Page 16 of Just Like Starting Over
“Excuse me?”
“We talked about it. He said—” Sierra averts her gaze, obviously making an effort to recall Luke’s words “—he said he’s the one person who knows how much it sucks to look like a Cavendish but not be acknowledged as a Cavendish in Empire, and that he wanted to have my back. Something like that.”
I feel something writhe in my gut, because I know Luke didn’t have it easy. Even though we were all pretty sure he deserved what he got, I still feel guilty about whatever part I played.
“He said he could be an uncle.” Sierra makes a face. “But that sounded creepy.”
She’s right in that.
“And I can’t befriendswith an old man.” I fight a smile. I doubt he’d appreciate being called old. “We agreed he could be a non-dad.” She sighs and shakes her head sadly. “Although he refuses to teach me to ride his motorcycle.”
That’s a surprise and a good one.
“Then he’s grown some sense,” I say gruffly.
“He’s teaching me to play guitar, though,” she informs me with pride.
That’s not a bad thing for Luke to do. But why would he? Maybe he plans for her to join his band. I stomp down on myresponse to that. I have no right to be protective of Sylvia’s daughter.
Even though I already am.
Maybe he knows Sylvia isn’t being honest about Sierra’s parentage.
Meanwhile, Sierra bares her teeth, indicating her eye tooth. It’s twisted, but I wouldn’t have noticed if she hadn’t pointed it out. “I’m working on getting him to pay for orthodontics.”
“Good luck.” She misses my sarcasm, remarkably, and takes the response at face value.
“Thanks.”
“Are non-dads on the hook for that?”
“I don’t know, but it can’t hurt to try.” She peers at me. “Are you sure you’re not my dad? Because Mom looked like she’d seen a ghost when you walked into the café.”
“I’m sure,” I say with heat, and she nods before turning away.
“Okay. I’ve got to get to work. It’s my first day.”
“Good luck.”
“Thanks!” Her smile is brilliant and transforms her, making it impossible to ignore how pretty she is. “Thanks for playing today, Mike Cavendish.” She dances across the street, spinning to face me from the opposite curb. “If you can think of any other candidates for Name That Dad, let me know. I’ll be around – but only on weekends until the summer.”
I stare after her for a long time, wondering. Because, you know, I’m not positive. Sylvia and I were together a couple of times. I thought it was love. I thought we’d get married and be happy together.
But if Sierra was my kid, surely Sylvia would have told me?
Absolutely. She would have.
But if not me, and if not Luke, then who could it be?
This is not a question that reassures me. How many of mybrothers and half-brothers did Sylvia know, in the Biblical sense?
Could she have betrayed me repeatedly – and I had no clue at the time?
No. No, no, no. Not Sylvia. There was only Luke. I saw her go with him that night with my own eyes. I saw him leave Una’s the next morning. And the only reason Sylvia would have left town would have been to go with Luke, because she was in love with him – and she stayed away because she had his child. She came back because he bought the diner to bring her and Merrie to Empire, to reunite his family.
Luke is the inescapable variable, the detail that ensures the whole story make sense.
I wish he wasn’t, with all my battered heart.
