Awakening

by Hayes, Olivia

  ~~~~

  When I walked into the kitchen later that morning, Eva and Nick were sitting at the breakfast table with their heads a little too close together. Eva giggled about something and touched Nick on the arm. I cleared my throat as I opened the refrigerator, and Eva looked up and me and blushed.

  "Morning you two," I sang, as I grabbed a glass and poured some orange juice.

  "Good morning, Miss Caroline," said Nick, and Eva smiled at me.

  The doorbell rang just then, so I put down my glass and went to answer it. Luke was standing there, smelling freshly showered and looking like a god. My knees felt weak just being near him.

  The universe hates me.

  "Luke," I said, a little surprised. I looked from his green eyes to his mouth and let my eyes slowly take in his perfectly formed body. His broad shoulders stretched the material of his white Henley taught so I could see how well defined his upper body was. He hadn't changed much in the last couple years. If anything, he was better looking than I remembered. I swallowed hard and then noticed an almost imperceptible smile had crept over his lips.

  "See something you like, Savannah?" He asked, leaning against the door frame with one shoulder and crossing his arms. His eyes travelled the length of my body, leaving a glorious tingling in their wake.

  He hadn't called me Savannah in as long as I could remember. It sent a little jolt straight to my heart.

  "Could I interest you in dinner later?" He asked.

  He had opened a door and all I had to do was walk through. It could be the first step in the healing process.

  "You came over at 9 in the morning to ask me if I wanted to go to dinner?"

  "Well, do you?" He leaned closer to me and I felt drawn in by his presence.

  "What are you doing Luke? You have barely spoken to me in the last seven or so years, and now you're asking me to dinner?"

  "How about drinks then, your friends could come too, and I'll bring a friend."

  Way to avoid the question Luke.

  Drinks with friends. That was acceptable. I was probably going to need a few drinks and the distraction of my friends to keep me sane around him.

  "Wait, how did you know my friends were here?" I asked.

  "A little birdie told me," he smiled slyly.

  "Tonight then?" I said, before I could change my mind.

  "Well, I will have to check my calendar, but I think I'm free," he smiled, and my heart fluttered, as Nick walked up behind me.

  "LJ! 'Bout time you showed up!" Nick and Luke shook hands, clapping each other on the shoulder.

  "LJ?" I asked, looking from Luke to Nick.

  "Yeah, Miss Caroline, this is Luke Johnson, my partner. He's here to talk with your mother about the restoration," Nick said. "I think I saw her out back. Let me go get her."

  As Nick walked back toward the kitchen all I could do was stare at Luke.

  "Did you know you were going to be working here when I saw you yesterday?" I asked.

  "Well, I knew Nick was working over here, but until I saw him for dinner last night, I wasn't sure if I'd be on the job too," he smiled as my mother walked into the foyer with Nick.

  "Oh my word!" She exclaimed, dropping the documents she was carrying, clapping a hand over her mouth and taking two steps back, astonished by what she was seeing.

  "Mom, you remember Luke Johnson. He's Nick's partner."

  After my mother regained her composure she walked over to Luke.

  "Forgive me Luke, you just look so much like Mark. I didn't mean to react that way. I guess I should have known which Johnson it was when I called your company, but I really just didn't put two and two together until this moment."

  "No problem, Mrs. Foster, it's understandable."

  "Please, call me Allison," she said with a smile.

  I looked from Luke to my mother and then at Eva and Anne Marie who had wandered into the foyer and were staring ridiculously. I turned back to Luke.

  "Do you think we could talk before you leave this afternoon?" I asked him.

  "If that's what you want." He kissed me on the forehead, searing my skin. "Now, I better get to fixing up the house for your mother, or she'll fire me before I even get started. Always a pleasure."

  As he walked toward the kitchen I couldn't help but notice the way his jeans clung to his backside as he moved. I inhaled a big breath and blew it out.

  Damn universe!

