Chapter 10 – Will Reid Soften Up?

Brianna pushed open the door and began lifting her things inside the door with her one free hand. Noticing her there Reid jumped up from the sofa, to help her. "Hey let me get this stuff, you go sit down."

She went over and plopped down on the sofa. She looked over to see Katie sitting in the kitchen feeding Jacob in a high chair. "Someone's been shopping I see," she said.

"Bree, what the hell did you do here? You leave southern California to come to Hickville, IL and go on a shopping spree?" He was incredulous at the number of packages he brought in. "How did you even manage to tote this stuff around? Why didn't you call or text me? I'd have come to get you."

She laughed, well I struggled at first but then ran into Luke and he lent me a hand and drove me home," she said.

Katie wiped Jacob's chin with her eyebrows raised. She had a feeling this might be a private conversation but she was so curious she turned her back and busied herself with rinsing Jacobs little dishes.

"Bree, Luke is spending more time with you than I am. This is getting ridiculous." He looked uncertain and a bit defeated. That wasn't at all what she wanted. Not with the scheme brewing in the back of her mind.

"What would you like to do Reid? And when do you actually get a day off anyway? Of course I'd love to be spending some time with you. It's why I came here you know."

"Well it's nice to know you didn't come all this way to spend time with Luke Snyder every day!"

Katie was biting her lip at his childish response and couldn't help but turn around to steal a glance at him. He had the poutiest look on his face, like Jacob gets when he doesn't get the toy he wants. Katie couldn't help but laugh out loud.

He quickly looked at Katie in shock, he had forgotten she was there. He looked back at Bree who'd been smiling at Katie and looked back at him humorously.

They all laughed then. "How fun to have you here Brianna," Katie said. "I'm getting to see a whole new side of my roommate."

Reid cleared his throat. "I tomorrow off. Think of what you'd like to do here, I'm at your beck and call."

"Ok, Mr. Beck and call, take your unhappy nephew for a minute while I grab some supplies to change him."

Reid took the baby trying to shush him. "What's a matter little guy? Mommy neglecting you for Mr. Snyder too? We'll just have to form an alliance against that wont we? Yes we will, yes we will."

Brianna looked up at Katie as she rifled through the diaper bag and the two women rolled their eyes.

The next morning Luke sat in his office at the foundation. It had been a busy morning. He'd sat in on a meeting for Grimaldi, then had a conference call for the foundation. He'd gone over a few proposals for fundraisers and then some requests for donations. Finally, he'd had a chance to ask his assistant to fetch him a latte and sat down to look at the contract for his new home. The realtor had been very precise with details and everything seemed to be in order. Luke signed them and then called for a messenger to return them to the realty office. It was done. The house would be his in just two weeks and the pool was underway. It should be ready for a 4th of July celebration. Luke smiled with satisfaction.

This was all well and good but it wouldn't mean much if he didn't get to the business of explaining himself to Reid. He needed him to understand the depth of his feelings. Luke had tried over and over to practice his explanation, unfortunately it hadn't given him any more confidence in the outcome. He was going to have to just bite the bullet. He phone the hospital only to find out that it was Reid's day off.

He was sure that Reid would be spending the day with Brianna and little Reid, he wished more than anything that he could spend that time with them also. But he knew that Reid needed some time with his family. He couldn't help but wonder if they had any more family. After a few minutes Luke decided that maybe Reid might spare him an hour later in the day. He wouldn't know unless he tried. He looked at his cell phone again and then typed out a message.

Reid and Brianna were packing things up for a day at the park. Brianna was in charge of most of it but Reid had volunteered to make the sandwiches. He knew his sister would worry more with lettuce and tomato and junk like that and miss the whole point of it. As he was putting the mayo and mustard back in the fridge his cell phone buzzed. He looked down at the table to see it was a message from Luke.

Really want to talk to you. –L

Reid held his breath without thinking about it. This was the first invitation from Luke toward the conversation Brianna had talked to him about the other day. He both dreaded and looked forward to the talk. He missed Luke. Missed him with such ferocity that sometimes he didn't think he could go another minute without seeing him. How many times over the last week had he regretted deleting Luke's picture from his phone? Too many damn times, he thought. He wanted to see Luke so much he couldn't see straight, but his pride had been wounded as well as his heart and he wasn't going to give in so easily.

Tough!-R

I need some time with you Reid, please. –L

Damn! The cute blonde doesn't fight fair! He seemed to know just how to pull at Reid's heart. Although, he didn't have to pull very hard.

I've got plans today. –R

I know you'll be spending time with Brianna and Reid today. Could you spare me an hour or so this evening? –L

We'll see. –R

Reid grimaced, because that is what he was used to doing. But inside his heart beat a little faster at the prospect of seeing Luke that evening. He felt excited and anxious at the same time. What if it didn't go well? What if he had to hear once more how Noah was the love of his life. He wasn't sure he could take that.

Still packing up stuff for their day at the park Brianna stopped to look at her cell phone that was blinking like crazy.

I asked him to see me tonight and he didn't say no! –L

Brianna smiled to herself and hit reply.

