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Duke’s voice is so firm that I draw in a breath. “Don’t say what?”
“Don’t say you’re an idiot.” He scowls down at me, his brows knitted together. “I can come and take measurements for you.”
“Really?” The thought of this gorgeous giant in my apartment makes me want to grab onto something to stop myself from falling over.
“Yes. It’s helpful to see the space before I start work.”
I nod dumbly. “Okay.”
“Tomorrow.”
It’s not a question. I nod again. “Sure. Sounds good. I live on Main Street, in the apartment above Mountain Brew.” I press my lips together, fiddling with my hands as I add, “How much do you think it will cost?”
“Nothing.”
I shake my head. “Not the measurements; I mean how much will the bookcase itself cost?”
“Nothing,” he repeats.
His eyes are piercing me like lasers, daring me to challenge him.
“What do you mean?”
“I’ll do it for nothing if you tell me your name.”
There’s silence for a moment as I process his words. “I…Ariana.”
Something flickers across Duke’s rugged features, but it’s gone in a flash. “Well, Ariana, I’ll come over tomorrow morning to take the measurements,” he says.
“Are you…are you serious about doing it for free?”
“Yes.”
I know you shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth, but I’m too bewildered not to ask, “Why?”
“Because I can.” He says it like it’s final; the simplest, most obvious thing in the world. My head is fuzzy. This man is becoming more of a mystery with every word, and all I can do is gawk at him.
“Thank you, Duke,” I say, my heart thudding. “That’s so kind of you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
I can’t help the twinge of suspicion in my stomach. Being bullied as a kid left me with a cynical streak a mile wide, and whenever people do or say nice things, my brain assumes there’s a catch.
A punchline.
One moment I’ll never forget is when Ethan Caldwell asked me to our 8th grade formal. I was the stereotypical nerd and the biggest girl in my grade. Ethan was pretty popular, but I thought we were friends, so when he stopped me at my locker and asked me to the dance, I never imagined it was a prank. I didn’t realize a group of his buddies were standing behind us until they fell about laughing when I accepted the invitation. Ethan’s fake bashfulness instantly turned into mocking laughter, and he joined his friends, still guffawing as they disappeared down the hallway. I never even liked Ethan that way—I said yes because I was excited to have a date to the dance—but it was a long time before rumors of ‘Ariana the fat girl’ being secretly in love with Ethan Caldwell died down. Yay for middle school.
Not that high school was much better.
I pull myself from the bitter memories and chew on my bottom lip, looking at Duke. “You really don’t have to?—”
“I want to. End of discussion. And no more thanking me, either.” His face is stern, but there’s a softness in his eyes that wasn’t there before.
“Okay.”
And despite peals of middle school laughter ringing in my ears, I know in my gut that Duke isn’t trying to prank me.
“I’ll come over at ten,” he says.
