NOT What I Was Expecting
Page 29
I tried to smile. I thought I was smiling and nodding, but I guess that wasn’t what it looked like from where Fry stood.
“Oh hey – yeah, sorry, Maggie,” Fry said all bummed and deflated. “This is so conflicting! I mean, I want Luke to stay so we can hang out, and I want Luke to go be a Pacific Islander which is beyond awesome, and I want Luke to stay so he can be your DF prospect. Anyway, Luke said the guy would be a great boss, and he enjoyed working with him before, but he’d have to make sure his obligations here were all covered before he could leave Oakman. Sounded pretty much like a done deal, but I don’t think he’s leaving today or anything. Aw, I can’t look at your face anymore, because my eyes are going to start to perspire.”
Fry turned to go but quickly added, “Just join us outside when you’re ready, but don’t take too long, okay.”
“Wait, Fry, I have one more question. What’s a DF prospect?” I asked, hoping it wasn’t something else painful to hear.
Fry shook his head, gave me a little grin to let me know I amuse him, and said, “DF is Dude Friend, of course! Mags, you and CeCe really need to get a texting lingo dictionary.” He was still shaking his head as he went out the door and back to the barbeque.
I wasn’t like Fry, and I didn’t feel my eyes were going to perspire. I admit I’m attracted to Luke. Maybe I’m even extremely fond of him. Possibly he intrigues me more than anyone I’ve met lately. He definitely makes me act stupider than any man I’ve ever met. That would make my actions his fault. That thought made me smile, because I hate it when I act stupid and it turns out it’s my fault.
I decided I needed to mingle with the barbeque people, and I felt I could pull off a smile, so it was time. I popped into the bathroom to make sure my hair wasn’t doing that unicorn thing with part of it sticking up like a horn at the front and made a brief stop in the kitchen. After grabbing a diet soda, I let myself out through the sliding patio doors to join the others.
My smile was in place, and I had the good-to-see-ya nod down pat. I was prepared to make it through the festivities, and think about anything or anybody that might be upsetting after it was over. Luke was there by the time I joined everyone, and while I spoke, smiled, and waved, I kept my distance from him due to the fact that I was in deep conversation with a friend of the sisters.
Since I have excellent peripheral vision, I noticed he looked my way several times. What he saw was a very animated discussion, so it would make sense that I couldn’t get away. In truth Mr. Duhe was describing how his Banana’s Foster recipe is supposed to be timed and measured so the fire is just right, while I was describing a mishap CeCe and I had trying to recreate his recipe in our kitchen. When I told him what the firemen said after they put out the small blaze, we both laughed.
Apparently, Luke decided the laughter concluded our conversation and seized the opportunity to ask Mr. Duhe if he could borrow me for a moment.
“Take her for as long as you like, Luke,” Mr. Duhe answered. “I was heading for the potato salad anyway. See you later, Maggie.”
“Hi, Luke,” I said, all nonchalant and smiling. “How’s it going?”
“Look, Maggie, I need to talk to you,” he said softly, glancing around. “Maybe we can go . . . .”
“PESO!” I yelled, probably a little louder than I intended. Peso had been running around in the back yard and came running over to me just as Luke was going to tell me he was leaving. So I panicked, okay! Maybe I’m not taking it as well as I thought I was, but nobody has to know. I decided to try to distract myself with Peso and hope that helped. Not likely, but it was all I could think of on short notice.
“I’m sorry, Luke,” I apologized, since I didn’t want to be completely rude, which I sort of just was. As I bent down to scoop up Peso, I had an idea. “I just realized when I saw him that I’d better squeeze in all the quality Peso time I can, because his week with you starts tomorrow, right?” I explained. “Seriously, I’m sorry, what were you going to say?”
“That’s what I was trying to talk to you about,” Luke said, smiling as he petted Peso’s head that rested on my shoulder.
Here it comes Peso. Be strong. We’ll be fine without him so don’t let him see you sweat. I really hope Peso’s eyes don’t start to perspire, because that would be so embarrassing for him.
“I know we agreed Peso would stay with me every other week, but I wondered if it’s okay if he stays with you another week or so,” Luke leaned in toward my ear and said softly. “You saw all that damage Hoss and Little Joe did to Uncle Barney’s house when they were searching for the painting. I can’t take any of my crew off the library job if I want to finish on schedule, because we have to make up for the time I was away. That means I’ll have to do the work on the house myself, so it will take a little longer. Anyway,” Luke shook his head and smiled like he was trying not to laugh as he continued, “with drywall and paint having to be done, I’d rather Peso wasn’t in the house until that’s finished. That way he doesn’t have to breathe that junk, and why are you smiling at me like that? What’s so funny?”
“What? Nothing. I don’t know. Nothing. I’m not smiling,” I said smoothly, even as I felt the breeze on my teeth. “Oh, sure, that’s no problem at all. Peso is welcome to stay until you’re ready for your week. But why are you practically whispering?”
Luke laughed and answered, “Paranoia. Mr. Duhe is on the Library Board. I don’t want him worried the work on my house will take anything away from the library expansion. I intend to have that job finished by the completion date even if I have to work nights and weekends to get it done. Uncle Barney’s house will wait if necessary, but I don’t think we’re so far behind schedule that we can’t make it up with the extra workers I’m hiring.”
“Um, I thought you were – I guess you decided to finish the library job before you go to the Pacific Islands?” I asked as I held Peso’s big satellite ears down so he wouldn’t hear.
“Maggie, I’m not going to the Pacific Islands,” Luke said looking over my shoulder. When I turned to see what he was looking at, Ben was whispering something in CeCe’s ear and had his arm around her waist. Whatever he said made them both laugh and CeCe gave him a sweet little kiss. When I looked up at Luke, he was watching me.
“You know, when I first decided I needed to come back to Oakman to look after Uncle Barney, I wasn’t sure I wanted to come back, but I knew I had to do it. Now, I don’t need to be here, but I want to stay,” Luke explained as he took Peso from my arms. “I like the area. I like what I’m doing. I like the wildlife,” he said with a chuckle nodding toward Peso. “I like the people – even the ones who tire me.”
“Really,” I replied, more as a statement than a question, since I was being all cool. “Well, if you need help with that dry wall and painting at your house, I could help. You know, since you don’t feel you can ask your guys,” I clarified.
“Is that so?” Luke asked looking at me appraisingly. “Have you ever done any dry wall or painting?”
“No,” I answered honestly. “Well painting sure, mostly finger painting, but yeah the other kind too. No dry wall, which just means I haven’t picked up any bad habits, so you could teach me to do it the way you want it done.”
Luke raised one eyebrow and smiled. I wasn’t sure he was taking that statement in the spirit in which it was intended.
“Sounds like fun,” Luke said, confirming my suspicions since I don’t think dry wall is supposed to be all that much fun.
Hmm. Maybe I’ll see what he has in mind.
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