It had been about a month since everyone had come home, about a week since Nathan and Haley's overnight and Lucas' evening with Rachel. Haley holding Keith knocked on Lucas' door they were overdue for a face to face visit. "Hey guys," Lucas said as he opened the door. Haley handed Keith over to Lucas. "Hey buddy," Lucas said to him as he took him and gave him a little tickle.
"Hi Wouk," was Keith's response.
Haley came in and got comfortable on his couch. "So how's my brother," Lucas asked her.
"Oh like you haven't talked to him," she said.
"This is true but please enlighten me," he said to her with a smile.
She laughed, "he's good. He comes over every night for dinner and helps me put Keith to bed then we hang out for a while usually with Brooke and Tim." She paused a moment then said, "oh Luke you should see what Nathan does with Keith it's the cutest thing in the world."
Lucas thought about the time Nate bent over Keith's playpen while he was sleeping and whispered, "daddy loves you," and Keith smiled.
Haley continued, "Nathan bends over him while he's sleeping an—."
"And whispers 'daddy loves you,'" Lucas interrupted.
Haley finished, "and Keith smiles in his sleep," she frowned then slapped Lucas' arm and continued, "how did you know? I thought I was the only one who'd seen it. Of course not though 'cuz you've spent more nights with the two of them together than I have," she said frustrated, "considering I never spend any nights with both of them together."
"Sorry Hales, didn't mean to spoil that one for you," Lucas said.
"Oh well," she said then changed the subject, "so what's new with you?"
"Not much," he said but he had a look like something was on his mind.
"What are you not telling me," she asked him.
He hesitated, "you're not going to like it." She gave him the "try me" look. "I went out one night last week with Rachel," he paused and waited for her reaction.
"Rachel," Haley said disgusted, "Lucas."
He continued, "yes Rachel and surprisingly I had a good time. Of course I would it was Rachel. Something was different though, she seemed different and I can't put my finger on it. It's been bothering me all week."
"Luke," Haley said questioningly.
"What? Nothing happened but she was different. I haven't talked to her since and I think I might want to," he said.
"Lucas, I don't trust her, especially not with her past but I can't stop you either just be careful," Haley warned him.
"I just want to figure out what was different," he said, "it intrigued me."
Lucas was covering for Karen at the café that evening she had plans. Lucas bustled through the dinner rush as Rachel entered the café and made herself comfortable at the bar. She watched Lucas rush around until he got the chance to wait on her. "Hey stranger," he said to her, "what can I get for ya?"
She hadn't come in to eat but when he asked her that she got a sudden rush of hunger, "ya know I'll have the turkey melt special," she answered him.
"Coming right up," he said as he scratched it down on his pad and handed the slip to the cook.
She ate while he worked. Finally things died down, "so how ya been Luke?"
"Not bad, Rach, not bad at all," he answered.
"I saw you still brooding a lot over the last week," she paused, "but not so much tonight," she said to him.
He smiled, "oh yeah," was all he said.
"What time you outta here tonight," she asked him.
"If it stays this slow," he said because she was now the only one in the place after the dinner rush, "then probably around 8:30-9." The café was busier in the summer they had later hours.
"Well then," Rachel began, "if it stays this slow do you wanna join me at trick again," she asked. "The broody thing really is sexy on you but I like it better when you smile."
He blushed a little which caught him off guard. It took a while for him to answer her, "yeah, why not?"