Snowfall and Secrets (Omega Mu Alpha Brothers Book 1) Read online

  With that, Tess turned and disappeared into the kitchen.

  Hayden stood. “Man, when Estelle told me there was a girl, I thought she was scheming again. So, should I plan to attend a summer or fall wedding?”

  “Shut up, Hayden,” Lukas muttered.

  Tess felt at home at Marie’s house. She supposed that was why she didn’t mind taking little jabs at Hayden and Lukas. They teased each other all through dinner, and tales of their exploits on the island filled most of the time. Before she knew it, dessert was finished, and Lukas leaned over to her.

  “You ready to go?”

  She shrugged. “Whenever. I’m enjoying myself.”

  He got a little closer and whispered. “Marie doesn’t see her boys often. We should give them some alone time.”

  Tess nodded and stood.

  “Leaving so soon, dear?”

  “I’m exhausted. Teaching is hard work.” She winked at Doc, and he raised his glass to her.

  “Only for the good ones. By the way, there is a blizzard watch for Monday. Most of us are used to these, so we’ve already stocked up. But you should go to the store early tomorrow morning and make sure you have enough food to get through the week. Do you have a fireplace in your apartment?”

  “She does,” Lukas answered. “It’s gas, so she should be fine.”

  “Thanks for the warning.”

  “See you Sunday.” Hayden smirked at Lukas, who in return rolled his eyes.

  Tess leaned over and gave Marie a kiss on the cheek. Marie held on longer than necessary and whispered in her ear. “Be careful with Lukas. My boys can deal with getting their hearts broken, but Lukas is a different story.”

  Tess nodded and withdrew. That’s the second warning about Lukas. She wondered what he was hiding.

  She climbed on the snowmobile and didn’t hesitate to wrap her arms around him this time. Tess rested her cheek on his back. Everything about Mackinac felt comfortable now. She missed Miami and her family, but it was never like this.

  “I enjoyed tonight,” she said before he turned the snowmobile on.

  “Marie goes all out when the boys are home.” He twisted to look at her. “I hated to make you leave. Can I make it up to you?”

  Her heart skipped a beat.

  “How?” she asked cautiously.

  “I know it’s dark out, but there’s good moonlight, and I bet no one has taken you to the Grand Hotel yet.”

  Tess let out the breath she’d been holding. That was certainly not what she expected. True, though, she hadn’t seen it.

  “Night is one of my favorite times to go there and the snow will be pristine and untouched.” His eyes were lit up like he was thrilled to be able to show her this. How could she say no to that?

  “I’d love to,” she said.

  “When it gets too cold, we’ll head back.” He started the engine and took off toward Main Street.

  As they drove through downtown, the quaint streetlights lit the shops, and again, Tess couldn’t wait for spring. She heard a rumor about a lilac festival. When Lukas turned off to drive to the Grand, she realized he was right about the moon. Even though it wasn’t full, the light bounced off the snow, and everything appeared to glow.

  Dio huffed and snorted in her basket. She sat up and the wind caught her ears. The two of them must come here often. Lukas rounded the cupola and pulled under the carriage house awning. The massive white structure was gorgeous. Tess saw pictures on the Internet. In fact, it was one of the most prominent things she learned about the island when she was deciding if Michigan was far enough away from Miami.

  “Go on, girl,” said Lukas as he shut off the snowmobile. Dio bounded out of the basket and tore off down the hill, kicking up snow as she ran. He laughed, and since she had her arms around his waist, it vibrated through her.

  “She looks so gangly in the snow,” he said with a grin. “Come on.”

  He climbed off and held out a gloved hand. She took it and let him help her down from the seat. But he didn’t let go. He tucked her hand in the crook of his arm and led her to the main drive of the hotel.

  “It’s beautiful,” she said softly. It was so quiet and peaceful. She was afraid to speak too loudly. There was a timeless magic here, and she didn’t want to disturb it. The hotel sat perched high on the hill, it’s enormous porch spanning the entire width.

  “It is.”

  The blanket of snow had a few random animal tracks, but no other footprints.

