The Hometown Hero Returns. Julianna Morris

someone could connect on that level, it wouldn’t be the same. “Um…the garden seems really important to him.”

      “Yes, but don’t worry about working on it.”

      “What if I want to work on it?” she asked dryly. “What if keeping my word is important to me?”

      “Granddad isn’t himself. He won’t even remember what happened by tomorrow—he probably doesn’t remember now.”

      “I’m not so sure of that. But it doesn’t matter, because I’ll remember,” Nicki said as gently as possible. She wasn’t nearly as convinced as Luke that his grandfather would forget. Something in the old professor’s face had suggested much more awareness than his family seemed to believe.

      Luke gave her an exasperated look. “And I’m telling you it’s all right.”

      She tried not to get angry. Even if Luke was an insensitive jock, she should be understanding. After all, he had come back to Divine to help his grandfather. A lot of people wouldn’t have bothered, or else would have hired someone to take care of everything. “If you don’t want me around that long, then maybe you can help to get it done faster.”

      “It isn’t that I don’t want you around,” he growled. “But that garden is more work than you seem to realize.”

      “That doesn’t matter—I like being busy and having lots to do. My classes are over and I have plenty of free time, except Tuesdays when I deliver meals to shut-ins or when I have meetings for stuff. I also volunteer at the nursing home twice a month, but you don’t garden at night, anyhow.”

      He lifted an eyebrow. “What do you do at the nursing home? Some sort of craft class, I suppose.”

      Nicki’s face turned warm. Luke hadn’t needed to know about her various volunteer activities, especially since he’d probably think it was provincial to be involved in small-scale community concerns. “I…um, call the bingo games.”

      Luke grinned. “You call the bingo games?”

      “Well, yes. It’s better than strip poker.”

      His grin broadened. “I don’t like bingo, but I wouldn’t mind a game of strip poker. We could play now if you like. Though I have to warn you, I’m damn good at filling an inside straight.”

      “You’re pathetic,” she snapped, forgetting she ought to be understanding. “Go play with one of your old girlfriends.”

      “They’re all married.”

      “Fortunately not to you, right?”

      “Yeah. Lucky escape on my part. Besides, can you see me driving a minivan and giving the dog a bath every Saturday?” He shuddered.

      “Only if you develop amnesia or have a personality transplant.”

      “See how life works itself out? I’ve been saved from a life of domesticity.”

      Luke grinned as Nicki rolled her eyes in disgust, yet he also saw a hint of laughter in their depths. After that scene with his grandfather, he’d felt as if a truck had run him over. But Nicki was a breath of fresh air. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad having her around for a few days, and if she wanted to work on his grandmother’s garden, then fine. She’d give up soon enough—she was used to teaching, not back-breaking labor.

      “So why haven’t you ever gotten married?” he asked.

      “Who says I haven’t?”

      The idea that Nicki might be married, or even that she’d once been married, disturbed him. “Because you’re using your maiden name and you aren’t wearing a wedding ring.”

      “And you think you’re a modern guy. This is the twenty-first century. Lots of women don’t wear rings or take their husband’s name.” Nicki tossed her head, sending gold curls flying, and Luke remembered the way she used to drag her hair back from her face in a ponytail, leaving a set of crooked bangs to hide her eyes.

      No one had ever gotten to look at her eyes in the old days. It was a shame, too. They were clear and blue and bright and broadcast every emotion she tried to hide. He was big on eyes. He was also big on other parts of a woman’s body, but eyes were important.

      “So you’re telling me you’re married?” He kept a narrow look on her, certain the answer was no but wanting to hear it confirmed. He’d flirted with her, and flirting with married women was a taboo in his book.

      “Divorced,” she said, her mouth tightening. “And before you make a dumb assumption, I’m the one who left. It turned out we weren’t compatible.”