Free LUKE by Linda Cooper Page B

remember that girl you were checking out at the diner?”
    “Yes, what about her?”
    “Well, tomorrow is her birthday and … I’m pretty sure her friend asked me if you would be her present.”
    I could hear Jacob choke on the other end of the phone. “What?” he spluttered.
    “You heard me right.” I grinned as I gave a soft laugh. “I think her friend wants you to be the present of the night.”
    Jacob let out a sound of pleasure. “Well, that is interesting. What did you say?”
    “I told her I would talk to you about it and then give her a call.”
    He laughed. “Good way to get her number.” I’d thought so too. “Of course, I’ll do it, but I won’t leave you hanging. Tell the friend that I will do it as long as you tag along.”
    I raised an eyebrow. So I’d get to see her again? That worked for me, I mean really I’d planned on asking her out now that I had her number anyways.
    “Okay, I’ll give her a call now.”

Chapter Two
     
    “Hello?” I gave my best phone voice though I wasn’t really sure why.
    “Hi, um, it’s Luke, the waiter from earlier.”
    I closed my eyes listening to his voice. “Oh hi, how’s it going?”
    “Good … good. I just talked to my friend. He said he’d be happy to meet up with you two tomorrow. Well, actually he said to tell you that ‘we’ would be happy to meet up with you, I hope that’s okay.”
    So he was coming too? Yes! “Of course.” I forced my voice to sound normal. “It’s not going to be anything special, just me and her getting together at her place for dinner and cake. I can text you her address tomorrow, alright?” I didn’t want to give it to him tonight; after all, I didn’t know what kind of guy he was—other than a cute one.
    “That’s perfect. Do you have a time in mind?”
    “Um, how about 7:00-ish? That way I have time to get over there, and she’ll be even more surprised when you guys show up out of the blue.” I grinned, thinking about her reaction. She was either going to love me for doing it or she was going to kick my ass. Either way, she would never be able to say that I didn’t do anything for her birthday.
    “That sounds good.”
    “Great.” I paused wondering if I should make small talk. I decided against it. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
    “See you tomorrow.”
    And that was that. Our phone call was over. I took a deep breath, closing my eyes and laying my head down on the pillow. God, his voice was so hot.
 
    ***
 
    I arrived at Ashley’s just past 6:00, which meant we still had lots of time before the boys arrived. Luke and his friend. Dammit, I should have asked his name.
    I didn’t bother knocking. “Hey!” I called as I stepped into the living room. I looked her up and down. Pajamas? How the hell was I going to get her out of them without spoiling the surprise? I took a deep breath. “Aren’t you ready yet?”
    “Ready for what?” She stared at me.
    “Didn’t I tell you to be all dolled up?”
    “Um, no.”
    “Well, you better hurry.” I pulled her off the couch and into the bedroom. “You get started on your makeup, and I’ll find something for you to wear.”
    “Where are we going?” she asked, reaching for her makeup bag. Suspicion seeped from her voice.
    I held up a short black dress with glitter on it, my brow furrowing. “Too much,” I muttered before tossing it back into the closet. “Ah, yes, this.” I pulled out her teal dress with kimono sleeves and a square neckline. I tossed it onto the bed. “Dress it down,” I told her. I didn’t want her to be over-dressed. Myself, I wore a brown skirt that hugged my curves as it fell to my knees, an olive green shirt that was neat at the sides to show off my small figure, and a pair of three-inch ankle booties.
    I pulled out a pair of black lance stilettos for her and her stockings, set everything on the bed and glanced down at my phone. 6:34. How had that much time already gone by?
    I brushed my curled hair to one side as I