Page 23 of This Loving Feeling (Mirror Lake)

“I had no idea,” Lukas said. “I didn’t know he had allergies.”

Ben crossed his arms and eyed him solemnly. Here was the part when he told him how badly he’d effed up. Lukas could feel it coming. “You couldn’t have known. You said you don’t have any medical history on him?”

“Just a couple pages of records from about two years ago. He hasn’t had regular care and he’s behind on his shots.”

Ben just sat there and nodded. Like he was expecting more.

“His mother did her best but she was young and poor and then she got sick. I was planning to get him a regular doctor once we got settled in.” He paused. “I should have known better than to let him run through that dusty house.”

Ben glanced from his sister to Lukas. Lukas knew that expression. It was a worried-big-brother expression that signaled just how badly he wanted his sister the hell away from Lukas and his trouble. He’d gotten that vibe from Brad six years ago, and right now it was coming through loud and clear. Who could blame him? His “family” was the exact opposite of the Rushfords—he and his four brothers scattered across the winds after their family imploded, none of whom he’d seen in years.

Surprisingly, Ben laughed. “Welcome to parenthood. I’d say, Lukas, you just passed your first test, which is feeling guilt for things that aren’t even your fault. But you did the right thing, getting Stevie here as soon as possible. And of course you can’t take him back there now.”

Lukas pulled his phone out of his pocket to make some calls. “I found another place for us to stay.”

“Don’t bother,” Samantha said gently. “I’m house-sitting for a couple who are traveling in Europe for the summer and they have a guesthouse. It has a nice kitchen and a yard with a play set and even a pool. Stevie will be comfortable there. You two are coming back with me.”

“Can I talk to you, Sam?” Ben didn’t wait for her answer. “Excuse us for a minute.” He nodded briefly at Lukas, then steered Sam into the hall, through a set of double doors into a large white-tiled corridor. “What are you doing with this guy again? He’s been trouble from the beginning.”

Sam couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Her usually easygoing brother had cut right to the chase. “Please don’t treat me like I’m nineteen or twenty again,” she said. “I had no choice but to help out. It’s late and my place is five minutes away. It’s a lot better for Stevie.” She was aware that she was hiding behind the excuse of helping an innocent child when in reality things were far more complicated. But she didn’t owe her brother explanations. She was an adult now, something her older brothers tended to forget. “Make that Iwantedto help out. Regardless of the past, when people need help, people need help.”

“Don’t pull an Effie on me.”

She couldn’t help smiling. Their grandmother had the softest heart in Mirror Lake. Or all of Connecticut, for that matter. “Oh, come on, Benjamin. You’re one to talk. Meg’s adopted more seniors from assisted living than anyone in town. And stray cats. And of course she savedyou.”

It was his turn to eye roll. “Don’t bring my wife into this.” Then he grasped her by the shoulders and gave her a long, hard stare, drilling into her with his deep brown eyes. Empathic eyes. Perfect for doctoring. “You’ve always had a savior complex with this guy. But he’s more than capable of being on his own. Why do you insist on helping him when he’s brought you nothing but heartache?”

Sam didn’t miss the passion in his voice. Or his grip for that matter, which felt like he wished he could shake some sense into her. His concern almost made her tear up. Except it also made her angry. Did he not trust her judgment at all? “The entire town’s booked,” she said. “What am I supposed to do, tell him to go find a place in Hartford?”

“It’s only an hour away,” Ben said. “And the answer isyes. What the hell is Harris going to do when he finds out this guy is staying in your guesthouse?”

Um, yeah, thathadcrossed her mind. “It’s only for a few days, until Lukas can make other arrangements.”

“Sam, don’t ruin a good thing. Harris is a good guy, but there’s only so much a good guy can take, you know what I mean? Lukas has already hurt youtwice. Rushford brothers don’t treat repeat offenders very kindly.”

“I remember how angry Brad was the last time,” Sam said.

“And he doesn’t know the half of it, does he? Strike Three could unleash nuclear Armageddon.”

Sam winced, on the inside at least. When she was nineteen, her breakup with Lukas had come at a very bad time. Their brother Kevin had just died, and Brad and his now-wife Olivia were working out their own relationship and taking care of Kevin’s baby daughter.

Brad had always disliked Lukas. Even in Sam’s distress over their breakup, she hadn’t told Brad the complete truth about their relationship, that she and Lukas were a lot more intimate than she’d admitted. He would’ve had a cow, and things were already bad enough.

Sam shook her head. “Thanks,Brad.” His face showed her he didn’t miss the reference to their oldest brother, who surely must have done a happy dance the day Lukas left town for good. “I know what I’m doing.” No she didn’t, but it was too late. The offer stood and she wasn’t going to take it back.

Ben raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. “Okay, fine. Just trying to save you some heartache. Excuse me for being a concerned big brother.” He paused. “What do you want me to tell Brad?”

“Don’t tell him, Ben. It’s none of his business. Or yours. I’m an adult now, in case you’ve forgotten.”

“Then make sure you act like one.”

Sam watched him as he did a little fingers-to-forehead salute before he turned down the corridor. It was a curse being the youngest girl in a family of brothers. She wondered how old she would have to be before those guys would treat her like an equal. She wasso tiredof being the baby sister. Every part of her life was a field day, open to their speculation and scrutiny. And of course they always felt obligated to voice their opinions—rather loudly, in fact.

She always respected her brother’s standing as a physician in their community. That’s why she carefully looked around, making sure no one was in the corridor. “Ben,” she called. When he turned, she flipped him the bird and grinned before she pressed the metal handicapped wall button to open the double doors and make her way back to Lukas and Stevie.

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