Page 35 of Loyally, Luke
His brain scanned through all of his favorite movies.Indiana Jones?Rambo? Ethan Hunt inMission: Impossible?
Nah. Indiana wasn’t the best example with his track record.
Rambo either.
His brain paused on Aragorn.
Okay, so maybe there were some not-so-embarrassing examples of “making eyes.”
Luke gave his head a strong shake. Nope. Wasn’t going there.
He turned all of his mental energy back to wood and nails and dust.
And away from Ellie St.Clare.
***
Text from Izzy to Penelope:Luke starts the job with Grace Kelly today.
Penelope:Of course he does. Ooh, I wonder what sorts of connection moments they’ll have. Will he brush her hairfrom her face? Will she help tend his wound? Will their eyes catch across the room of tools and sawdust? Um... not sure that last scene in my head is as romantic as the others.
Izzy:Penelope, Grace Kelly doesn’t seem his type at all. Reserved. High-class. Working for the royal family?!? I mean, Luke hates anything princess-y, let alone girls who act like they ARE princesses (I mean that in the bad princess way, not the way you act like a princess). It’s definitely not a match for him.
Penelope:I’m shocked at you, Izzy. Where is your love for tropes? Enemies to lovers? Opposites attract? Fish-out-of-water romances? AND he’s even wearing flannel. He’s living his best Hallmark movie dream right now.
Izzy:Penn, I think we can safely say Luke would never put the words “best,” “Hallmark,” and “dream” in the same sentence in reference to himself. Ever.
Penelope:Well, that’s all right. We can dream it for him. Isn’t it fun??? And I can give him pointers from my vast movie-lover experience so he won’t be blindsided by what happens next. I’ve already predicted the forced proximity. Hmm... what do you think would be next?
Izzy:Predictions with Luke might be too dangerous for me.
Penelope:Coward. It brings my fierce daydreaming skills to the forefront. Plus, I feel some sort of justification for all the ways he’s teased me my whole life.
Izzy:For some reason, I can actually hear you cackling right now.
Penelope:I wasn’t THAT loud.
Izzy:Working with the coffee shop girl is just a coincidence.
Penelope:Izzy, there are no coincidences. Only wonderfully designed divine appointments. Or... well-scripted scenes. Or those moments when we’re just clumsy.
Penelope:So they’ll have to engage in a few awkward moments. You know what I mean? Catch her when she falls. Or reach for the same cup.
Izzy:Or hammer, in Luke’s case.
Penelope:Right. Or show up at the same place unexpectedly.
Izzy:And find out they have some similar interests.
Penelope:Right! Be surprised that their first opinions aren’t true. EEEE!!!! It’s like writing Luke’s love story while it’s happening. This makes me so happy. We should share our ideas with him.
Izzy:He would hate us. Mostly you.
Penelope:Pssht! I’m not worried. He’s hated me before.
***
Mrs.Kershaw provided a nice lunch of vegetable soup and rolls—hearty enough to get the workers through the rest of the day without much trouble. She’d even had a few of the older kids bring in cookies, or what they called biscuits over here, as well as offer tea and coffee.
