Page 19 of I Can't Help It

“Ooh! I ate a couple of cold chicken nuggets while I finished packing, but I honestly could eat again.”

I expect him to make a comment about me eating cold chicken nuggets—considering I’ve been called a “monster” by Sloane and a “weirdo” by Wyatt—but all he does is chuckle.

“Well, help yourself then. Hopefully, you like them.”

Even if I didn’t, I would never let him know. Luke is a precious little bean that must always be protected.

I open the paper bag and my eyes widen at the sight of muffins. And not just any muffins, either.

“Are these the pumpkin spice muffins we had at work last week?” I ask, carefully pulling one out. “The same pumpkin spice muffins that were long gone before I even made it to the break room?”

Sandra literally ELBOWED me out of the way so she could claim a muffin for herself. It was like Black Friday on steroids.

“Yeah,” he says with a light smile on his face. “They are. I figured you deserved a chance to try them.”

They could taste like hot garbage, and I would love them.

When I take a bite out of the muffin though, there’s nothing “hot garbage” about it.

“Oh my gosh,” I moan as the incredible creation melts in my mouth. “No wonder everyone at the office turned into vultures that day.”

Luke laughs as his eyes squint for one glorious moment, and I want to replay the experience over and over again…like one of those loop videos I’m always enthralled with on social media.

“Well, I’m glad they lived up to the hype for you. Also, should I go ahead and tell you where we’re going?”

“Mmhmm,” I mumble, eating more of the muffin.

“That way you can pull up directions on your phone?”

I swallow before giving an actual verbal response. “Yes, I can multitask.”

Does that mean I’m good at multitasking? Not entirely. But I put the effort in, and that counts for something!

I manage to get my phone out of my purse, and I open my maps app. “Okay. What’s the top-secret destination?”

“I found a place called Whispering Creek Lodge, where a local fall festival is being hosted Monday through Friday. Briar Haven is the name of the town, and it’s a four to five hour drive from here.”

Four, possibly five hours in this car ALONE with Luke?! Talk about a major serotonin boost.

“A fall festival, huh?” I type the location info into my phone, trying to be super casual. “Does that mean you’re planning on us participating in the festivities?”

“Why? Do you think that’s a bad idea?” His voice is anxious, and those soft eyes are panic-stricken as he glances at me. “Is a fall festival too lame? Colton thought it’d be fun to highlight some seasonal activities for our clients, but—”

“Luke,” I interrupt, making sure to sound firm but gentle, “a fall festival sounds great! I’m sure the clients will love that you’re incorporating it into a retreat itinerary.”

“I just need everything to go smoothly,” he says, mostly to himself rather than to me.

“It’s going to be fine,” I reassure him as I choose the best route to Whispering Creek Lodge. “And besides, it’s not like Colton is going to fire you or anything if mishaps do happen.”

I mean, I don’t think he will. He didn’t fire me when I accidentally flooded the bathroom at a hotel I stayed at for one of my first on-site visits.

“Maybe,” he mumbles, rubbing the back of his neck. “But I’m still the new guy, and mishaps aren’t going to impress him.”

Yeah, it makes even more sense to me now that Colton wanted Luke to have a companion for this trip. The poor guy needs some serious moral support. Although, I will admit it’s kind of cute seeing him so concerned over something. Then again, he’s cute all the time.

ANYWAY.

While I’m more than capable of giving moral support, I think a distraction from work stuff would be a better option right now.

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