  “In the spring and summer, the place is packed with families and tourists. So many people. Now though, it’s perfect. You can hear the universe pause and hold its breath.” Lukas was looking at the stars, but Tess couldn’t take her eyes off him. Never had she heard someone talk like that, much less a guy.

  He tipped his head to look at her, and she blushed. She wanted him to kiss her, out here in this perfect scene. He swiveled around and put his hand on the small of her back, drawing her close.

  Their warm breath mingled together. She couldn’t think about anything other than his lips and how he would taste.

  They were inches apart. He dropped his hands to her waist. Damn all the layers between them. She almost tugged on the collar of his coat until she saw the glint in his eye. He knew he was tormenting her.

  Dio flew by them hot on the trail of a rabbit, sending a shower of snow that rained down on them like a frozen rainstorm.

  “Dio,” Lukas growled. She skidded to a stop and trotted over to wiggle herself in between Tess and Lukas.

  The moment was gone. Snow down Tess’s coat was better than a cold shower. She moved away from Lukas.

  “Let’s head back,” he said with a shove at Dio.

  “Yeah, it’s starting to get cold.” She tried to laugh the whole thing off but only coughed instead.

  They walked quietly to the sled, close enough that their arms brushed every so often, but Tess wanted more. She wanted to go back to that magic moment that was lost way too soon.

  When Tess opened the door to the carriage house, Dio bounded inside without waiting for an invitation.

  Tess stripped off her coat and found the dog in the kitchen waiting for a treat.

  Lukas leaned against the doorway and watched while she fed Dio.

  “You spoil her.”

  “She’s not my dog. Isn’t that the point?”

  “Do you spoil your nieces and nephews too?”

  “I don’t have any. What about you?”

  “I’m an only child.”

  “Where are your parents?”

  “Wintering in Arizona. They’ll come home in April. They live next door.” He pointed toward town.

  “Are they anything like Doc and Marie?”

  Lukas rolled his eyes. “Exactly like them. Be careful around my mom. Before you know it, you’ll never eat at home again. I enjoy the winters because then I can cook. Even when Stacey and I were married, we ate at their house more than our home.”

  “That’s nice. I can’t wait to meet them.”

  “Dio, we should go. Come on, girl.”

  She lay down at Tess’s feet.

  Lukas reached for her, and she jumped up and raced for the door. Lukas shook his head and then turned to Tess.

  “Doc was serious about shopping before Monday. In fact, if you don’t go first thing tomorrow morning, everything will be gone. Make sure you get five gallons of water and food that can be cooked on the gas stove. The power often goes out during storms. Do you want me to take you tomorrow morning? I need to get a couple of things anyway.”

  She nodded. She could probably arrange her own ride, but being with him turned her to jelly. It was delicious. It was dangerous. Especially considering what Marie said. Though she was usually the one getting her heart broken, not the other way around.

  “Great, I’ll see you tomorrow about 7:45. We’ll want to be at the store when it opens at eight.”

  She walked him to the door. “Thanks for giving me a ride tonight. I had a great time.”

>   He leaned down. “Me too,” he whispered and kissed her on the cheek. Then without looking at her again, he went out the door, and Dio followed. Tess’s cheek burned where he kissed it. She wondered what it would’ve felt like if he kissed her lips instead.

  Lukas stood on Tess’s doorstep for longer than he should have. He felt like such an idiot. He had a moment there, and he blew it, twice. Hayden would give him crap for weeks if he ever found out. If he had played his cards right, he probably wouldn’t be heading home now. Hell, he probably wouldn’t set foot in his house until the morning. But no. He had to kiss her on the cheek.

  He beat himself up all the way home and decided the next day he’d make his move; the consequences be damned. Hayden wasn’t coming over until Sunday, and he was taking her shopping in the morning. He’d invite her over to his place for dinner again.

  At 7:45 on the dot he knocked on her door. He was excited to see her again, in person. She plagued his dreams most of the night. Especially since he decided to actually pursue her. She had her coat on but not her gloves or hat when she answered the door. Her face was pale.

