{"id":2839,"date":"2016-02-18T14:24:57","date_gmt":"2016-02-18T19:24:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/?p=2839"},"modified":"2016-02-18T14:59:43","modified_gmt":"2016-02-18T19:59:43","slug":"loving-luke-chapter-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/2016\/02\/loving-luke-chapter-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Loving Luke – Chapter 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Winter<\/a><\/p>\n

Are you looking for a short, sweet winter romance? Try Loving Luke.<\/a> This novella is about cookies, kisses and other fun delights. It’s only 99 cents<\/a>!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Chapter 1<\/p>\n

The chugging echo of a motorcycle rolled down Main Street. Kim grabbed her oven mitts, the loud sound bringing memories of her wild high school days in Bethlehem. The noise stopped just as she pulled the hot tray of vanilla cookies from the oven. The heated warmth surrounded her face as she sniffed the sweet scent. Sweat beaded her brow, and she placed the tray onto a rack before wiping her forehead with a clean towel.<\/p>\n

She removed the box of edible silver sprinkles from the shelf just as the Christmas sleigh bells above the front door jingled. She glanced toward the entrance, spotting Luke Barnes strolling into her cookie shop! Startled, her heart skipped a beat and she dropped the box of sprinkles. Tiny silver balls rolled on the floor, and she inwardly groaned, picking up the box and shoving it onto the table.<\/p>\n

\u201cLuke.\u201d She couldn\u2019t even think of what she should say. \u201cI didn\u2019t realize you were back in Bethlehem.\u201d She walked toward the counter, the silver-ball sprinkles crunching beneath her shoes. She resisted the urge to come from behind the counter to hug him. His dark eyes seemed a bit wary, almost as if he\u2019d been unsure about entering her cookie shop.<\/p>\n

She had not seen Luke since her junior year in high school, so, why should his sudden presence make her act like a love sick teenager? She shouldn\u2019t let his presence rattle her.<\/p>\n

But it did.<\/p>\n

He finally nodded toward her. \u201cKim, it\u2019s been awhile.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt sure has.\u201d Eight years to be exact. It was surprising what eight years could do to a person. He still had an enticing, mocha-colored complexion, but, he now sported a full mustache and beard. He looked\u2026bigger, as if he\u2019d grown or gained weight since high school.<\/p>\n

She swallowed and took a deep breath. They\u2019d gotten matching dove tattoos when they were dating. She eyed her hand, still sporting the scar that was the result of her having her tattoo surgically removed.<\/p>\n

He glanced toward the floor, scratching the back of his neck. \u201cI didn\u2019t realize you were in town either until last night.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u201d Had he stopped by just to see her, hoping to rekindle old memories?<\/p>\n

He studied the cookie shop. \u201cThis place hasn\u2019t changed much.\u201d<\/p>\n

She\u2019d put up the Christmas decorations that morning, placing red poinsettias on the four small tables in the front. White temporary paint frosted the large windows, giving the effect of a snowy Christmas day.<\/p>\n

Luke glanced at the cookie display, as if he were deciding what he wanted to buy. Her dad had taken the afternoon off to go to a dentist appointment, and, for some reason, Kim was glad that her father wasn\u2019t here right now. Seeing Luke rattled her, and she could imagine her dad questioning her after Luke\u2019s unexpected visit.<\/p>\n

He continued studying the cookies. \u201cI\u2019ve only been back since August. It\u2019s surprising to see you working in your parents\u2019 bakery.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kim stood at the counter, waiting. She didn\u2019t feel like correcting Luke, telling him that only her dad owned the bakery now that her mom was deceased or that she\u2019d been to college and until recently, had worked as an accountant in Chicago. She pushed the thoughts from her mind, again focusing on Luke. For some reason, she doubted he wanted to hear about her life since he\u2019d disappeared from Bethlehem.<\/p>\n

Luke shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants, jiggling his keys and change. She recalled he usually did this when he was nervous. She cleared her throat, glanced at the clock. Her dad would be back soon, and before he returned, she wanted to figure out what Luke wanted. \u201cDid you come to buy cookies?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2026\u201d he paused, glanced at the display. \u201cI\u2019ll take a dozen chocolate chip.\u201d<\/p>\n

She grinned. Memories of eating warm chocolate chip cookies and cold glasses of milk with Luke Barnes unfurled in her mind like snowflakes dancing in the wind. Despite her parents\u2019 objections, she\u2019d baked batches of Luke\u2019s favorite chocolate chip cookies and would secretly meet him at his house. After sharing hot cookies, they\u2019d drink cold milk from the same glass. Luke would always kiss her, telling her how much he loved her and her cookies. Their kisses had always turned passionate, and she shook the thought away, not wanting to dwell on what usually happened after those kisses. Her life was a lot different now that she was saved, but, she still had some regrets over her past mistakes.<\/p>\n

