Chapter 7

Sunday Night - Ellie

Itossed on a cream sweater and gray leggings and wandered down to the kitchen a little after eight. I was starving, but I'd waited a bit, hoping Meg and Jeremy would already be there so I wouldn't have to spend any more awkward moments alone with Luke. Ever since I'd ogled his bare chest, I felt like I probably shouldn't be alone in the same room with him. Despite whatever wining and dining he had in mind, I had every intention of refusing his kind offer of hiring me, and Meggie and I would be back on our way to Milwaukee tomorrow or the next day.

When I entered the enormous kitchen, it smelled fantastic, like some sort of indefinable spice. A woman I could only assume was Linda, the private chef, was puttering around the two stoves. I scanned the room, but otherwise it was empty.

The chef smiled at me. "Mr. Knightley should be back momentarily," she said. "Would you like a drink?"

Would I? Hell, yes. Especially if Meg wasn't here yet. "Yes, please. Linda, right?"

"That's right." She smiled at me. "What'll you have, Ms. Hoffman?"

Wow. They all really must have been briefed. "Call me, Ellie, please. And I'd love some red wine. A pinot noir, maybe?"

"Coming right up." She disappeared through a door off the kitchen that must lead to the wine room.

I wandered over to the expensive couches. It was chilly for an early June evening and a fire had been lit in the fireplace. Some candles that smelled like fresh jasmine and vanilla were burning on the table in between the seating area.

Linda came back a few moments later with the glass of dark-red wine in her hand. "Here you go."

"Thanks." I took the glass and sniffed. "Smells divine."

"Luke let me pick out all the wine myself. I was in heaven," Linda said with a wide smile.

"Ooh, that does sound like fun," I agreed. I wanted to ask what the wine-room budget had been but figured it would be wrong to put Linda on the spot like that. Besides, I could just ask Meg later. And there was something else I wanted to ask Linda. "What's it like working for Luke?"

"Oh, he's a wonderful boss," Linda replied immediately. "Really low-key and thoughtful."

The low-key part tracked but… "Thoughtful?"

"Yes." Her smile reached her eyes. She glanced around as if looking to make sure Luke wasn't nearby. "He might not like me telling you this, but he paid for my son's surgery."

All the air left my lungs. "What?"

Linda nodded. "Uh huh. My son, Gabriel, was in a car accident last winter. He broke his leg and needed surgery. Not only did Luke give me weeks off work— with pay—but when he found out Gabe didn't have insurance, Luke paid for the whole thing, and he made sure he got health insurance for all of the staff after that."

"Are you serious?" Why was this news so surprising to me?

Linda nodded. "And he let Gabe stay here while he was recuperating so that I could be nearby and take care of him. I've been a private chef for years, but no one has been that generous. Or that kind."

"Wow. That's really nice of him," I breathed more to myself than Linda.

Of course, I also wanted to ask Linda how many groupies spent the night here on a regular basis. Apparently, not just one night, but still. But even I felt that was crossing a line. Just as well because footsteps sounded in the corridor beyond the kitchen.

"Please don't tell him I told you anything," Linda said in a rushed whisper.

"My lips are sealed," I promised as she disappeared into the wine-room/pantry again.

When the footsteps entered the room, I turned, praying it was Meg.

No. Such. Luck. Luke strolled into the kitchen with Dolly at his side.

"Hey there." Luke was wearing a different pair of fitted jeans, and instead of a flannel, he had on a dark zip-up sweater with long sleeves and a high collar that hugged every single muscle on his chest. Damn. My mouth went dry. Where was that wine when you needed it?

I pressed my lips together and turned to stare at the fire. "Hey," I echoed. That had sounded nonchalant, hadn't it? Not at all like I'd just been gawking at his hotness.

Linda materialized from the pantry again to hand Luke what looked like a light beer in a tall, chilled glass before she made her way back to the stove. Luke thanked her.

"Have you seen Meg or Jeremy?" I asked Luke, still trying to sound casual, still staring at the fireplace and not the man.

"Yeah, um, about that." Luke cleared his throat.

"What?" I swiveled to face him; a mild panic set off in my chest.

