I will,” she muttered as she got to her feet. “We need to get home. I still have papers to grade and Thomas has Computer Club before school tomorrow.”
Thomas made a face. “I wish Computer Club could meet after school,” he groaned.
“But tomorrow night is the press conference about the engagement,” Lucas told him. “I hope you’re coming.”
“I suppose so,” Thomas replied.
“And now I’d better walk you out,” Lucas said. “Do your best to flash the ring around, but don’t answer any questions about it,” he told Terri.
She laughed. “This part is going to be fun, anyway.”
Lucas offered his arm and she took it. Thomas led the way and she and Lucas followed. As they walked, they carried on a whispered conversation, confirming their plans for the next day. Terri found herself running her fingers through her hair, well aware that every time she moved her hand, the gemstones in the ring caught the light and sparkled.
They were halfway across the parking lot when someone called Lucas’s name. When he stopped, Terri whispered to him.
“It’s Karen Henderson-Archer and her husband, Dr. Donald. Have you met them yet?”
“I have. They introduced themselves to me on Monday. They seem to think very highly of themselves,” he replied.
Terri laughed as they waited for the couple to cross the parking lot to them. The couple’s two children trailed along behind them.
“Hello, again,” Karen said brightly when she reached them. “I didn’t realize you two knew each other.”
Terri almost laughed at the curiosity she could see on Karen’s face as the other woman’s eyes moved from her to Lucas and back again.
“We’re old friends,” Lucas replied, sliding an arm around Terri. “We met years ago in New York City. I was thrilled when I recently found out that Terri had settled here, just when I was planning to visit Ramsey myself.”
“She’s been here for years,” Karen replied as her husband and children caught up to her.
“And now I’m here,” Lucas replied, smiling at Terri.
“I understand Harold is in Florida,” Karen said, staring hard at Terri.
“He is, yes,” she replied. “He needed a vacation.”
“I thought, since he and his girlfriend split up, that you two might get back together,” Karen told her.
“I don’t see that happening,” Terri replied lightly.
“Lucky me,” Lucas whispered in her ear.
She chuckled and then pushed her bangs out of her eyes, watching Karen’s face as she did so. The exact second when Karen spotted the ring was obvious.
“But we need to get home,” she said before Karen could question her about her new jewelry. “It was lovely to see you,” she told Karen.
“Likewise,” Karen said.
Lucas led Terri and Thomas to her car and then stood with Terri while Thomas climbed into the passenger seat.
“How long are they going to stand there?” he asked Terri in a low voice.
“I suspect Karen wants to see what you’re going to do next,” she replied, her heart racing as she considered the options.
“In that case,” he said with a wicked grin. “Let’s give her something to talk about.”
The kiss made her weak in the knees and she was grateful she was leaning against her car. She wasn’t sure how long it went on for, but when Lucas lifted his head, Karen and her family were nowhere to be seen. Lucas opened her door and held it for her while she got into the car.
“Good night,” he told her in a low voice before he pushed the door shut.
She took several deep breaths before she turned the key in the ignition and slowly drove away. As she pulled out of the parking lot, she looked back and saw Lucas still standing in the same place, watching her as she went.
Chapter 8
“He seems nice,” Thomas said after a while.
“Are you okay with all of this, then?”
“I guess so. I still want you and Dad to get back together, but as long as you and Lucas are just pretending, I suppose it doesn’t matter.”
“You can’t tell your father that we’re just pretending.”
“I won’t.”
She pulled the car into the garage and then parked. “Thomas, whatever happens with Lucas, your father and I are not getting back together,” she said firmly.
He stared into her eyes for a minute and then blinked hard several times. “Yeah, okay,” he said, reaching for the door’s handle.
“I mean it,” she added as he climbed out of the car.
He slammed his door and disappeared into the house, leaving Terri to follow more slowly. As if she didn’t have enough to worry about, now she had to