The things we do for love. Read online

  “Yes. Please don’t hold it against me. He is our father regardless of what happened between him and Mum.” Faye begged.

  “You didn’t say anything.” Cassie said.

  “I know, it just… well you know how you get.” Faye pulled a face.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” She ignored her sister’s grimace.

  “I didn’t know how to bring up the subject. You are always so... you know.” Cassie did know and was a little sad that Faye felt the need to lie to her or to keep it from her.

  One thing Cassie knew was that she was tired and didn’t want to fight with her sister anymore. If Faye going away to see their father brought about positive changes then surely that was a good thing. Cassie really could not keep going on with the way things had been. Something had to change before she went completely mad.

  “Your right.” She regretfully agreed with her sister at last.

  “I am.” Faye asked, unable to disguise the shock in her voice. And Cassie was struck with the thought that she didn’t tell her sister that she was right all that often.

  Although, to be fair, she usually never was.

  Chapter 8.

  Luke sighed in frustration and sat back on his high backed burgundy leather chair as he brought up a hand to rub at the back of his neck.

  He had been pouring over this bloody paperwork for over an hour and if anyone had asked him what it was about he wouldn’t have had the foggiest.

  His neck ached, his back hurt and his brain was refusing to work. He continued to rub at his sore neck to try to ease the tension that had tucked itself up in his muscles. It really didn’t work though.

  Reaching up a hand he loosened his tie and undid the top button on his collar of his white shirt and he ran fingers through his dark short hair. His fingertips rubbing at his scalp.

  He had to get his head together. His decision was needed by Monday and that was only three days away. Although, he wasn’t sure what was holding him back. Buying into this new practice would work out so well for him.

  After all, this was what he had been working towards all these years. The years spent at the hospital then, in the intervening years, working as a locum before buying into his first practice.

  Now though, he had the chance to buy into the practice he had always wanted. It was a good practice in an exclusive part of town. The majority of the patients were private so this was a chance to get where he had worked so hard to get to.

  Not that money was the issue. But it was about showing people that he could amount to something on his own, without the old family money behind him. The same family money that had been a noose around his neck.

  So why was he hesitating? Luke wasn’t sure, no that was wrong, he knew. It had started when he had first looked into a pair of hazel eyes. It had started when he had first laid eyes on a beautiful woman named Cassie.

  Ever since he had seen her in the courtroom that first day. It had been the first time he had seen her. He had heard about her from Faye but had yet to make her acquaintance.

  He had been dealing with Faye for a few weeks. He had known from Faye that she had a twin sister and that her name was Cassie but that was all.

  The truth was he hadn’t really been interested, Another Faye in the world. How unfortunate for the world.

  But then he had seen her. In the courtroom. Faye had waltzed in as if she owned the place and just behind her had been this little curvy elfin of a beauty. She had elegantly wafted in and had sat down with Faye.

  At first he hadn’t been able to see it, they were twins? They couldn’t have looked or behaved so different than if they shared no genetic link.

  But after a while he could see the same bone structure and facial features. Had Faye not had that, in your face, hair colour they would have looked more alike.

  Faye was much taller than Cassie by at least two inches or so and she had a trimmer, more athletic build. Whilst Cassie was shorter with a curvier, fuller figure.

  Cassie had not let Faye speak for herself in the court, opting to be her sister’s advocate. She had dealt with everything in an elegant, demure, fashion, her voice low and husky and quite posh spoken. Considering Faye’s brash and bold tones, with her penchant for not always pronouncing her t’s.

  she had sat modestly with her hands in her lap and she had been dressed simply in a light blue dress, that did up right to her neck and swept down just past her knees. Almost like she had walked out of the Dicken’s era.

  He had felt his loins tighten instantly as he had swept his eyes over her prim and proper look. And he had caught himself wondering how it would feel to take that dress off her. To hold her naked in his arms.

  That had shocked him. His reaction had been stronger than any he had ever had for a woman. He was normal, but the way he had reacted to Cassie. Feeling like some besotted fool.

  He had watched her, studied her intently, and all the while she had not noticed. Not even for a second.

  Her hair had been scraped back from her face in a severe looking ponytail. It had looked quite painful and Luke’s fingers had itched to release those glossy locks and run his fingers through it. He was willing to bet it would be soft like silk.

  She hadn’t worn any make up either he had noticed. Her skin warm and peachy. She had looked younger than her years except for the dark circles under her eyes.

  Too many days and night worrying about a sister that wasn’t worthy to worry about.

  Of course, that was his opinion. She probably thought her sister was worth every worried thought and every sleepless night. Not to mention the amount of money she probably had parted company with over the years paying for her sisters’ mistakes.

  It had been damn rotten luck when Faye had been thrown into his path. From that fateful night when she had waited on his table and caused all that trouble.

  His one big regret about the whole ramshackle incident was Cassie.

  Gentle, quiet, lap dog Cassie. Who did not seem to know how to stand up to that sister of hers. She seemed to lack the ability to make Faye behave.

  Beautiful, innocent Cassie. Who had looked as though she carried the weight of the world on her shoulders. And, seemed oblivious to what a sinfully wonderful body she had.

