The Single Dad (Red's Tavern 4)

“I like you, too,” he said, running a hand through his hair.

I cleared my throat. “We can make you a gazebo-style oak bird feeder, on top of a post, to install in your yard. I think it will look really good. The kids’ll love it. When do you want to get started?”

He paused for a moment, biting his lower lip as he thought. “I don’t have my kids until tomorrow. What are you doing for the rest of today?”

7

Cam

One thing I had realized about Luke was that once he got an idea into his head, he couldn’t get it out. And it seemed like he was very fond of my bird feeder idea, because the moment he started brainstorming, he couldn’t stop.

“So daisies, coneflowers, and marigolds all attract birds. They also attract pollinators, too, which is going to be very good for your yard if we work a little bit on landscaping it. While we’re at Lizzy’s we should get at least a few of each, to put nearby the bird feeder when it’s done. We’re going to need some oak beams, certainly.”

We were in his pickup, on our way to Lizzy’s Hardware & Plant. As he talked I gazed at his forearms, his flannel pushed up higher on his arms. I couldn’t stop staring at his tattoos. Most of them were of different types of plants, naturally. But he also the birds with dates underneath them. A mountain range. Some tattoos that just looked like beautiful patterns.

Looking at him, being with him, was one of the only times in recent memory that I really forgot myself. Forgot my own life full of problems and logistics and so much scary, new territory after my divorce.

And so I let myself look. It didn’t have to mean anything. He didn’t even have to know I was doing it. But I loved just watching him, a man so confident and sexy in his own skin.

Luke’s entire body told a story, and I desperately wanted to know all of it.

“Lizzy will have pretty much everything we need,” Luke said as we pulled into the parking lot and he pulled the key out of the ignition.

“You’re good friends with the owner, right?”

He gave me a nod. “Liz is a little hellion, but she’s the best friend I’ve ever had,” he said. “When I was still fresh out of the military, she helped me. A lot. Came from an army family, so she knew what it was like.”

“Did you come from a military family, too?”

He shook his head. “Not at all. I had no idea what it was like. My family was all farmers, hairdressers, restaurant workers. And when I got out, I had all this fucking energy that needed to be put somewhere. I had no clue what to do with myself.”

“And Liz introduced you to the world of DIY?”

A broad smile appeared on Luke’s face. I loved when I was able to make him smile.

“Yes. DIY. Or as I call it, just making all the shit I want.”

“She must be a pretty awesome person,” I said.

“She’s like a baby sister to me. She’s also a little punk-ass. You’ll see.”

We headed inside the large, warehouse-style hardware and plant store. It had been a while since I’d been inside, and I was pretty sure I hadn’t met Liz, but I’d always liked it in here. It felt like somebody else’s world—someone who actually knew what to do with all of this stuff. So many different types of wood and metal and stone and seemingly all the plants in the world. But I still felt the incredible sense of possibility when I walked in.

With Luke, that possibility felt within reach.

“Warren!” a voice called out from the side of the store, and a young woman with shoulder-length purple hair appeared, waving at Luke.

“Are you actually named Warren, and you’ve been telling me a fake name this whole time?” I asked him.

“Yes, everything’s been a lie,” he said. “In fact, that beautiful backyard isn’t even mine.”

I laughed, giving him a little shove.

“No, Warren’s my last name. And Lizzy is the only person who calls me that, so don’t get any ideas.”

“Luke Warren,” I said. “Sounds like a movie star.”

“What’s up?” Liz said as she approached. She set down the stack of tile she was carrying and wrapped her arms around Luke in a big hug.

“We’re looking to build a bird feeder today,” Luke told her. “Liz, this is Cam. He’s made the mistake of letting me pilot his bird feeder project.”

“Cameron Lyons-Erickson,” I said, holding out my hand to shake hers.

“I didn’t know you were a fancy two-lastnames,” Luke said, raising an eyebrow at me.

“Oh,” I said. “Well. When I was with Rachel, we hyphenated our names. And now that my kids all have that name… I just decided to keep it.”