Chapter 12

"What are you nervous about?" Luke asked Jessie as she changed her T-shirt for the 3rd time.

"I want them to like me. I know how important they are to you."

"They are guys. One look at you and that's it," Luke responded.

"You are not helping." She groaned in frustration.

She settled on a plain blue Tee and a pair of fitted jeans. Of course she looked edible.

Ray and Dana came first. They were both blonde and tall like Surfer Ken and Barbie. Ray looked every bit the successful lawyer. Dana was beautiful and slender. She had a pretty smile that made her face glow.

Ray was luckier than he knew.

Jim came toting Linda. Linda was probably all of 22. The other ladies probably thought she was way too young for him. But Luke was thinking, Go Jim!

Linda was a pretty platinum blonde, with an ample bosom and a golden tan.

"Everyone, this is Jessica," Luke said with a smile.

"Wow," was all Jim said. Linda shot him a dirty look. Luke couldn't blame the guy, he still said "Wow."

Ray shook her hand and said, "So you are the Goddess Jessica. I believe that is how Luke described you."

Luke was expecting a fair amount of ribbing.

Jim followed with, "Out of the last 20 or 30 women that Luke introduced to us last year, you are by far the prettiest."

An unfair amount of ribbing.

Dana was quick to say, "Don't listen to that bum. In the last 4 years that Jim and I have been married I have never met anyone that Luke dated. You must be pretty special."

"Dana I've said it before, I'll say it again, Ray does not deserve you." Luke replied.

"You're right." She shot back quickly.

Luke made dinner on the small balcony of his department. That involved the charring of meat over open fire with friends around drinking beer.

Dana was quick to welcome Jessica.

"Luke is a great guy. The last half year was like watching him come out of his shell. He was very sweet and kind before but now he is so much more dynamic. I don't know what did it for him. But it has been incredible to see. He was such a hermit."

"I can't imagine that," Jessica confided. "He is so self-assured."

Dana laughed with an infectious chuckle.

"Self -assured he was not! But if you needed anything he was there for you. He is a good friend to Ray and Jim. The three of them are very tight. Maybe it was the way they grew up."

"Grew up?" Jessica flashed a puzzled look.

"They were all poor kids in a poor neighborhood. Jim was in foster care. Ray's family life was pretty dysfunctional and Luke's parents were pretty self-involved. They seemed to spend a lot of time with their friend Chuck and his parents."

"Luke never talks about it. Chuck was the friend that died, right? Luke talks about him every now and again. I think learning about his death had something to do with Luke's metamorphosis."

"Ray doesn't talk about his upbringing much. I don't think Jim does either. I think in some ways, the three boys were all each other had."

"Really," Jessica said quietly.

"Let's talk about something brighter. Linda, how are you doing?" Dana turned to the younger woman inviting her into the conversation.

Jessie was grateful for the opportunity to digest what she learned. It explained why Luke never talked about his parents and only about his buddies. One day, when he was ready, he would tell her all about it.

With a quiet "Excuse me." She left the ladies and walked out to the balcony.

The guys looked up as the door slid open and paused their conversation.

"Sorry, didn't mean to break up the testosterone sharing," Jessica chimed. "Just need Luke for a second."

"Testosterone sharing. Me, Arg, me makeum fire," Jim joked.

Luke smiled and was ready to leave with Jessie but she stopped him and wrapped her arms around him, holding him as tight as she could. Squeezing him with all the strength of her arms, all the strength in her body, burying her face in the hollow by his neck.

She gave him a quick smile and a quick kiss and said, "That's all. Carry on."

"What was that about?" Ray asked as she left.

"I don't know. But if she asks, I'm planning to tell her I hurt all over. Especially if it means I get a hug and a kiss like that again," Luke said with a smile.