I'll do all I can to make sure he sees you. :) -B

Luke couldn't sit still. He didn't know what to do with himself. He was so excited, way too excited to work. He'd expected so much more of a fight from Reid. Brianna really must be working some kind of magic on him. Luke put away everything on his desk, no way could he work like this. He resigned to work on something that was productive.

He had decided that his new home would be needing some furnishings. Luke usually shied away from anything upscale, he was a pretty simple guy. But he wanted his home to have really quality things in it. Modern conveniences and yet comfort. He wasn't Lucinda, he wasn't about to sit in his office and have someone come to him, he was going to shop himself. Perhaps a trip into Chicago was in order. He would have plenty of time to drive there, pick out furnishings and be back by evening when he hoped to hear from Reid.

It was a beautiful day. Reid couldn't remember the last time that he'd actually spent time outside having fun. His idea of staying in shape was a vigorous work out at the gym not running around a park laughing and having fun. But that is exactly what they were doing. Of course having a baby with them didn't allow for too much freedom. But they were able to lay him in the shade and enjoy a game of Frisbee.

It had actually taken him several tried to recall how to throw a Frisbee. He hadn't done it since he was about seven years old. Reid was very driven, and not into socializing. This seemed so frivolous. And yet it was exactly what he needed. He was more relaxed today than he could remember being in who knows when. Certainly not in the last 15 years or more.

Now they could finally sit down and enjoy some food. Reid as always was starving. He reached into the cooler and pulled out the sandwiches that he'd made. "Reid you can't be serious!" Brianna looked aghast at her sandwich.

"Oh here, you think I wouldn't know that you wanted this? He tossed her a baggie with lettuce and sliced tomatoes." And she smiled big.

"You always will know won't you?"

He didn't answer; he just reached across, chucked her under the chin and grinned.

"But here," she said grabbing his sandwich from him. She opened his sandwich and then hers and pulled off half of the meat he'd piled on and laid it on his sandwich, closed it up and handed it back to him.

Reid rolled his eyes in mocked annoyance. "You just don't know what you're missing." They laughed briefly and he took a huge bite.

As they ate and talked Brianna couldn't help but broach the subject. "So, where are you going to meet Luke tonight?"

Reid rolled his eyes. "Good grief Bree, isn't it enough that you invade my emotions? Do you have to conspire with Luke too? Besides, I never said I would meet him."

"No but you will, and just for the record, you're no more invaded than I am. You just don't talk about it."

"True."

"But you are going to see him right? Reid you really need to. Please?"

"Good god! You're as bad as he is! Yes, yes, I'm going to see him. Happy now?"

"Ecstatic!" she beamed back at him.

Later she asked him to walk her through Old Town, explaining there was a gallery there she wanted to see.

"Bree, you can't be serious. You're not going to find anything interesting here in Oakhell."

"Oh shush Dr. Grumpypants, I want to see someone."

With everything packed in the car, the two walked along with only the diaper bag on Reid's shoulder and the baby in his arms. Reid loved holding his nephew when he wasn't screaming. The kid was pretty good looking, and would probably grow up to be devastatingly handsome like his uncle. He really liked the way that little Reid looked at him with bright little eyes as though he knew him. "Bree, what do you mean to want to see someone? You know someone here?"

"No, of course not. But someone inquired after meeting me. I wanted to stop in and introduce myself."

"Oh this is crazy," he smirked. "How could someone want to meet you? How could they even know you? I told you to lay off the water here."

"Luke had something I did framed here. And the shop owner asked to meet me silly."

Reid gave a heavy labored sigh for exaggeration. "Luke, Luke, Luke," Is he the love of my life or hers? "What is he, you're best girlfriend now?"

"Oh hi, are you the owner?" Brianna asked the short middle aged man that walked out of the back shop to the desk.

"Yes, Martin, and you are?"

"My name is Briana Jenkins, a friend of mine, Luke Snyder, said I should stop by."

"Oh you did the sketch that he had framed yes?"

Reid tuned out of the conversation, but was aware of a kind of excitement emanating from his sister. Deciding not browse around he spoke softly to the baby, "Come on kiddo, she'd going to talk all her artsy fartsy stuff now, we better make our escape before our ears bleed."

Luke finished his shopping, but it took much longer than he expected. He was going to have to make up time on the drive home. Furniture was much more difficult to pick out than he thought. The techy stuff had been fun though. He loved the TV's, home theatre packages, shoot even the refrigerator shopping was fun. Who knew that you could have TV and recipes stored electronically on a fridge? One thing he hadn't got to and would have to save for later. He'd always wanted to have a pool table in his house. But for now, he just wanted to get back to Oakdale and wait for Reid.

Luke was only about 5 miles from home when his phone buzzed. His heart started to beat fast. He pulled over, not trusting himself to drive when he read it. He was afraid to read it, what if Reid said that he wasn't going to see him? Luke swallowed hard and hit the "view" option.

When and where?-R

Luke let out the breath that he didn't know he'd been holding.

You've never been there, the pond at my family's farm. Will send you the location. – L

Luke found the pond on his Gps and sent the coordinates to Reid.

When? –R

When can you get there?-L

Never? –R

Reid! – L

On my way. –R

Luke's heart was flopping around in his chest like a fish out of water. He pulled back out on the road and headed to the farm.