Page 24 of Legends Luke

Melody paused and stared at her phone as if Lyric could see the incredulous look on her face. “I’m not going to do that.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’d have to shout for you to hear me. And I couldn’t hurry through my shower because I would be distracted by you. And it’s weird.”

“Okay, fine. Tell me one thing. Which one did you choose? Was it one I favorited on the app? It’s the financial advisor, isn’t it? He’s really hot!”

Melody sighed. “I deleted the app. I met this guy on my own. Now I have to go, or I’m never going to be ready in time.”

“Really? Oh, man, I can’t believe you’re making me wait for details. I get it though. So, go. Have fun. But promise you’ll call me tomorrow and tell me about your date. I want to hear everything.”

“I will. Love you, Bird.”

“Love you too, Melon.”

Though she still felt frantic to get ready, Melody was smiling as she stepped under the warm spray of the shower. Washing her hair would only delay her, but she gave in to the temptation. She didn’t want to go on her date with dirty hair and flat curls.

She woke that morning feeling no small measure of excitement for her date, and she had purposely lined up errands to complete so time would pass quickly. Luke didn’t tell her his plans for their date, and though they’d agreed to keep it casual, she’d spent an inordinate amount of time earlier trying on and dismissing outfits until she’d settled on one. She’d painted her nails a subtle color which complemented her outfit. As her anticipation built, she grabbed her purse and headed out to distract herself. Putting gas in her car, washing the exterior, vacuuming the interior, and then buying groceries took up a huge chunk of her day.

Then she’d gotten the call. Sandra asked her and Tyrell to come in for a couple of hours to help her deal with changes in a case. Sandra’s time had been monopolized lately by drama with Erin, and she was behind in her work. The unexpected turn in her case had necessitated an emergency trip to the office on a Saturday. Melody could have said no. Sandra would have understood and not penalize her for choosing her private life over working overtime. But she couldn’t deny the request. Outside of her sister, work was the most important part of her life, more so than her social life. Not to mention, she knew the difficult timeSandra was having with her daughter, and she wanted to help in any way she could.

Melody had no one to blame but herself for running short of time to prepare for her date. Once she’d gotten to work and saw what her boss needed her to accomplish, she stayed later than she intended to make sure she left nothing unfinished. She’d left satisfied she’d done her best work, but now she was frantic that Luke would show up on her doorstep before she was ready.

She’d slipped her top over her head and smoothed her hair as a sharp knock rapped against her front door. Blowing out an anxious breath, she hurried on bare feet to answer it, glancing through the peephole though it wasn’t needed. Her nerve endings tingled, telling her Luke waited on the other side.

“Hi,” she said softly.

She couldn’t resist studying his handsome face and soul-searing blue eyes — eyes which seemed to pop against the deep red of his collared shirt. The bands of his sleeves seemed to strain against his well-muscled arms, and the shirt stretched taut against his broad chest before falling to his trim waist. His jeans were loose fitting, the hem bunching against the top of his brown boots.

When she finished her perusal, she realized he was also giving her a once-over, and she hoped he was pleased with her shiny curls, flawless makeup, black knit top, and distressed jeans. His gaze rested on her feet, his smirk curling his lips. She wiggled her toes, suddenly glad she’d taken the time to paint her nails a shiny pink.

“I, uh, need a couple of more minutes.”

“Take as much time as you need. I can wait out here.” He swept his hand to indicate her tiny porch with its comfortable outdoor chaise.

“Oh, no, you don’t have to. You can wait inside. I won’t be long at all.”

She stepped back to allow him room to enter. Even then, he managed to brush against her, causing her body to flush at the contact. Her breath caught, but she forced a bright smile to her lips when he stared at her curiously. She closed the door and hastily moved past him, careful not to touch him again.

“Make yourself at home,” she called as she disappeared down the hall to her bedroom. “So, are you going to give me a hint as to what you have planned?”

She stared at the cute sandals she’d set out to wear, but after seeing how Luke was dressed, she wondered if the footwear would be appropriate.

“I think I’d rather surprise you.”

“I hate surprises,” she mumbled as she carried the sandals back to the closet and walked out with a pair of comfortable but stylish slip-on sneakers. She slipped the strap of her purse over her head, so it dropped across her body to rest at her hip.

When she returned to the living room, she found Luke standing by the small bookcase she kept in one corner. It held only a few books and special knickknacks, but most of the space was occupied with photos. She smiled to see his eyes lingering on the last family photo taken at Lyric’s high school graduation.

“I’m ready.”

He turned and smiled wide. “You look pretty.”

She flushed. “Thank you. You look nice yourself.”

He touched the edge of the picture frame. “Is this your family?”

She moved closer and picked up the picture. Her slender finger pointed to each person as she spoke. “This is my mom and dad, and the one in the middle is my sister, Lyric. We were at her high school graduation. It was taken a while ago before our parents died.”

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