Page 79 of Perfectly Matched: Harbor Falls Romance Collection

They made it through the three-legged race.

They fumbled through the hard-boiled-egg-on-a-spoon pass.

They slid through the greased pig chase.

And Reverend Peters broke his leg in the wheel-barrow race, not two hours into the day. Lucki didn’t know how she had accomplished that feat, but she knew it was her fault. Could she help it if she tripped over a stick and fell over the man, twisting his leg in the process? Could she help it if he was just a tad shorter than her and her Amazon body and long legs just kind of tangled up over him and his leg just snapped?

Geez, maybe he should drink more milk. Maybe he had a Calcium deficiency or something and had brittle bones. Maybe, just maybe, it wasn’t entirely her fault.

But it was.

That’s why she’d ridden in the ambulance with him to the hospital. That’s why she’d stayed until someone else came to be with him. He’d asked a nurse to call a friend of his, he’d told her, and that it wasn’t necessary for her to hang around. Particularly since she had obligations at the picnic. But Lucki felt it her duty to stay until she knew he was going to be okay, and until someone came from Harbor Falls to take him home.

So, she waited.

It was almost an hour before anyone arrived.

And when the good Reverend’s friend did arrive and stepped through the double swinging doors of the ER, Lucki just about dropped her jaw.

There stood Missy Hawkins in all her glory. Hair teased. Made up to perfection. Nails polished and shining. Dressed to kill.

Nice way to pick up your preacher from an accident.

Lucki decided she wouldn’t let her thoughts go there.

Standing, Lucki approached her, just out of earshot of Reverend Peters.

“Well, well, Missy. I do believe you look lovely this afternoon.”

Missy smirked.

“You may leave now, Lucki. I’m here. I’ll take care of Rock.”

Rock. Rock?

Lucki hadn’t even realized Reverend Peters had a first name. Kind of like when you realize your teachers actually go to the bathroom. It was something she’d never considered. But Rock?

“Well, Missy, I’m sure you have plenty of experience taking care of...Rocks.”

Oh, hell. Where in the world did that come from? Lucki braced herself.

Missy narrowed her gaze.

“Better mind your own business, Lucki. You might want to take care of what’s at home, yourself, deary.”

Lucki had a sneaking suspicion she knew where this was heading.

“At home? Whatever could you mean?”

Missy glanced at her nails. Flicked a piece of lint from her tight sweater.

“Oh, well, perhaps I should say, what’s next door then.”

“Get to the point.”

Missy yawned.

“Well, honey, after witnessing that kiss in church the other day, I was just sure you were giving Sam all he needed in bed. But then, after this morning, well, I have to wonder.”

No, she wasn’t going there. She wasn’t going to let Missy suck her into questioning what had happened this morning. She wasn’t going to fall into that jealousy trap. She wasn’t—

“So, what the hell happened this morning, Missy?”

Cocking her head to one side, Missy studied her, then finally replied.

“I’m sorry to have to tell you this, Lucki but Sam just left my bed. In fact, he’s been with me all morning. I just thought you should know.”

Lucki swallowed every ounce of green-eyed monster jealousy that dared to rear its ugly, gnarled head in her presence. She would not, repeat not fall into this. She knew the kind of woman Missy was. She knew the kind of man Sam was.

Oh, hell....

Lucki threw the most sickening sweet smile she could muster Missy’s way.

“Is that a fact.”

“Oh, yes, dear. That, is a fact.”

“Hmmm...”

“You don’t believe me?”

Missy batted those damn eyes again.

Lucki smirked.

“Of course, Missy! I just feel sorry for poor Sam.”

“Sorry?”

“Umhmm....”

“Why?”

“Oh, no particular reason, Missy, I just feel sorry for him.”

And then, Lucki turned and left through the swinging doors from whence Missy came. As she headed toward the parking lot, she heard Missy shout from behind her.

“Sorry? Why sorry...?”

Lucki knew the curiosity would eat Missy alive. Good. She deserved it.

And as for Sam, well, by the time she got through with him, he would be less than dog meat.

****

Sam turned into the hospital parking lot just as he saw Lucki exit the emergency room doors. Damn. She looked madder than an old red hen.

When he’d finally made it to the picnic, searched for her with no avail, and then had overheard the conversation about the good Reverend breaking his leg, he’d inquired as to Lucki’s whereabouts. That’s when the pony-tailed blonde called Pinky, who was wearing an obnoxious chartreuse tank top, told him she’d accompanied Reverend Peters to the hospital.

Pinky also asked if he would be so kind as to fetch Lucki and bring her back to the park, if the good Reverend were okay. Sam had kindly obliged.

He couldn’t wait to see her. He knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he had to convince Lucki of his love. Observing the fakeness of Missy Hawkins this morning led him straight to the conclusion he’d been seeking. Lucki was the real thing. Had been the real thing. Always was the real thing.

And he wanted the real thing for himself.

He slowed and pulled up next to her. He was met with a scowl. No matter. Soon he’d put a smile there.

He powered down the window.

Then leaned over toward the passenger side and flipped upon the door.

“Hi Lucki! Boy, that was timing. Get in and I’ll take you back to the picnic.”

She quickly slid inside. Then slammed the car door.

A distinct frown settled upon her face. She sat stone still, staring straight ahead.

“Take me to my truck.”

Sam stared at her. Uh-oh.

“But aren’t you going back to the picnic? Pinky says they need you.”

“They can manage just fine without me. Take me to my truck.”

Sam tried not to panic at the cold tone of her voice.

“Lucki? How is Reverend Peters?”

“Fine.”

Sam eased his foot on the accelerator and started out of the parking lot.

“Bad break?”

“Bad enough.”

“Will he be okay?”

“He’ll survive.”

“Did anyone come for him?”

She turned her head and glared.

