He was beginning to think this lunch hadn’t been such a bad idea, after all, when the situation took a sharp turn.
He looked up from his menu to find Rachel Jennings standing only a few feet away, staring at him with open consternation mirrored on her face.
RACHEL HAD NOT been particularly looking forward to having lunch with her uncle, but she’d felt obligated to accept when he called and extended the invitation. With the exception of her maternal grandmother, her father’s younger brother was her only other relative in Honoria.
Rachel had never been close to Sam—she wasn’t even particularly fond of him—but she saw no reason to avoid him entirely while she was in town. Once her grandmother moved to Carrollton, Rachel had no reason ever to return here. It might be years, if ever, before she would have occasion to see her uncle again.
They had agreed to meet at Cora’s Café, a long time landmark of old, downtown Honoria. The café was lavishly decorated for the holidays with colored lights, tinsel, wreaths and ornament-covered trees. As she entered, Rachel wished she could feel some measure of holiday spirit herself.
Sam hadn’t yet arrived when Rachel walked in. A slow-moving, kind-eyed waitress offered to show Rachel to a table for two, where she could wait comfortably. Rachel agreed.
She had gotten halfway across the busy room when she spotted Lucas sitting at a table with another man and a pretty blond woman. Rachel nearly stumbled.
Lucas looked up just as she saw him. Their gazes met and held. Rachel doubted her own expression was as unrevealing as Lucas’s, but she made a massive effort to mask her emotions. She would have to pass right by his table to reach her own.
The woman with Lucas seemed to sense the sudden tension. She turned her head, following the direction of his gaze. Her blue eyes focused on Rachel’s face, blankly at first, and then widened in apparent recognition.
Could this be Emily McBride? The shy, quiet little girl Rachel had seen occasionally from a distance while she and Lucas had been secretly involved? Emily had grown into a beautiful woman.
The waitress looked curiously over her shoulder, obviously wondering why Rachel had stopped. “This way, ma’am.”
Rachel drew a deep breath, and started forward again. She gestured to the waitress to indicate that she would seat herself in a moment. Something made her stop first at Lucas’s table. Maybe she just needed to prove to him—and to herself—that she could see him and speak to him without falling apart. “Hello, Lucas.”
Both men started to rise, but Rachel motioned for them to remain seated.
Lucas returned her greeting blandly, as if she were someone he hardly remembered. “Hello, Rachel. You remember my sister, Emily?”
Rachel nodded politely toward Emily. “We never formally met, but I remember. How are you, Emily?”
“I’m fine, thank you. This is my fiancé, Wade Davenport. Wade, this is Rachel Jennings. She’s Jenny Holder’s granddaughter.”
Wade nodded. “I’ve met Mrs. Holder on several occasions.”
“You’re the chief of police, I’ve heard.” Rachel extended her hand to the sleepy-eyed, roughly handsome man. “It’s nice to meet you, Chief.”
“Same here, Ms. Jennings. How is your grandmother? I understand she’s been ill.”
“Yes. Her health is getting too poor to allow her to live on her own much longer. I’m here to help her prepare to move to a retirement home in Carrollton.”
“She’ll be missed here. I know she has many friends in the community.”
“She’s lived here a long time.”
There was a short, slightly awkward pause, and then Emily spoke up. “Will you join us for lunch, Rachel?”
“Thank you, but I’m meeting my uncle for lunch.”
Emily’s smile faded. Lucas’s eyes darkened. Even Wade Davenport looked suddenly grim. It was obvious to Rachel that Sam Jennings wasn’t exactly popular with this group.
Feeling the need to say something else, Rachel offered tentatively, “I’ve heard that you and Chief Davenport are getting married soon, Emily. Congratulations to you both.”
“Thank you.” Emily seemed pleased by the polite overture. “We’ll be married New Year’s Eve.”
Rachel glanced at Lucas. “Did you come home for your sister’s wedding?”
There was another short, taut silence before Lucas shook his head. “I’m only here through Christmas. Emily’s wedding will proceed nicely without the black sheep of the family there to cause a scandal.”
Emily frowned, obviously displeased with Lucas’s decision.