Luke scratched the back of his head and winced. "They're not coming down for dinner tonight."

What? No! I would drag Meg down here if I had to. She wasn't leaving me alone with?—

"They're kinda…busy, if you know what I mean," Luke added.

I clamped my mouth shut. Oh, dang. Yes. Yes, I knew exactly what he meant. Meg and Jeremy hadn't seen each other in weeks, and apparently they weren't done saying, um, hello to each other. "I see," I said lamely. I couldn't be mad at my bestie for that.

"I'm having dinner sent up to them," Luke added.

Well, that was nice, and frankly, I wanted dinner sent up too, but I was already here. Would it be rude to ask if I could just?—?

"So, it's just you and me for dinner," Luke finished, expelling his breath.

I closed my eyes and clutched my wine glass, glad he was standing behind me. No problem. No problem. I could do this. I could have dinner alone with Luke, whose abs I'd ogled earlier and who was suddenly seeming very hot to me and not at all annoying.

"Shall we?" He pointed toward the French doors that led out to the patio.

I took a big gulp of wine, stood, and trotted outside in front of him. In the darkness, the paved patio looked like a scene out of a movie. A cozy table with a draped white tablecloth was set with twinkling candles, a fire crackled in the outdoor fireplace nearby, and gorgeous white roses sat in a crystal vase between two sets of white plates.

"Uh, this seems romantic," I blurted before realizing I'd said it out loud.

"I'm sorry," Luke said from behind me. "I thought Meg and Remington would be here too. But Linda already removed their place settings."

"Of course, of course." It's not romantic, Ellie, you big idiot. Rich people just have nice things.

But when Luke pulled out the big comfy chair for me using his right arm, I couldn't help but still feel as if it was a little date-y.

I took another gulp before setting my wine glass on the table in front of me. It might have been chilly, but the nearby fire was bolstered by two tall chrome outdoor heaters like the ones they have at fancy restaurants, so I was nice and toasty.

Dolly curled up in front of the fireplace and closed her eyes.

"It's beautiful here," I said as the scent of jasmine from the candles reached my nose.

"Far cry from Twin Valley Mobile Home Park, eh?" Luke said with a chuckle.

I nodded. It really was a far cry from Twin Valley with its broken-down cars and some homes that had more stuff on the outside than inside. I leveled my gaze on him. Our eyes met. "You know it's amazing what you've accomplished, Luke. Truly."

He pressed his lips together and gave one quick shake of his head. "I'm just a guy who got lucky."

"No, really. I've heard your album. It's good. It's really good."

His brows shot up. "You listened to my album?"

"Of course I did. That song, Summer Nights, is my favorite, I think." I didn't think. I knew. But I wasn't about to tell him that.

The look on his face was a boyish mixture of pride and shyness. I'd never seen him look like that before. Shy wasn't a thing with Luke. "I like that one too. I wrote it a long time ago."

That was interesting. "How long?"

He took a swig from his glass and stared up at the night sky. "Let's see. Seems like before I left for college. Of course I tweaked it a little since then and, well, it's amazing what these professional producers can do with a little old song a kid wrote back in the day."

"It's really pretty," I said quietly. And I meant it. I may have listened to it on repeat a few hundred times. No big deal, right?

He opened his mouth to say something else, but one of the French doors swung open and Linda came out with the first course. I nearly squealed when I saw what it was—a perfect arugula salad with grated parmesan, Roma tomatoes, and candied pecans. All the ingredients of my favorite salad ever.

I shook out the white linen napkin and dropped it on my lap. More than ready to dig in. As expected, every bite was delicious, especially the vinaigrette. I made a mental note to ask Linda for the recipe. Did fancy private chefs share recipes? I hoped so.

"Do you eat like this every night?" I finally asked after I'd practically devoured half the salad.

Luke smiled and shook his head. "No. Usually Linda just leaves plates for me to heat up. I only ask her to stay when I have guests."

"Ah." I nodded as if it was a perfectly normal thing to be discussing someone's personal chef. I liked to cook, but having someone just set a plate full of deliciousness in front of your face was definitely nice. No two ways about it.

The next course was blackened salmon with mushroom risotto and crispy brussels sprouts. This time I think I did squeal. "I absolutely love blackened salmon. It's my favorite."

