Alexander's visit left a strange taste in my mouth. Not regret. Not sadness. Just... something. Like eating something sour and not being sure if you liked it or not.
Lucas had been quiet since yesterday. Professional. Polite. Distant. His ears were normal-colored again, which somehow made it worse.
"You are being weird," I said on the car ride to the office.
"I am being normal."
"Your normal is weird."
He did not respond. Just stared out the window like the buildings owed him money.
"Lucas."
"Yes?"
"Are you upset about Alexander?"
"No."
"Your left eye twitched when you said no."
"My left eye does not twitch."
"It twitched. I saw it."
He turned to look at me. "You are imagining things."
"I am a billionaire. I do not imagine things. I pay people to imagine things for me."
He stared at me for a long moment. Then his mouth twitched. Not a smile. But close.
"Alexander is irrelevant," he said.
"Then why are you being weird?"
"I am not being weird. You are being annoying."
"That is not an answer."
"It is the only answer you are getting."
I crossed my arms. "Fine. But I am telling Sophie you were mean to me."
"Sophie works for me."
"Sophie works for the company. The company belongs to me. Therefore Sophie works for me."
"That is not how organizational structure works."
"I am the CEO. I can change the organizational structure."
Lucas sighed. It was a long sigh. The sigh of a man who had given up on arguing with someone who held all the power and knew it.
"You are impossible," he said.
"You say that a lot."
"Because it keeps being true."
---
The office was busy when we arrived. People moved faster than usual. Phones rang louder. Someone was crying in the break room.
"Did I miss something?" I asked Maggie, who was waiting by the elevator with her tablet and her worried face.
"Marlene called," Maggie said. "She wants you to come to dinner tonight. At her house."
"Marlene? From the café?"
"Yes. She said she is cooking for you. She said you need to eat more. She said she will not take no for an answer."
I blinked. "How did she even get my number?"
Maggie looked at Lucas. Lucas looked at the ceiling.
"You gave her my number?" I asked.
"Someone had to," Lucas said. "You were not answering your phone. Because you did not know you had a phone. Because you forgot you had a phone. Because you forgot everything."
"That is a lot of because."
"It is a lot of truth."
I wanted to argue. But Marlene's cooking was good. And I was hungry. And honestly, the idea of sitting in my giant empty apartment eating takeout alone sounded depressing.
"Fine," I said. "But someone is coming with me."
"I will drive you," Lucas said.
"Not you. You are weird today. I am bringing Sophie."
Lucas's jaw tightened. "Sophie?"
"She laughs at my jokes."
"Sophie laughs at everything."
"That is why she is fun."
---
Sophie was thrilled when I asked her.
"Dinner at Marlene's house? With you? And Lucas?" She was practically vibrating. "This is going to be amazing."
"Lucas is not coming."
Her face fell. "Why not?"
"He is being weird."
"Weird how?"
"Weird like he is avoiding me."
Sophie looked at me. Then she looked at Lucas, who was standing by the window pretending not to listen. Then she looked back at me.
"Vivian," she said slowly. "Do you know why Lucas is being weird?"
"Because he is Lucas?"
"No. Because Alexander showed up. And Lucas does not like Alexander. And Lucas does not like that Alexander talked to you. And Lucas definitely does not like that Alexander asked for another chance."
I stared at her. "Lucas is jealous?"
Sophie gave me a look. The kind of look that said are you really this clueless?
"Lucas has been jealous since day one," she said. "He just hides it behind his blank face and his fancy suits."
"He is not jealous. He is my assistant."
"Vivian. The man has worked for you for five years. Five years. He stayed when everyone else left. He stayed when you were cold and mean and yelled at plants. He stayed because he likes you. Like, likes you likes you."
My brain stopped working for a moment.
"Lucas likes me?"
"Everyone knows. Kevin knows. Maggie knows. The ficus knows."
"The ficus does not know anything. It is dying."
"The ficus knows more than you."
---
Marlene's house was small and warm and smelled like bread.
She lived in a neighborhood I had never seen before. At least, I did not remember seeing it. The houses were close together. Lawns were small but neat. Children played on the sidewalk.
