She left Noah with the weight of possibilities pressing against his chest. For the thousandth time, Noah found himself wishingLuke hadn’t been so respectful about keeping a professional distance since the morning after that kiss. Dammit, Jenna was right. Noah needed to quit worrying about living up to his parents’ expectations.
His fingers moved before he could second-guess himself.
Free tonight? You’ve been burning the candle at both ends, trying to work and then coming to my place. Dinner? Unless you’re busy.
He hit send before he could delete it, then immediately wanted to throw his phone out the window. God, he was too old to feel like a teenager asking someone to prom. This was ridiculous. He was a grown man with a child and a mortgage and?—
His phone buzzed.
Was just thinking about food. Your place, or do you want to grab something?
Noah’s pulse jumped.
My place? I can cook. Unless you need a break from the disaster that is my house.
It’s not as bad as you think. What time?
Noah had a feeling Luke was only being nice. It was far worse than he’d allowed himself to admit. But he hadn’t said no. Did he realize Noah hoped for more than just two guys sharing a meal?
Does six work for you?
Sounds perfect.
There. That was done. Now, he just had to get through the next couple of hours without chickening out.
“Just dinner,” Noah muttered, echoing Sarah’s words. But his hands shook slightly as he gathered his things. Just dinner, just conversation, just…figuring things out.
The drive home felt surreal like he was watching someone else navigate familiar streets. His phone sat silent in his pocket, but he could feel the weight of those messages. Of possibility. Of change.
Luke’s truck was gone when Noah pulled up, but evidence of his presence remained—sawhorses stored neatly against the house, tarps secured against the threat of more rain, a notepad filled with measurements left on the kitchen table. Noah traced the edge of the paper, recognizing Luke’s precise handwriting. Even his notes showed care and attention to detail.
The house felt different without Eli’s presence. Quieter, lonely. Like the house was holding its breath, waiting. Noah moved through familiar rooms, hyperaware of every repair needed, every patch of water damage, every reason this was a terrible idea.
But his phone buzzed again.
Need me to bring anything?
Noah smiled despite himself.
Just yourself. Ready whenever you are.
And maybe that was the truth of it. Maybe he was ready. Ready to stop pretending he didn’t notice the way Luke’s presence filled spaces. Ready to admit his reaction to their kiss wasn’tjust curiosity or confusion. Ready to explore whatever this pull between them meant.
His phone lit up one final time.
Be back in about an hour. Looking forward to dinner without a six-year-old’s commentary on my table manners.
Noah laughed, the sound echoing in his quiet kitchen. The house creaked and settled around him, its familiar noises now holding new meaning. Like it approved of what was coming, the possibilities waiting to unfold within its walls.
“It’s just dinner,” he reminded himself again, but this time, the words held promise instead of denial. He headed upstairs to change, deliberately not thinking about Luke’s appreciation for his cooking or the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled or?—
The stairs creaked under his feet, and Noah smiled. Some things couldn’t be ignored, no matter how hard you tried. Maybe it was time to stop trying.
Noah pulled stuffed chicken breasts from the oven just as Luke’s familiar knock echoed through the house. He wiped his hands on a dish towel, forcing himself to walk—not run—to the door. His entire body thrummed with awareness. Good lord, he was as bad as Eli, getting excited to spend time with Luke.
Luke stood on the porch, changed from his work clothes into dark jeans and a soft gray henley that did nothing to hide the strength in his shoulders. His hair was damp, curling slightly at his temples.
“Hey,” he said, his easy smile not quite masking something tense in his expression. “Brought wine. Seemed more appropriate than my usual six-pack.”
