We enjoy our delicious meal, and the mood lifts considerably. I’m relieved that the conversation isn’t forced or uncomfortable after my altercation with Sam. She continues to eye me speculatively from across the table, but she’s no longer glaring at me, so I figure we’ve leaped one hurdle.
“Natalie, let me see that ring.” Lucy leans toward me and I show off my beautiful ring, a silly grin plastered on my face.
Lucy smiles at her son. “I did such a good job raising you.”
Luke laughs and I nod. “That you did.
He has good taste.”
Luke kisses my hand and smiles at me, his eyes soft and loving.
After breakfast we clear the table.
Lucy, Sam and I clean up the mess and join the men in the living room with fresh coffee.
“Presents!” I jump up and down and clap my hands, excited to give Luke’s parents their gifts. Everyone laughs at me and I grin. “I love giving presents.”
“You didn’t have to get us anything at all.”
“You only celebrate your thirty-fifth anniversary once.” I decide to give this olive branch thing another try and turn to Sam. “Will you please help me bring their gift in from the other room?”
Her eyes widen in surprise, but then she shrugs good-naturedly. “Okay.”
I smile and lead her down to Luke’s office where the large box sits on his desk.
“Holy shit, that’s a big box.”
I laugh. “I know, I had a hell of a time wrapping this sucker. Here, you take that side and I’ll take this one.”
We lift it together, it’s really not that heavy, just awkward, and carry it out to the living room.
“What did you do, buy them furniture?” Mark asks dryly. I stick my tongue out at him and Sam and I set the box on the floor in front of Neil and Lucy.
“Open it.” I sit next to Luke on the couch and he drapes an arm around my shoulders.
They attack the box from opposite sides, tearing the paper and pulling the lid off.
“Oh my.” Lucy’s hand covers her mouth as she gazes at the contents. She begins pulling the black framed photos out of the box, one by one, and Neil takes them from her, arranging them on the floor. At the bottom of the box are the two larger frames of their wedding day and at my birthday party.
“These are wonderful.” They hold the image from the party in front of them and gaze at it. “Natalie, you’re very talented.”
I blush, delighted that they like their present. “Thank you.”
Luke kisses my hand. “There’s more.”
“What?” Neil frowns, not privy to this part of the present and I giggle.
“We’re sending you on a second honeymoon to the South of France. It’s all paid for, you can go whenever you like.”
Their mouths drop and Lucy looks back at their photos and starts to cry.
“Jeez, Mom, what’s wrong?” Mark awkwardly pats her back, clearly uncomfortable with a woman in tears.
“I’m a bit overwhelmed, I guess.
First last night’s party, then my son is giving me a beautiful daughter in law, and now we’re going to France. It’s a lot to take in in such a short time.”
Neil kisses her forehead and hands her a handkerchief. I didn’t know men still carried those.
I freshen everyone’s coffee, and we sit and chat about weddings for the better part of an hour.
“Have you set a date?” Lucy asks.
“No,” I chuckle and look at Luke.
“He asked me twelve hours ago.”
“Winter weddings are lovely.”
“I’m going to need help. Also,” I frown and peer at Luke and he runs his hand over my back.
“What’s wrong?”
“I don’t want the paparazzi to get wind of it.”
“Do you want a big wedding?” Neil asks.
“No, just family and close friends.” I shrug. “I’ve never really thought about it.”
“Every girl thinks about her wedding.
It scares us men to death,” Mark smirks.
I shake my head. “I’d never planned to get married. This wasn’t even on my radar.”
“I have an idea,” Sam says softly.
“What about a destination wedding?
You can fly everyone somewhere and have a small wedding somewhere lovely, like Tahiti or something.”
The idea takes hold in my brain and I smile. I look over at Luke and he’s smiling at me.
“What do you think?” I ask him.
“I’m the man. You just tell me when and where to show up and what I’m supposed to wear and I’ll be there.”
I grin at Sam. “I like that idea. Let’s talk about it some more later.”
Sam smiles at me – smiles at me! –and I have visions of Luke and I getting married on a white sandy beach with crystal clear blue water surrounding us.
***
“So what are your plans for tomorrow night with Jules?” Luke and I are snuggled up on the couch. It’s Tuesday night, and he leaves for his trip tomorrow, which I’ve been trying very hard to not dwell on. I don’t want him to go.
“I think we’re going to be in the studio.”
Luke raises his eyebrows and looks down at me. “Why?”
“She wants me to do some photos for her.” I shrug. “I’m not sure why, she already has quite a collection.”
“What do you mean?”
“You must not read Playboy.”
“Not since I was a randy teenager.
Why?” He looks perplexed as I turn on the couch to face him, then realization dawns and his eyes go wide.
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope. She posed for them in college.” I laugh as I think back on that time. “She’s the person I practiced on the most to get good at what I do. She did some work for Playboy for about a year, and then abruptly stopped. She said she was over it, and it was time to move on.”
“Wow.”
“Do not go on the internet and try to find naked pictures of Jules.” I narrow my eyes at him and cross my arms over my chest.
Luke laughs. “No thanks. She’s beautiful, but I’ve grown to feel very brotherly toward her. I do not want to see her naked.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
“No, there’s only one woman I want to see naked.”
“Oh?” I ask innocently. “Who could that lucky woman be?”
“Just this gorgeous brunette I know.
She’s all curves and has the sexiest tattoos I’ve ever seen in my life.” He pulls me onto his lap, so my knees are straddling his hips. I’m dressed in one of his t-shirts and my panties because we’ve been watching TV before bed.