“Yes, sir.” Harper saluted sharply. “Now gimmie!”
He handed over the keys and followed her outside. Her squeal of delight had Max charging the front window to bark ferociously.
“It’s so clean! And look! They fixed the tear in the roof.” The paint job, brought back to life by a professional wax, glowed a glossy blue in the late afternoon sun.
Harper slid in behind the wheel and lovingly stroked the dash. “Are these gauges new?”
Luke leaned in the open passenger window. “Why don’t you start her up?”
Harper obliged and clapped her hands when the engine caught on the first try. “Oh my God! There’s no squealing at all. Shorty is a genius!”
Luke opened the door and slid into the passenger seat. “I’ll tell him you said that.”
“Thank you so much for getting her all fixed up, Luke! This is going to take a giant chunk out of my apartment and comfy couch fund, but I don’t even care. It’s the best she’s ever looked!”
“Your fund is intact. This is on me. Consider it a going away gift.”
Harper opened her mouth to argue, but Luke clamped a hand over it. “Before you start yelling, this past month has been the best I’ve had in ... I don’t even know how long. You made my house a home, you took away the chaos at work, and you gave me what I didn’t know I needed. You. So this is my very small way of thanking you for bringing me back to life. If I thought for a second you’d let me get away with getting you a new car, I would have. But I know you.”
He removed his hand from her mouth. “Okay. You can yell now.”
“Damnit, Luke. I can’t yell now.”
“You also can’t insist on paying me back without looking like an asshole,” he smirked.
Damn that sexy dimple. The perfect picture. Him grinning at her, aviators on, that soft sweater that clung to every muscle. And the sun setting low behind him.
This is how she would always think of him.
Harper sighed. She would go to her grave loving Luke Garrison without regret.
He patted the dashboard. “Now that I’ve won the gift giving competition, let’s go. I’m hungry.”
Harper backed down the driveway and put the car in first gear. “Is this a new engine?”
***
Mr. Romanos himself led them through the restaurant to the small back room reserved for special occasions.
Harper paused with Luke in the doorway and took in the chaotic scene. Josh had crawled under a table and Ty was trying to coax him out. Sophie was topping off wine glasses. Charlie was in deep discussion with Aldo and James while Claire and a short, plump woman with salt and pepper curly hair had their heads together.
“That’s Aldo’s mom, Mrs. Moretta,” Luke whispered in her ear, nodding in the woman’s direction. She threw her head back in booming laughter. “She’s on the feisty side so try not to get into an argument with her.”
Stu and Syl were having a disagreement over the basket of rolls while the frazzled looking waitress promised to bring a second order out. Frank sat by himself nursing a beer.
“I am going to miss this,” Luke sighed, drawing her into his side.
“Me, too,” Harper nodded. “Well, we might as well make the most of our last night.”
He squeezed her waist and winked. “Uncle Stu, put the bread down,” he ordered as they entered the room.
Cheers went up and they were surrounded by hugs, handshakes, and slaps on the back. Everyone was talking at once.
Josh poked his head out from under the table. “Uncca Luke!” The toddler bolted for his uncle and Luke picked him up, tossing his nephew in the air.
“Uncca Luke! Camo!” Josh pointed to the camo t-shirt he was wearing. “Like you?”
“When you come back he’s going to be twice that size,” Ty teased. “Kid eats fifteen pounds of mac and cheese a day.”
