He missed the impatient gesture, as he was getting into the back of his car—for his overnight things, no doubt.
Overnight.Jeez Louise. What had she gotten herself into?
A squat, hairy beast lumbered around the back side of the Mustang. Bulging brown eyes dominated the bulldog’s brown-and-white smashed-in face. Even though it was walking, it looked as if it might drift off to sleep any moment.
Even so, it was adog. She shrank into the car. The terrier that had bitten her when she was six hadn’t seemed threatening either—until its jaws were clamped around her ankle. She wasn’t able to shake it off until her dad came.
Allie frowned at the beast. “What is that?”
Luke shut the door, and the car beeped as he locked it. “Allie, meet Walter.”
“He is not coming on this trip.”
“I don’t have anyone to leave him with. Anyway, Walter’s well trained. He won’t be any trouble. Will you, buddy?”
Walter flopped down in the gravel, apparently unable tobear another step. His jowls drooped low as if God had accidentally made too much skin and not enough face.
Allie glanced at the beautifully restored Chevy. “You can’t put your”—she looked down at the animal—“dogon these new leather seats.Whiteleather seats.”
“Relax, I’ve got it covered.” Luke—bearing a sleeping bag, she saw now—was opening the Chevy’s back door. He spread it across the seat. “He doesn’t have accidents.”
“I didn’t plan on having a dog along.”
“Well, I didn’t plan on driving to Pennsylvania today,” Luke said from the back seat. “But here we are.”
She wanted to put her foot down. But... beggars and choosers and all that. There was no one else she could ask to drive—if there had been, Luke sure wouldn’t be here. Looked like she was stuck with them both.
She stared up to the heavens. She so deserved brownie points for this.
Allie scowled down at the mongrel, whose pink tongue was now out and lolling beside a pointy fang. She didn’t relish the idea of him sitting behind her. What if he went for her carotid artery when she least expected it?
Walter peered up at her as if asking if it was time to get up yet. After a moment passed he gave a slow blink and rested his head on his paws.
Allie rounded the vehicle and got into the passenger side while Luke loaded the dog. “How old is that thing?”
Luke spared her a look. “Walteris seven.”
“He moves like an old man.” With hip replacements. She took out her phone and opened the road trip playlist she’d made just for the drive when she’d been feeling optimistic aboutthe assignment—songs from the fifties, in honor of the Chevy, of course.
Luke stowed his things in the trunk and got into the car. The spacious interior seemed to shrink to Fiat proportions. She was grateful for the console between them, at least. Of course, if there were no console, there would be no stick shift—and no Luke.
He took a moment to appreciate the leather, his gaze flittering around the pristine interior. “She turned out real nice. Your grandparents are going to be thrilled.”
He said something else, but Allie couldn’t take her eyes off his hands, now stroking the large white steering wheel with its chrome center and spokes. His skin, already summer brown, was marked with a new scar or two. Long fingers tapered down to blunt-cut fingernails, stained around the cuticles from his job. A workingman’s hands.
Hands that had once held hers. Hands that caressed her face so softly it made her ache inside. At one time she’d believed they were made for each other. That he was her soul mate, that they might share a lifetime of love.
But that had just been a foolish girlhood fantasy.
The engine roared to life. Allie dropped her gaze to her phone, starting her playlist, and the peppy melody of “Rockin’ Robin” filled the car.
Chapter 5
It hadn’t quite been love at first sight for Allie, but it still seemed like she’d loved Luke her whole life. Soon after his family moved in next door, when Allie was nine, Luke’s dad left.
Mrs. Fletcher turned to drinking, leaving Luke at loose ends. He often mowed the lawn for Allie’s parents or helped her mom carry in groceries. He was a frequent guest at their dinner table. Olivia treated him like a brother, but that role never felt quite right to Allie, even though Luke often ruffled her hair and called her kiddo.
When she was fifteen a boy on the bus began picking on her, making rides to school stressful. When Luke found out he insisted on driving her the remainder of the year—even though he was a senior and she a lowly sophomore.
