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I winced. “I’m sorry. Does that leave your missionary friends in the lurch?”
“Maybe a little. I think, since we won’t be having an official youth group activity, I’m going to head down. Jason has always been a bit of a mentor—even if I can’t get all the repairs they need done, I could use the time with him.” Luke shoved his hands into his pockets. “And the time away.”
My heart hurt for him, but I didn’t see a way to help other than prayer. So I’d just do that. “Okay. Well, I’m still game to try and help with the youth when you need someone.”
“I appreciate it.”
I closed the distance between us and wrapped my arms around him in a quick, tight hug. When I stepped back, I smiled. “Hang in there.”
“Yeah. And congratulations on the thing with…Austin, right?”
I laughed. “Thanks. And yeah. Austin. He’s actually waiting, so I should go. Take care, Luke.”
He just smiled.
There was nothing else to say, so I just turned and made my way back to the foyer. Austin was still leaning against the wall, right where I had left him. My heart sped up. It always did when I saw him, but this time, instead of trying to squash the feeling, I let it come.
“Everything okay?” Austin pushed off the wall and held out his hand.
I slipped my fingers into his. “Yeah. Turns out, he wasn’t feeling it either.”
“All’s well that ends well, then?”
“Something like that, yeah.” I quashed the tendril of guilt that was trying to linger. It was unfounded and unnecessary. It wasn’t as though Luke was heartbroken. Not about me, at least. Maybe about his job—or career path long term—but I couldn’t do anything about that. “Are we eating at the diner with the rest of the gang?”
“Do you want to?” Austin opened the foyer door and held it for me. “I’m fine with that. Or we could go somewhere just us. We haven’t done Mexican in a while.”
I brightened. “Yeah?”
“Yeah. Do you mind driving? Megan and I came together, and I told her to take the car. I thought that’d probably be okay.”
Everything in me warmed when he smiled at me. “I don’t mind that at all.”
It didn’t take long to get to the restaurant. I squashed the tiny feeling of déjà vu. Not that Austin and I hadn’t ever come here together before I’d brought Luke.
“Two?”
Austin nodded at the hostess and gestured for me to go ahead of him when she started toward a table. He put his hand in the small of my back and I wanted to arch into it like a cat. It probably wouldn’t be seemly. And I didn’t want to scare him off. This change in our relationship was new enough, that was a definite possibility.
“Your server will be right with you.” The hostess set menus on the table and disappeared.
I slid into the booth on one side and reached for a menu.
Austin hesitated, then slid into the seat opposite me. “Has it changed?”
“Has what changed?” I peeked over the menu.
“The food? You have like three things you get here, if it hasn’t changed.”
I laughed and put the menu down. “I could branch out. You don’t know for sure that I won’t try something new. Look at us. Didn’t I just last night agree to be in an exclusive relationship with you?”
He grinned and reached for my hand. “You did. And if that was the opening for you to realize the joy of fajitas instead of an enchilada and taco combo, then I’m for it.”
I wrinkled my nose. “I don’t think I’m taking risks that big. And honestly, fajitas are just laziness on the part of the restaurant. Here’s all your food separated out. Go ahead and put it together into a soft taco. Or, if you’re not dumb, order the soft tacos to begin with and make them do the work for you.”
Austin shook his head. “You’re missing out. There’s something about that sizzling plate. And you can’t get the peppers and onions on a soft taco.”
“Ugh. Why would I want to?” I gave a mock shudder. “Darn it. You had to say enchilada and taco combo, didn’t you? Now that’s what I want.”
