Book 3 Ready for Love #2
The entire next day, she debates whether to go and decides she really wants to.
Over dinner, they discuss whether he’s happy and if he’d ever consider living somewhere else.
He says he’s content and living elsewhere would depend on who’s asking him to relocate.
After dinner, they walk on the beach, where they used to escape to have sex.
They talk about his mom, who died too young, and how he never regretted staying on the island to care for her and about whether she’d want more kids.
She’s not sure she could handle the worry of losing them, too.
They take his rowboat out to go stargazing like they used to as kids.
They make out in the boat and go back to his house.
He’s the only man who’s ever made her weak in the knees.
She’s not ready for more. “We have the rest of the summer,” he says.
Sydney goes to Maddie’s with Buddy, who’s sad when he meets Thomas because he reminds him of Max. They talk about how much she loved Seth, but Luke has always been different, the one who got away.
“I used to think my feelings for Luke took on such mythic proportions because everything about our relationship was new and exciting and a bit forbidden.”
“And now?”
“I’m not so sure it was any of those things. Seeing him again, I’ve begun to realize it was us. That what we had was that special thing they write about, but I was too young and stupid to know it at the time.”
Maddie reaches across the counter to squeeze Sydney’s hand. “Oh, Syd.”
“I walked away from him like he meant nothing to me. How could I have done that to him, Maddie? It ruined him. I ruined him.”
“If he wasn’t capable of getting past that, I doubt he would’ve been looking at you the other night like he wanted to take you home and keep you in bed for the next year.”
“Sometimes I wonder if it’s the comfort. Am I attracted to him—again—because it’s comfortable? Because I know he won’t crush me? Or is it more than that?”
“You thought about him for seventeen years. That has to count for something.”
“True.”
“Don’t overanalyze it. Just enjoy it. After all you’ve been through, you deserve some joy. If being with Luke brings you joy, there’s nothing wrong with that.”
Being with Luke had always brought her joy.
She tells Maddie she has to be home in Massachusetts on September 5 for the sentencing hearing for the drunk driver who killed her family.
At the marina, Luke cleans his truck, and Big Mac asks if he’s being careful with Sydney, recalling how devastated Luke was the last time she left and didn’t come back.
“I don’t want to see that happen again.”
“It won’t,” Luke says with more confidence than he feels. He’ll do whatever he can to make sure it doesn’t.
“She’s been through an awful thing. People come out the other side of something like that changed.”
“I can’t see how it wouldn’t change a person.”
“See to it she doesn’t use you to put the pieces back together and then move on like she did last time.”
“Now wait just a second—”
Big Mac held up a huge hand. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to overstep.”
“You didn’t. You can’t overstep with me.
You know that.” Luke drops the rag and rests his hands on his hips, fighting a range of emotions, including anger, fear and a bit of despair.
“I hear what you’re saying, and I appreciate why you’re saying it.
” Luke pauses, takes a moment to get himself together, and then looks up at the man who means the world to him.
“Am I a chump for giving her another chance?”
“Nah,” Big Mac scoffs. “You’re only a chump if you ignore the handwriting on the wall telling you history is about to repeat itself.”
When Luke picks Sydney up for dinner, they’re immediately drawn to each other again and have to remind themselves they’re going to dinner.
“Syd…”
“Yes?”
He had to know. He needed to know. “Do you feel it, too?”
Her breath seemed to catch in her throat as she looked at him. “Feel what?”
“Everything.” How else to put it?
She ran her fingers over his jaw. “Yes.”
Overcome with relief that he wasn’t in this alone, Luke gazes into her eyes. “I’m worried we’re moving too fast.”
“We probably are.”
“So, we should—”
“Enjoy it.” She kisses him. “We should enjoy it.”
“For how long?” He hates that he needs to ask.
“I don’t know the answer to that. I wish I did, but all I can give you is right now. I’d understand if that wasn’t enough—”
Luke kisses the words off her lips. “Do you promise you’ll talk to me about your plans? That you won’t leave me out of it?”
“The way I did before.”
“I’d rather not go through that again.”
“I promise I’ll talk to you.”
He twirls a lock of strawberry-blonde hair around his finger. “Then it’s enough. For now.”
