A Cowgirl's Secret(43)
“What date?” She sat up straighter. Was he talking about Rowdy? She’d forgotten even talking to him. Turns out he’d been waiting for his latest girlfriend, so they’d spent three minutes chatting and then Daisy had left. End of story.
Luke laughed. “You don’t have to play coy with me. I’m not the jealous type.”
“Why would you be? Especially when you’ve told me how little I mean to you.”
“I never said that,” he protested. “Obviously, I care about you or I wouldn’t have called.”
“Mmm-hmm.” Should Daisy be flattered by his concern?
“How’s Kolt?”
“Nice change of topic, but for the record, he finished his homework and is tucked into bed.”
“Think he could spend the night over here some time? I’d like that—helping him with his routine.” Luke’s question struck Daisy in a long-forgotten place. It took her mind off the potential house deal and all the petty bickering she and Luke had shared. In the end, this was the sentiment at the core of Luke’s pain. He’d missed not only countless Christmas programs and soccer games, but more importantly, the little times. The quiet moments like bedtime stories and sweet, heartfelt prayers.
“Of course,” she said past the knot in her throat. “For that matter, once we’re settled in the new house, there’s plenty of room for you to hang out there as much as you’d like. No pressure—just putting the offer on the table.”
“Thank you.” The warmth behind his words struck her as different from his usual tone—at a level it hadn’t been at in a very long time.
“Sure, Luke. I’ll do whatever you need in order for you and Kolt to grow close.”
He stayed silent for a long while. “I hope you get your house, Daisy.”
“I appreciate that.” He had no idea how much.
“Well…” He laughed. “Guess I should let you go.”
“Yeah. I have, um, stuff to do.” Liar. If Daisy had her way, she’d have curled up in her bed, chatting with him for hours. She liked the rich timbre of his voice. The way he’d made her loneliness disappear.
“Me, too.”
“Okay…” You hang up first, because I’m not strong enough to sever this tenuous tie.
He laughed again, this time slowly and sexily enough to make her stomach tighten. “Good night, Daisy. Sweet dreams.”
When he hung up, for a moment she felt lost. Then she remembered that when it came to Luke, she’d never even been found.
Chapter Eleven
“Congratulations,” Vera said early the next morning. “My sellers accepted your offer.”
“Eek.” Daisy did a happy dance in her office desk chair. Considering the amount of work she had ahead of her, she should’ve been terrified, but all she could focus on was the end result of raising Kolt in such a grand old home.
“I’ll be over this afternoon with final documentation, and even though we already know of a few existing trouble spots, I still recommend getting a professional inspection for possible foundation issues.”
After settling on a time to meet, Daisy tried concentrating on the few projects Barb had sent her way, as well as several more pro bono cases she’d taken, but she had a hard time concentrating when all she really wanted to do was start scraping and painting.
She called her mother to share the news, and then Wren and Josie.
Kolt would have to wait until after school.
As for the one person she most wanted to tell, Daisy knew she shouldn’t call Luke. Every time she spoke to him it was akin to ripping off a bandage a tiny bit at a time. He meant so much to her, but she wasn’t entirely sure why. Yes, they’d been the quintessential high-school sweethearts and shared a child, but beyond that, they were strangers. He knew nothing of her dreams or goals and she didn’t know his.
So why was it that whenever he was near—as he’d been the day they’d been out house-hunting—she was constantly checking herself to make sure she hadn’t inadvertently brushed against him or too often said his name?
Exhausted from overanalyzing every little thing in her life, Daisy pushed back her chair and stood at one of the windows overlooking the town’s busiest street.
All seemed normal in Weed Gulch, so why did she feel uneasy? Expectant? Maybe she shouldn’t have put an offer in on the house?