Page 108 of Just Trouble

“You are. You gave me the down-low on child support and custody in four sentences or less. It was impressive.”

“But you must have understood it already.”

“Broad stroke, never having fathered a child before or intended to.” His lashes do that sweeping thing, making him look mysterious. I’m watching when he suddenly opens his eyes and our gazes lock.

“It’s just what I do.”

“But what about that? What about sharing your expertise? Lots of people don’t understand the law. You could give a monthly class. Make it free and you’ll probably end up with some clients.”

“A class on what?”

He raises a hand. “Change it up every time. Understanding custody and child support. Understanding wills and estates. Stuff that everybody has to do but no one pays much attention to until they do. A real estate primer: buying and selling. Stuff like that.”

I put down the mug, feeling excitement rise. “That’s pretty brilliant, Luke.”

“I do what I can.”

“What to do when disaster strikes: understanding insurance and liability,” I say and he nods approval.

“Good ones.”

“Landlords and tenants,” I say reaching for the pad of paper he’s appropriated, and start scribbling notes. “Marriage and divorce.”

“And you’re off, working again,” he says with affection. “That looks a lot like passion in play.”

“It’s a great idea.”

“You’re welcome.”

I give him the kiss he deserves, seeing that there is more to this union than physical satisfaction. That’s worth the price of admission, too, and we’re well on our way to distraction when his phone chimes.

I love that he swears under his breath. He checks the message, keeping an arm around my waist. “Hey, Wookie’s in Havelock already. Are you coming to the theatre?”

“I’d like to.” I am wondering if the Odeon is as beautiful inside as I remember.

Luke spins off the chair and catches me up for a kiss. “Meet me there. I want to head back to the motel and change first.” He spins off the stool and races up the stairs, leaving me to caffeinate. In moments, he comes charging back down, his shirt open and his tie in his hand. I get another scorching kiss, laugh at his energy, then he’s gone.

I love you.

I will dream about that being true.

28

LUKE

Wookie is tall and sinewy, a man of indefinite age with a perpetual tan and tattoos covering every millimeter of his skin. My mom would say that he swears like a sailor, but there is no one on this earth who shares Wookie’s fluid creativity with profanity.

He greets me at the Odeon with a hug and a predictable expletive, flinging out his hands to encompass greater Empire. “Have you lost it completely?”

“I don’t think so.”

Daph is coming down the street, right on time, and Wookie takes a good look. She smiles a greeting and I do introductions, liking how she slides an arm around my waist. Wookie takes a hint well and averts his gaze.

I unlock the door and we step inside. Daph has brought a flashlight—something I didn’t consider—and plays it over the walls while we look for light switches. Wookie finds them in a maintenance area, the sound of his progress obvious from the string of curses he utters. The lights flare to life and Daph stands, looking around. She strolls through the lobby, her gaze trailing over the watermark on one wall, the crumbling plaster high overhead, the chandelier hanging at an angle, half itsbulbs burned out. The carpet is stained and torn. There’s a knob hanging loose on one door, its mate on the facing door is missing. The popcorn machine has been torn out, probably to be sold, without a lot of care for the resulting damage.

I see the red walls and the gilt ornamentation, the glory that was once characteristic of this place. I climb the stairs, ignoring Wookie’s shouts, and stand at the top of them to view the stage.

It’s stupendous, a proscenium stage with a large screen suspended near the front of it. It must have had actual footlights at one time, but the stage was updated sometime in the last century. The seats, upholstered in red velvet, are in surprisingly good shape, and the ceiling is a marvel of decorative stucco.

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