  “Are you okay?” Lukas asked.

  Tess nodded. “I’m a tad nauseated, but it should pass. Please, let’s go.”

  “You don’t think it was anything you ate last night? I’m feeling fine.”

  Her cheeks flushed, and he fought the urge to cup her cheek. Just to check for fever of course.

  Tess laughed. “No, I don’t think Marie would give me food poisoning. More than likely I picked up a virus at school. If you are afraid of getting sick, I can call a taxi.”

  He rolled his eyes. “I’m not afraid of a little virus. I never get sick. Come on, let’s go get our stuff so you can get back to bed.”

  She nodded and grabbed her things. On the sled, her grip on his waist wasn’t as tight as normal, but she rested her head on his back. He hoped she’d be okay.

  There was already a line at the store when they arrived. The blizzard watch had been upgraded overnight to a warning, and the storm was coming in early. They were looking at eight to twelve feet. That’d put the town out of order for five or six days unless the snowfall lasted more than a day, then it could be up to two weeks.

  “Let’s share a cart,” Lukas told her. “It’ll go faster.” She nodded and followed him. As they moved through the aisles, Tess only picked up a big jug of water but nothing else.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  She shook her head. “My stomach feels awful.”

  Lukas wasn’t sure what to do, so he put two of everything he was buying in the cart. Even if it wasn’t food she normally ate, she’d have something in the house.

  When they got to the checkout, she fumbled for her wallet.

  “Don’t worry about it. I got it.”

  She didn’t argue with him, and he knew there was something wrong with her.

  He loaded the groceries in the basket behind his snowmobile, and she eyed him with caution.

  “I don’t want to be sick on you.”

  “Just tap me on the back if you feel it coming, and I’ll stop. Do me a favor though and don’t pass out. I don’t want you falling off.”

  He thought she grinned a little bit, but she looked awful. Her normal glow was completely washed-out. He toyed with the idea of taking her by Marie’s but decided that home and bed would probably do her the best.

  Her grip was loose again, and thankfully, there was no tapping on the way home.

  “You sit on the couch,” he instructed once they got back to her house. “I’ll put all this up.”

  Again, she didn’t argue.

  He divided the groceries and put them away for her. When he went back to the living room, he found her curled up on the couch.

  “Are you sure you’re going to be okay?”

  She nodded. “A twenty-four bug has been going around. I should be fine tomorrow.”

  “Okay. Well then, let’s get you to bed.”

  She groaned. “I think I’ll just stay out here. I don’t want to move.”

  He shook his head. “Your bed will be more comfortable. Come on.”

  Lukas slid one arm under her head, another under her legs, and hoisted her up. Shame, she was sick. He’d love to be carrying her to bed under much better circumstances.

  “Oh, Lukas, I don’t think this is such a good idea.”

  “It’s fifteen steps to the bedroom. You’ll be fine.”

  On step ten, she threw her head to the side and vomited all over the floor. He froze, and she whimpered in his arms. “I’m so sorry. Put me down. I’ll clean it.”

  “Like hell you will.”

  He tightened his grip on her and stepped around the mess. Some of it got on his shoes, but he didn’t care. Tess had to be mortified. There was no way he’d make this worse for her.

  Once in the master bathroom, he set her on the toilet, grabbed the glass on the sink filled it with cool water, and handed it to her. She wouldn’t look at him but muttered, “Thank you.”

  After she took a sip, he gave her a warm washcloth. She wiped her whole face.

  “Do you need help changing?”

  She let out a weak laugh. “No, I can do that myself, thanks.”

  “Okay, I’m going to clean the hallway. You change and go to bed. I’ll come check on you when I’m done.”

  “You don’t have to do that.”

  “I know. But I’m going to anyway.”

  Dio was a puker, so he was used to cleaning vomit. Within ten minutes the mess and the smell was gone.

