“Don’t let him win by shutting yourself down forever, Emma. Luke’s a very nice man. Go out. Have some fun. Start living again.”
Her mother had emphasized him , and she knew who her mom had been referring to.
Vaughn. Her huge past mistake. She took a deep breath. “I’ll think about it.”
“Good. And I will talk to you later. Now go clean up, and then have a glass of wine and relax. You did good today. And don’t forget Sunday dinner. With Luke.”
“Bye, Mom.” Emma watched her mother leave, then went back inside. Rachel and Leanne had disappeared, no doubt to the back to start the cleanup. Only Luke was out front with Boomer.
He was leaning against the counter, still looking sharp and fresh and oh-so-sexy in his uniform. His hand was wrapped around Boomer’s leash, and her gaze tracked there. She liked his hands. They were big, strong, and masculine.Powerful hands. A man’s hands. She still remembered how they felt gliding across her skin. She suddenly flushed hot, inhaled a very deep breath, and pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind.
“You’re mom is awesome,” Luke said.
“Yeah, she is. So are you. Thanks so much for being here today. I’m sure you were exhausted after working last night.”
He shrugged. “It’s no big deal. I wanted to be here.”
“I’ll walk you out.”
Watching Emma in her element had been fun for Luke. He’d mostly stood by and had fun with the kids, who loved Boomer. And Boomer, as always, was great with all the kids.
It made him want to have a few of his own so Boomer would have kids to play with all the time.
But he wasn’t ready for that, and he didn’t know when—or if—he’d ever be ready.
Although watching Emma with all the kids today had been a revelation. Not only did she love animals, she also had a natural rapport with children, something his ex-wife had never had. The few times they’d been around kids, Becca had acted like children had some kind of communicable disease. She hadn’t wanted anything to do with them. He should have noticed it early on, but he’d been so lovestruck by her, he’d been blinded to many of the issues that should have been lightbulb moments for him.
“I’m sorry about that whole invitation thing to my parents’ house for dinner,” she said. “You don’t have to come.”
“It’s okay. I like your mom. And I’d love to come for dinner. Unless you don’t want me there.”
She cocked a brow. “Seriously?”
“Hey, I’m a single guy. Home-cooked meals are a treat.”
She shook her head. “You don’t know my mom. She’ll grill you. About us. I mean, I know there’s really no ‘us,’ but you know what I mean. She thinks there’s something going on between us.”
He laughed. “I understand. And I can take it.”
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Sunday dinner it is, then. I’ll call you with the details.”
He walked out, actually happy about the dinner. He hadn’t been lying about the home-cooked-meal thing, but he was surprised to find he wanted to be with Emma, to hang out with her family.
And it was just dinner. It didn’t mean they were a couple. He could compartmentalize Emma as a friend.
With benefits.
Or not.
Or something.
Hell if he knew what they were. And if he didn’t think about it, he didn’t have to name it, right?
Chapter 9
EMMA WAS RIDICULOUSLY nervous about having Luke over for dinner at her parents’ house. The last time she’d done this, she’d been a teenager. The boy had been Henry Mayer, a gawky, rail-thin type more interested in science and video games than Emma. She hadn’t realized it at the time, of course. But she’d had a serious crush on Henry’s blond hair, dark glasses, and serious eyes. They’d been lab partners in chemistry, had gone to see old movies at the discount theater together, and had a shared love of Mel Brooks films. Henry could be so funny when you got him alone.
He was a terrible kisser, but Emma had overlooked that for
Her mother had emphasized him , and she knew who her mom had been referring to.
Vaughn. Her huge past mistake. She took a deep breath. “I’ll think about it.”
“Good. And I will talk to you later. Now go clean up, and then have a glass of wine and relax. You did good today. And don’t forget Sunday dinner. With Luke.”
“Bye, Mom.” Emma watched her mother leave, then went back inside. Rachel and Leanne had disappeared, no doubt to the back to start the cleanup. Only Luke was out front with Boomer.
He was leaning against the counter, still looking sharp and fresh and oh-so-sexy in his uniform. His hand was wrapped around Boomer’s leash, and her gaze tracked there. She liked his hands. They were big, strong, and masculine.Powerful hands. A man’s hands. She still remembered how they felt gliding across her skin. She suddenly flushed hot, inhaled a very deep breath, and pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind.
“You’re mom is awesome,” Luke said.
“Yeah, she is. So are you. Thanks so much for being here today. I’m sure you were exhausted after working last night.”
He shrugged. “It’s no big deal. I wanted to be here.”
“I’ll walk you out.”
Watching Emma in her element had been fun for Luke. He’d mostly stood by and had fun with the kids, who loved Boomer. And Boomer, as always, was great with all the kids.
It made him want to have a few of his own so Boomer would have kids to play with all the time.
But he wasn’t ready for that, and he didn’t know when—or if—he’d ever be ready.
Although watching Emma with all the kids today had been a revelation. Not only did she love animals, she also had a natural rapport with children, something his ex-wife had never had. The few times they’d been around kids, Becca had acted like children had some kind of communicable disease. She hadn’t wanted anything to do with them. He should have noticed it early on, but he’d been so lovestruck by her, he’d been blinded to many of the issues that should have been lightbulb moments for him.
“I’m sorry about that whole invitation thing to my parents’ house for dinner,” she said. “You don’t have to come.”
“It’s okay. I like your mom. And I’d love to come for dinner. Unless you don’t want me there.”
She cocked a brow. “Seriously?”
“Hey, I’m a single guy. Home-cooked meals are a treat.”
She shook her head. “You don’t know my mom. She’ll grill you. About us. I mean, I know there’s really no ‘us,’ but you know what I mean. She thinks there’s something going on between us.”
He laughed. “I understand. And I can take it.”
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Sunday dinner it is, then. I’ll call you with the details.”
He walked out, actually happy about the dinner. He hadn’t been lying about the home-cooked-meal thing, but he was surprised to find he wanted to be with Emma, to hang out with her family.
And it was just dinner. It didn’t mean they were a couple. He could compartmentalize Emma as a friend.
With benefits.
Or not.
Or something.
Hell if he knew what they were. And if he didn’t think about it, he didn’t have to name it, right?
Chapter 9
EMMA WAS RIDICULOUSLY nervous about having Luke over for dinner at her parents’ house. The last time she’d done this, she’d been a teenager. The boy had been Henry Mayer, a gawky, rail-thin type more interested in science and video games than Emma. She hadn’t realized it at the time, of course. But she’d had a serious crush on Henry’s blond hair, dark glasses, and serious eyes. They’d been lab partners in chemistry, had gone to see old movies at the discount theater together, and had a shared love of Mel Brooks films. Henry could be so funny when you got him alone.
He was a terrible kisser, but Emma had overlooked that for
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