Handle With Care

15. Proper Christmas Dinner.

"Luke?" Annie was baffled, feeling as though she might of been dreaming. She was in some yoga pants and a large jumper she bought herself for Christmas, her hair was in two French braids and her face was make up free. She hadn't felt so comfortable and unprofessional in a long time, and the fact that Luke was seeing her like this made her slightly embarrassed. "What are you going here?"

"Well, I was thinking about how you said you were spending Christmas alone," he started, teeth chattering as he could feel the bag on his back start to freeze to his skin. "And I was alone too, so I was thinking... why don't we be lonely together?"

Her smile was homely, kind and warming, nearly enough so to help Luke actually warm up. She was magnificent and he was so happy he had decided to come here, even if she did say no, at least he got to see her today.

Her lips pressed against her teeth, her dimples appearing as she opened the door wider, motioning him inside before closing the door behind him.

Luke hummed at the warmth, noticing how she had a shoe stand so he toed his shoes off, not wanting to ruin her carpet or anything. Her dog, a black German Sheppard, came running towards Luke, sniffing him and wagging it's tale widely.

"Bow, calm down," Annie chuckled, leading the now familiar named dog into the living room as she motioned Luke to follow her. Luke gazed around her house, he wasn't sure what he was expecting but it wasn't this. She had a huge living room, along with a kitchen through the door and some stairs leading to the next floor.

"You have a wonderful house," Luke commented, feeling as though the solve was beginning to grow uncomfortable.

"I was just about to order the, Uh, Chinese... did you want something?" She asked, picking her phone up as she tapped it with her finger, not actually pressing anything just yet.

"Oh actually!" Luke swung his backpack round the front of his body, unzipping it and digging out multiple boxes he had bought. "I bought these at the supermarket, I think we deserve something more than just a Chinese?"

He pulled out the Christmas dinner necessities of two potatoes, carrots, broccoli, stuffing and a small chicken. Annie's eyes bugged out of her head, surely this wasn't real, but Luke began laughing at her expression so maybe he was just this insane.

"Why do you have a chicken in your bag?" Annie noticed how it was wrapped in another bag and, to be fair, it didn't look like it would take up much room, but the mere oddness of his act baffled her.

"I was thinking we could have a proper Christmas dinner." He shrugged, hoping he didn't sound or look like a complete lunatic.

"And you expect me to cook all this?" She commented, pointing to the various foods.

"Uh, no? No, no, no, I'll cook it. Just point me to the kitchen," he nodded, having no clue as in to how someone cooks a Christmas dinner. He followed Annie into her kitchen, it was very homely, it looked more like a Mum kitchen but it suited Annie nicely. Luke laid all his food out and rested his hands on his sides, looking at it momentarily before his attention was averted to Annie, reaching on the top shelf for two wine glasses.

"Do you want-" Luke started to offer, noticing how Annie was slipping in her fluffy socks as she reaches to get them, but she just managed, smiling as she placed them on the counter.

"I'm fine doing what I'm doing, but if you want to have this Christmas meal on Christmas, you might want to start cooking." She chuckled, going into her wine cupboard and grabbing some red wine, pouring equal amounts into both glasses.

"You're going to be shocked when you taste just how amazing this is," Luke pointed out, thanking her for the drink before doing something to the chicken. Annie laughed, a cute, snorting laugh that Luke had never heard from her before, but he absolutely adored it, everything about it. From the way her nose scrunched and her eyes creased, to the showing of her teeth and wobbling of her chest.

"You're laughing now but in an hour your going to be apologising, this is going to be great." He commented, hoping to hear the squeaky laugh again.

"If you're only cooking it for an hour then I can guarantee it's not going to be good." Annie shook her head, scrolling on her phone as she searched for Christmas dinner instructions. Handing it to Luke, she sat back and watched as her client began cooking Christmas dinner in her home.

This wasn't right.

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Sooooo busy lately n also I'll be working a lot more near Christmas

SONG OF THE WEEK
You Say - Sarah Close

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