Page 75 of Loyally, Luke
And neither did Pete’s not-so-subtle grins.
Even young Jamie had started to raise his brows at Luke when Ellie entered the room.
He was in a losing battle, which meant only one thing.
He needed to watchRambotonight.
After dinner with the king.
He gave his head a hard shake. He should probably watch more than one of them.
Well, one good thing about having Ellie on the gofer team was that most of the time, they kept a healthy distance from each other. Which was good for him, because he’d started craving oranges with a passion and they weren’t easy to find in Crieff... in April.
During his lunch break, he slipped into the small office outside the kitchen that Mrs. Kershaw had set up for his use. A few days ago, he’d gone over the plans and reordered certain supplies, but with theprogress going so well, he pulled up his 3D designs for the cabin to review.
Of course, the cabin work was coming along much more slowly than the orphanage. Pete was his only coworker on that job, and Pete only helped when he wasn’t eating, playing video games, traveling home “for a quick trip,” or going on dates.
Which basically meant Luke was on his own, and for the most part, it suited him fine. He’d save the work that required an extra hand for when Pete was around.
But he’d been attempting to restructure the living area of the cabin to give it a more open feel while also keeping it cozy, heat efficient, and practical. The kitchen needed more storage space since he had plans to turn a tiny closet into a washer-and-dryer spot.
“Hey.”
Luke didn’t have to look up to know the owner of that voice. He turned to find Ellie standing in the doorway, shoulder braced against the frame as if she’d been standing there a little while. His neck grew hot.
“Hey to you.”
Her teeth skimmed over her bottom lip in a smile and she stepped into the room. “I just wanted to confirm dinner tonight with Father?”
“I brought a change of clothes so I’d be more presentable.”
Her gaze swept over him, not more than a few seconds, but enough for his body to know it was more than a cursory glance. Lord, help him. They were a mess.
He shouldn’t keep craving time with her. Shouldn’t. They couldn’t be together, and he had no desire to even attempt to live up to expectations he could never meet. Royalty? Nope. The very idea doused some of the attraction.
Only a little.
Definitely not enough.
“He wouldn’t mind what you’re wearing, just so you know.” Shelooked away. “As I understand it, he was always a bit of a rebel when it came to protocol, which has proven a boon for his reign. The people love him for how willing he is to be a part of their lives.”
Luke nodded. “I like that.”
She folded her arms across her chest, studying him. “You remind me of him in that way. Good-hearted. Keen to hear a person’s perspective.”
“How’s he look in flannel?”
Her smile shot wide. “Actually, in more private life, he wears it well.”
“Sounds like the right sort of king.” Even saying that out loud sounded weird, but he also never imagined he’d have kissed a princess, so there was that.
She took another step forward. “I have to leave early today to attend a meeting with the transportation board of the North Country, but I should be back in time for supper. He wanted me to let you know he’d send a car to Cambric Hall for you. Around seven?”
“Would it be easier to have Pete just drop me off somewhere?”
“Well,” she said, her nose wrinkling with a little frown, “to avoid considerable publicity, he’s secured a private dining room for us at the Ivy Hotel on the edge of Crieff, and sending his car for you will keep you from having to go through security and the like.”
“Okay...” He drew out the word as he processed the situation. Private car. Private dining room. Meal with a king and his daughter.
