Linda Style - Husband and Wife Reunion

Luke nodded. “I can understand that.” He remembered the strife between Julianna’s sister, the yuppie, and her mother. Julianna on the other hand, had been Starr’s protégée.

Jules’s mother and her ability to suck her daughter into her causes had been another sticking point in Luke and Julianna’s relationship.

“Unfortunately, my sister’s far away from me, as well. I rarely see Ally and Devon, my niece and nephew.”

Julianna would miss that. She’d always loved children. They both did, and he’d been deeply disappointed when she refused to have another child after Michael. He was surprised that she hadn’t married again. He wanted to ask her about it but didn’t want to open old wounds for either of them.

“Kinda the way Luke thinks, too,” Abe said. “Wants to be as far away as possible.”

Luke shoved his plate away and leaned back in the chair. “I moved because I was given an opportunity. You didn’t want Grandpa’s house, remember? That’s why he gave it to me.” Even though the house on one of the much desired canals in Venice Beach was worth double what the ranch was at the time, his father had turned it down, refused to move to California. Luke suspected Abe didn’t want to be beholden to his father-in-law in any way. That and the fact Gramps never thought Abe was good enough for his only child and wasn’t afraid to say so.

“You can come out and stay with me any time you want.”

“And who would take care of things here?”

“Hire someone. You need help anyway. Then you can come and go as you please.”

Abe shoved his chair back and rose to his feet. “I’m not going anywhere and no stranger is going to come in here and take over. Now let’s get to work.”

Julianna stood and began clearing the dishes. “So, get out of here, you two. I’ve got to write.”

That figured. She was just as intense about her work as he was, only she’d never seen it that way. “What kind of a story are you working on?”

Her brown eyes expanded. “Uh, just a series. I do an installment once a month.”

Gazing at her, he barely heard a word. He’d forgotten how pretty her eyes were. Big brandy-colored pools that drew him in, made him want to get closer.

But her evasiveness put things in perspective. In the past, when he’d asked about what she was writing, she’d couldn’t wait to share her ideas. Now, it was obvious she didn’t want him to know.

Why should she? She hadn’t wanted to share anything in her life for five years. Maybe she was sharing those things with someone else now? For all he knew, she could have a live-in lover.

“What’s the series about?”

She looked at Abe.

“We need to get cracking,” Abe said. “We’re wastin’ sunlight. You can chitchat later.”

The lines around Julianna’s mouth softened, apparently relieved that Abe had ended the conversation.

And that made him even more curious. Okay. He’d play along. For a while. “I’m with you, Pops. Just let me grab a shirt and a hat.”

In the hallway on the way to his room, Luke’s cell phone rang. He recognized his partner’s number. “Yeah.”

“Luke, it’s Jordan.”

“Hey, bud. What’s going down?”

“I wondered if you heard from the boss?”

Luke shifted the phone to the other ear while he pulled on a faded denim shirt. “I did.”

“Did he tell you it’s the chief who’s pushing to take you off the Thorpe case? I heard Carlyle told him to stuff it, in so many words, but—”

“I talked to him. It’s no big deal. I can’t leave here yet anyway. My father isn’t well and I’ve got to get him some help.”

“Bring him here. California has some of the best physicians in the world.”

“Great idea, but he’s dug in. He’ll never leave. And…he has a guest.”

“A guest?”

Luke hesitated. “Julianna.”

Jordan let out a long blow of air. “Whoa. That’s a surprise.”

“You telling me.”

“What’s she doing there?”

“I don’t know, but I’m going to find out before I come back.”

“When’s that?”

“Tomorrow or the next day for sure.” Luke started walking back to the kitchen to catch up with his dad.

“Okay. Let me know.” Jordan was one of Luke’s best friends, and also one of the finest detectives in the Robbery Homicide Division. While Luke often operated without a partner, he’d worked with Jordan on several cases recently.

“I’ll call you when I get back.”

“Good.”

“How’s the better half?” Luke asked.

“Laura’s great. Today she hired someone to stay nights at the shelter for her so she and Caitlin can move into my place after the wedding. Don’t forget, you’ve got a job next month.”

Luke smiled. Jordan could’ve picked any one of their friends to be best man, Rico or even Tex. But he’d asked Luke. “Not for a second.”

As he reached the kitchen doorway, Luke said goodbye and clicked off. Julianna stood only inches away and gave him a knowing look. The one that said he couldn’t leave his job for more than five minutes. “That was Jordan. Remember him?”

Julianna’s eyes lit up. “Of course. How is he?”

“He’s getting married next month.”

Mouth open, Jules put a hand to her chest in surprise. “Really! I never thought that would happen.” She smiled, showing an expanse of even, white teeth and very kissable lips.

“I’m the best man.” Jules had always liked Jordan and for a time they’d all been really close.

“I’d be surprised if you weren’t.”

The pleased look in her eyes switched to wistfulness. Was she thinking of their wedding? She’d once said it was the happiest day of her life.

“Please give Jordan my best,” she said, and then hurried away.

She left him standing there, feeling as if one small moment from the past had somehow brought them closer. But then he could just as easily be misreading things. He did that a lot with Jules. Whenever he’d been sure he knew what she thought or wanted, she’d been on another wavelength altogether.

But there was no denying that something had passed between them. He just didn’t know what the hell it was.

He headed out the back door, glanced around for Abe, who was nowhere to be seen. The old reprobate had probably taken off without him. Luke strode to the barn. As he went inside, the familiar scents of hay and manure took him back to a time when he couldn’t have imagined ever leaving the ranch.

The mare was gone, but Balboa stood in his stall and nickered softly at Luke. When Abe had downsized, he’d kept two horses and five head of cattle, just enough to stay busy, but not too much to handle.

Luke talked softly to Balboa before saddling him up. “Hey, big guy. It’s been a while.” The golden palomino nuzzled him, apparently remembering they’d been inseparable once upon a time. He wished other parts of his life were that easy to resurrect.

He mounted the stallion and headed for the line, not having a clue where the fence was broken. He figured it was at Stella Hancock’s property line, otherwise Abe would have no reason to complain about her long-dead husband.

He sat straight in the saddle and took a quick breath of fresh mountain air, a nice change from the smog and gasoline fumes of downtown L.A. Even the salty ocean breezes at his home in Venice were a respite from the pollution that hung like an ochre cloud over the rest of the city.

Out here, he could breathe. The scent of piñon pine teased his senses, reminding him of a time when life was simple and uncomplicated, a time when the only thing he’d cared about was what he was going to do that day.

His mother’s sudden death when he was thirteen changed all that. She’d been the peacemaker, she’d held the family together. Clearly something he and his father had no desire to do once she was gone.