s expression softened. She loves him, Irene thought. And he loves her. Mom [_and Dad used to _]
look at each other that way.
“You aren’t growing older,” Vicki said lightly. “You’re just getting more distinguished.”
“Could have fooled me,” Jason said. He scrutinized his father closely. “Sure looks old.”
“Old and sneaky beats young and smart-mouthed every time,” John warned.
“There you all are.” Gordon Foote hurried across the terrace to take Katy’s arm.
“The cake is abou o be set afire, and the musicians are ready for the waltz. Better get moving, folks.”
John, with Vicki by his side, started toward the reception room. But he paused to look back at Luke.
“By the way,” he said, “I meant to tell you earlier that Hackett, Jason, Gordon and I have made arrangements for you to join us for breakfast at The Vineyard before you leave town tomorrow. You know the restaurant. It’s right across from the inn.
They’ve reserved the private room for us.”
Irene tensed. Luke’s father had issued the invitation a little too casually, she thought.
There was a false quality in the words that set her nerves on edge. She glanced at Luke, curious about his reaction.
“Irene and I had planned to get an early start,” he said, evidently oblivious.
“No problem,” John assured him. “We’ll eat early.”
“I think that sounds like an excellent idea,” Vicki said with a sudden show of determined enthusiasm. “Katy and I will take Irene to breakfast in the main section of the restaurant while the five of you get together in the private room. It will give you men a chance to spend some quality time together.”
“You gotta eat in the morning, anyway,” Jason reminded Luke cheerfully. “You know how you ar bout breakfast.”
“Might as well have it with us before you take off,” Hackett added.
Luke shrugged. “If you don’t mind, Irene?”
“Don’t worry about me,” she said quickly. Whatever was going on here, it was a family matter. Th mart thing to do was stay out of it.
“We’ll take good care of her,” Vicki assured Luke. “Won’t we, Katy?”
“Yes, of course.” Katy smiled. “Great idea.”
“Thanks,” Irene said, feeling her way.
“That’s settled, then.” John drew Vicki forward again. “Ready, my dear?”
She gripped his arm very tightly. “Yes.”
He guided her toward the open French doors. Gordon, Katy, Hackett and Jason followed swiftly.
Irene found herself alone with Luke. Together they watched the small group disappear into the reception room.
“What was that all about?” she asked.
“Damned if I know. Guess I’ll find out in the morning. Can’t be too bad if it includes breakfast.”
“Seriously, Luke.”
“Seriously? Got a hunch that tomorrow morning at breakfast I will receive yet another offer I can’ efuse to come back to the family business.”
She relaxed slightly. “That sounds plausible. Your family is genuinely worried about you, Luke.”
“I know, but there’s not much I can do about that.” He took her hand. “So, what do you say we ea ome cake, drink more wine and dance, instead?”
“Sounds like a plan.”
Thirty
A long time later Luke followed Irene through the doorway of the inn room. He gave the space a quick, assessing survey. Before leaving earlier, Irene had left lights burning in both the bedroom and the bath. She had also plugged night-lights into two wall sockets, one in each room. He saw her relax ever so subtly when she had satisfied herself that the place was still fully illuminated.
“I thought that went rather well, all things considered,” Irene said, sinking down on the edge of the bed. “But I’ve got some questions for you.”
He watched her bend down to unfasten her sexy, black, high-heeled sandals. The intimacy of th ituation filled him with a head-spinning heat. This was right, he thought. Coming back here together, watching her undress, it all felt right.
“What kind of questions?” he asked, peeling off the tux jacket.
“For starters, what’s going on between Hackett and Katy?”
That stopped him cold. “Hackett and Katy?”
“Is there a problem there?”
“Not that I know of.” He stopped in front of the mirror and loosened his tie. “What makes you thin here might be?”
She straightened and met his eyes in the mirror. “Something about the way your brother kept watching her all evening. And the way she acted whenever he was close to her. I sensed some tension there.”