  He snuck into Tess’s bedroom and found her on her bed, already asleep. He took a second to stare at her curled up with her hand tucked under her cheek. She’d pulled her hair into a messy knot that he wanted to run his fingers through. Even asleep and sick, she was beautiful. He pulled her blanket around her shoulders and kissed her on the forehead. So much for making his move. He’d check on her this evening and make sure she was ready for the storm. Hopefully by then she’d be feeling better.

  Lukas just finished cleaning off his boots when his front door slammed, and Dio charged out of his room.

  “Hey, we’re here,” Hayden shouted.

  Lukas groaned. But on the upside, maybe he was coming by to say that he was leaving early due to the storm.

  Hayden tromped up the stairs. Both dogs came bounding behind him.

  “Blizzard warning has put this thing in high gear.” He didn’t stop to find Lukas but threw open the door to the spare room where Lukas locked away his demons.

  Lukas stomped down the hall, only to be stopped by Dio. She stood in the doorway, watching cautiously as Hayden and Una took in the tower of boxes.

  Hayden whistled.

  “How can you expect to move on with this stuff here?”

  Lukas shrugged. “The blizzard. Let’s just wait. It’s crazy to try towing this to the mainland with a storm coming.”

  “Nonsense. I’ve got everything lined up. I saw the way you watched Tess last night. This shit’s got to go.”

  Hayden flipped open a box. Inside, packed neatly away, were some of Stacey’s old dresses.

  “You know, she was an ice princess,” he said distastefully and closed the box. “I don’t know why your mom never stepped in and stopped you from marrying her.”

  Lukas closed his eyes. He heard this a thousand times before.

  “But the boys,” he said.

  “I know.” Hayden clasped him by the shoulder. “I’m not saying we get rid of it all and you forget them. I’m saying don’t let it haunt you anymore. Letting go is never easy, but you should be happy. You need to believe it and fight for it.”

  Hayden pushed past him and down the stairs. Una followed, but Dio stayed beside Lukas. Fight for it. Wasn’t that what deciding to go after Tess was all about? He knelt down beside Dio.

  “What do you think, girl?”

  She nudged him in the chest with her snout.

  “Yeah, I know you love Tess.” He scratched her
ear. Dio liked Stacey about as much as Hayden did, but she adored the boys. Losing them had been hard on her too.

  There was a commotion downstairs. Dio’s ears perked up.

  “Go see,” said Lukas, and she took off, hurtling downstairs with a furious bark. Lukas didn’t go with her. Instead, he went deeper into the room. He was ready to see Stacey’s boxes go. Hayden was taking them to the mainland with him, to a shelter or something. Lukas hadn’t been listening.

  It was the far corner that worried him.

  “Yeah. He’s brooding.” Hayden was back and apparently had someone with him.

  “No surprise there. That’s what he does best these days.”

  Estelle.

  Great. He should have known. She was probably the reason Hayden was even here, forcing him to clean out the boys’ room.

  It was Joshua who showed up in the doorway though.

  “You get wrangled into this too?” Lukas shook his head. Leave it to Hayden to drag half the island into digging through his ghosts. He sure hoped Marie and Doc weren’t here too. Then again, he could send Marie over to check on Tess.

  “I volunteered. I don’t want to be stuck here in this blizzard. Got things to do.” Joshua laughed with a sheepish smile.

  “Does this thing have a name?” Lukas asked, and Joshua blushed. Bingo. Don’t get stuck at mom and dad’s in a blizzard when there’s a warm, pretty thing waiting for you. Lukas could probably take that same advice.

  Once Hayden attached Lukas’s trailer to his sled, it didn’t take the three of them long to load all of the boxes. It was mostly clothes anyway. Estelle stayed in the kitchen with the dogs—feeding them treats, making coffee, and shouting orders.

  Cleaning out the room went faster than Lukas would have liked. While Hayden and Joshua were arranging everything, Lukas stood in the door of his spare, almost empty room, and stared at the last two columns.

  Estelle crept up on him and shoved a cup of coffee under his nose.

  “What are you going to do with this room now?” she asked as Lukas took the steaming mug from her.

  “I guess I need to get some furniture,” he said, not taking his gaze off his boys’ things.