the bucket list | lrh

29 - a wreck

The day finally arrived for the pair to finally cross off the fourth task on Adeline's bucket list, and neither of them had been fully prepared. Luke had gotten too caught up in a television show, he'd almost forgotten he had plans altogether. Once he remembered that he was due to pick Valentine up, he spent thirty minutes frantically loading his belongings into his car and double checking each bag to make sure that he hadn't forgotten anything necessary. After several runs out to his mothers minivan—the one Liz Hemmings had very reluctantly donated for Luke's road trip—he was certain that he was ready to go.

Valentine had thought about texting, as the boy was nearly ten minutes late, but she didn't want to seem pushy and overbearing. So she waited impatiently as she sprawled her body out across the couch that Scout was seated. As Valentine stretched her leg out, the poor man was surprised with an attack from her foot.

"Sorry," she giggled, retracting her leg and leaning up on the side of the couch.

"He on his way yet, that boy?"

"Daddy, it's Luke. When are you gonna stop acting like he's some Neanderthal?" The girl asked, feeling a little too excited for the upcoming journey. Not only was this a chance to bond with Luke even more, it was the only chance she would get to complete the fourth bullet point on Adeline's list.

"Well, is he on his way?" Scout repeated his question, ignoring his daughters attempts to warm him up.

"I think so," she shrugged back at the man, pulling her phone out to check for a notification that wasn't there.

She didn't have much time to sigh in disappointment though, because a quick knock answered Scouts question before she had to explain that he was late. The girl bolted up from her seat, mercilessly throwing herself towards the source of the noise. She had realized how dramatic she was being much too late as she swung the door open with a grand smile from ear to ear.

"Hi," the blonde who had been nervously picking at his nails rushed out. He hastily waved in Scout's direction, acknowledging the mans presence. He already knew that he'd have to face the girls father, but that didn't make him any less intimidated.

"Hi," he offered a verbal greeting once Scout didn't react to the wave he had helplessly thrown up in fear that the man might break him in half.

"Hello, son," Scout finally acknowledged him. He had been a little thrown off by the young mans presence, because he hadn't bothered to say hello to him until now.

"I just... I just wanted to come get her and make sure you're alright with everything," Luke blurted out, trying desperately to keep his eyes off of the little girl who had told him he could call her baby just the day before.

"Yeah, understood. You gonna drive safely?" Scout asked out of instinct, as if he simply had to get the answer for his ability to sleep at night. "Of course," Luke assured him, smiling as believably as he could.

"Alright, then get along, I'll see you soon," Scout smiled, not wanting to engage in awkward small talk for much longer. He was extremely hesitant to give his daughter up for nearly a week, but he knew that Valentine had grown a great deal since the days he could keep her from doing things like this. He had to allow her freedom or she'd end up sneaking around with Luke Hemmings, and that was the least appealing idea to Scout.

"Okay, I'll call you every day," Valentine assured her father, looking back at him for the first time since Luke had half-stepped inside. She tried to pry her eyes away, but he just looked so damn good, and it was proving to be impossible to distract the girl from staring at his structure in the doorway.

"Of course, have fun," Scout spoke before watching his daughter parade out the door with the blonde boy from his nightmares. She was dragging a suitcase along with her backpack slung across her shoulder—Scout also had to witness Luke grab the bags and carry them for her. He thought he might just drop dead after the young man loaded her belongings into the back of a minivan that didn't look like Luke's typical red truck.