  ~~~~

  Anne Marie, Eva and I spent the late morning and early afternoon cleaning out more of the upstairs bedrooms. There were five of them, and not one had any less than a jammed packed closet. Every dresser was filled with magazines, trinkets, odds and ends. There was enough stuff to keep us here for several weeks if we let it. As I pulled the last box out of the closet in the room we were currently working on, Anne Marie and Eva cornered me about Luke.

  "You were totally right Caroline. Even though I hadn't seen Mark in years, I can totally see the how much they look alike. Is it weird for you?" Anne Marie asked.

  "I don't know, Anne Marie, I kinda think she likes him," said Eva, challenging me to deny it.

  "Look, he's Mark's brother, and even though I'll admit that I have always been attracted to him, after everything... I just don't know how to feel."

  "If you keep telling yourself that you feel nothing for Luke then you're going to let a fine looking man walk away. I admit, I only knew Mark when he was young, but Luke, he is gorgeous! You should go for it!" Exclaimed Eva, beaming at me.

  "Eva, don't you think it would be a little strange for her to date Mark's brother?" Asked Anne Marie.

  "And we don't even know for sure if he's interested in me that way anymore either. Hell, I'm not even sure I'm interested in him that way anymore," I added.

  "Puh-lease! I saw the way you two were looking at each other this morning. You couldn't take your eyes off him and he could have eaten you alive. If there's one thing I can pinpoint with exact certainty, it's when a man wants a woman. So trust me, he wants to get to know you better, I promise," Eva said dramatically.

  "Oh my gosh! What're you going to wear?" Anne Marie asked excitedly. I honestly hadn't even thought about it, and I certainly didn't pack anything nice, considering what we were supposed to be coming out here for.

  "I don't think I have anything halfway decent. What about you guys?" I looked at them both shaking their heads.

  "I saw a little boutique on the way out here. Should we borrow the car?" Eva asked, raising an eyebrow.

  I thought it over for a minute. I hadn't been out in ages, and although I was thinking that it really didn't matter what I wore because nothing was going to happen between Luke and me, it would still be nice to dress up and feel good about myself for a change. I had spent most of the last two years wearing suits to work and hanging out with my parents on the weekends. My wardrobe was lacking for it. Not, that I had brought any options with me anyway.