"This is nice," I said.
"Wait until you see her kitchen," Sophie said. "It is like a hug in room form."
Marlene opened the door before we could knock. She was wearing an apron that said Kiss the Cook in bright red letters. Her hair was loose. Her face was flushed from cooking.
"You came!" She pulled me into a hug. "You look thin. When did you last eat?"
"Two hours ago."
"That was two hours ago. You must be starving."
She pulled us inside. The house was small but full. Family photos on the walls. Knickknacks on every surface. A cat sleeping on the couch.
"That is Mr. Whiskers," Marlene said. "He is old and grumpy. Do not touch him."
"What happens if I touch him?"
"He will bite you."
"Is he allergic to affection?"
"No. He just hates everyone."
I respected Mr. Whiskers immediately.
---
Dinner was amazing.
Marlene made lasagna. And bread. And salad. And some kind of dessert that involved chocolate and cream and probably a thousand calories.
Sophie ate like she had not seen food in weeks. I ate like I was trying to set a personal record. Marlene watched us with a smile that said this is why I cook.
"Lucas should have come," Marlene said.
"He was busy," Sophie said.
"He was being weird," I said at the same time.
Marlene looked between us. "Weird how?"
"He is jealous," Sophie said.
"I am not discussing this," I said.
"His ears turn red," Sophie continued. "Every time Vivian smiles at him. Kevin noticed it first. Then Kevin told me. Now I cannot unsee it."
"Kevin talks too much," I said.
"Kevin is observant."
"Kevin brought a laptop to a notebook search."
"He was prepared."
Marlene laughed. "You two are good for her," she said to Sophie. "She needs people who tease her."
"I do not need to be teased."
"Yes you do," Sophie and Marlene said together.
---
After dinner, Marlene pulled me aside. Sophie was in the living room, trying to make friends with Mr. Whiskers. The cat was not cooperating.
"Lucas is a good man," Marlene said quietly.
"I know."
"He has been taking care of you for a long time. Even when you did not notice."
"I know that too."
"Do you know why?"
I hesitated. "Sophie says he likes me."
"What do you think?"
I thought about it. About Lucas bringing me coffee every morning. About Lucas finding me on the sidewalk. About Lucas holding my hand at the café. About his ears turning red every time I smiled at him.
"I think," I said slowly, "that I like him too."
Marlene smiled. "Then tell him."
"What if he does not feel the same way?"
"Maggie told me his ears turn red."
"Everyone keeps saying that."
"Because it is true."
---
Lucas was waiting outside when we finished. His car was parked in front of Marlene's house. He was leaning against the door, arms crossed, looking at the sky.
"See?" Sophie whispered. "He came anyway."
"He said he was not coming."
"He lied."
Lucas looked up when he saw us. His face was blank. But his eyes moved to me first. Then to Sophie. Then back to me.
"Good dinner?" he asked.
"Amazing," Sophie said. "You should have come."
"I was busy."
"Doing what?"
"Things."
"What things?"
"Sophie," I said. "Get in the car."
She grinned and climbed into the back seat.
---
The drive home was quiet. Sophie fell asleep in the back. Her head was against the window. She was snoring softly.
"Sophie is asleep," I said.
"I can hear."
"She talks in her sleep?"
"How would I know?"
"You have worked with her for years."
"I try not to be near her when she is sleeping. That is weird."
I laughed. "You are weird."
"You say that a lot."
"Because it keeps being true."
Lucas glanced at me. His face was still blank. But his ears were red.
"Marlene says you are a good man," I said.
"She is biased."
"She also says you have been taking care of me for a long time."
"It is my job."
"Is it?"
He did not answer.
"Lucas."
"Yes?"
"Thank you. For everything. For the coffee. For the jacket. For finding me on the sidewalk when I almost died in those heels."
"They were very high heels."
"I know. I almost died."
He smiled. A real smile. Small. Soft. But real.
"You are welcome, Vivian."
My heart did something strange. A flip. A flutter. Something I had not felt before.
Oh no, I thought. Sophie was right.
I liked him.
I really liked him.