Chapter Two
Luke
Thank god she walked into me earlier.
I have seen Tessa around here and there over the last year, first noticing her gorgeous golden hair and delectable curves when Ava and Luna started bringing her around. She’d always stop in for a few minutes before having to run off to do something for her sister. Ava mentioned something about them losing their parents a few years ago, so I know she’s had her hands full.
Today, when she walked into me, green eyes peering up at me, filled with apology and perhaps a hint of embarrassment, I knew I was a goner. I had been about to ask her if she wanted to hang around, maybe have a drink and get to know each other, when she abruptly said she needed to head out. I didn’t mind, I knew I’d find a way to see her again.
Find a way to make her mine.
So, when she walked back in and needed a ride, I didn’t hesitate for a second.
I’m glad I was here. When I first got back from active duty with the Marines a few years ago, I was looking for a fresh start. My grandparents used to vacation in Whiskey Mountain all the time, for the lakes in the summer and the mountains in the winter, and I always felt an overwhelming sense of peace in this place. With how unsettled I was after everything I had seen in the Marines; I knew it was the perfect place to go.
I bought a small cabin just outside of town and joined a local veteran’s group, which is where I met Ethan and Scott. When they mentioned they needed someone to run around and grab their orders, I jumped at the chance. It was the perfect job for me, giving me solitude in the truck and a bit of social interaction when I drop off the deliveries. It’s also given me the chance to really get to know Scott and Ethan and their friendship has made all the difference as I transition back into civilian life.
I lead Tessa by the hand to my box truck I use for deliveries. Not the ideal vehicle to grab her sister in, but it will get the job done. I open her door and guide her up the steep step to the passenger seat, waiting to see that she’s buckled in before rounding the front of the monstrous white truck to my side.
As soon as I hop in, she begins rambling.
“You really don’t have to do this, I can call a cab or see if her friend’s mom can drop her off at the house, I really don’t want to inconvenience you. We just met and it was kind of weird and—”
I cut her off again, which I hate to do because I really love the sweet, melodic sound of her voice. But I can tell she’s spiraling, so I want to nip this in the bud.
“Tessa. It’s okay. In fact, I’ve been looking for a chance to spend more time with you and this seems like the perfect opportunity. I don’t mind helping you, especially when you really need it.”
She blushes at that and worry I may have set my intentions too bluntly, but I can’t bring myself to care.
“Oh. Okay. I… I would like to spend more time with you, too,” she says, still blushing as her emerald eyes meet mine. She’s the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen. Like a movie star and she doesn’t even know it.
“Good,” I say simply. “Now, tell me where we’re going.”
She rattles off the address and I know exactly where we’re headed—one of the perks of driving so much in this town is you get really good at knowing where everything is.
“You’re a teacher, right?” I ask as we pull onto the main road before taking a left to head towards the more residential side of town.
She looks surprised that I already know this about her. I think she would be shocked if she knew how much I had been watching her over these last few months, but I’m not scared to show her my interest.
“I am,” she says after a moment. “I teach English to juniors at the high school.”
“Is that something you always wanted to do?” I ask.
“Yes. Not here necessarily, but things changed and I’m glad I was able to get the job here. I love the school and my students, and the other teachers have been great.”
“Good. It’s good to have a job you enjoy,” I say simply, taking another turn.
“You do the deliveries for the brewery, right?” she asks, looking shyly at me, like she should be embarrassed for knowing that. It only fills me with hope. Hope that she may have been watching me like I’ve been watching her.
“Yep. For the last few years. I needed something to do, but still wanted my independence. I was in the Marines before moving here,” I say, sneaking a peak at her to see if she’s surprised by that information.
She doesn’t seem to be. “Ah. That explains the USMC hat,” she says simply, and I laugh at how easy this conversation feels, how it feels like I’ve known her forever, even though it’s only been a few minutes.
“Did you meet Scott and Ethan at the veteran’s group?”
“I did. That’s how I got this gig,” I say gesturing around the truck. “They’re great guys.”
“They are,” she says.
I debate on whether or not to bring up her parents, Ava and Luna told me she lost them a few years ago, and that’s how she wound up raising Ruby. Ultimately, I decide that if I want this thing with her to be real, we should be open and honest with each other from the beginning.
“I’m sorry about your parents,” I say simply.
She looks at me with a mix of surprise and something I can’t quite place, acceptance, maybe. “Thank you,” she says, “it’s been hard.”
“I’m sure it has. No one should have to go through that.”
She gives me a stoic smile at that, and I can’t help but feel I’ve killed the mood. We sit in silence for the next few minutes. When we pull up to her sister’s friend’s house, she promptly jumps out of the truck and rushes to the door. It’s a few minutes past when she was supposed to be here, but it shouldn’t be a big deal.
