Page 46 of Loyally, Luke
His attention shot to her. “You’ve heard of it?”
“The Sound of Music. Wasn’t it?” Ellie said, her eyes glittering in the soft light cast over the table.
Luke turned his attention back to the cake and away from those eyes. “That’s right.”
“You traveled all the way to Skymar to assist your sister with a project?”
“I had the time.” He wished he could shrug off the conversational turn with as much ease as shrugging his shoulders. “And they needed the help.”
“And now you’re swooping in to rescue our orphanage,” Nessa added. “Like a regular hero.”
The cake soured in his mouth.
“He’s doing his job, wife,” Gordon grumbled around the food in his mouth. “There’s nothing heroic about just doing your job like the man you ought to be.”
Thank you, Gordon. Sense... and distraction.
“I heard the performance was a huge success for the theater. As I understand it, the queen even made an appearance.”
“The queen?” Nessa’s comment held a lilt. “Well, did you have a chance to meet her, Luke?”
“Sure did.” He offered a grin. “She was nice. Kind. Not nearly as high and mighty as I thought she’d be.”
Ellie coughed.
“Well, of course she’s not. She’s from Crieff originally,” Nessaadded. “Her father was the pastor of Christ Church in the center of town.”
Luke pushed his food through a hard swallow. “The queen is a PK?”
“PK?”
“Preacher’s kid,” he clarified and chuckled. “Well, that does change the sheen, doesn’t it? A queen as a preacher’s kid?” He shook his head. “I figured most royal folks had to marry other high-class sorts. Or at least that’s the way it seems in the movies my sisters watch.”
“It’s usually the case that royals marry someone of rank or position, but not always.” Nessa looked over at Ellie. “Sometimes love wins over position. In fact, it is so for our own king and queen.”
Ellie’s expression didn’t quite match the theme of the conversation. She looked mad. Maybe she wasn’t interested in royals all that much either.
“In fact, the queen is a lifelong friend of mine.” Nessa tapped the table. “We went to school together and have remained very close throughout our lives.”
A sound like a horse snorting came from the head of the table. Gordon, who’d been busy eating his cake, gestured with his fork toward his wife. “The lad didn’t come here to talk nonsense about queens. He’s come to talk about the work.” He turned toward Luke. “Do you hope to modernize the look of the kitchen or keep to the original?”
Luke offered Nessa a grin in hopes of softening the turn in conversation before looking back at Gordon. “I have a few ideas I’d like to talk to Ellie and Mrs.Kershaw about before I make definite plans, but my goal is to keep the look historic while giving the kitchen more modern conveniences.”
“Oh, well, you and Ellie should have a good discussion,” Nessa interjected. “She has a degree in interior design, and she’s a keen eye for it too.”
“Nessa—” Ellie interjected, a slight edge in her voice.
“And she appreciates the history of the place,” Nessa continued. “I’d make wise use of her skills and time, Luke, if I were you.”
Ellie rolled her eyes and shook her head at him as if she were about done with Nessa for the night. Luke wasn’t sure why, but her response nudged his grin a little wider.
Could a relationship, friendship or otherwise, be possible with her? Izzy and Penelope had made the seemingly impossible work, but could something that crazy work for him too?
Crazier things had happened, right?
Ellie checked things off a list he didn’t even realize he had until that moment.
Smart. Talented. Sarcastic. Easy on the eyes.