  Sexy, curvy Cassie that made him hard in a second flat and making him wish that he could be more caveman and sling her over his shoulder and carry her off to his den. Luke groaned into the silent room.

  He felt that familiar deep throb and the painful hardness that told him his thoughts were waking up a certain part of his anatomy.

  He felt restless and fought the need to get up and pace his office. He hadn’t felt the need to pace for many a year and at thirty-three he didn’t want to start that.

  The damn Kerrigan twins. It’s all he could think about, at least one half of them.

  As for the other half… well she had taken up a lot of space in his head too. But his imaging’s of her were less than favourable and involved, stringing her up, throwing her out of an airplane without a parachute, or dumping her out to sea with nothing more than a dinghy and a teaspoon for an oar.

  Ever since that party when Faye had made a nuisance of herself and that had turned out to be the best encounter he had had with her so far. It had all been downhill from there.

  He had spent many a night and day thinking about them. One he wouldn’t mind strangling, or at the very least getting her as far away from her sister as possible. And the other one…

  Cassie... Luke groaned again in frustration, now he was acting like a lovesick fool yet again. What was wrong with him? Ever since he had met Cassie, he had been acting like a besotted idiot.

  But he was only a man, he placated himself and she…Well, she was like a breath of fresh air. She was like a beautiful sun Goddess.

  All big innocent eyes, and full plump pink lips. Lips that had his lips tingling every time he looked at them. Lips that his lips longed to kiss.

  And, soft smooth peachy skin and voluptuous curves that
his hands itched to caress, to hold, to squeeze.

  And, long flowing glossy chestnut hair that made his fingers burn to bury themselves in. Hair, that smelled like apples, he had noticed when he had managed to get close enough to her. Damn it

  And as for his other appendage, the one that was making itself known right now? Well, he knew where that wanted to be. Double damn it.

  Why was he torturing himself? He had even taken other women out in a bid to stop his thoughts. Normally those kinds of nights ended up in one place but the last few women had found themselves back home and alone at the end of the evening.

  Not like him at all, not that he was a Lothario or anything, but he was a normal functioning man. And he was single and had a lot of money.

  He did not want them. Though they were beautiful women and before Cassie he would have found them appealing but then he had seen Cassie.

  There was no chance of it being anything, not with Faye. Every time Faye had done something Luke’s heart had sunk because he knew that meant another reason why he couldn’t ask Cassie out on a date. Or try to get to know her. And he was so desperate to get to know her.

  He silently cursed Faye again, which made it at least a million times now, just today. What was he going to do?

  There was a knock on his office door and Luke pulled himself out of his thoughts and grounded himself back into the land of the living. “Yes.” He called out wearily. He was tired and it showed in every fatigued line on his face and in the shadows of his eyes.

  His day has started with his alarm at half past five that morning. He’d had several patients coming in to his practice early so he had needed to be in town by seven. Then when he had finished with his patients he had gone back to his car only to find that it had been vandalized.

  Luke had guessed straight away who the culprit was, he had no other enemies after all, and a trip to the security office provided the proof he had needed.

  After going to talk to Cassie about her unruly sister he had come back home to clear up the rest of his paperwork as he was due in surgery tomorrow morning and wouldn’t be able to get it done then.

  He had had to arrange someone to pick up the car to take to the garage, luckily he had other cars he could use until it came back. But that wasn’t the point. Now, at seven in the evening, Luke was completely done in.

  The door opened and Mrs Pankhurst, his housekeeper of many years, came into the room carrying a tray of tea and what looked like her homemade cookies. Luke smiled warmly despite his mood. He loved Vera’s cookies. “You shouldn’t be doing that.” He told her.

  “Oh pish posh tosh.” She rebuked him.

  “I could have come through to the kitchen. That tray looks heavy.”

  “What you trying to say?” she asked him.

  He watched Vera walk across the room to his desk, she was a plump woman with hair of silver and sand threaded together. Her face, warm, inviting and kind. She was a very kind soul, sometimes too kind for her own good which often lead to her being broken hearted over something or someone.

  But, Luke wouldn’t want her to be any other way. He loved that she deeply cared about people, even complete strangers. She had been with him for a very long time and they had developed a deep caring relationship over the years.

  “Me? Nothing. I wouldn’t dare.” Luke replied. And it as true he really wouldn’t. Vera could be very ferocious when she wanted to be.

  “Good, cos I ain’t too old.” She told him sternly.

  “I said nothing.” He reminded her raising his hand to show that he was surrendering.

  “Huh. You were thinking it.” She accused him.

  “Not a single thought.” He promised.

  “I thought you might be in need of a pick me up.” She told him as she finally placed the tray down on his desk.

  She gave him one of her sympathetic motherly looks, which usually didn’t bother him but this evening it irked him.

  He said nothing, of course. His bad mood wasn’t his house-keepers fault after all, and she shouldn’t have to bear the brunt of Faye’s inappropriate behaviour.

  “Thank you.” Luke picked up the mug of steaming tea and rested back on his chair.

  “You’re not still thinking about the psychotic twin from perdition are you?” she asked knowingly. Luke almost laughed out loud but managed to rein it in, Vera didn’t need to be encouraged.

