Page 40 of Loyally, Luke
Right. Exactly.
And he’d keep telling himself that until he believed it... or returned home.
Why was it that just at the time he’d gotten settled with the idea of being single for a while, he was struck upside the head with an impossible attraction? Well, the attraction wasn’t impossible. His roving attention could confirm that without any trouble, but any possible relationship sure was.
Emotions, in the romantic sense, had rarely served him well. He wasn’t a half-hearted sort of person. Once he dove—or stumbled—into a relationship, he was all in. And any sort of anything with a Skymarian Grace Kelly didn’t bode well for hearts and futures.
He continued his internal monologue as he moved from the back of the castle up the stairs to the kitchen, his arms laden with lumber.Pete followed, whistling some song that sounded nauseatingly chipper for only one cup of coffee. They’d arrived a little early to make sure the worksite was set before the others arrived. It made things move faster and better.
“Have you noticed that lovely primary grades teacher I’ve been chatting with?” Pete’s voice lilted. The man had more enthusiasm than most women Luke knew. “The brunette, dark skin, fantastic eyes.”
“I think so.” Luke rounded the top of the stairs and entered the kitchen, subfloor showing from one end to the other. In truth, his focus had been split between the job and the perfume-drinking distraction.
“I’m thinking of asking her to dinner this weekend.” He placed the tools in his hands down on the floor and then sighed. “But I’m not certain she’s interested in me or just being friendly.”
Luke pulled his tool belt around his waist, sending Pete a nod. “That’s a pretty regular dilemma.”
“You’re older than me.” Pete waved a hand in Luke’s direction. “And likely much more experienced.”
Don’t count on it.
“How do you know if a woman is interested in you?”
Luke drew in a breath and clicked his belt in place. “I just assume she’s not.”
Like with Ellie. She had a lot riding on this remodel, he could tell. And her friendliness stemmed from creating a positive work environment, he guessed, and likely making up for a bit of their bad start. But interest? Nope. Not a high-class woman like her and a regular guy like him.
A movie scene popped to his mind, unbidden. A movie star and a bookshop owner? Hugh Grant, was it? He nearly got sick at the idea. Had he watched that movie with Izzy for a birthday?
Clearly, the nothing box was not working.
“A bad history with women then?”
Luke paused, thinking of how he could end this conversation assoon as possible, when a set of little faces peered around the kitchen doorframe. Yep, he was okay with the girls rescuing the guys sometimes. Especially in this case.
“Looks like we’ve got some company.”
He walked over to the door and kneeled down to match their eye levels. “You ladies are out and about early this morning.”
Amara offered him a wrinkle-nosed grin. “We’re not outside. We are inside.”
“That is true.” His grin spread and he looked up at the ceiling as if in thought. “So what has you coming to visit me this morning?”
“Jamie said you’ve broken the floor.” This from Faye.
“We did.” Luke gestured behind him to the room. “We have to break it to make it better.” Then Luke caught sight of a boy standing in the shadows nearby. Thin fellow. Maybe fourteen or fifteen?
Luke leaned close and in a stage whisper said, “Is that Jamie spying on us?”
The girls giggled and nodded, so Luke continued, “Well, if Jamie is interested in learning more about what we’re doing”—Luke raised his gaze to the boy—“then just tell him to check with his teachers and I’ll put him to work.”
The boy stared at Luke with wide eyes before he disappeared around the corner of the wall.
“My grandmother is coming to get me in two days,” Amara said, hugging a stuffed animal—was it an elephant?—against her chest. “She is going to take me back to Nigeria. I have lots of family there.”
“Well, I am happy for you, Amara. I think family is a good thing.” Luke caught sight of Faye’s wobbly lip. “And you’ve had a whole bunch of family right here in Cambric Hall, haven’t you?” He nodded to Faye. “The two of you stick together like you’re close as sisters.”
Amara’s eyes brightened and she wrapped an arm around Faye’s waist. “We’ve been friends for a whole year.”
