2. Rose #2
“Nice to meet you, Rose,” he grits out, still saying my name with a caress that almost makes me not want to correct him again about calling me Ro.
“My name is Dante, and I had hoped to finish the walkthrough prior to my contractor arriving. However, since you arrived late and I know he will be here any minute, it will be easier if we wait for him and do it together. There are still a few specific details of my home I need to bring to his attention. Would you like to come in for a drink while we wait?”
Well, this is progress, I guess. “Yes, I’d love to come in for a drink.
” Wait, should I be drinking on the job?
I guess he could mean lemonade or iced tea or something.
He doesn’t really look like a lemonade kind of guy, though.
More like an “I drink protein shakes every day to feed my huge muscles” vibe.
It’s not like we’re going to be taking shots of whiskey while we wait.
Maybe I should take a shot of whiskey. It might help calm my nerves and slow my brain down a bit so I can think before speaking.
Who am I kidding? Whiskey is my kryptonite.
It makes my insides feel all warm, and my body goes soft and pliable, and my brain becomes detached from any logical decision-making.
That is the last thing I should be drinking because that typically only leads to one thing, and I can’t be doing that with my client.
Unless…no, Ro, we said this is only business and not pleasure—do not accept alcohol from this man.
“Rose?” Dante says my name like he’s asked me a question that I clearly didn’t hear. “Right this way.” He gestures toward the front door.
Just as we are turning toward the door to head inside, I hear the crunch of tires on gravel as a vehicle pulls up behind us.
I’m assuming this is the actual contractor who recommended me for the job.
Boy, do I have some choice words for him when we finally meet.
I mean, I’m thankful for the recommendation, but Dante might not be the client I want to take on, considering his overall surly disposition.
Not to mention, we are in the middle of nowhere, and this is going to drive my delivery costs way over the price I originally quoted.
Plus, we clearly aren’t hitting it off personality-wise.
I guess I will just have to figure it out if I get the contract and go from there.
“Good,” Dante says, looking relieved he didn’t have to have a drink with me while we waited. “Rose, come say hello to the contractor you’ll be working with. I believe you have worked with his company in the past.” He gestures me forward and says, “Rose, this is Lu—”
“LUC!” I scream with a bit too much enthusiasm.
“Is that really you? What are you doing here?” Without a second thought for our audience, I run and jump into Luc’s arms. I haven’t seen him since high school, and I barely even recognize him.
But I could never forget those piercing hazel eyes with flecks of amber and the scar that runs through his right eyebrow that he got after taking a punch from a guy at school who wouldn’t leave me alone.
His dirty-blonde hair is shorter now, buzzed close to his scalp.
I remember I used to love running my hands through his thick wavy hair when we were younger, but this look definitely suits him and makes him look more mature, which I guess he is.
“How have you been? Where have you been? What have you been up to? How are you here right now? What are you even doing here? I reached out to you after graduation, but it’s like you disappeared.
I was worried something had happened, but here you are, standing in front of me.
I can’t believe this!” I’m definitely babbling at this point.
I also can’t believe how tall and strong he looks.
I remember him as a lanky kid from Long Island who was obsessed with drawing.
Now, he’s easily 6’3” or 6’4” and built like a gladiator from what I can tell from the stretch of the white T-shirt across his chest and arms and the tight fit of his blue jeans.
I guess that’s what happens when you do manual labor for a career, since he must be in construction now.
But he still has that smile that could brighten up my day no matter what I was going through, and it’s the sunshine I needed to pull me out of this spiral with Dante.
I almost feel grounded now that Luc is here.
It’s the strangest thing. I never thought I’d see him again, and I honestly don’t know how I feel about seeing him now.
And wait, did Dante say we’ve worked together and that Luc is the contractor? That doesn’t make any sense.
“Hey, Ro!” Luc doesn’t hesitate to wrap his strong arms around me, and I melt into his embrace.
“I’m so glad I didn’t miss you. I figured you’d be done with your walkthrough by now, and I wouldn’t see you until tomorrow.
I honestly didn’t think you’d even remember me.
It’s been so long, and after I left after graduation, I wasn’t sure you’d even want to talk to me. ”
Dante clears his throat behind us with a sense of annoyance and aggravation. He doesn’t have a subtle bone in his body from what I can tell. Can’t a girl catch up with an old friend?
“As I was going to say, Rose…” There he goes again with that sultry way my name rolls off his tongue.
“This is Luca, my contractor, from Precision Builders,” Dante continues, oblivious to my fascination with how he says my name, “but it seems as though an introduction would be redundant since you and…” Dante pauses like he is struggling for words. “Luc are already acquainted.”
I don’t miss the bite in his tone when he says Luc’s name in the shortened version I used. And do I detect a hint of jealousy? I couldn’t help but notice Dante tracking me as I hugged Luc and the intensity of his stare when Luc’s hand didn’t leave the small of my back as we turned toward Dante.
Maybe I shouldn’t act so friendly with Luc and only call him Luca while we are working.
I wouldn’t want things to get more awkward than they already are with Dante.
I just have so many questions for Luc and would love a chance to catch up and find out where he disappeared to after high school, and why he cut off communication with me after graduation night.
Not only did he cut off communication but he literally turned into a ghost. I haven’t been able to let go of that in the past fifteen years, so this might be my only chance to get answers and finally move on—since we will be working closely together on this project if… no, when I secure the contract.