  “Vera, please don’t start.” Luke tried to warn but, but it appeared that Vera was just getting warmed up.

  “Me?” she touched a hand to her chest and tried to look innocent which did not work. “Go on with you.” She told him

  “I mean it Vera. I am not in the mood for this tonight.” Luke said hoping that she would take the hint. But as usual, she did not.

  “I don’t know what you mean I’m sure.” She shoved the plate of cookies at Luke and, he dutifully took one. “If you ask me though...”

  “... and nobody did.” Luke interjected but Vera carried on as if he hadn’t spoken.

  “If you ask me...” She repeated a little louder. “You spend far too much of your time thinking about little miss scoundrel when you should really be turning your attention to little miss nice sane one.” Vera gave Luke her biggest beaming smile.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Luke narrowed his eyes at his outspoken housekeeper. He knew he shouldn’t have asked and regretted it the moment the words were out. But, he hadn’t been able to help himself.

  “You know what it means.” She told him.

  “Vera.”

  “No, someone has to get you to get a grip of yourself.”

  “Get a grip of myself?” Luke asked amused. He tried to stop the small little smile curve his lips but he failed completely.

  “Yes well,” She looked him up and down. “Someone needs to get a grip of you.” She told him. “Or perhaps you need to get a grip of someone.”

  “Vera, please.” Luke begged her.

  “Well, you have been trouncing about the place like a zombie on sedatives ever since that day in court.” What a way with words she had, Luke thought to himself.

  “Really?”

  “I saw the way you were looking at her.”

  “Did you?” he did not doubt it. Nothing slipped past the eagle eyes of Vera.

  “Oh come on, a blind man could have seen the way you were looking at her.” Vera smiled warmly. “I swear it was like watching the wolf sizing up little red riding hood, whilst trying to decide what to do with granny.”

  “Trouncing?” Luke asked raising an eyebrow and his face softened into the slightest hint of a smile. Luke decided it was better to get her off her tangent.

  Little red riding hood? An apt description for Cassie that was for sure. Granny? Luke knew when to leave well enough alone. He wasn’t sure if he liked the idea of being likened to a wolf though. Then again maybe he did. He brushed it aside.

  “It’s a word.” She assured, “Anyway we’re not talking about my vocabulary we’re talking about the twins, or at least one half of them. The nice half.”

  “I think I’ve heard enough about this for one day.” Luke tried to sound firm but didn’t quite make it. Vera’s heart was in the right place she just didn’t know when she was working on a lost cause and, this was definitely a lost cause. Luke felt that painful stab in his chest again. If only.

  “Oh no you don’t, buddy.” Luke stared at Vera for a moment. She had that stern look on her face again. The one that said I am a dog with a bone and I’m not giving up, if you try and take the bone from me I will savage your hand.

  “It could never be...” Luke began but was abruptly cut off.

  “I know she’s got a ratty sister but that shouldn’t put you off.” She gave him a wink and she turned to walk from the room. Her ample frame swaying as she went.

  “I told her that her sister was a nutter.” Luke said.

  “Yes that you did.” Vera agreed.

  “And I told her she should have her sister committed.” Lu
ke reminded her quietly.

  “Yes you did that too, and I bet she probably agrees with you, but she is going to stick up for her sister. Because she is her sister and that’s what sister’s do.” Vera smiled at him.

  “I told her that she couldn’t stand up to her and make her do as she was told.” Luke continued unrelentingly.

  “She most likely agrees with that too, although it probably rubbed her up the wrong way. No one likes to be reminded of their failures.”

  “I told her there are special places for a sister like that.” Luke continued to drive his point home.

  “But she probably already knew those places existed anyway.” Vera pointed out and despite his best efforts Luke laughed.

  “I told her that her sister’s behaviour was her fault.” he said quietly.

  “You didn’t.” Vera exclaimed as she threw up her hand in exasperation and then dropped them back to her sides. “What on earth possessed you to say that.”

  “You saw my car.” He pointed out.

  “And you have a point. But…”

  “But, now that I have alienated her there’s no way forward.” Luke told Vera with a sense of satisfaction that he had been right all along and that Vera was flogging a dead horse.

  “There is always a way.” Vera told him sharply refusing to be defeated just yet.

  “No there isn’t. Not only did I tell her that it was her fault, I also told her that she was enabling her sister and that if it wasn’t for her then perhaps her sister would have turned out better.”

  “Wow, you really enjoy committing suicide don’t you?” Vera stated.

  “So then, that is that.” Luke told her triumphantly.

  “Not necessarily.”

  “Yes necessarily. Are you not listening. I told her that Faye’s behaviour was her fault. That she had created monster Faye. That she enabled her bad behaviour.” Luke relentlessly continued.

  “But that doesn’t mean all is lost. Like I said there is always a way, if it was meant to be.”

  “Perhaps that’s true in fluffy, nonsense romantic fiction that you so enjoy reading. But, this is real life and Cassie hates my guts.” Luke responded despondently. “And I don’t blame her. After the way I spoke to her, I hate my guts.”