waitress // lrh

24 // growing up

// luke //

His eyes rested uncomfortably on the door to the suite, not really wanting to knock on the door. Luke wasn't really in the mood to hear about how "invigorated" he looked after his break, or if there was anything she could do to help. But he had to.

It had been weeks since he had gone to work, and he was very out of the loop. Elizabeth was helping a bit, but she had struggled when Burt wanted her to take his place with the Irvines. So now that he was back, she wanted nothing to do with them.

Sighing, he put his fist up to knock on the door before hesitating. Shaking his head, he rapped his fist on the wood.

A couple moments later, the door opened, and the smiling face of Mrs Eleanor greeted him.

"Luke, hello! Come in, come in," she stepped back, holding the door open for him.

"Hey," his fake smile waned as he responded to her request.

"How have you been? I didn't really get to see you when I came to visit the Hoods," she tilted her head, shutting the door behind him.

"I- I've been alright," he stammered.

"Good, good."

He noted that Emmett and Hunter weren't anywhere in the room, which for some reason gave him an uneasy feeling; being alone with Mrs Peters.

"I was thinking about taking a walk, maybe around town," she speculated, walking over to the window and drawing the curtain back to reveal the building and streets so far below them.

He shrugged. "Might be fun for you to get out."

"Yes, yes, exactly."

Luke's gaze swiveled to a bowl on the table in the hall, noticing dust particles coating the bottom. He scraped his thumb across it, hoping she hadn't noticed.

He knew the maids had done their best to keep the room as clean as possible, but sometimes they missed a few things. That probably went she had noted it either.

Hopefully, anyway.

"Come with me?"

He jumped. "What?"

"Come with me. On my walk," Eleanor smiled.

He wanted to shake his head, decline the offer. But after being off for so long, he knew that Burt wouldn't be happy if he refused such a simple request from such an important person. So, unwillingly, he nodded his head yes.

"I- I guess, sure."

"Oh, good," she glanced towards the floor, her tongue swiping across her lip for a moment. It was so fast you could have missed it if you weren't watching, but Luke caught it, and it made his stomach flip.

With a slight shake of his head and an eyebrow raise, he refocused his gaze at a painting hung on the wall.

"Right, then, let me grab my bag," Eleanor said.

"O- oh, right now?" he stammered.

She beamed. "Something wrong? I just think that since weather is just so nice right now it would be a perfect time- and it's supposed to rain later."

"Oh- o-kay," Luke mumbled.

She offered another smile, ducking back into her room for a moment. She returned with a small white handbag, her smile still set on her face.

Luke opened the door for her, knowing how impolite it would be to just let her get it herself. Just because he wasn't excited to be around her didn't mean he was going to be rude. He hoped, anyway.