A moment later, Tessa and a little girl who looks like she could be here miniature twin come up to the passenger-side window, which I roll down.
“Thanks for bringing me here, Luke. We can just walk home,” Tessa says, still averting full eye contact.
“None of that,” I say, knowing it will take her at least twenty minutes to walk home and it’s already starting to get dark. I don’t want her walking home like that, and even more, I’m not ready for our time together to end. “Hop in, I’ll drive you home.”
“Are you sure? You’ve already been so generous.”
This feels like a conversation we’ve already had. “Just get in blondie,” I say.
She opens the door and ushers her sister into the middle of the bench style seat.
“Hi! Are you Tessa’s friend?” the girl asks as she slides in.
“I hope so,” I say, looking over to Tessa who has nothing but a blush on her face. “My name is Luke,” I tell the girl.
“I’m Ruby. I’m seven, how old are you?” she asks me.
Tessa, now fully seated and buckling Ruby in, looks to her sister. “Rubes, it’s not polite to ask people how old they are as soon as you meet them.”
“It’s okay, I don’t mind,” I say, meeting Tessa’s eyes, finally. She gives me a soft smile and I can’t help but return it. “I’m twenty-eight,” I tell Ruby.
“Woah. That’s a big number. Not even Tessy’s twenty-eight.”
“How old is Tessy?” I ask, not trying to be impolite, but also wondering how old this woman who has already been through so much, overcome so much could be.
“I’m twenty-three,” Tessa says, looking back to me. Not a massive age gap, but enough that it could make her nervous, which is something I absolutely do not want. I just return my stare, hoping my eyes convey that I have no issue with her age, and she shouldn’t have an issue with mine.
Without another word, I restart the truck and start heading in the direction of their house.
“Wait,” Tessa says after a minute of me driving in the right direction. “How do you know where we live?”
“Ava mentioned it was where she used to live, and I knew the house because I always drove by it, admiring how perfect it was,” I say. It’s the truth. I leave out seeing her and Ruby playing through the window, how perfect I’ve thought she looked every time I’ve seen her. I don’t want to freak her out, but I also want her to know that my interest in her is real.
The rest of the short drive is filled with Ruby asking me a seemingly random series of questions: what’s my favorite color? Green. She asks me if it’s like the green of her and Tessa’s eyes and I say it is exactly that color, which earns another blush from Tessa. Ruby tells me her favorite color is purple, and when Tessa is asked, she mumbles “blue,” which I can’t help but notice is also the color of my eyes.
Ruby, oblivious to the budding tension between her big sister and I, keeps chatting away, asking me my favorite animal, my favorite season, all the little, innocuous things you need to know to get to know someone. I’m glad she’s here, she’s a spunky kid and her total lack of self-consciousness is helping me get to know Tessa better, and hopefully vice versa.
We pull up to the gorgeous cape-style house, one that should look out of place in this little mountain town, but somehow fits right in. I quickly unbuckle and hop out of the truck, rounding the front to get to the other door.
I open it and grab Tessa’s hand to help her out. I can’t help but feel a spark at the touch when our hands meet, and from the look on her face, I know she feels it too. Ruby slides over and I don’t hesitate to lift her out of the truck, like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
She giggles when I twirl her around before setting her down next to Tessa, who has a glowing smile on her face from the sound of her sister’s laughter. Our eyes meet again.
“Do you want to stay for dinner?” she asks me, and I have to say I’m surprised by the invitation, I felt like I botched this whole thing by bringing up her parents.
I don’t hesitate for a second. “I would love to.”
If she’s surprised by my instant acceptance, she doesn’t show it. “Great,” she says lightly.
She grabs Ruby’s bag off the ground beside her and heads to the door, I follow behind while Ruby keeps chatting my ear off about a puzzle she’s working on.
“We can do it together while Tessy is making dinner,” Ruby says as we walk in. To the right is a spacious living room, filled with dark leather couches and interesting artwork. I can tell the vibe is not totally Tessa’s, but it also fits her perfectly, like it was curated with her in mind. To the left, I see a small dining nook and a kitchen filled with marble countertops and updated appliances. It’s just as beautiful inside as it is outside. I love it here.
“Let’s see if Tessy needs any help with dinner first,” I tell Ruby and I turn to “Tessy” who has a smirk on her face at my use of her sister’s nickname.
“I’m all good, you two can puzzle away. We’re having spaghetti and meatballs, nothing fancy, if that works for you?” she asks me.
“Perfect,” I say, and really anything would have been.
I would stay if we were having dog food for dinner, just to spend more time with this beautiful golden-haired woman.
She turns and heads into the kitchen while Ruby grabs my hand and leads me to the coffee table with her fairyland puzzle on it. As I sit on the floor and start puzzling away as the smells of sauteing garlic and onions fill the house, I can’t help but think there’s nowhere I’d rather be.