Noah made a sound that might have been a laugh or a groan. “Maybe we should save the ghost stories for another time.”
“But, Dad?—”
“Hey, Eli.” Luke cut in, recognizing the signs of an impending battle of wills. “Know what’s cooler than ghosts? The history behind these old walls. See this note you made about the squeaky floor in the hall? That might be telling us about the original layout of the house.”
Eli’s mouth formed a perfectOof surprise. “Really?”
“Really.” Luke found himself warming to the topic, drawn in by Eli’s genuine interest. “Houses like this are like time capsules. Every creak and groan is a story waiting to be told. The house is bigger now than when it was originally built, and those are called transition points.”
“Like a mystery book? Dad’s readingThe Yellow House Mysteryright now. He reads to me every night before bed.” Luke could tell how much the routine meant to Eli by the way he beamed as he talked about the book.
“Exactly.” Luke caught Noah watching them, and something soft in his expression made Luke’s chest tight. He cleared his throat, focusing back on Eli. “And you’ve already started solving it with this map.”
“Can we look for more clues?” Eli bounced in his seat. “Tommy’s dad hired boring guys that yelled at him to stay out of the way to fix their house. You’re way cooler. You actually explain stuff!”
And there it was—the kind of genuine compliment that hit way too close to home. Luke was used to deflecting praise about his work, usually with a joke or a quick change of subject. But something about Eli’s appreciation made him want to live up to it.
“Tell you what,” he said, carefully not looking at Noah, “how about you keep working on this map while your dad and I talk boring grown-up stuff? Document everything you notice, and next time I’m here, we can go over the final version and make a checklist of everything we want to do.”
“Promise?” Eli’s expression turned serious. “Because Tommy says his dad’s guys promised to let him help someday, but they never did.”
“I promise.” The words came easily, too easily. Luke could feel Noah’s gaze on him, heavy with something he couldn’t quite name. “And I always keep my promises.”
“Homework before treasure maps, Eli,” Noah insisted. Luke bit back a curse. He needed to remember this wasn’t his house and Eli wasn’t his kid. He had no right giving the boy directions when he had no clue about their usual routine. Even more distressing was the realization he sort of wanted it to be his place. He’d slotted in with this little family so easily. It wasn’t a stretch to imagine what a life with them might look like.
“Okay!” Eli gathered his map, then paused. “Can I have dessert while I work on it?”
Noah’s quiet laugh did something to Luke’s insides. “Homework first, then dessert. And since when do we have dessert?”
“Since Mr. Luke is here!” Eli’s logic was impeccable. “Company always gets dessert. That’s what Grandma Ellie says.”
“Pretty sure that’s not—” Noah started, but Luke couldn’t help jumping in.
“He’s got a point. Sweet & Simple had their triple chocolate cookies on special today.” Luke pulled a small paper bag from where he’d set it with his samples. “Thought they might help sweeten the deal when discussing budget numbers.”
Eli’s eyes lit up, but he looked to Noah for permission. Something about that small gesture, that implicit trust between father and son, made Luke’s throat tight. He watched Noah pretend to consider it, even though his lips were already twitching toward a smile.
“Homework first,” Noah said finally. “Then one cookie. The rest are for after dinner tomorrow.”
“Yes!” Eli pumped his fist. “Thanks, Mr. Luke! I’ll do my homework super fast!”
They watched him thunder up the stairs, disaster map clutched in one hand. Noah shook his head slightly. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“I know.” Luke started gathering dishes, needing something to do with his hands. “Perks of having a sister who owns a bakery. Pretty sure it’s illegal to not bring dessert.”
“Still.” Noah joined him at the sink, close enough that their elbows brushed. “You’re already doing so much… I don’t want him to start expecting things every time you come over.”
Funny, since Luke was trying to remind himself of the same. He couldn’t make more of this than it was, and it couldn’t be a good sign that he was already looking forward to the evenings he’d be working here. Luke could tell himself all he wanted that he’dnever had a crush on Noah, but he knew as well as Keaton it was a lie. And being around this grown-up version of the first boy he’d ever jerked off to was fucking with his head.
“It’s just cookies, Noah.” But it wasn’t, not really. It was the way Eli’s face had lit up, the way Noah’s smile had softened, the way this whole evening felt dangerously close to something Luke couldn’t afford to want. “Besides, everyone knows chocolate helps with tough decisions. And we’ve got plenty of those ahead of us.”
Noah glanced up, catching Luke’s gaze. Something electric passed between them, gone before Luke could name it. “Yeah,” Noah said softly. “I guess we do.”
Luke focused on rinsing plates, definitely not noticing the way Noah’s forearms flexed or how his hands moved with careful precision as he loaded the dishwasher. This was business. Just business.
So why did it feel like so much more?
Luke needed a moment to clear his head. “I need to run out to my truck before we get started. Want to work in here or in the living room?”