Oh, boy. Things weren’t going well here.

Sam concentrated on turning back onto the highway and heading toward the park. The icy atmosphere inside his car took a downward plunge. Oh, hell, what had he done now?

“Reverend Peters is just fine, Sam. The break will heal in time. Yes, someone came for him. Someone, I might add, who you know very well. Someone, with whom you spent some time recently, I understand. Someone, with whom you spent an intimate morning. Someone, who caused you to break our date. And for that, I will never forgive you.”

She said it so coolly, so nonchalantly, it gave him just cause for concern. Sam swallowed down the panic that rushed up his throat, braked harshly, then pulled off the road into the nearest parking lot. He killed the engine.

“Lucki, look....”

“No, Sam. You look. If you want Missy, then fine. Just don’t come to me after you’ve been with her. In fact, don’t come to me at all. Don’t talk about us being a couple. Don’t talk about kissing me anymore. And don’t send substitutions for dates with me. Ever. You understand that?”

Taken aback, Sam stared at her. “What?”

“Don’t play dumb, Sam. I hate that. You know what I’m talking about.”

He shook his head.

“I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“Oh, yes, you do.”

“Tell me, Lucki.”

“I shouldn’t have to.”

“Stop playing games here and spill it. What’s on your mind?”

If he weren’t mistaken, he would swear there were tiny tears welling up in Lucki’s eyes. He wasn’t sure he’d ever seen Lucki cry before. His heart swelled.

“Lucki, what’s bothering you?”

“You were with Missy this morning.”

He nodded.

“Yes, that’s true.”

She turned away.

“Reverend Peters told you there was an emergency, right?”

“Oh, yeah, some emergency, Sam. Don’t give me that crap and don’t lie to me.”

“I’m not lying, Lucki. Missy was ill. Or thought she was anyway.”

She turned back and looked at him, her eyes all ablaze.

“Like hell! I’m no fool, Sam. I just saw her! Dressed to the nines. A body to die for. All made up. Gloating about spending the morning in bed with you....”

Sam put up his hands.

“Whoa! Stop right there. I did not spend the morning in bed with Missy.”

His stomach turned.

“Oh, so she lied?”

Sam again nodded.

“Yes, Lucki, she lied.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

“Yes, Lucki, I do. She lied about that. She lied about being sick this morning.”

She opened her mouth, and then closed it.

“Lucki,”

he began softly.

“Who do you believe? Me, your best friend, who has never lied to you in your life? Or Missy Hawkins, who hasn’t the greatest reputation in town for honesty.”

He watched her think on that one.

After a moment, she nodded slightly.

“I believe you, Sam.”

Torrential relief washed over him.

“Let me tell you what happened.”

After a minute, he’d relayed the entire story. He could see and sense Lucky mentally relaxing.

“So, it was another of Missy’s tricks. I didn’t intentionally back out on you this morning. I wouldn’t do that, Lucki. Hell, I’ve been trying to woo you for the past few days. Why would I pull a crazy stunt like that?”

Lucki shook her head and glanced away. Her eyes still misted with tears.

“I don’t know,”

she said.

“I wasn’t thinking straight.”

“Lucki, I think you know how I feel about you. I’ve said that often enough lately. Let’s start over today.”

She looked at him, square in the eyes, and held the connection for a while. “Sam,”

she began.

“just let me say one more thing.”

“Okay.”

“I have to say this, have to clear this up, before I can go any further with anything between us.”

“Okay, Lucki.”

“I want you to know who much it hurt me when you dumped me at my Senior Prom. I want you to know how much it hurt today when I saw Reverend Peters standing there this morning on my porch, telling me that you’d sent him instead of you. I want you to know that I don’t ever want that to feel that again. Do you understand me?”

Sam let her words soak in a minute. Senior Prom? Vague remembrances slipped back into his mind. Oh, hell....

“Lucki, I... I don’t know what to say. Are you still upset about that?”

Actually, he’d never known whether she was upset or not. He’d never talked to her about it.

She glanced away. Looking irritated.

“Let’s get back to the picnic, Sam. Forget it.”

“Lucki, we need to talk about this.”

“Another time, Sam. I’m not up to it. Let’s go.”

Sam hesitated, watching the side of her face, and then decided to drop it. Huh. Obviously, there was something there Lucki was hiding. Holding back. Something had been bothering her for a long time. And even more obvious, he was going to have a lot more wooing to do before he won her.

This thing was bigger than the incident with Missy Hawkins this morning.

He’d hurt her. A long time ago. And she didn’t trust him.

That, was a problem.

****

It was difficult to know exactly what she was feeling. The fact that she’d gotten a couple of things off her chest felt really good. The fact that she’d actually spoken words about that prom thing felt doubly good. But somehow, she had also felt silly bringing up something that had happened so long ago in their pasts. It seemed so juvenile somehow. So high school. So immature.

Damn. She was a grown woman. She should be able to get over stuff like that. She shouldn’t have even brought it up. Now, he was going to think her an over-grown adolescent.

Well, just let him. There was nothing she could do about it now. Fact remained; it had hurt her. And she was glad he’d gone back to summer school for the rest of the summer. Glad she didn’t have to face him. Geez, the humiliation.

And she’d felt it again this morning, faced with Reverend John Peters on her front porch. And then with Missy.

Well, she was a big girl now. She had to brush it off and get over it.

And she would.

She’d voice her feelings and she really didn’t care to discuss them further. With Sam. With herself. But the biggest feeling she’d experienced in the past few minutes was relief. Suddenly, she knew that Sam was telling her the truth. He didn’t want Missy Hawkins.

He wanted her. Lucki.

He hadn’t said it in so many words.

He didn’t have to.

It was in his eyes. She saw it. He wanted her.

Maybe he even loved her.

Like she did him.