  "Let's do it!" I agreed.

  ~~~~

  I exited the dressing room of Mimi's Boutique wearing a sleeveless button up blouse with a floral design on it, tucked into a flowy white skirt.

  "Okay, what do you guys think?"

  Anne Marie and Eva poked their heads out of the dressing room and gave me a simultaneous 'no'.

  "Really, that bad huh?" I asked, twirling in the mirror.

  Eva emerged from her dressing room in a low cut cream colored wrap sweater that was almost the same color as her skin. It was short sleeved, showing off her toned arms and hugged her just right, enhancing her modest cleavage. The smattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose and her sweeping red curls were accented by the pair of slim fitting red Capri pants she had chosen. She had paired her outfit with some cute black wedge sandals and dangly silver chandelier earrings.

  "We are going out with at least two gorgeous men, since Nick said he's coming. There may be others. Do you really want to look like a school teacher?" Eva asked.

  "Hey, my mom's a school teacher," I retorted.
<
br />   "My point exactly," Eva said, daring me to try something more sexy.

  Anne Marie chose that moment to come out from behind her dressing room curtain. Eva and I stood staring at her with our mouths open.

  "Well, what do y'all say? Yes or no?" She asked, turning in a circle.

  I surveyed her sleeveless v-neck emerald green silk top, which perfectly matched her eyes. Her long dark hair was pulled up into to a high pony tail revealing incredible cheek bones and she had brushed some nude lip gloss over her full lips. Her top was tucked into a black skirt that stopped a couple of inches below her butt, showing of her long and slender legs. The rose vine tattoo on her ankle delved into the black peep toe pumps she had chosen, and the anthracite bangles around her wrist gave her just a bit of sparkle.

  "Dang, Anne Marie, where do you think we're going? Clubbing?" Asked Eva.

  "Too much? Okay, let me get my second choice!" She dipped back behind the curtain.

  Eva walked out into the store, weaving between the racks. She would pull something out, pause for a moment and look up at me, and then shake her head and put it back. An impeccably dressed woman walked over to Eva and held out her hand to shake.

  "Hi, I'm Mimi, the store owner, can I help you find something in particular?"

  "Wow, so nice to meet you," Eva answered, shaking Mimi's hand. "Your place is great!"

  "Thank you!" Mimi beamed.

  "My friend here is going out on her first date in several years, and I want to help her look her best."

  Mimi looked me up and down as I rolled my eyes in Eva's direction.

  "Just one minute," she said. "I think have the perfect thing. It just came in this morning." As Mimi disappeared into the back room, I squinted my eyes at Eva, throwing silent daggers.

  A moment later, Mimi re-emerged with a dress in hand. It was a surplice, empire waist, sapphire blue sun dress. She also carried a pair of black, peep toe, sling back wedges with a cork heel.

  "Try these on for size!" Mimi smiled, as she handed them to me.

  Once I had the dress and shoes on, I came out of the dressing room to see Eva and Anne Marie staring at me with the same open mouthed look that Eva and I had given Anne Marie before.

  "That bad, huh?" I asked, feeling dejected.

  "That good!" Anne Marie exclaimed, grabbing me by the shoulders and turning me around to face the three way mirror. "Look!"

  A smile crept over my face as I examined my reflection. The dress, although not too revealing, fit incredibly well over my full chest, showing just the right amount of cleavage that I felt sexy but not uncomfortable. The empire seaming accented my tiny waist, which further enhanced my bosom. The length was shorter than I was used to, but my legs were toned and tan from all my runs, and I had always felt they were my best feature. I turned around, pulled my hair up and noticed the back of the dress, which was a deeper V than the front, and showed off my upper back.

  "You definitely should wear your hair up," commented Mimi. "I think a loose bun would look incredible. And here, try this too." She handed me a silver necklace with a faux diamond pendant. I thanked her and fastened it around my neck. It hung perfectly between my upper cleavage, drawing my eyes there. "Perfect!" Mimi said.

  "Perfect!" Anne Marie echoed.

  "And if Luke doesn't want to rip it off and have his way with you the moment he sees you, then he doesn't deserve you anyway!" Eva added.

  I laughed nervously at the prospect. He was Mark's brother, and although I did find him very, very sexy, I didn't think it would look good for me to be pursuing him overly much.

  "Now, call your mom and make sure the boys aren't still at the house. We wouldn't want them to see us coming back with all these packages. They'd think we liked them or something!" Anne Marie joked.

  I looked over at her, noticing that she had changed into a green peplum top that was the same color as the first shirt and some dark, form fitting jeans with rhinestone detail on the back pockets. She had on a pair of tan leather knee high western boots and had let her midnight hair down to cascade around her shoulders.

  "Better?" She asked, noticing my gaze.

  "Absolutely!" I told her and she smiled.

  ~~~~

  My mother told me that Nick had left and Luke was just finishing up a few things. I remembered that I had asked him to hang around and talk to me before he left, so I asked my mother to let him know I was on my way.

  Anne Marie and Eva raced up the stairs with our packages, calling dibs on the shower, as I walked into the kitchen looking for Luke.

  I found him leaning against the island, drinking a bottle of water. For the briefest moment I wished I was that bottle, and then he spoke and my sanity returned.

  "You wanted to talk?"

  "Luke, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry I wasn't there for you either after Mark's death. I am just as much to blame for us not keeping in contact."

  He looked at me for a moment, green eyes searching my face.

  "Why didn't you come to the funeral?" Luke wanted to know.

  "I just couldn't. I didn't want to remember him like that. I wanted to remember him alive and smiling," I replied, wringing my hands.

  Luke picked up one of my hands sending tingles up my arm and nodded as if he understood.

  "How did you end up back here, in this town?" I asked.

