Chapter 14 Presley #2
That was a hard pill to swallow, but it was the fact that Luke didn’t think twice about helping us.
He had to know this would be a final blow to their relationship.
He had to know Davis might never speak to him again.
That didn’t matter. He saw the threat, saw the risk to me and Lila, and he did what he thought needed to be done, to hell with the consequences.
Now, he was left to carry the weight of it all like it was just another day of the week. Only it wasn’t. He knew it. His brothers knew it, and I had no doubt his father knew it, too.
I’d seen the despondent look in his dad’s eyes when we all started to leave. He was about to be alone again, sitting in that chair in a room full of silence and a head full of questions. The thought made my chest ache.
I had to do something. No. I didn’t have to, but I wanted to.
I would make him a pie. I would visit him for a short while, make sure he was okay, and then, I would be on my way. At least, that’s what I told myself.
But the next morning, when I was standing on his front porch steps, the pie felt heavier than I expected. It was silly. It was just a pie. Some flour, sugar, and butter. Nothing life-altering, but my heart was racing, and my palms were sweating as I tapped on the door.
Seconds later, the door opened, and my heart dropped when I found Luke standing in front of me. He looked equally as surprised to discover that I was the one at the door. He glanced down at the pie in my hand and asked, “What’s this all about?”
I lifted my shoulders in a small shrug and said, “After everything with Davis, I felt bad and thought I should do something.”
“Yeah, I thought the same.”
He eased the door open, revealing several bags of groceries sitting on the kitchen table. Seeing what he’d done made my chest soften in a way I didn’t expect. Without another word, Luke reached out and took the pie from my hand, carrying it into the house like it was something special.
Like it meant something.
Like I meant something.
I followed him into the house. While it was quiet, it didn’t feel empty and dark like it had the night before. Luke placed the pie on the table as he called out to his father, “We’ve got company, Pop!”
“I see that.” His father stood and came over to me. “We didn’t get a chance to meet last night. I’m Gordan. Luke’s father.”
“I’m Presley. I’m an old friend of Luke’s.”
“Yeah, Luke filled me in. Mighty nice of you to stop back by.”
“I just wanted to say I’m sorry for how everything played out last night. It wasn’t fair for us to bring that to your doorstep.”
“You didn’t bring nothing, doll. That was all on Davis.” He shook his head. “It was only a matter of time before his bad decisions caught up with him. Just hate he had to pull you and your sister into his mess.”
“Pie is getting cold,” Luke interjected.
I assumed this was his way of getting us to drop the Davis talk, so I nodded and said, “I’ll grab some plates.”
“They’re next to the sink.”
Luke smiled as he watched Gordan follow me into the kitchen. He was just as pleased as I was that his father had welcomed our visit. I knew then this wasn’t about fixing grief and sweeping things under the rug. This was about moving forward, and that filled me with hope.
Luke cut us each a piece of pie, and we sat at the table, sharing a little small talk and memories.
After a while, Gordan excused himself and started back to his recliner in the living room.
Before leaving, he glanced back at me and said, “It was real nice of you to come by today, Presley. I hope to see you again real soon.”
“I’d like that.”
Once he left the room, I stood and started clearing the plates and putting them in the dishwasher while Luke finished putting the groceries away. We moved in silence, but as soon as I closed the dishwasher, Luke came up next to me and said, “You didn’t have to do this.”
“I wanted to.” I wiped my hands on a towel before placing it on the counter. I wanted to say something more, but the words just wouldn’t come. So, I said the only thing I could. “I guess I should be going.”
“Yeah, sure… Whatever you need to do.” He followed me over to the back door before saying, “Thanks again for stopping by. Meant a lot to Pop.”
“You’re welcome. I was glad to do it.” I paused for a moment, and knowing I was about to lose my chance, I finally mustered the courage to say, “You know, there’s something else I’d like to do.”
“Oh?” He cocked his brow. “And what’s that?”
“I would like to do something to thank you for helping me the way you did.”
“Not necessary.”
“Doesn’t change the fact that I’d like to try.”
“What did you have in mind?”
“I could take you to your favorite restaurant.” My throat started to tighten. “We could eat, and maybe even catch a movie. I mean, if you’re into that kind of thing.”
“Yes, I’m into that sort of thing.”
“Okay, sooo… What do you think?”
“I think it’s not necessary.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“Yes, Presley. I’ll go on a date with you, but only on one condition.”
He stepped closer, and I immediately asked, “Okay. On what condition?”
“That we do this right.” He lifted his knuckle up to my chin, gently lifting it so I was looking him right in the eyes. “We take it slow and keep it honest. No more holding back or giving half-truths.”
“Understood.”
“I want to trust you, Presley.”
“You can.”
“I’m gonna need you to prove that.”
“Just give me a chance, and I will.”
“Alright then. How about I pick you up Friday around seven.”
“But I asked you… Shouldn’t I be the one to pick you up?”
“Not a chance.” He leaned down and kissed me on the forehead. “I’ll see you Friday at seven.”
I nodded, then turned and made my way back out to the car. The day hadn’t gone as expected. It went even better, and suddenly, the weight of everything that had happened over the past few weeks didn’t seem so heavy anymore.
Nothing about Luke or his world was simple. And trusting him and him trusting me wasn’t going to be either. But I wasn’t looking for simple. I wanted something real, and as I started my car, Friday night felt like something I’d been waiting a lifetime for.