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Luke’s parents were super-loving, wonderfully supportive, but there were certain lines you didn’t cross – or Armadillo, his dad, didn’t hold back. His father would quietly tell you in a firm voice what was wrong, the ‘why’behind it, and exactly how ‘you were going to fix it’…
It reminded her a lot of her own dad. Stubborn, quiet, didn’t have to raise a voice to get their points across, and never got mad… but when they did?
Stand back!
So when she realized she was attracted to Luke – and that he was avoiding her? She took a page from both fathers’ book, combined them, and took things into her own hands.
She was going to quietly go talk to him, corner him, tell him what she thought, how he was going to fix it, what she expected, the ‘why’ she was telling him this, give him a specific time frame, repeat it back to him, and then put the ball in his court… before she lost her cool.
She was a Saxon through and through… and Luke was the one for her.
Period.
End of story.
Her father had zeroed in on her mother. Toby was infatuated with Samantha Sloan. Luke was her person – he just didn’t want to accept it yet… and Caspar?
Well, Caspar… was Caspar,she thought, shaking her head.
Luke could ‘attempt’to fight it, try his hardest to avoid her, or think that he was pulling a fast one by being ‘busy’each time the families got together – but she was done waiting for him to finally come to his senses.
Climbing up that ladder was probably the worst thing she could have ever done in the world. Her eyes literally traveled up his body, boots-to-shoulders, taking in every inch of him. From his worn-out Wranglers, to his grey ‘I wrench for a living’T-shirt, to his tiny gold cross he always wore around his neck… her eyes drank it all in and sighed in happiness.
He was beautiful –and hers.
The sooner he stopped fighting, the better and faster they could move on with life, let their families get accustomed to things, and she could indulge in the feelings that were swirling in her soul regarding Luke.
* * *
Friday came around finally…and she was staring at the clock on the wall, wishing it would hurry up. She wondered what time he would show up, how things would go between them, and intended to drag him away from town so that way their families, friends, memories, eyes and ears, didn’t follow them every moment of their first date.
She wanted things to be easy between them, wonderful, and to give them a chance before the world intruded. In fact, she already was taking steps to make sure they had a wonderful evening that neither regretted. She called her mother to tell her she was going to miss dinner tonight, meeting up with a friend from school… which wasn’t technically a lie.
There were two large sub sandwiches sitting in a cooler under her desk, complete with a bag of sour cream and onion Lays chips that he always selected growing up, two Little Debbie snacks, and four cold cans of soda.
Was it glamorous? No.
Would it keep them fed and away from town? Absolutely.
Was it something down to earth that he could appreciate? Yup.
And even better than that?
They would have a chance to be alone, talk, spend time together, and focus on getting to know each other a little better than they already did… in a way he could recognize.
The Fuller family always said grace, believed in family time, and recognized that without a sense of home in your soul? You had nothing. Well, Nicolette planned on being a part of Luke’s home.
“But not in a weird-stalker-psychopath-way…” she muttered aloud, only to hear the sensor beep stating that the front door to her insurance office had opened – and unfortunately?
Closed.
The stupid sensor had a five second delay… and she was looking at Luke, standing there in her office.
He was wearing a white t-shirt covered by a plaid cowboy shirt that was buttoned neatly and tucked into his jeans. A ‘mild’ belt-buckle shone at his waist… and she almost smiled, thinking how sedate it was compared to some of the obnoxious ones Armadillo wore on his own belts.
Luke looked devastatingly handsome and was watching her curiously, looking slightly alarmed, holding flowers in his hand.
Nicolette shot to her feet, smiling.
