Page 28 of Luke

As they entered the kitchen, he said, "Liz, I have to tell you something. I don't want to, but I think I should."

"What? You haven't already decided to sell the resort, have you? There's still so much to talk about."

He saw the panic in her eyes. "No, that's not what I want to talk to you about."

Relief ran through her eyes. "Oh, okay. What is it?"

"It's about Kaitlyn. When I left my cabin, I saw her at the river with two boys about her age. They were drinking something—vodka, I think. When I came along, they tossed the bottle into the woods and ran up the hill on the other side of the river."

Anger ran through her eyes. "Dammit. Those must have been the Harrison boys. She lied to me. She said she was hanging out with their sister, Julie, before the campfire."

"I didn't see another girl."

"So she went to the river with boys and booze? Were they just drinking, or…"

"Everyone was fully clothed, but it didn't look like the best situation. If it's any consolation, Kaitlyn said she hadn't been drinking, and it looked to me like she was saying no to taking the bottle when I got there."

"I guess I should be happy about that," she said, clearly discouraged. She leaned against the counter. "I don't know what I'm doing, Luke. I don't know how to be a mother, especially not to an angry, sad, thirteen-year-old, who is determined to ruin her life as fast as she can. Maybe I should have stayed in LA, or at least closer to therapy, but she hated going there, and even the doctor said they weren't getting very far, that Kaitlyn was stubbornly determined to keep her thoughts private. I thought she might open up to me if I could get her alone, away from all the memories, but that hasn't happened. I seem to be the last person she wants to talk to. She used to like me. Now she hates me. I don't know what happened."

"Her parents died; that's what happened."

"I want to help her through her grief, but I don't know how."

"Maybe she just needs to get through it herself."

"I tell myself that, but then I wonder as time passes, is she getting more screwed up?"

He gave her a sympathetic smile. "I'm sure you're doing your best."

"Which might not be good enough." She pushed away from the counter. "I should get you that lasagna."

She opened the refrigerator door and started pulling out plastic containers. "We also have salad and fruit to go with it."

"I'll take it all."

She smiled. "You always had a big appetite."

"I did," he admitted, thinking that she'd been his biggest hunger.

She must have seen something in his eyes, because she immediately shook her head and gave him a warning look. "None of that, Luke."

"None of what?"

"You know. We need to keep things professional from here on out."

"If I was keeping everything strictly professional, I'd already be on the phone to my brother Gabe asking him to list the property for sale."

"Really? I'm the only reason you're not doing that?" she asked, setting the food containers on the island.

"I do have a heart. I know things are rough for you and Kaitlyn. That gives me something to think about, so let's not lie to each other and say this is just business."

"Okay. I appreciate you taking us into consideration. I do think I can prove to you that the resort is a good investment, too."

"Because I'm so interested in investment," he said dryly.

"It's an interesting way to make money, and you always liked interesting," she reminded him.

He smiled. "You know me too well."

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