I Was Blind & Now I See (Quick Read)

Rachael’s free spirit and sense of adventure has led her to a group of fast friends who, together, have decided to build their individual dream tiny homes.

But she never counted on befriending a fireman, in the process.

Luke checks off all the NO’s on her list. And she’s definitely not the wifey material he’d envisioned. But as the two get to know one another, priorities are questioned…at least for one of them.

As Luke realizes what he truly wants, Rachael fails to realize that she’s not as free as she thought.

Will she take a leap of faith with Luke? Or will Rachael let her biggest fear burn their hopes to ashes?

Chapter 1

Rachael twisted herself around on the sofa and just barely managed to catch sight of Sarai and Ashe’s figures disappearing into another area of the home. 

In less than a second, the only signs that remained of her “friends” were the patter of their feet upon the hardwood floor and the retreating hiss of their whispers. 

Rachael’s brows lowered.

Did those heifers just abandon her? 

At a party?

Lips pursed, she unwound herself and directed a stern gaze at the stranger seated on the couch located opposite of her—her sole companion in the living room.

She cocked her head to the side.

“Why do I get the feeling I’m missing something really big here, Luke?”

Her pretty-much-a-stranger companion glanced over at the empty space in the living room where Josiah had recently stood. Returning his gaze to meet Rachael’s, he met her observation with his own raised eyebrows and gentle bob of the head.

“It does feel like our respective friends have just left us out here, in the cold.”

“Like leftovers,” she slinged back in a huff. 

A dimple in his cheek winked at her at the hint of his lopsided grin. “Leftovers of a dish nobody wanted in the first place.”

Rachael’s lips bunched as she held back an unexpected burst of laughter. 

Her smile broke free and she answered, “The one with the crumpled, reused tin foil cover.”

“The one that people couldn’t ever seem to find the time to throw out—” he said, with a chuckle.

“Or didn’t care enough about it to.”

“So now it has that fuzzy mold growing on it.”

“And over time it’s just been pushed all the way to the back of the fridge—” Rachael responded through a wide smile.

“Forgotten,” Luke concluded.

She chuckled and pointed her finger at him. “Exactly.”

She shook her head, casting one more glare over her shoulder at the empty space in which their friends once stood.

This event was supposed to be a party for her and her girls. They were, literally, the guests of honor, here. 

It was their tiny houses that were being built: a project they’d pursued together. And this gathering was supposed to be all about celebrating the biggest first milestone in that process. And yet, all the party goers had vanished.

Poof!

She was tempted to at least hunt down Ashe and Sarai.

What the heck were they whispering about? 

But that’d mean leaving Luke solo in the living room.

And even she could never be that rude.

She sighed, returning her focus to the man before her.

He sat before her. His gaze falling on her face on occasion, only to bounce off, traveling to other parts of the room.

She took one of those latter moments to study him as he lounged comfortably upon the sofa, one toned arm resting casually atop the cushions.

He had beautiful eyes, really—dark as night…deep as a well. All that and a sense of humor nearly as sharp as his jawline. And an awfully delicious mouth, to boot; brought to mind the stomach curdling dips and hills of a roller coaster ride.

She’d buy that ticket.

Luke cleared his throat. And those curvy-luscious lips gradually stretched into an upwards bow. 

Lord, has she been caught staring?

Her eyes leapt up—crashing into that midnight gaze. 

Yep.

Great, she inwardly groaned. No Luke, I’m not a cougar. I’m just…friendly. 

I’m just…a little lonely.

She grimaced. 

Where in the world had that come from?

Shifting in her seat, Rachael’s eyes flew from Luke’s and skittered from one luxurious detail to the next in the spacious, yet warmly designed room. In short order, however, her eyes seemed to follow some invisible trail that brought them right back to their starting point.

The tinkle of bells filled the silence and Rachael realized that her foot—and her favorite anklet—had begun jiggling.

Why didn’t he say anything? Why didn’t she?

Leaning forward, Rachael placed her elbows on her knees, her chin coming to rest upon steepled fingers.

“You know,” she began, “I’m actually a little surprised that they pulled off getting the designs for our houses completed so quickly.” She chuckled. “And now, we’re actually about to see a whole house be erected!” 

“Four houses, actually,” Luke added, waving the corresponding number of digits in the air.

She rolled her eyes, a grin curving her lips. 

“You knew what I meant.”

