Maid For You

Chapter 44

I was surprised to find that Luke drove a nice, bright red convertible.

He opened my door for me—much to my delight—and I tried to think of a polite way to ask how he could afford this car.

Luke entered the driver's seat and glanced at me.

"My salary's not bad," he grinned. He turned the ignition key and the car came to life. "I work all the time, and I don't have to pay for rent or food."

"I was going to ask how you had such a car, but I didn't want to be offensive or anything."

"Well, you looked like you were gawking a bit," he teased.

"Oops. Well, if it makes you feel any better, I don't make this much, to say the least."

Luke laughed. "Maybe one day you will. You want to publish a book, right?"

"Yeah." I smiled sheepishly. "I majored in Creative Writing in college, and I'd like to be an author one day. But, you know, easier said than done."

"I certainly understand that."

"Did you go to school?"

"Yeah, I did."

"What did you major in?" I asked.

"Music." Now, he too, looked rather sheepish.

"Ah! No wonder you are so talented with music," I grinned. "Did you just graduate, then?"

"No, I graduated three years ago."

"Really?" I rose my eyebrow. "How old are you, again?"

"I'm your age. Twenty-two."

"So you graduated at..." I paused for a second. "At nineteen?!"

At that moment I felt it was time to cue in the "I'm a loser" theme song. I had just been proud that I had managed to graduate at all.

"Don't look so down," Luke laughed. "In Aregano, we graduate intermediate school at 16, and typically finish college four years later. Most people here graduated at the age of 20. I attended school during the spring and summer terms in order to finish a little early."

"Oh. Well still, that's pretty cool. Did you start working for Prince Coleman right after?"

"Ah..." he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "No, no I did not. I actually moved to America for a year or so after I graduated."

"America?"

"Yeah. I went to Nashville to pursue my dream as a musician."

"No way! I had no idea!" I cried. But suddenly, I sobered. My brain had finally decided to make an appearance and reminded me that Luke's trip to America must not have reaped all the success he had hoped if he was here in Aregano now.

"Well, long story short, nothing came of it." Luke's attention was fixed on the road. Though his eyes were hidden by dark sunglasses, I could very well imagine the disappointment that they held.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's alright." He plastered on a smile. "I got my dad's old job, and I'm doing pretty good for myself."