THE DRY CLEANER'S MESS

CHAPTER 20

"Because I like you, Arielle. A lot."

On hearing his answer, Arielle blushed furiously and tried to stop the smile from spreading across her face but she couldn't, so she fell back on the bed and turned to face the wall again. There, she could grin in peace.

"Well, thanks."

Luke paused for a while. "Won't you say it back?"

"Am I obliged to?"

"Of course not."

She cleared her throat before replying. "Then you have your answer."

"So you don't like me?"

Arielle turned to face him. "And when did I say that?"

He had a frown on his face. "But you just said that now."

"How? I said I wasn't obliged to say it back, not that I didn't like you."

He tilted his head sideways. "So you like me?"

She gave him a blank look. "I didn't say that either."

Luke pouted at her response like a spoiled child and tore open a pack of beef jerky. After eating for a few minutes, he disposed the empty pack. "I can't even lie, I really love this. I really do."

"Oh really? I wouldn't have known especially after you finished all six packs."

He chuckled quietly at her sarcastic retort. "I might need cartons of this when we get back home." She ignored the way her ears rang because of the way he made it sound like they were a couple. "Here, you can have the cookies. I don't really like chocolate."

She caught the chocolate cookies pack he threw and scowled. "Yay, I'm taking the rejected goodies."

Luke shook in laughter and while she ate, they indulged in some mindless chatter. Actually it was just Luke talking, all she did was listen to his sonorous voice. She wasn't even really listening to his words, Luke's voice was like a well thought-out orchestral rendition she could listen to all day. A tired yawn from her lips brought an end to his telltale.

"I guess that's your cue."

"Huh?" Her voice sounded dreamy and it made Luke smile.

"It's time for you to go to sleep."

She nodded slowly and laid down flat on the bed. Luke got up and disposed all their empty food wrappers around the room before turning off all the light bulbs. She heard his grunt as he lowered himself in the bed.

"Goodnight, Arielle."

In the darkness, the smile in her voice was evident. "Goodnight, Luke. Sleep well."

She woke up the next morning to the sound of running water in the bathroom. Her face was scrunched in confusion as she tried to come to terms with what was happening. Did she leave the tap running last night? She narrowed her eyes as she remembered she didn't even take a shower the previous night. Her wandering mind was brought to a rest as she heard a familiar voice sing. A blush crept up her cheeks as the flashback of the previous night came to her mind. She let out a quiet squeal of delight as Luke's words came back to her.

I like you, Arielle. A lot.

Several people had told her similar words in the past but Luke's felt a lot different and for a second, she wished she could relive that moment. She squealed again and put her hands over her face like a lovestruck schoolgirl. That was the exact moment a towel-clad Luke decided to enter the room. She stopped like a deer caught in headlights and slowly dropped her hands.