She glanced up, caught Luke staring at her with his mesmerizing dark brown eyes. Had he been thinking of the times they\u2019d shared, eating cookies and milk? No way was she going to ask him about that. She boxed up the cookies, rang up the order. After he\u2019d paid, he still stood at the register, hesitating, holding the pastel, monogrammed bakery box. \u201cYes?\u201d she prompted.<\/p>\n

His hand was still shoved in his pocket and he fidgeted. \u201cLook, I didn\u2019t come here to buy cookies.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy daughter told me she wanted to work here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kim frowned. What in the world was he talking about? Another thing she recalled about Luke, he was terrible at giving details. When he told her something, she\u2019d always felt like she was only getting half of the story and she\u2019d have to ask questions, forcing him to fill in the blanks. \u201cYou have a daughter?\u201d Was he referring to the child he\u2019d fathered in high school?<\/p>\n

He nodded. \u201cYes, I\u2019m talking about Lisa. You met her at school, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy goodness. The little girl from Career Day is your daughter?\u201d She never would\u2019ve guessed that Lisa was Luke\u2019s daughter. So mind-boggling that Luke, a man from her past, was now in her bakery because his nine-year-old daughter wanted to make cookies with her after school.<\/p>\n

The previous day, Kim had participated in the annual Career Day at Bethlehem Elementary School. Career Day always took place the Monday after the Thanksgiving holiday. When Kim had asked for a volunteer to help with her staged demonstration, she\u2019d ended up picking a cute, shy-looking child named Lisa. Since part of the Career Day activities included job mentorship, she\u2019d offered to have Lisa come visit the cookie shop and help her bake cookies.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019d said you\u2019d offered her a job.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot exactly a job. I\u2019d just invited her over for an after-school cookie baking session.\u201d No way was she telling him about Lisa\u2019s complaints regarding his burning cookies and his failed attempts at making dinner. \u201cWe\u2019re usually busy during the Christmas season and if she wants to come and help after school for a day, she can.\u201d She paused. \u201cI don\u2019t know if she\u2019d want to come regularly to help bake cookies. I thought we\u2019d try it for a day or so, and see what happens from there, if that\u2019s okay with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

He shook his head. \u201cI don\u2019t know if it\u2019s okay for Lisa to be here with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

She stepped away from the counter, silently counting to ten, gritting her teeth. \u201cWhat do you mean by that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, Kim. You know what I mean. You were so wild in high school.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo were you,\u201d she countered, balling her hands into fists, trying to control her temper. He had a lot of nerve, riding here on his motorcycle, implying she\u2019d be a bad influence on his daughter.<\/p>\n

He set the cookie box on a nearby table, held his hands up. \u201cHey, don\u2019t get mad. I\u2019m just saying I\u2019ve got to be careful where my daughter is concerned.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re basing your opinion of me on the way I was eight years ago and that\u2019s not fair. I\u2019m not the same person as I was back then.\u201d A thought occurred to her. \u201cAre you the same as you were eight years ago or have you changed?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a Christian now and \u2013\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo am I.\u201d She\u2019d accepted Christ a year after Luke had abandoned her. The kids at Bethlehem High School had gossiped about Luke\u2019s desertion for months afterwards. She\u2019d even asked some of his friends if they had a way to contact him, but, they couldn\u2019t help her locate Luke. She couldn\u2019t find anything about him on social media. It was almost as if Luke didn\u2019t want to be found once he left Bethlehem.<\/p>\n

He furrowed his brow, as if he didn\u2019t believe her. \u201cYou\u2019re really a Christian?\u201d<\/p>\n

She nodded. Why was this so hard to believe? Eight years was a long time and a lot of stuff could happen. Luke claimed he\u2019d been in town since August, yet, she had not seen him or Lisa at Bethlehem Community Church. It was possible that they worshipped elsewhere, though.<\/p>\n

He glanced uneasily at her, scratching the back of his neck. Kim decided she\u2019d felt rattled enough for one day. She didn\u2019t want her father returning and asking questions about her strange reaction to Luke. Her dad could read her like a book, and he\u2019d know she was unsettled. She needed some time to calm down before her father returned from the dentist. Besides, she needed to frost the vanilla cookies before her customer arrived to pick up the order. \u201cLook, why don\u2019t you think about it and when you decide what you want to do, then call me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Luke gave her a quick nod, lifting his cookie box from the table. The sleigh bells jingled as he exited the bakery.
\n*
\nAs soon as Luke drove away, the sound of his motorcycle echoing in the bakery, Kim pulled her phone from her pocket, texting her best friends, Carly, Anna and Heather. The four of them had been best friends since elementary school. Since they\u2019d been friends with her when she\u2019d dated Luke, she figured they\u2019d be interested in knowing that he was back in town. She began her text: Ladies, Luke Barnes is back in Bethlehem.<\/p>\n

