She spun to face him and wobbled but caught herself. “Luke.”

“Sarah?”

Her eyes narrowed in concentration that seemed to be difficult for her to hold. Then her eyes rolled back and she mumbled, “Catch me.”

With the words barely out of her mouth, her knees buckled. He lurched forward, fell to his knees, and caught her before her head hit the cement floor. He hugged her to his chest and held her on his lap and called out, “Jerry!”

He came running from the office. “What happened?”

“She collapsed.” He ran a shaking hand over her face and hair.

“I’m not surprised. That girl needs a vacation from this vacation. Should we call an ambulance?”

“I don’t think so. The exhaustion finally caught up to her. I’ll take her up to the house and put her to bed.”

“The crew and I have things covered.”

“Thanks. Today I need to take care of her and the boys.”

“No problem.”

Luke stood with Sarah in his arms and stared down at her pale but beautiful face. “She said she’s in love with me.”

“That’s great. Now you two can really be together.”

“I wish it was that simple. She was ranting about work and having to leave and not knowing how to schedule everything and still be here with me. I don’t even know if she realizes she told me she loves me.”

“At least you know she does.” Jerry congratulated him with a tap on the shoulder. “Now you can tell her you love her and the two of you can figure out the rest as you go.”

Easier said than done, but he wanted a life with Sarah more than he’d ever wanted anything.

Chapter Twenty-One

Luke took Sarah up to the house and straight to his room. He laid her on his bed and stared down at her, so tired that she didn’t even stir. All he wanted to do was make her feel better. So he gently took her shoes and socks off, slipped off her jeans, unhooked the bra at her back and pulled the straps down each of her arms, and tugged it out of her shirt like he’d seen other women do themselves. He tucked her under the covers and stared down at her, his heart aching for her.

What would have happened if she’d been somewhere else when she collapsed? What if she’d been alone with the boys and they didn’t know what to do for her?

Those thoughts and a thousand others disturbed him.

“Luke?” Jack stood in the bedroom doorway, Nick right behind him. “Is Mama okay?”

Luke didn’t want to worry the boys. He was glad he got Sarah settled before they saw her.

He went to Jack and Nick and kneeled in front of them. “She worked a lot last night. The ride made her tired, so she went to sleep. Let’s go have breakfast.”

He took their hands and led the boys down to the kitchen, leaving Sarah sleeping soundly in his bed.