Page 27 of Legends Luke

“We can if you want, but I have another idea. Do you trust me?”

She slowed her steps but didn’t reply until she stood by his truck. Then she peered up at him, her expression intense. “Yeah. I trust you. Don’t make me regret it.”

He sensed a deeper meaning behind her words, but now wasn’t the time to delve into it.

“You won’t regret it.”

Once Melody was settled on the passenger seat, he closed the door and pulled out his cell phone. He quickly sent a text before climbing behind the wheel.

“So, I guess I don’t get a hint about where you’re taking me?”

“Nope.” He flashed her a smirk and chuckled when she rolled her eyes at him.

“Okay.” She shifted in her seat until she sat facing him as much as her seatbelt would allow. “So, you have to tell me something else.”

“Tell you what?”

“Anything. You don’t talk a lot. I feel like I’ve shared a lot about myself, but I want to know something about you. I’ll let you decide what you want to tell me.”

She wasn’t wrong. Luke rarely shared anything personal about himself. He’d become adept at deflecting questions. When he was younger, it was a matter of self-preservation. His life had been a mess, and the less people knew about it, the more he liked it. Now, revealing too much about his life could put the Legends’ work at risk, and he wouldn’t do that. They all agreed to stay out of the public eye for their protection and for the protection of the people they helped.

Melody wasn’t asking about trade secrets. She was doing what normal people did on first dates. Luke realized he wanted her to know something about him, even if it was minor and unimportant.

“I hate cheese.”

He couldn’t resist glancing in her direction. Her mouth gaped open, and her eyes bugged out from the socket. His response wasn’t what she expected, and he liked throwing her off.

“I guess it’s settled then,” she declared, facing the windshield and lifting her hands up in defeat. “We can’t be friends.”

He barked out a laugh, tension he didn’t realize he felt leaving his body. “Then I guess I’m lucky because friendship is not what I have in mind.”

Her lips twitched with a barely suppressed grin. “Seriously. Who hates cheese? I mean, it makes everything taste better.”

“People use it too much. It detracts from the flavors of the meal. Like a good burger. Why camouflage the juiciness of a hamburger with melted cheese? It’s messy.”

“There are dishes that wouldn’t be the same without cheese. Like lasagna. You eat lasagna, don’t you?” she countered.

“No. I don’t like how the noodles get hard on the edges when they cook.”

“So, you eat around them. Otherwise, you miss out on the soft noodles coated in rich marinara sauce and tons of ooey, gooey cheese tying it all together. It’s the best.”

He flashed her an expression of disgust. “I’d rather have a ribeye.”

He was glad he didn’t miss her dramatic eye roll. “You’re hopeless.”

He was chuckling as he pulled into a small parking lot crowded with vehicles. Some made their own parking spot beside the quaint building or on the grass. The structure was painted a soft gray with black trim and window boxes overflowing with bright flowers and long green fronds. The double glass doors at the front had the business name painted in white calligraphy. Luke maneuvered his truck onto a low, grassy hill on one side of the parkinglot, turning the truck around so he could easily pull out when it was time to leave.

“Are you sure we’ll have a place to sit? It looks like they’re super crowded. I’m good with going somewhere else if you’d rather.”

He opened his door and paused to glance over at her. “You said you trusted me, remember?”

She regarded him curiously as she stepped out of the truck and fell into step beside him, his hand at the small of her back. They stepped inside a charming place called Whitman’s. Soft music filtered through the speakers. Candlelight danced on the few interior tables covered with soft blue tablecloths. The restaurant smelled of freshly baked bread. Despite the crowded parking lot, they didn’t have to wait for the maître’ d to greet them.

The young man was dressed in a pressed white shirt and black pleated pants. His hair was impeccably groomed except for a cowlick adding a weird twist to a lock in the center of his hairline along his forehead. His grin was easy and genuine. His almond-shaped eyes sparkled.

“Luke, what took you so long?” The garbled words rolled together, but he was able to easily distinguish what was being said.

“Hey, Davis. Good to see you, man. Everything ready?”

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