As soon as she\u2019d sent the text, her phone buzzed. She eyed the display, seeing that her friend Heather was calling. \u201cHeather, I can\u2019t believe Luke just came into my bakery. He really made me mad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did he say?\u201d<\/p>\n

Kim put her phone onto the speaker setting, went back into the kitchen, telling Heather all about her conversation with Luke. She dropped softened butter and the rest of the frosting ingredients into a large bowl. After she was done speaking to Heather, she needed to frost the wedding-bell shaped cookies. Her customer would be arriving later to take the cookies to an office bridal shower.<\/p>\n

\u201cHmm.\u201d Heather appeared to be in deep thought. \u201cSeems like a strange coincidence that Luke, your high school ex-boyfriend would come to your shop, right when you\u2019re struggling to get over your ex-fianc\u00e9.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kim groaned, glancing at the cookies. Just looking at the wedding-bell shaped treats caused vivid memories of her aborted wedding plans, nearly one year ago, to unfurl in her mind. \u201cWhat\u2019s your point?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe the Lord wants you and Luke to rekindle your high school romance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kim pressed her lips together. That was the dumbest thing she\u2019d ever heard. Luke didn\u2019t even want his daughter to spend time with her. Rekindling their romance was probably the furthest thing from his mind.<\/p>\n

She hadn\u2019t been saved when she\u2019d dated him in high school and they\u2019d had a torrid relationship. They\u2019d both been young and immature, and she\u2019d recalled how hurt she\u2019d been when he\u2019d gotten Salina Foster pregnant. After he\u2019d abruptly left town with his mom and Salina, not even bothering to say good-bye to her, she\u2019d been devastated. She had not been able to get over her pain until she\u2019d left home and started college.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think you\u2019re wrong.\u201d After the shock of seeing Luke and disagreeing with him, she felt she needed something to calm herself down. A cookie, yes, that\u2019s what she needed. She needed a cookie fix to make herself feel better.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I think I\u2019m right. There must be some kind of chemistry between the two of you if you\u2019re mad at him after one short conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n

This conversation with Heather was not making her feel better. \u201cI have to go.\u201d She ended the call, lifted a warm cookie from the rack, her stomach growling with hunger. Biting into the treat, the sweet taste of vanilla and sugar exploded on her tongue and she sighed, leaning back against the wall. Eating this cookie lifted her mood, just a little bit.<\/p>\n

These were the best vanilla cookies she\u2019d ever tasted in her entire life, and her heart swelled, recalling how long it had taken her and her deceased mom to develop the recipe, years ago. Unable to resist, she gobbled another cookie, continuing to think about Luke. He\u2019d looked as good as he did back in high school, if not better. It had just seemed weird to see Luke riding a motorcycle while wearing slacks and loafers. Back in high school, he\u2019d worn ripped jeans, a t-shirt and a leather jacket when riding his motorbike.<\/p>\n

Continuing to feast on dessert, she closed her eyes, thinking about the last three months of her life. Returning to Bethlehem a few months ago to work in her family\u2019s bakery had been bittersweet. It\u2019d been eight years since she\u2019d left Bethlehem. She\u2019d hoped that the work of baking cookies in the hot kitchen, spending time with her dad, would help her to heal from the pain of her ex-fianc\u00e9\u2019s infidelity, and help her deal with her mom\u2019s recent death.<\/p>\n

It\u2019d been eleven months since that fateful day of her breakup, and whenever she thought about her ex, her heart pounded and tears rushed to her eyes. Being in love was like a toxic disease and she didn\u2019t know when she\u2019d have the courage to fall in love again. Why couldn\u2019t God lift away this awful pain? How long would it take for her to heal?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Are you looking for a short, sweet winter romance? Try Loving Luke. This novella is about cookies, kisses and other fun delights. It’s only 99 cents! Chapter 1 The chugging echo of a motorcycle rolled down Main Street. Kim grabbed her oven mitts, the loud sound bringing memories of her wild high school days in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[35,94],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2839","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-cecelia-dowdys-books","category-christmas"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paovYP-JN","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2839","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2839"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2839\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2853,"href":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2839\/revisions\/2853"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2839"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2839"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2839"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}