  "I grew up here, you know that. My dad got a new job in Greenville so they moved. The house belonged to my great-grandparents. It was paid for, so we kept it. We visited for a few weeks every summer, and then when I finished my degree, I came back here to start my business with Nick. The house was just sitting there vacant so, naturally, I moved back in."

  I smiled, trying to calm my nerves.

  "Nick and I will pick y'all up around 7," he said and pushed off the counter.

  Before I could say anything else, he had closed the short distance between us and enveloped me in his arms. He was warm and strong and he smelled of sweat and aftershave. My arms instinctively came up to circle his waist as I breathed him in. Strangely, it felt right.

  ~~~~

  After a flurry of showers, hair and makeup, the three of us were ready for a night of fun. Eva had helped me put my hair up in a low, loose bun, leaving some of the shorter pieces out to frame my face. I was thankful for her help, because I certainly couldn't have managed it without her.

  "You guys, why am I so nervous?"

  "Seriously, that beautiful man will be at the house any minute, you haven't been out with a man in ages, in fact, you haven't been out in ages! But, calm down, because at least you have your wing ladies with you! Right, Anne Marie?" Eva laughed.

  "That's riiiight!"

  I couldn't help thinking it was more about it being Luke than it was about not having been out with any other men. I hadn't really confided in Eva or Anne Marie about my interactions with Luke over the years. It didn't seem right to be almost kissing Luke in a hotel hallway or even thinking about him in that way when I was with Mark.

  As we reached the bottom of the stairs, my mother came into the foyer. "Well look at you three gorgeous girls!" She chirped, giving me a kiss on the cheek.

  "Mom, are you sure you won't come with us?"

  "No way, your father will be here in a few minutes, and we're going to tackle mine and Jillian's room together. Plus, you'll have more fun without me."

  "That's not true!" Argued Anne Marie.

  Just then the doorbell rang and Eva walked over to answer it. Luke stood there looking more delectable than I had ever seen him. His black t-shirt stretched tightly across the broad expanse of his chest, highlighting his pectorals. The short sleeves were a bit too snug around his biceps and I found myself wanting to reach out and run my hands over his arms. I swallowed hard and continued my perusal of his body. His jeans hung perfectly off his hips and fit snugly against his thighs. When my eyes made it back to his face he was staring at me with a look of mutual attraction. He made eye contact and then let his eyes slowly drift downward to my pend
ant and then over my chest to my legs. When his eyes traveled back to mine I could see the lust in them and I was sure my look mirrored his.

  "Damn," I heard him whisper under his breath before clearing his throat. "Caroline, you look amazing," he said.

  "Thank you," I managed breathlessly. "You look pretty good yourself." I smiled, trying to ease some of the sexual tension between us.

  "Allison, Anne Marie, Eva, always a pleasure," Luke added, nodding to each of them. "Eva, Nick had some business to finish up at the office, but said he'd meet us there. Are we all ready to go?"

  "Caroline, just a minute please," my mother said, touching my upper arm. Luke escorted Anne Marie and Eva out the door as I turned to my mother.

  "Will you please try to enjoy yourself?" She asked, in a pleading tone. "You haven't been out of the house much since, well... I just want you to have a little fun. Luke seems like he's grown into a really nice guy and I think he's genuinely interested in you. Don't let your past hold you back from your future, honey."

  "Okay, Mom. I'll do my best," I said with a smile, trying to appease her.

  "Oh, and be careful. I ran to the store yesterday morning while you were out running and the cashier was talking to the woman in front of me about some guy who had tried to carry off a local girl a couple weeks ago. He hasn't been caught. Y'all stay together okay?"

  "We will Mom, and the guys will be there too," I reassured her.

  Then, I kissed her on the cheek and walked outside to see Luke closing the back door of his truck after helping Anne Marie inside. I walked down the stairs, and he opened the passenger door, holding out his hand to me. As my hand touched his, I felt sparks in my belly, and looked to him to see if he felt it too.

  "Caroline, I know how sudden this all is. I don't want to make you uncomfortable, but I-"

  "Let's go you love birds, I want to get my drink on!" Eva interrupted, reaching over the front seat to honk the horn.