"I know," Luke said, raising his beer glass to me and giving me another wink that made my belly flip in that way I didn't want to think about.

I steadfastly ignored it and blinked instead. "You know?" Had he known about the salad too?

"Yep. I may have done some research on you via my sister."

"Really?" Well, that was surprising. This food was no coincidence? "What else did you learn?"

He leaned back in his seat and grinned at me. "Let's see. Your favorite color is periwinkle blue. Which is why I kicked Remington out of the guest room you're in."

I stared at him, and my mouth formed a little O. It was true. The guest room I was in was decorated with my favorite color, including the bedding. I'd assumed it was a coincidence. Now I knew better. And I really needed to stop assuming things here. "Wow. Trying to impress me, I see. Though Jeremy could have kept the room. I'm happy anywhere."

"Anywhere?" Luke gave me a skeptical look.

I shrugged, taking a bite of my salmon. It was flaky and delicious, and the blackening was next level. Another mental note to ask Linda what she'd done. I suspected maple syrup was involved somehow. "Anywhere within reason."

"So not high maintenance, then?" Luke asked with a chuckle.

I scowled at him. "I hate that term. It's always used to denigrate women. I mean, men are never called ‘high maintenance.' What does it even mean? I?—"

His ear-to-ear grin told me he'd known his comment would provoke my exact response. I shook my head. "You're teasing me again."

He nodded. "Much like Meg, you're easy to tease on certain subjects."

Meg and I were both feminists. This wasn't the first time Luke had tried to tease us. "So, you're not a chauvinist jerk, then?" I took another sip of wine.

He chuckled. "Of course not. Why would you think that?"

I shrugged. "According to Meg, you're a feminist too, but I'd always assumed anyone who went through women like you do didn't have much respect for the ladies."

"That really hurts," he said, sounding completely serious. "I'm horrible at relationships, that's for sure. But it's not because I don't respect women. In fact, I'd say it's the opposite."

I frowned again. "The opposite? What do you mean by that?" Was this some sort of player bullshit that only made sense to them? Like breaking a string of hearts was somehow good for the poor women involved?

Luke took a bite of his risotto. "I mean I never lie to the women I date. They know what they're getting into. I'm not looking for a commitment. Just a little fun. As long as they are too, there are no hurt feelings at the end of it."

"Okay, fine. How's that worked out for you?" I asked, not at all sure why his words made me feel so freakin' defensive.

He shrugged. "Sometimes it's been great. Other times…not so much."

I speared a brussels sprout with my fork. Why was Vance's dumb face dancing around my head? "Maybe I just heard the stories about the not-so-great times."

Luke poked his tongue into his cheek and took a sip from his beer glass. "You think I'm a big player, don't you, Ellie?"

I waved my brussels sprout-laden fork in the air. "Am I wrong?" Okay, that had sounded more accusatory than I'd meant it to.

Luke tilted his head from side to side as if weighing the argument. "I guess I can understand why I've garnered that reputation."

"I think you're forgetting that Meg and I have both seen women show up to her door begging her to tell you they'd stopped by while you've hidden in the kitchen."

Luke winced. "Okay, guilty. I've definitely done that a time or two. But I've always broken up with them face-to-face, and I've never lied to them. Is it my fault that some of them don't want to break up at the same time I do?"

"I guess not," I allowed, finally eating the brussels sprout I'd been waving around. I mean, he had some point. Vance, the other big player I'd known, had lied. And cheated. And I'd been the one forced to break up with him, and he'd never apologized. Luke, if he was telling the truth about how honest he was with the women he dated, hadn't done those things. And for some reason, I did believe Luke. He had no reason to lie to me of all people. It's not like he was trying to get in my pants. Hmm. Why did that thought make me a little wistful? Nope. Nope. No wist. No wist!

"Good," Luke said, setting down his glass and lightly thumping his right hand on the table. "Now that that's settled. What do you think?"

I frowned. "Of what?"

"Of taking the job? Of staying here for the next few weeks while my arm heals?"

