Lucas woke at dawn. Early morning light filtered through the leaves of a tree outside the window and he enjoyed watching the patterns created on the wall.
Climbing out of bed, he headed into the bathroom. He rummaged in his shaving kit for a pair of manicure scissors and clipped off most of his beard, then he took a razor to what was left.
A hot shower relieved some of the tension in his neck and shoulders, but it came back the minute he dried off. He dressed in his nicest shirt and jeans, and polished his boots.
Grabbing his keys, he locked up the house and walked out to his truck. It could use a wash, but he didn't have time. He used his hand to clean off the passenger seat before walking around to the driver's side and sliding behind the wheel.
On the way to Haley and Nathan's, he had the same feeling in the pit of his stomach that he always got right before he stepped onto the court for a big game. So he followed the same technique and, several deep breaths later, he was calmer.
He rapped on the screen door and opened it while calling out a greeting.
"In the kitchen!" Haley responded.
When he walked into the kitchen, it was just Haley and Jamie. No Brooke.
"Hey, Luke." Haley turned from the stove to look at him. "What happened to the beard?"
"Shaved it off." He glanced at Jamie in his high chair. "What up J Luke?"
Jamie babbled a string of happy noise in return.
"It was starting to itch. Can I help you with anything?"
Haley handed him a bowl and a whisk. "You can scramble these eggs."
"Brooke isn't up yet?"
"Not yet." Haley eyed him. "You can start scrambling those eggs anytime now."
"Yes, ma'am." He set the bowl on the counter and started in on them. "She told you right?"
"She did. And you'd better give me those eggs before you beat them to death."
He handed over the bowl and Haley poured the mixture into the frying pan. Bacon sizzled in another pan and country fries were cooking away in a third.
Normally he would be salivating for one of Haley's famous breakfasts, but he wasn't even slightly hungry.
"Luke, please don't pace."
"Sorry. "He hadn't realized he was doing it.
"Would you like some coffee?"
"No, thank you."
"Well, I would, so please pour me a cup and sit down at the table with Jamie."
He got her coffee, carried it to the table and took a seat.
She turned down the heat under each of the pans and covered them with lids.
"Thank you." She settled herself and wrapped her hands around her coffee mug. "I take it you have a plan."
"Yep" he nodded not looking at her.
"I should probably warn you that…."
"Good morning." Brooke walked into the room wearing a soft blue button-up shirt and jeans.
Lucas leaped to his feet and knocked over his chair. "Good morning." He righted the chair and gazed at her. She looked incredible. Her hair shone like gold and her checks were flushed as if she might be as nervous about their situation as he was.
She started at him. "What happened to your beard?"
"It itched, so I shaved it off."
"Oh."
"Great, the gangs all here." Nathan walked into the kitchen. "I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm starving." He took plates from the cupboard. "I vote we serve ourselves from the stove."
Haley stood. "That works. I'll make us some toast. Lucas can you get out the silverware and napkins. Brooke, coffee mugs are in the cabinet nearest the window, first shelf. I have mine but we'll need three more."
Lucas had thought about lying and saying he'd had breakfast before he'd come over, but he was a lousy liar and Haley wouldn't believe him anyway. He filled his plate and sat with everyone else.
Nathan picked up his coffee mug and paused with it hallway to his mouth. "Why did you shave off the beard?"
"He said it itched." Haley gave Nathan a glance that said plainly he shouldn't pursue the matter.
Lucas appreciated that intervention on his behalf. He didn't want his facial hair, or lack thereof to become the main topic of conversation.
Nathan shrugged. "I can see that could be an issue. So, Brooke, I have a meeting this afternoon with this shoe design company. They want to offer me a deal. Think you might wanna come along and make sure I'm not getting a crap deal?"
That would delay Lucas' plan and the longer he delayed, the more likely he'd lose his nerve. "Actually, I ….."
"I'd love to," Brooke said. "Look at you Mr Basketball bigshot with the shoe deal."
Now if only he could get Brooke to respond with that kind of delight when he had his chance to talk to her. They were burning daylight and his special place looked its best in the morning before the sun got too hot.