“Most guys never would’ve given me a second chance.”
“I’m not most guys.”
“Believe me, I know that. Why did you give me another chance?”
Continuing to play with the strand of hair, he shrugs. “I’ve never felt everything with anyone else.”
They’re driving to the restaurant when they nearly have a head-on collision with a car coming the other way.
Sydney is immediately transported back to the worst moment of her life and is so traumatized that Luke is scared.
He calls Mac to come and help him get her home to his house.
Mac then goes to retrieve Buddy from her house and brings him to Luke’s.
He and Mac have become good friends since Big Mac made them partners in the marina.
After she sleeps for a while, Sydney tells Luke about the accident that took her family and introduces him to the loved ones she lost. She wants to make love, but he wants to wait until it’s about them.
Tonight is about the family she lost. He convinces her to stay with him and let him take care of her.
Her parents call, freaking out because they couldn’t reach her, and Syd says she understands why they hover after the accident, but it’s tough to deal with sometimes.
After a trip to the beach with Buddy, they go back to Luke’s house and make love all afternoon.
Maddie calls to invite them to the Tiki Bar to see Owen Lawry perform.
Before they go, she tells Luke she can’t have more kids naturally because she had her tubes tied after Malena was born.
They have a great time out at the Tiki Bar.
Sydney is taken back to Seth when Owen Lawry plays his favorite song, “Southern Cross.” Ned warns Luke to be careful with Syd, and Luke encourages Ned to take another chance with his former love.
Grant McCarthy shows up, home for Janey’s wedding.
He’s upset that his ex, Abby, is engaged to Cal Maitland, the island’s doctor.
Sydney is going to decorate the nursery for Maddie’s baby, and Luke says she can redecorate his place, too, which is all part of his plan to get her to stay forever.
They come home to find Buddy in distress and rush him to the vet clinic.
Janey is minding the clinic this week while Doc Potter is off-island at his niece’s wedding.
Buddy needs emergency surgery to remove a blockage from his intestines, and Janey is the only one who can do it.
She asks Dr. Cal Maitland to assist. Sydney is cold and remote to Luke while Buddy is in surgery, and that hurts him.
She doesn’t want him to see her undone again after the incident the night before.
He figures that out and goes back to comfort her.
“Syd. Let me in. I know you’re upset. You don’t need to be alone.”
Riveted by his voice, she can’t bring herself to move.
“Come on, baby. Let me in.”
Tears cascade down her face.
“Sydney.” His voice is so soft, so tender.
“I’m not leaving you alone. I figured out about two seconds after you walked away that you were on the verge of a meltdown and didn’t want me to see you that way again.
But I’m not going anywhere. You can melt down every day if you need to. I’ll be right here with you.”
Sobs hiccup through her, one right after the other. Suddenly, she’s on her feet, opening the door. Braced in the doorway, arms over his head, his tall frame takes up most of the space. He scoops her up with one arm and carries her into the house.
“Hold on,” he whispers. “Hold on to me.”
Sydney wraps her arms and legs around him and buries her face in his neck, comforted by his familiar scent.
He lowers them into a big easy chair, settling her on his lap. “It’s okay, baby. Get it all out. I know how scared you must’ve been all night long. I was scared, too. Buddy is such a good boy, and he’s been right by your side when you needed him most.”
All the fear and dread and worry about Buddy melds with the ongoing grief she lives with every minute of every day, making her feel weak and defeated.
She’s tried so hard to put her life together again, but two frightening episodes have set her back.
Luke and Sydney fall asleep at her house while Buddy recovers at the clinic.
Grant is trying to figure out how to approach Abby after their bi-coastal, ten-year relationship fizzled.
He’s devastated that she’s engaged to someone else.
While he’s at her store trying to get her to talk to him, Cal comes in.
She introduces Grant as her old friend. He’s the love of her life, and he’s determined to make her see that.
He tells her he’s back home for as long as it takes to fix this.
Sydney and Luke are asleep when her parents come home.
Her mom sees them in bed together. After saying hello to her parents, who are less than thrilled to see her with Luke, he leaves.
She stands up to her parents and their disapproval of Luke, packs a bag and leaves to check on Buddy before going back to Luke’s.