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I fix the bathroom light easily, but the new light I install in her bedroom doesn’t work. When she informs me she doesn’t have any more spare bulbs, I mentally curse. I don’t have any at my place either.
“I’ll head down to the shop and buy some more bulbs,” I say, ignoring the text message that just arrived.
She gives me a grateful look. “Thank you, dear.”
I head downstairs to my car and check my text message as soon as I slide into my front seat.
Luke: Where are you?
Me: I just have a quick errand to do on the way.
Luke: You’re killing me here, Callie.
Me: Buddy, you killed me a long time ago.
I shove the car into reverse and scream out of the car park. The journey to the corner store is the quickest trip I’ve ever made there. Fifteen minutes later, I’m back at Mrs Harpers.
After I finally get her lights all working, I’m almost out her front door when she says, “How did your roast go last week, dear? I’ve meant to ask you if your friend liked it.”
I grimace. I just wanna go play games with Luke. But I turn to face her. “I burnt it, but he fixed it. Thank goodness I found a man who can cook.”
“I hope this man is nicer than your last boyfriend.”
Something I love about Mrs Harper is her no-bullshit approach to life. She doesn’t fuss with details or bother with niceties for the sake of sparing feelings. It makes communicating with her much easier because one always knows where they stand. I nod. “Yes ma’am, he is.” My voice grows softer when I add, “I think this one’s a keeper.”
“How long have you been dating?”
“Only a few weeks.”
She shrugs. “Well, I never did believe time meant very much when love was involved. I knew within a week that I was going to marry my husband. Six months later, we were married, and we enjoyed sixty-one years of marriage. It wasn’t always easy, but nothing worth having is, my dear.”
I pause and process what she’s just said. Nothing worth having comes easy. It’s such a throwaway line these days, but it’s probably one of the most important notions in life. Our so
ciety is so caught up in the fast, the easy, and the immediate. There’s a sense of entitlement among so many that I don’t subscribe to. I’ve never shied away from hard work, but it’s always good to be reminded that working towards something you want takes effort.
I reach for her hand. “Thank you for telling me that. What we have is good, but you’re right. We’re going to have to work hard for it. And it’s going to be so worth it.”
On the way to Luke’s bar, I mentally resolve to be more patient with our relationship. I’ll play whatever game he wants to play while we count down the days until we can be together.
The minute I enter Elixir, Luke’s eyes meet mine, and I shiver at what I see there. I might not be close to him yet, but I can read desire when I see it. As I move closer, my core clenches as I see how intensely he’s watching me.
Oh, God, why are you letting me down now?
I was psyched to play along, but this is too much.
He comes out from behind the bar and grips my hand. Hard. Without a word, he drags me into his office. His body is as tense as I’ve ever seen it, and I wonder what he’s going to tell me. He’s worked up about something.
“Luke, wha—”
He cuts me off when he closes the door and pushes me up against the back of it. His hungry eyes search mine for only a split second before his mouth descends on mine. Then he forces my lips apart to take possession. And when Luke Hardy takes possession, I know there’s no coming back from it. If I thought he’d already staked his claim, I was wrong. This kiss screams his ownership in ways he’s never announced it.
His hands are in my hair.
His body is pressed hard against mine.
His growl of dominance fills the room.
When he finally ends the kiss, I’m panting.
