Read Online Back to Luke by Kathryn Shay - Free Book Online Page A

was flushed and the expression in her eyes was…fearful. “What do we have to say to each other, Jayne?”
    “I’m sorry if my being in town upsets you. And I know you can’t like me working at the Harmony Housing site.”
    Naomi’s face drained of color. “You’re working at the site?”
    “Y-you didn’t know?”
    “No, Jess didn’t tell me.” Her eyes filled. “Why are you here, Jayne? Why are you doing this to my family?”
    Her heart began to beat fast. “I…I’m having a difficult time—”
    “Are you so selfish to put your welfare above Jess’s?”
    That hurt, so she didn’t respond.
    Naomi wasn’t done. “You dig yourself into a professional hole and all of a sudden you’ve got to see Jess. You’re needy, Jayne, and seeking comfort. We all know who’ll be the one to give it, just like he did in college.”
    “You only think that because of the men in your family.” Feeling cornered, Jayne spoke without censoring her words.
    “Oh, my God, you know about that?”
    “Yes, and it’s colored your view of me and Jess.”
    “You bitch.”
    “That’s enough! ”
    Naomi stiffened at the sound of Jess’s voice. When Jayne looked over, she took a sharp breath. She’d never seen Jess so infuriated, not even when they were falsely accused of cutting corners in college.
    He said, “I have never done anything to dishonor you, Naomi.”
    “You’ve got to be kidding me.” Naomi’s voice rose a notch. “You tell this woman all my private business, and then you don’t tell me she’s working at the site. Is that honoring me?”
    “You can guess why I didn’t say anything. You’re behaving badly.”
    Naomi gasped.
    Jess nodded to Jayne. “I apologize for my wife.” He turned and went into the house.
    “Don’t you dare walk away from me, Jess Harper.” Naomi started after him. “I haven’t…” The rest trailed off when she disappeared through the French doors.
    Defeated, Jayne leaned her head against the porch post. Well, that was it. There was no way she could stay in Riverdale now.
     

    F ROM INSIDE his gazebo, Luke watched the scene unfold on Miss Ellie’s side porch and swore.
    “Don’t hold back, Luke.”
    Hell, he’d forgotten Elise was with him. Of course, he’d been tracking Jayne all night long. “I’m sorry. That was crude. I just can’t believe how much trouble one woman can cause.”
    Elise lifted a bare shoulder. “Eleanor doesn’t think so. Her face lights up every time she looks at…what’s her name?”
    “Plain Jayne.”
    With the confidence of a beautiful woman who wasn’t afraid to recognize others’ attractiveness, Elise laughed. “You need glasses if you think that.”
    Okay, so she was a knockout in the damn dress that bared her shoulders and upper chest. It made him drool and he imagined every other red-blooded man at the party was having the same reaction. Someone else approached her. Mick O’Malley. He gave her a big smile and held out his hand. Jayne shook it. Mick leaned in close, but Jayne’s back was to the post and Luke couldn’t see if she wanted to escape the pretty damn obvious invasion of her personal space. As he watched Mick, something came to him.
    The guy had resented the hell out of Luke all through their childhood and had never missed a chance to needle him. He wouldn’t choose Luke for his team in any kind of pickup game; he made up excuses why Luke couldn’t talk to Timmy when he called the O’Malley house. And, routinely, he went after girls that Luke showed an interest in. What was Mick thinking now? Maybe nothing. Maybe he was just fawning over a beautiful woman with all that exposed skin.
    The longer Luke watched them, the more it becameobvious that Mick was drunk. Again. Just like his father. Timmy had spent much of his time at the Corelli house because he and his brother lived in fear of Paddy O’Malley’s fists. Had they ever invited Mick to be part of that respite?
    “Who’s the guy with her?” Elise