Luke studied him for a moment, his lips quirking slightly. “Yeah, you’ve definitely read too many romance novels.” He sighed. “I’ll call Ma, and ask her if Ava can spend the night.”
“Oh, I wasn’t worried about Ava. I was wondering if you can convince your parents to watch Benny the terror overnight.” Nick said and then looked down at the dog who stared up at him with big brown eyes and a T-shirt that read ‘Bad to the Bone.’ He was cute, Nick thought. “Sorry pal, Grandpa’s words, not mine.” He looked back up at Luke. “I doubt Deb would say no, but Joe? Well, he might divorce her.”
“He’s not that bad.” Luke said defensively.
“Tell that to your father who had to replace his favorite pair of Italian Loafers, then gave your mother shit that he had to rent a tux for the wedding. Did you know he has a perfectly good powder blue tux in the attic? I think he married your mother in it. Well, that’s what he’s planning on wearing to our wedding, oh, and of course the new loafers.”
Luke laughed. “She’ll talk him out of it and if not he at least listens to Sam.” He wiped his hands on a rag and closed the hood of the car. “I’m down for tomorrow. It’s not like we’ll be out all night, I’ll just keep Benny in his crate until I get home.”
“Spoken like a true dad!” Nick teased and then his eyes went to the parking lot. “Oh look Benny Boo Boo, Mommy’s here to pick you up.” He eyed Luke and then quickly made his way to the office, to avoid getting hit in the head with the wrench Luke was clutching like a weapon.
Luke glared at Nick’s back until the office door closed. He turned around, watching Benny run straight to Cara, circling her and wagging his tail. He bit the inside of his cheek as he moved towards her. She laughed as Benny showered her with love, and the sound of her laughter reached down to the pit of his stomach. She lifted her gaze and her eyes met his, her smile never faltering.
“Hi, sorry I’m late.” She said as she tried to get to her feet.
Luke held out his hand to help her. She took it and let him pull her to her feet with a gentle tug that ended with her pressed against his chest.
“You squared, whatever you had to away?” He asked, liking the way her body felt pressed against his. He knew she’d pull away just as she had the other night, but still he indulged in the minute she granted him.
She tilted her head upward and smiled shakily at him before taking a retreating step backward. “I did.” She said softly.
“What time will you be coming over tonight?” He asked, shoving his hands into his pockets so that he wasn’t tempted to touch her.
“It’s Friday.” She said simply.
He furrowed his eyebrows. “Yeah, it is.”
“It’s your night alone with Ava.” She said with a shoulder shrug. “I can drop him off when you put her to bed or I can try to smuggle him into my place for the night. I’m leaving soon anyway. What’s the old grump going to do? Have me evicted?”
“Ava bailed on me.” Luke said flatly.
“What?”
“My social butterfly of a daughter ditched her dad for a slumber party.” He made a face and Cara laughed slightly.
“Oh, you poor thing.” Cara said covering her mouth to suppress her chuckle.
“Have dinner with me.” He said without the slightest bit of humor in his voice and he watched her hand drop to her side. He took a step closer and changed the way he approached the topic. “Let me take you to dinner Cara, you’ve been cooking dinner for us every night this week when you drop Benny off.”
She bit her lower lip. “What will we do with Benny?”
“I’m not asking you to go on a road trip with me. We’ll put him in the crate for a couple of hours. He’ll be fine.” He said affirmatively and waited a beat before he repeated his request. “Have dinner with me, Cara.”
“Okay.” She agreed because why the hell not? It beats sitting in her apartment by herself, knowing he was only doing the same exact thing. They were friends. Friends had dinner, heck, she was going to dinner tomorrow night with Sam. It was the same exact thing. Granted, she didn’t just recently have an epiphany of sorts, and didn’t find Sam hunky gorgeous as she did with Luke. Christ, hunky gorgeous Cara? Really?
“Drop Benny at seven and we’ll leave from my house.” He said, fighting back the grin that threatened.
Still reeling from the term she used to describe him, she nodded her head in response. “Okay.” She shook her head, dismissing the Hunky Gorgeous thoughts. “I better go, I have to pack.”
“Okay. I’ll see you tonight.”
She bent down and lifted Benny into her arms, before looking over at Luke one final time. “Bye Luke.”
He smiled. “Bye Cara.”