older kids seemed to look on from a distance. Rori guessed that was one of the perks of larger families. At a certain point the kids could watch after each other, leaving the parents free to do what needed to be done on a weekend.
This was how Luke had grown up. Playing on safe streets, surrounded by children his own age. She could almost imagine Luke and Mike as children, riding bikes and jumping on the tramp, then as teens, shooting baskets in the hoop in the Cannon’s driveway or sitting on the wall behind the hoop pretending they were better than everyone else. It didn’t even take any imagination in a place like this, where the younger kids watched the older kids and mimicked them, generation after generation.
Rori could live in the suburbs. She could have carefree children, who didn’t go to boarding schools or attend polite gatherings where they were trained to be silent. In a world like this, children grew up to be guileless, like Luke. Confident, like Kris. And muscular, like Mike.
Making her way to Luke’s doorstep, Rori rang the bell, unsure of whether she should just walk in. Were front doors left open in neighborhoods like this? Could people just walk right in?
When no one answered, she rang again and this time heard the thump of feet coming up some stairs.
“Coming!” Luke called, before opening the door shirtless with his hair poking straight up.
Now this is the kind of body I like, she thought, looking Luke over. Slim, but muscled. Lived in, but not obsessed over. That’s how a man should look. The bed head was optional.
“Hey there, beautiful,” Luke said, his eyes squinting against the sun.
“Morning,” she said, going up on her toes for a kiss. He met her with a quick, closed-mouth peck.
“Haven’t brushed yet,” he explained.
“Of course,” she said, stepping in. “Did you sleep at all?”
“Maybe,” he yawned. “Not sure. I think I faded a bit after Mike left for work. So a little after 5:00?”
“In the morning?” she asked.
“Yeah. Had breakfast already?”
“At the Cannon’s,” she said. “They practically force fed me.”
He nodded, smiling. “They’ll do that to you if you happen to be in the vicinity during meal time.”
“It’s a marvel they’re all so thin.” Or freakishly fit, she added to herself.
“Ah,” he said with one of his quirky smiles. “It’s because they feed everyone else that they’re thin. Watch them next time. They’ll make you eat three plates while they eat half of one.”
“I see. Well, either way, I am to invite you to breakfast. Mrs. Cannon saved some for you.”
“I need a shower first,” he said, sniffing himself. “And you might as well start calling her Rachel. ‘Mrs. Cannon’ isn’t going to fly with her, no matter how you were raised.”
“I couldn’t,” Rori said quickly. “It’s far too informal.”
Luke shrugged. “I’m just sayin’. You can believe me, or you can let ‘Mrs. Cannon’ turn you into a believer. And want me to give you a hint? She’ll win.”
Rori frowned her disagreement.
“We’re on my turf now, Rori. I have home court advantage, so either follow my lead or be schooled by the natives, like I was in Thailand. It’s your call.”
He had a point. She didn’t like it, but he did.
“The TV’s downstairs if you want to watch something while I wash up,” he said, heading down the stairs.
Rori watched his tall, lanky frame move down the stairs and said the only thing that seemed reasonable. “Want me to join you?”
Luke actually stumbled, catching his weight on the handrail before he fell down the stairs.
“I…” he stuttered. “Man, warn a guy before you toss things like that around, will you?”
“Is that a yes?” she asked, stepping toward the banister.
“But… I mean, you’ve already showered and fixed your hair. You’d have to re-do all that if we, well…” He stopped talking and licked his lips.
So his answer was both yes and no, but he seemed to be leaning towards no.
“Maybe next time?” she offered. Surprised when he let out a sigh of relief.
“Yeah. Like I said, TV’s down here. You can hang wherever, though. Check the place out, rummage through my stuff. Whatever.”
“I like the sound of that,” she said, giving him a playful smile.
“Yeah?” he flirted back. “Let me know if you find anything interesting.”
“Maybe,” she teased, then watched him disappear the rest of the way down the stairs, even though she knew there was a shower on the main level of the house. Did he just like the other