“I suppose that depends on where you’re from. Up north, I’d be the one with the accent. But I can’t really tell where you’re from.”
“I’m from New Jersey.” She paused. “No jokes, please.”
“Why would I joke? I like New Jersey.”
“Have you ever been there?”
“I’ve been to Trenton. I rode in a few events at the Sovereign Bank Arena. Do you know where that is?”
“I know where Trenton is,” she answered. “It’s south of where I live, closer to Philadelphia. I’m up north, by the city.”
“Have you been to Trenton?”
“A handful of times. But I’ve never been to the arena. Or to a rodeo, for that matter. This is my first time.”
“What did you think?”
“Other than being impressed? I thought you were all crazy.”
He laughed, charmed by her frankness. “You know my last name, but I didn’t catch yours.”
“Danko,” she said. Then, anticipating his next question: “My dad is from Slovakia.”
“That’s near Kansas, right?”
She blinked. Her mouth opened and closed, and just as she was about to explain the concept of Europe to him, he raised his hands.
“Joking,” he said. “I know where it is. Central Europe, part of what was once Czechoslovakia. I just wanted to see your reaction.”
“And?”
“I should’ve taken a picture to show my friends.”
She scowled before nudging against him. “That’s not nice.”
“But it was funny.”
“Yeah,” she admitted. “It was funny.”
“So if your dad is from Slovakia…”
“My mom is French. They moved here a year before I was born.”
He turned toward her. “No kidding…”
“You sound surprised.”
“I don’t know if I’ve ever met a French Slovakian before.” He paused. “Hell, I don’t know if I’ve ever met someone from New Jersey before.”
When she laughed, he felt something relax in him, and he knew he wanted to hear the sound again. “And you live close by?”
“Not too far. A little north of Winston-Salem. I’m right outside of King.”
“Sounds fancy.”
“That’s one thing it isn’t. It’s a small town with friendly people, but that’s about it. We have a ranch up there.”
“We?”
“My mom and I. Well, actually it’s her ranch. I just live and work there.”
“Like… a real ranch? With cows and horses and pigs?”
“It’s even got a barn that makes this one here look new.”
She surveyed the barn behind them. “I doubt that.”
“Maybe I’ll show you one day. Take you horseback riding and everything.”
Their eyes met, holding for a beat, and again she reached out to touch his arm. “I think I’d like that, Luke.”
4
Sophia
S
ophia wasn’t sure exactly why she’d said it. The words had simply come out before she could stop them. It occurred to her to try to backtrack or play it off somehow, but for whatever reason, she realized that she didn’t want to.
It had less to do with his appearance, despite the fact that Marcia had been exactly right. He was unmistakably good-looking in a boyish kind of way, with a friendly, open smile highlighted by dimples. He was lean and wiry, too, his broad shoulders a contrast to his narrow hips, and the unruly mass of brown curls under his battered hat was definitely sexy. What really stood out were his eyes, though – she’d always been a sucker for beautiful eyes. His were a summer blue, vivid and bright enough to make you suspect colored contacts, as ludicrous as she knew Luke would have found such things.
She had to admit, it helped that he so obviously found her attractive. Growing up, she’d always been gawky, with long skinny legs, zero in the hips department, and prone to the occasional bout of acne. It wasn’t until she was a junior in high school that she’d needed more than a training bra. All that had begun to change during her senior year, although it mostly made her feel self-conscious and awkward. Even now, when evaluating herself in the mirror, she still sometimes caught sight of the teenage girl she used to be, and it surprised her to realize that no one else could.
As flattering as Luke’s appreciation was, what appealed to her most was the way he made everything appear easy, from the unflappable way he’d handled Brian to their meandering conversation. She never had the sense that he was trying to impress her, but his quiet self-possession made him come across as very different from the guys she met at Wake – especially Brian.