She threw him a look and pulled out the leash. “Thanks for pointing that out.” She clipped the leash onto Benny’s collar. “You can put him down now. Anyway…” She went back to rambling. “Benny needs a place to sleep at night until I find a place for us.”
Luke bent down and set Benny on all fours and then rose to his full height and glanced down at Cara, he reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before placing his hand into his pocket. “So you want Benny to stay with me and then what you pick him up in the mornings?”
She frowned. “It sounds ridiculous doesn’t it?” She looked over at Benny and he started to investigate his surroundings. “Think of it like joint custody.”
“Okay.” He said because he simply couldn’t say no to her… ever.
“Really?” She said, holding back her smile until he nodded shortly. She threw her arms around his neck. “You’re the best!! I promise he won’t be any trouble.” She pulled back and looked at Benny. “Benny did you hear that? Daddy said you can spend the night with him and sissy!!”
Luke’s eyes widened and he looked at her incredulously. She turned her attention back to him and burst out laughing.
“Just kidding. Oh my God, that was great! You should see your face.” She pinched his cheek affectionately. “Man, Luke, you kill me sometimes.”
He shook his head and let out a long breath. “Likewise, Spunky.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out his key ring. “Here, take this. It’s the key to my house I have a spare in the office. That way you can let yourself in and out with Benny. I get home all different hours depending on Ava’s after school activities, so you won’t have to wait around for me, if you have plans or whatever.”
She raised an eyebrow and wondered if he knew he was rambling. She wondered if it was because he was nervous. I mean she knew a man giving a key to his house was big, even if it was just out of convenience to a friend. You don’t mess with a king and his castle, at least that’s what Jake had instilled in her. She never had a key to his apartment until they were a couple. She shook her head and her thoughts disappeared as she took the key he offered to her.
“Thanks.” She said softly, staring at the key in her hand.
Luke walked over to the far wall in the garage that had a rack holding all the keys of the cars that they were currently working on. He found the key ring to Cara’s car and swiped it off the hook. When he returned to her, she was still playing with the key to his house in her palm.
“Come on, I’ll show you your car.” He said and dragged her out of her trance.
“Right. I almost forgot about that. Come on Benny.” She said tugging gently on his leash so that he would follow them out of the garage and into the parking lot. They walked towards the first spot where her car was. She looked at it in shock one would never know that this car had been in an accident. She glanced up at him. “You do good work, huh?” She said before she ran her fingers over the sleek hood of the car. “It looks brand new.” She said, noting that her little Honda Accord probably didn’t look that good since the day it left the showroom. Not that she would know how it looked then, she bought it used.
“It runs better than it looks.” Luke added. He didn’t let her in on the fact that he had almost rebuilt the entire car, making sure that it was safe for her to drive. He even put a new set of tires on it to get her through the treacherous winter the almanac was calling for.
She turned around and their eyes met. “You’re racking up quite the list of paybacks. I will be an old lady by the time I pay you back for everything you’ve done for me, Luke.” She frowned. “What have I done for you? Not a damn thing.” She said, hating the fact and turned her head.
“Hey… look at me. Friends help one another don’t they?”
“Yeah, but I feel like I tapped you out of favors.” She said offering him half of a smile. “I have a new rule for the friendship that is Luke and Cara.”
“What’s that?”
“You are not allowed to do anything for me until I do something for you. I mean it Luke.” She raised an eyebrow and waited for him to agree.
He bit the inside of his cheek and just looked at her for a moment. “Fine,” he agreed, not really comfortable with the idea.
“Good, now that that’s settled. I have to go or I’m going to be late.”
“Where are you headed?” He asked curiously.
“Riverdale Ink. I’m getting a new tattoo.” She smiled wickedly and loaded Benny into her car.