Page 18 of Loyally, Luke
Luke studied the little girls. So much loss at such young ages. Made their smiles even sweeter.
“So the dog’s named after a piece of cloth that wraps around a dumpling?”
Both girls nodded.
He could go along with it. He’d heard worse names for dogs.
“Do you have any dogs?” This from Amara.
“I have two, but they’re both big dogs. Not nice and tidy like Clootie here.”
“What are their names?” Faye ran a hand over the dog’s head.
“Well, I have a shepherd named Chewy and a hound named Indie.”
Both girls tilted their heads as if the names were new to them.Luke didn’t figure to explain since neither little girl had probably seen the corresponding movies.
A bell he’d heard throughout the day chimed, causing both girls to come to attention. “We’ve got to go, Mr.Luke.” Amara took Faye’s hand and they both started toward the door, Clootie tagging along behind.
“Thank you for my coffee and cook—biscuits.” Luke raised the cookie-laden napkin in appreciation and followed the girls to the door.
He was rewarded with twin smiles and waves as they rushed down the hallway hand in hand. His grin stretched wide as he leaned against the doorframe, taking in the sweet view.
“A smile?”
Luke turned to find Ms.St.Clare standing a few feet away from the doorframe where he’d been leaning. “And a genuine one?” She followed his gaze to the girls disappearing around the corner of the hall, those eyes flicking back to him with a hint of curiosity in them. “I didn’t realize you possessed one.”
Her gaze was softer today. Not quite as... unwelcoming. The loose curls that had escaped her bun and framed her face probably helped. It was hard to look mean with a halo of curls around someone’s face. He inwardly groaned. Halo of curls? Where on earth didthatthought come from?
“I reserve smiles forfriendlypeople.” He finagled the cookies into his coffee cup hand and tugged the papers from beneath his arm. “I emailed a copy of this estimate to Mr.Holton per his request, but here’s a paper copy I planned to leave for your review.”
She hesitated, as if caught off guard, and then took the proffered paper. “Thank you.”
He nodded, keeping to task. “I took some of the material costs from market prices, but I bet you could get a sizable discount if buying bulk. Do y’all have a contractor’s discount at some of your building supply stores? I reckon the orphanage is tax exempt.”
For the first time, Grace Kelly lost a bit of her posture. “I... I’m not certain about bulk purchases, but yes, the orphanage is under a special tax bracket.”
“Well, both will save you some money. The more you can save, the more the orphanage can put back into these kids.” He took a sip of his coffee and gestured with his chin in the direction Faye and Amara had disappeared. “I’m wondering if you ought to have someone inspect the heating system too. Make sure it’s in good working order.”
“I know these types of buildings aren’t as insulated as newer structures.”
He sent her a look, but her attention was focused down the hallway. She had a delicate nose too. He pinched his eyes closed. “I’d imagine so.”
Quiet stirred greater temptation to look her way again, so he decided right then and there that he should probably leave. “The estimate has a detailed inventory of what’s wrong, so whoever you get to do the work, you at least have knowledge about what needs to be fixed so another team won’t try to take advantage of Cambric Hall.”
Her attention flashed back to him. “Are you not interested?”
His brows flew skyward. “Interested?”
“In the job,” she clarified, and he wanted to go hit his head against one of the stone walls, if for no other reason than to remove any definition of “interested” other than renovation.
“I figured you’d probably want to get someone else.”
One of her golden brows rose. “Because of your ogling me in the coffee shop?”
“Ogling?” He turned to face her. “I can assure you I wasn’t ogling, Ms.St.Clare. Ogling implies I had disrespectful thoughts or intentions, but that’s not the case.”
Her gaze searched his and some sort of itching feeling he couldn’t reach buzzed in his chest.