Oh, I guess the wining and dining portion of the evening had commenced, hadn't it? There had been arugula and salmon and red wine. I tucked my hair behind my ear and pushed my to-die-for-creamy risotto around my plate for a few seconds. Okay, well, I was prepared with my response. I had been since before I'd stepped off the plane earlier.

"Look, I don't want this to get too awkward. It's been nice to see you and I'm happy for your success, I really am, but I don't want you to go to any more trouble trying to convince me to stay because I honestly can't take the job."

His eyes narrowed and he cocked his head. "Why not?"

I shifted in my seat. If I'd been hoping he'd just assume I had my reasons and didn't intend to ask probing questions, I'd been wrong. Frick.

"For one thing, I'm a nurse practitioner, not a home health care nurse. It's just not what I do." There. That was a good reason, wasn't it?

"But you're not working anywhere right now, and you're qualified?"

"Yes," I answered, nodding. "I don't start my new job at Milwaukee General until the fall. But this summer I'm doing volunteer work at the Children's Hospital. I'm planning the gala ball to raise money for the new children's wing and?—"

"I get it. You planned to be home enjoying the summer and doing your charity work. I swear this position won't interfere with that. You can make all your phone calls and do whatever you need to from here. All you have to do is check my arm and the wound every day and fill out some quick paperwork for the insurance company. I promise."

"But I can't stay here. I'll need to go to the event space sometimes. In Milwaukee." There. That was an even better reason. Case closed.

"The jet will be at your disposal."

I scratched my cheek. Not gonna lie. That sentence was kinda sexy. And the idea of having a private jet at my disposal was downright fun. But still. I took a deep breath, narrowed my eyes on him, and asked the real question I'd been dying to know. "I don't get it. You could hire anyone. Why is it so important you get me?"

Luke's Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed, and his gaze shifted to his plate. Oh, no. He was about to get real. The jovial, joking, never-serious Luke disappeared and when his gaze moved back up to mine, super serious Luke was in his place. My heart thumped. I'd never met this Luke. I didn't know how to act around this Luke. I started sweating.

"The truth is, Ellie, I don't know who I can trust right now."

If you would have told me five minutes ago that Luke Knightley—Mr. Player, Mr. Life-of-the-Party, Mr. Guitar-Playing Charmer—was about to be real with me and admit to a frailty, I would have called you a damn liar…five minutes ago. But this was now, and Luke was dead serious, and he'd just been as vulnerable as I'd ever seen him.

It made me squirm in my seat, but it also made me remember the kid I used to know and how he'd hang around the playground long after his friends had left on their bikes to go do their thing to ensure that Meg and I made it home safe. Or the teenaged boy who threatened Meg's high school boyfriend who cheated on her with bodily harm if the jackass ever spoke to her again. This was the big brother Luke, the real flesh and blood man who loved his sister as much as I did and who I knew respected me because of my bond with her. He may have given me hell for years, but he had a human side. Just damn him for showing it to me when I was trying to turn him down.

"I understand, Luke. Meg told me what happened with the last nurse, but?—"

"You don't know what it's like, Ellie. Not being able to trust anyone."

Oh, goddess. Why did his voice have to sound so damn believable? I mean, I didn't think he was lying. Not for a minute. But he was actively making me feel sorry for him. A dude who lived in a mansion with a private chef and a potential safe room.

"I get it," I said solemnly, nodding. "You're still adjusting to your new life. It must be difficult." I reached across the table and covered his hand with mine. I had only been trying to show him that I believed him and that I cared, but the moment our skin touched, a jolt of electricity shot up my arm. Did he feel it too? I quickly pulled my hand away. No touching. There would be no more touching.

Luke blinked at me, and those frickin' blue eyes pulled my stomach up into my throat.

"Look," he said. "I know I could hire some random nurse, but I want someone I don't have to wonder about. Someone I don't have to ask to sign an NDA, you know?"

I frowned and turned my head to the side. No. I didn't know. "What's an NDA?"

He sighed. "Non-disclosure agreement. Just one of the crazy things I've been introduced to over the last several months. I have to get people who get near me to sign something saying they won't share intimate details about me and my life on the internet or sell the story to some tabloid magazine or website. It's a real treat, let me tell you."

