Chapter 9
Allison
I feel like Luke is letting down his guard a bit. Like maybe he believes me when I tell him that I’m the kind of person who doesn’t play games and who is sincere and honest. I get the feeling that he’s used to working with the exact opposite kind of people. Which I find sad, but that’s the way life is for a lot of people. Our country doesn’t have the moral foundation that it used to, and it’s obvious.
I wonder if there are ulterior motives for taking the Bible and prayer out of school, but one of the huge effects is that we’re raising up generations of children who have no reason to be honest or moral, because they don’t believe there is a God they will be held accountable to. It’s hard to get people on board with doing right, just because it’s right. After all, it’s far easier to lie and cheat and put yourself first than it is to live your life for others. Especially when you don’t think you’re going to get anything out of it.
Is that the only reason I do right? Because I think eventually I’m going to get something out of it, even if it’s not until I get to heaven?
The question makes me a little uncomfortable. I don’t want to be that kind of person. I want to be the kind of person who does right because I know it’s right.
Interesting that Luke seems to be the person who has made me think along these lines. I like to be around people who challenge me to be better. Not in a difficult, I could never rise to their standards way, but in the kind of way that makes me examine myself and makes me want to be better. Luke does this, somehow.
“I don’t know about you, but I’m starving,” I say as we walk back to the entrance and pass the front desk.
Miss Judy has the lights on in the eating area, and the Christmas tree looks especially sad, with no decorations on it at all.
“That smells good. I’m starving as well. I can’t believe you haven’t heard my stomach growling.”
I look over at him, wondering if his stomach has ever done anything that he hasn’t allowed it to do. He seems like the kind of guy who is in charge of the area around him and doesn’t allow anything to happen without his consent. He reminds me a little bit of my older brother, Samuel. I think that’s the kind of personality that makes for a successful businessperson, someone who’s not afraid to be in charge and give orders. But I do know that Samuel’s personality is better when it’s softened a little, and the girl that he’s with, Lucy, has softened him in the very best kind of way.
It’s interesting how when two people get together, they’re happier than they were apart. Just being with someone who makes them a better person.
I’m afraid I will never find someone like that. I have two awesome brothers, and any man I meet is going to have to live up to their standards. Since I know that there are men like them in the world, I’m not going to settle for something less.
Luke seems like he might fit the bill, but I don’t want to go in that direction. We’re just trying to get through tonight and possibly tomorrow night; I don’t want to cloud the situation by acting like I might be romantically interested in him.
Although I do find him attractive. Which surprises me, because usually I don’t find the business type that interesting. Maybe it’s the beard. Definitely, I like the beard.
“You got quiet all of a sudden,” Luke says as we reach the table, and I grab the plates that are stacked there and set them around. There are four, and I assume that Judy’s husband is going to be joining us.
“I’m sorry, I was thinking.” I do not want to admit that I was thinking about how much I like his beard and that I could possibly be romantically interested in him. Definitely not the kind of thing that I want to be discussing right now.
“Oh, you’re here,” Miss Judy says, pushing the door open and standing back as an elderly gentleman using a walker comes in behind her.
“We are. And if there’s something we can do, just let me know.” I notice the crockpot is not on the table. Maybe it’s too heavy for her to carry. Definitely her husband isn’t going to be carrying it.
“I would love it if you’d carry the crockpot in. But let me introduce you to my husband first. This is Jim.”
“Nice to meet you, Jim, I’m Allison,” I say, coming over and standing in front of his walker. He has stopped and looks up at me, in that slow way that older people typically do. He looks like he’s a lot older than Miss Judy, maybe fifteen or twenty years. But maybe illness or something else has aged him.
He takes one hand deliberately off the walker and holds it out to me. “Nice to meet you, Allison.”
“And I’m Luke,” Luke says over my shoulder, startling me. I didn’t realize he was that close. I can smell his aftershave. Man, sometimes aftershave is overwhelming and it makes you want to gasp for breath. This makes me want to breathe deeply, in the very best way. I don’t know what it is, but I wouldn’t mind getting some of that and keeping it in my room just so I can smell it on a regular basis. It’s that good.
In the meantime, Luke has shaken Jim’s hand, and I totally missed it, wrapped up in the scent of his aftershave and the warmth I can feel once he stands behind me. He seems solid and strong, and I resist the temptation to lean back into him.