~`~

Luke answered with a low chuckle.

Of course he’d known what she had meant. But apparently he already enjoyed teasing Rachael.

He pegged her as the type who dealt with her frustrations through humor. 

He got that.

Sometimes you gotta laugh to keep from crying.

Or talk.

Or in his case, work.

He wasn’t much for small talk, but Rachael obviously didn’t do well with silence. Maybe he could goad her into a board game like he’d done earlier in the party with one of her friends.

Nothing greased the conversational wheels like a good activity to distract—

Rachael rose from her seat, drawing Luke’s gaze as she skirted past the table that separated them and made herself at home beside him on the couch, sweeping strands of her waist-length, reddish brown waves back over her shoulder.

One of the spaghetti straps of her fuschia tank slid down. She casually pulled it back into place, delicately setting it atop the matching, wider bra strap beneath that glowed against the red undertones of her dark, cherrywood skin.

“Well," she said, "looks like it’s just you and me. At least, until our friends remember that we’re stuck somewhere in the back of the fridge.”

A chuckle escaped him and the muscles in his shoulders relaxed as he reclined against the sofa. Out of his peripheral view, he caught wisps of his own nape-length hair floating alongside his face. He reached up and deftly tucked the errant locks back into his man-bun.

Angling herself toward him, Rachael’s body sank into the sofa cushions as she crossed her legs; looking mighty comfy if Luke did say so himself.

Raising her arm, she propped it on the cushion beside her and rested her head against the flat of her loosely closed hand.

“So Luke, why do I also get the feeling you know a little more about what’s going on here than you’re letting on,” she asked, her free hand waving to encompass the nearly vacant living room.

His eyes widened and he smirked, repositioning himself on the couch to face her. 

Meeting the dark, almond shaped eyes fastened to his, his body leaned into the scent she’d brought with her: faintly floral with hints of vanilla and oranges.

He inhaled…

This vision of loveliness before him was also Jo’s client—and Jo was, technically, Luke’s temporary boss. And Luke should probably refrain from hitting on the “boss’ ” boss, right? But then…Jo’s brother had already crossed that boundary with another one of Rachael’s friends.

So…

“Rachael, you wouldn’t happen to be a nurse? Or a teacher, would you?”

Rachael’s lips parted, her eyelids fluttering open and shut a few times before she responded. 

“What?!”

And Luke wished he could rewind his stray words.

Closing his eyes, he croaked, “Nevermind.”

“Do I look like a nurse or a teacher?” she asked, her voice registering genuine curiosity.

His eyes flew to her tank top set, the autumn red waves cascading around her face and down her back, and the mischievous grin which had already made its reappearance.

“I plead the fifth,” he said, smiling. “I foresee being on the losing end of a conversation regarding what a teacher—or nurse—’looks like’ .”

She snickered. “Wise move,” she noted, cocking her head to the side. “But, why would you think I was a teacher or nurse?”

Not thinking. Hoping.

“No reason,” he said, lightly, hoping she’d drop the subject.

A few moments of silence ticked by and Rachael continued staring holes into him.

“Okay,” Rachael said, leaning further in, “But why would you ask me that specific question?”

“Just making conversation,” he said.

“Making conversation,” she grumbled. “Okay. Okay fine. So, you’re just one of those random folks.”

“I guess so,” he chuckled. “You up for another random question?”

“I thought I was the one asking questions, here.”

“Tell you what,” he replied, “I’ll talk, if you do. I don’t think I really know anything of worth. But I’ll share what I suspect if you’ll tell me what’s up with your girl, Sarai. Why has she been giving Jo the cold shoulder all day?”

Rachael gaped. 

“Wait, what!?”

She inched closer. “Okay. Apparently I’m missing stuff left and right. You need to catch me up.”

“And what do I get in return?”

“A loyal confidante.”

His eyebrow arched. “By the very nature of this discussion, neither of us would fit that description.”

“Well, what do you want?”

“I don’t know. Doesn’t sound like you have any info to exchange,” he drawled, giving her a lopsided grin. “Besides, like I said, who’s to say I actually know anything worthwhile?”

“No, no,” she said, shaking her head. “You’re trying to gaslight me, now. I saw you canoodling with my girl, Ashe.”

Luke laughed, “I’m not trying to gaslight you. And, canoodling? Who uses that word?”

“Someone who’s not going to let you distract her from facts.”