I winced. "Ugh. That sounds awful."

He nodded. "It really is. Don't get me wrong. Of course I asked for this fame. I know that. And it comes with some great perks. I mean, you've seen my toilet." He grinned.

I had to laugh at that. Great. In addition to being hot, Luke was also funny.

"But I didn't really ever think about things like NDAs," he continued, "and I never thought I'd have to worry about someone invading my privacy from inside my own home."

Frick. I felt for him. I really did. It didn't matter that he was rich, famous, and ridiculously good-looking. It had to be difficult for him to feel as if everyone was watching him and trying to cash in. But it didn't mean I needed to be the one to nurse him. I still had some serious doubts about my own inability not to ogle him, for goddess's sake.

He must have seen the reluctance on my face. "I'll pay you triple your normal rate," he added, leaning toward me and grinning.

Frick. He wasn't going to make it easy, was he? Did he know about my student loans? But he couldn't buy me. I needed to make that clear. "I appreciate that. I really do. But it's not about the money. Look, I have some friends in home health care. I could call one of them. I'm sure I can find someone who will do it. And I can personally guarantee they'll be trustworthy. How about that?"

He had to see reason. That was the best deal I could possibly offer him. I couldn't spend the month with him. Not with him being nice to me. Not with him being so hot. Not after seeing his six-pack and learning he read books like War and Peace and built a dog guest room and didn't believe in one-night stands. It just felt…dangerous. Especially, with my penchant for being attracted to hot players. Like Vance. Luke was exactly like Vance, only with a recording contract. And maybe a bit more couth.

Hot. Check. Cocky. Check. Charming. Check. My track record was no good. I had to get out of this situation. Pronto.

Luke took a deep breath and braced his right arm along the tabletop. He leaned toward me and stared into my eyes, which was more than disconcerting. "You're going to make me beg, aren't you?"

Oh, no. Why did that sound hotter than I'm sure he meant it? Frick. I was lusting after a potential patient. A guy with a shoulder wound and a broken arm. That was crazy enough. And the fact that he was Meg's brother, and my young-adulthood nemesis, was double-crazy. I needed to get back to Milwaukee ASAP. I'd find him a good, trustworthy nurse. One who didn't want to jump him. Only that seemed like a tall order too. Ugh. It didn't matter. I'd find someone. I just had to get out of this right now. "No, no, I?—"

"Look, Ellie. You and I may have had our squabbles in the past, but I really, really need your help. I trust you, and I only trust a few people right now."

Frick. Frick. Frick. Why did he have to look so sincere? Stay strong, Ellie. Stay strong. I had one last card up my sleeve. Time to play it. "I have to be in Milwaukee on Thursdays to visit Mindy. She's the little girl from my charity in the Oncology ward and?—"

Luke sat back in his chair and eyed me carefully. "You mentioned that before. Exactly how much are you trying to raise for your children's hospital?"

Warning bells sounded in my brain. "Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars?" I almost asked "why?" but I wasn't that brave.

"If you'll stay with me for the month, I'll donate all of it."

Oh, wow. There it was. I reached for my wineglass, needing to take a drink to calm my nerves, and nearly knocked over the glass in my excitement.

"I can tell you won't do this for yourself," Luke continued. "Will you do it for the children?"

I scrunched up my nose and narrowed my eyes at him. "Are you serious right now?"

He nodded once. "Entirely serious. I'll donate the entire amount, which means whatever else people donate will be extra."

My eyes remained narrowed. "Why are you that set on having me here?"

"I told you. I don't trust anyone. Plus, it feels good to give to charity. I need to do more of it now that I've got stupid money. It's a win-win. And you can use the jet to go back to Milwaukee on Thursdays to see Mindy."

Okay. It was sweet that he remembered her name. But I wasn't about to have that kind of a carbon footprint. If I agreed to stay here, Mindy and I could do video calls. I took a deep breath and stared at my plate. Was I seriously contemplating saying yes to this? I met his gaze one more time. "You'd seriously donate that much to the children's hospital?"

He stood and dropped his napkin to his seat. "Look, I'll donate the money whether you agree or not. I'm asking you to stay with me. As a friend. Sleep on it."