“Tomorrow. I’m going over for breakfast, and then he’s taking me out for the day.”
“I’m impressed with our Luke Hardy,” she says. “He’s a tough man to please at work, but I’d say you’ve got him wrapped around your little finger. I’m glad it’s him because he’s treating you right. And you deserve that.”
I know she’s comparing Luke to my previous boyfriend. Mark was a dick, but I was blind to it for a long time. Or perhaps just desperate to find someone to love me, that I ignored all the signs. It wasn’t that he always treated me badly, he was just too engrossed in himself to consider my thoughts and feelings very often. Plus, he had a temper, so we spent a lot of time arguing. That relationship lasted just over two years, and then I tackled online dating in my effort to find someone to cherish me.
“Right, now it’s time to talk about you and Tyler. When are you two going to get your shit together?”
“No… There’s nothing there,” she says, but it’s obvious she doesn’t quite believe it. The hesitation in her voice is a dead giveaway.
“Oh, there is definitely something there. You two have been flirting for months. I vote you sleep with him and see where it leads.”
“Tyler is a player, Callie. I’m not going there.”
My eyes widen as realisation hits me. “You like him too much to just sleep with him, don’t you?” Avery doesn’t give her heart easily, but when she does, she loves fiercely. She can do casual sex with guys that mean nothing to her, but not with someone she’s actually interested in. She did this once, and the outcome wasn’t pretty. It took her almost a year to get over that guy.
She takes a moment to respond. “I like him. Which means I can’t sleep with him because we all know what happens when Tyler sleeps with someone.”
Yes, we do. It never lasts very long, because he soon grows bored. He’s a good guy, but he has ADD when it comes to women.
I sigh. Motioning towards the bag of Doritos on the couch near her, I say, “Pass me the chips. I think we need all the chips tonight to deal with this development.”
She nods. “Yeah. That and alcohol.”
The next morning, I arrive at Luke’s house bright and early. Avery consumed alcohol last night, but I refrained because I knew I had to be here by seven-thirty. Luke told me to come later if I wanted, but what I want more than sleep is to get to know him and his son. Sean is up early ready for breakfast, so that means I am too.
Paris meets me at the door with a huge smile. “You’re keen,” she says. “I like your dedication.”
“I like yours, too. Thank you for Friday night.”
Her eyes light up, and she waves me away. “That was nothing. Anytime you guys want a night, just let me know.”
“Well, it might have been nothing to you, but it was everything to me.”
Her features soften. “You’re something else. I’m so happy Luke has found you.” She steps aside to let me in. “They’re at the dining table.”
I make the short journey to where she directed and come to a stop as I take in the sight before me. Luke and Sean are seated next to each other at the table with a plate of cut-up oranges between them. They each hold a fork and after Sean stabs at a piece of orange and places it in his mouth, he says, “Your turn.” The joy in his voice rings out loud and clear, and I sense this is a cherished ritual between them.
Luke smiles and says, “Which piece should I choose?”
Sean bounces excitedly in his seat as he points one out. “This one.”
Luke messes his hair and smiles. “Looks good to me, little man.”
At that moment, Sean looks up and catches sight of me. Grinning, he says, “Callie!” He then turns to his father and says, “Can Callie be part of our orange party today, Daddy?”
Luke finds my eyes and smiles. Oh, dear God, he’s bringing out the big guns today. That smile. “Do you like oranges?” he asks.
Hell, even if I didn’t, I would say yes. “I do.”
He jerks his head towards the kitchen. “Grab a fork and join our party.”
I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited about eating oranges. When I take a seat on the other side of Sean and take my first piece of orange, I know for sure that I’ve never loved eating them this much.
We each take turns choosing a piece of orange. It soon becomes apparent which pieces are the most coveted and I leave them for Sean. He prefers the middle pieces rather than the ends. Luke also leaves them for him.
When we finish, I say, “Have you guys been partying with oranges for long?”
Luke’s lips twitch.