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Lucas
The next couple of days, Lucas couldn’t get his bearings. While they were working on the house, Ella was nothing but professional. She continued to give him and the crew instructions, and they didn’t have time to chat about their date.
It was probably for the best. He was feeling a little off-balanced himself. He’d never been put into a position where he wanted more, and he didn’t know what to do with himself. This was all so surreal.
What was he supposed to do now? Obviously, they were going to spend more time together. They’d go on more dates. But then what? How did a guy get to the next step? Was there a specific point where he realized he was in love and wanted to get married?
After securing a two-by-four in place for the loft, he stole a glance in Ella’s direction. She studied the blueprints they were working from, completely unaware that he was watching her.
Lucas’s attention swept to the other men around him. None of them knew that the two of them had gone on a date. And he wasn’t sure he was ready for them to know yet either. Perhaps that was a sign that he was still too early in the stages of this relationship and that he shouldn’t even be thinking about what was to come.
He just needed to enjoy the time he had right now.
At lunchtime, the crew invited him to go get some lunch in town, but he declined. Instead, he retrieved the sandwiches from his truck and headed to Ella’s side. He tossed one lunch sack on the blueprints she was looking over, causing her to jump.
Her eyes darted up to meet his and she laughed. “You made me another one?”
“Of course I did.” He jerked his chin over to the door. “Care to have lunch with me?”
She hesitated. Her focus shifted to the door, then back to him. “I’m not sure we should…”
“The guys are gone.”
Her brows lifted. “Oh, I didn’t mean—”
His hip rested against the table, and he pulled his sandwich out of the bag as nonchalantly as he could. “I’ve had a lot of time to think about the way we’ve been interacting with each other since Friday, and I think you’ve got a decent system down. We need to remain professional at work, and that’s perfectly acceptable.” He wasn’t sure, but she seemed to be relieved. “You had lunch with me before we went on that date. I don’t see why we couldn’t share a couple lunches here and there—professionally, of course.”
A timid smile touched her lips. “Really?”
Lucas chuckled. “I wouldn’t have suggested it if I wasn’t sure.”
Her eyes narrowed as she picked up the paper bag. “You keep surprising me. It’s like you know how to do everything right.”
Another laugh rumbled from his chest. “I definitely don’t know how to do everything right. But I guess I’ve had enough practice trying to figure out how a woman’s mind works. You were a little tricky at the start, but I think I have you figured out.”
They headed toward the door—or rather the open hole in the barn where the door had been removed. She tossed him a sideways glance. “Is that so?”
“Yep.” Lucas shrugged. “It’s true what you said. You’re not like the girls I’ve dated before, but it’s not because of your appearance or anything. It’s because you’re… smart.” He peeked at her, praying she didn’t immediately cling to the statement he’d made about all the girls of his past and the comment about appearances. “The thing about you that sets you apart from anyone else is the way you think and the way you act. I’ve never met anyone like you in that respect.”
They’d made it to the spot where they’d shared their first lunch and took a seat on the porch steps of the old building. She hadn’t said anything yet, and his nerves were getting the better of him.
“Why is that?”
“Why is what?” she asked quietly.
He pressed his lips together firmly. How could he phrase what he was trying to figure out? Shifting in his seat, he pulled the sandwich from the baggie he’d put it in and took a bite. Chewing thoughtfully, he finally turned toward her. “How have you managed to get so much confidence in yourself? While the women I know can make it appear they are secure initially, those insecurities always come out eventually.”
She snorted. “If you think I don’t have insecurities, you’re sorely mistaken.”
“I’ve never seen any evidence of it.”
This time she laughed, and then her expression sobered. “You’re serious.”
Lucas nodded. “From the moment I met you…” His voice trailed off. He was probably putting his foot in his mouth talking like this. What was wrong with him? He couldn’t compare her to the other people he’d dated—even if he was pointing out things that he liked. “Never mind.” Heat crawled up his neck and he took a big bite of his sandwich.
“No, no. Go on. From the moment we met…” she drawled, her voice lighter than he’d expected.
“It’s just that I’ve never gotten the sense that you were… well, weak.” The heat he was feeling intensified, and he tugged at his collar. It was like he’d stepped foot into a sauna. He was going to regret this conversation later. He could just feel it.