Nathan shrugged "Yeah, you always knew I was a stud."
"And that's why I married him." Haley gazed fondly at her husband.
"Um actually. Brooke I was hoping we could go somewhere and talk."
Brooke gazed at him, her expression difficult to read. "Okay. Let me just help Haley clean up."
"Leave the dishes," Haley said.
Lucas had never heard more beautiful words in his life. In another forty minutes the court will heat up and the local kids would ascend. I they left now, he could get there in ten and that would give him around 20 minutes to execute his plan.
With anticipation vying with anxiety, he ushered Brook out the front door and into the passenger seat of his truck. So far, so good.
"What going on, Luke?" she asked as he put the truck in gear.
"What do you mean?" He didn't look at her as he drove. She might see something in his eyes.
"Number one, you shaved. That had to take a couple of weeks to grow, so why shave now unless it has something to do with me?"
"My beard grows really fast. It only took about nine days."
"All right, but the timing id still suspicious. Yesterday afternoon you had a bushy beard. Then I tell you I'm pregnant and the next morning you appear with a close shave. Coincidence? I don't think so."
"I got the impression you didn't like it." They reached the 'river walk' turn off and accelerated.
"I didn't dislike it. I just…. What difference does it make, anyway? There's no reason for you to try to please me. We're ships who passed in the night."
"We didn't just pass. We moored in the same spot and produced a dingy."
That gave her the giggles. For a writer he really didn't have a way with words. "I shouldn't have induced the nautical reference. It makes no sense."
"Okay, let's compare ourselves to a couple of ravens that ended up in the same nest and produced a little egg."
Her laughter was now out of control. "Stop! Don't be funny! This is a very serious situation we're in." But she couldn't seem to keep a straight face.
And it was catching. Soon he was laughing right along with her. When he pulled over onto the side of the road next to the basketball court, he was out of breath. Shutting off the engine, he glanced at her and grinned.
She looked around. "The river court?" She raised an eyebrow at him.
"We have some great memories here."
"Lucas Scott, if you brought me out her for some kind of high school make out session, you have another thing coming!"
"I didn't, I swear! That's the furthest thing from my mind." Not exactly true, but it was down the list a ways. It dint rank higher than a number three and, considering how pretty she looked, he thought that was damned noble of him.
"So what is on your mind then?"
"We need to talk, figure stuff out. Its peaceful here I know you love to watch the sun on the water as the sun raises."
"You were always so at home out here."
"Yeah, but not for the reasons you're imagining. Do you remember when we first started dating? I brought you out here and introduced you to my world."
She nodded softly. "Yeah, it was one of the only time you truly let me in."
"I'm sorry for all of that. Really I never set out to hurt you. "He hopped down and walked around to her side, but she was already out.
She gazed up at him, her expression tender. "I know. And you're right about the beard. I like you better without it."
He stepped back before he did something stupid and kissed her. As he stepped over the low chain link fence, he offered her his hand.
"You don't have to keep helping like this. I'm pregnant not elderly. My doctor says its fine for me to stay active. She's in favour of women exercising throughout pregnancy. It's just the bungee jumping she cautioned me about."
His stomach lurched. "Bungee jumping?" The mischievous twinkle in her eyes clued him in. "You've never bungee jumped have you?"
"Nope. Just teasing you."
No kidding. Standing inches away from her, he was teased by a whole bunch of things – the scent of her shampoo, the curve of her cheek and the sound of her breath. He knew the pleasure her kiss could bring and he craved that pleasure again. But he'd promised that wasn't why he'd brought her out here.
She sat herself on the top of the picnic table, looking out over the water. "Gorgeous. Thank you for bringing me here. Makes me wish I was home more."
"We can bring the baby here."
She turned to him. "No, we can't, Luke. It'll be better for all three of us if we make a clean break."
"I don't want a clean break." He stepped off the table and dropped to one knee. "I don't have a ring to give you, but I'll get one today. Brooke Penelope Davis, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"