Cara shook her head clear and looked back at the envelope in her lap before glancing back up at Pete. “Big Boss Lady works.” She said flatly. Pete laughed and turned to walk back to his station. “Pete?”
“Yeah?” He asked, glancing over his shoulder at her.
“Did Luke happen to say anything else?” Cara chewed on her lip the minute the words left her mouth.
He raised an eyebrow amused at her question. “No Boss Lady, sorry.”
Cara shrugged. “No biggie.” She blew out a breath and lifted the envelope. “I’ll get to work on this.”
Pete started for his station, but stopped mid-stride and turned around. “If it’s any consolation, he sounded just as miserable as you look.” Cara didn’t turn around so he turned back around and continued to his station. Pete’s statement should’ve made her feel a little better, but it didn’t. She heard the soft chime of her phone signaling she had received a text message. She sighed as she reached for her phone.
Sam: See you tonight. Nick is going out so it will be just us girls.
Cara smiled slightly and busied her fingers typing out her reply. She wasn’t sure how much Sam knew about her and Luke, but Cara could guarantee after tonight she’d know everything, Cara very much needed a friend she could confide in.
Cara: Can’t wait. I’ll bring the Chinese food and lots of it.
*
Luke pushed open the door to his house and stepped aside, letting Ava storm passed him. She dropped her book bag on the floor and stomped into the house. Luke looked after her as he walked inside, bending down to pick up the discarded book bag.
“Ava, can you please get back here and bring your book bag upstairs.” He said with his patience holding on by a thread. Since they had been home from Mexico, Ava had picked up a bit of an attitude. He tried to talk to her, he tried to get her to admit to him what was bothering her, but she brushed him off. He couldn’t wait for the teenage years. He watched her snatch her book bag and roll her eyes. What the hell did he do to piss her off, too? He shook his head, concurring that he’d never figure it out.
“I’ll order the pizza.”
“I’m not hungry.” She bit back.
“Well, you have to eat dinner.” His voice became firmer. “Go wash up and when you come down, do yourself a favor and lose the attitude.”
Ava kept her back to him and stomped back up the stairs. She didn’t have to be facing him to know that his little girl was giving him another dramatic roll of her eyes. Luke sighed heavily and walked further into his house, flipping through the stack of mail as he did so. Not really giving a damn about the bills he threw them onto the counter and reached for the phone to order the pizza when the doorbell rang. He ran his fingers through his hair as he made his way back to the front door. The doorbell rang obnoxiously as if a child was ringing it. Maybe it was the paper boy, did he even get the paper? Hell, if he knew. His head was up his ass these days struggling with his decision to make things between him and Cara casual. He wondered how casual had become nonexistent. After their plane had landed, they had shared a taxi and Cara insisted the cab driver drop her off first at her apartment. He had offered to carry her suitcase up for her, but she wanted no part of him. She gave a sleeping Ava a kiss and scurried away from Luke, as if nothing had ever happened between them. That was the last time he had spoken to her.
He pulled open the door and came face to face with the obnoxious doorbell ringer, also known as his brother-in-law. He fought the urge to slam the door in his smiling face. Damn the bastard for being happy, and then he damned himself for being a jealous prick.
“What’re you doing here?” Luke asked.
“Still have your panties in a twist, do you?” Nick asked, his smile never faltering. Luke knew he was being a jerk. He also knew that Nick had taken the brunt of it since he had been back from his honeymoon. He was surprised the poor schmuck even showed up at Lanza Automotive, today, especially after the lashing he had given him yesterday for no apparent reason. The fact that he was at his doorstep with a six pack of beer was a mere miracle.
“I picked up some beer for us and a six pack of Capri Sun for the coolest kid I know.” Nick glanced over Luke’s shoulder. “Where is she anyway?”
“She’s upstairs avoiding me at all costs.”
“You really have a way with the female population.” Nick said sarcastically as he pushed through the door and made himself at home, walking into the living room. “I brought you something that will hopefully put you in a better mood.”
“I doubt it.” Luke said, knowing the only thing that would fix his mood would be seeing Cara.
Nick pulled a DVD out of the plastic bag and waved it in front of Luke. The bastard was waving a copy of Dirty Dancing in his face, with a shit-eating grin to boot.