Page 67 of The Hookup
“I come here more than I should.” They smiled at one another, then Kay looked at Luke, he looked at her, and there was a moment of extreme awkwardness. Neither of them had had to navigate a welcome greeting in front of other people before, and she wasn’t sure how to go about it. Should she kiss him or hug him?
“Hi,” she said.
He leaned forward and kissed her cheek, taking her by surprise. “Hey.” He tugged her hand, so that she sat down alongside him, a display that had been solely for Marie’s benefit.
Marie sat opposite Kay and gave her the kind of smile that settled all her initial fears. Something about her was so homely, so endearing that Kay’s previous jealousy fell away. It also helped that Marie seemed to be a good deal older than Luke.
“So, you’re the business manager?” Kay asked, feeling comfortable around this woman now.
“I don’t know that that’s an apt title,” said Marie. “I do anything he asks me to do, within reason.”
“Is he a good boss?” Kay asked.
“Careful,” Luke cautioned Marie, with a grin.
“He’s not bad,” Marie replied.
“She’s not a bad employee, either,” Luke retorted.
“I have two teenage children to bring up,” said Marie, “so, I’m kind of stuck.”
“Stuck?” he exclaimed, his tone jovial. “You have a generous employment package here, and you’d be foolish to consider working for anyone else.”
“It’s true,” Marie told her. “If anything this guy is upfront, and I trust him. He might look too young, and he might look like a total layabout, but he’s smart.”
“Layabout?” Kay asked.
Marie nodded at his tattoos, so blatantly obvious for everyone to see, especially when all he wore was mostly plain black or plain white t-shirts.
“He does give the first wrong impression, doesn’t he?” said Kay, quick to agree. Her gaze trailed over his muscled arms, beautifully inked.
“Why are you smiling?” he asked.
“I was admiring your tattoos.”
“Most girls do,” said Marie, and they both turned their attention to Luke, and eyed him up.
“I’m beginning to wish I hadn’t introduced you to one another,” he replied, putting a hand to his neck.
“He’s feeling sorry for himself today,” Marie announced.
“He is?” Kay asked. Then turned to him. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing,” mimicked Marie, making a move to get up. “That’s his typical response. He probably over did it at the gym, I expect.”
“It’s nothing,” Luke said. Though she had to admit, now that she looked closely. He didn’t seem to be his usual perky self.
“You okay?”
“Fine. I’m coming down with a cold.”
“Told you,” said Marie, winking at her. “He’s after some sympathy. Expect full-blown man flu.” She glanced at her wrist-watch. “I have to go. Nice to meet you, Kay.” She turned to Luke. “Don’t forget to reply to those emails I sent you.”
“Slave driver,” Luke called out after her as she left.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked him, peering closer.
