“Well, actually it is. Remember what I told you about college? I just changed the course I was on and went in another direction. Making the choice was the hardest part, but once the decision was made it was easy. You just need to decide what you want and then pursue it with all your heart. It might be continuing on the course you’re on, or it might be changing the course all together.”
“You just continue to amaze me.”
“Thanks. I think. You know, I’m a little sleepy, so I’m going to make some coffee. Would you like some?”
“Oh, well I’ll go and let you get some sleep.” He started to get up.
“No, you don’t have to go, but I’m going to make a pot. Do you want some?”
“Sure, that would be great.” He smiled as he sat back down and made himself comfortable.
“I’ll be right back.”
In about ten minutes I was back with two cups of coffee in hand. I sat them down on the table and turned to face him. He was sitting up with his head leaning all the way back, his mouth open, and he was sound asleep. He looked so peaceful and adorable. I didn’t have the heart to wake him. I went to the hall closet, pulled out a blanket, and came back with it. I picked up his feet and slid off his shoes. I then picked up his legs, bringing them up onto the sofa and leaning his head over on the arm. I got a pillow, put it under his head, and then covered him with the blanket. He continued to sleep.
As I peered down at him I thought about how nice it felt to take care of him. Although alarms were sounding in my head, I knew it was a feeling I could definitely get use to.
I took the cups of coffee and emptied them into the sink. I locked the door, turned out the lights, and headed up to bed. Just as a precaution, I put a chair against my door.
My alarm woke me at seven a.m. After my body was good and stretched, my mind became aware of the dream I’d had, and I smiled at the memory. Lucas had taken me to an elegant restaurant where he proclaimed his undying love for me. It was a really sweet dream and one I had a feeling would stay with me for the rest of the day.
After I came out of the bathroom and was fully dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, I went to my door, removed the chair, and headed downstairs to check on my sleeping guest.
He was lying on his stomach still sound asleep. The blanket was on the floor, so I picked it up and gently covered him with it. I then went into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee and decide on what to cook for breakfast.
“Umm, it smells delicious in here.”
I quickly turned to see Lucas standing in the doorway looking adorable with his messy hair, sleepy eyes, and both hands stuffed in his front pockets. I wondered if he realized just how ridiculously handsome he was.
“Oh, I hope I didn’t wake you. I was trying to be quiet.”
“No, you weren’t being loud, but a delicious smell woke me. I thought for a minute that I was back at my home in London.”
“Well, I didn’t know what you might like for breakfast, so I made a few things. Here are pancakes,” I said as I pointed to the plates spread about the bar, “I just finished the bacon, these are vegetable omelets, and I made vanilla cream syrup for the pancakes. Can I get you some coffee?”
“Um, wow. You didn’t have to go to all this trouble just for me.”
I smiled. “Well, I didn’t do it just for you, I’m hungry too, and it was no trouble at all. Actually, I enjoy it. It’s been a while since I’ve had anyone here to cook breakfast for.” I handed him a plate. “Help yourself to whatever you want.”
“You know, in L.A., most of the time I go without eating breakfast. I don’t know how to cook, and I have to deal with the paparazzi every time I go out. Actually, I go without a lot of meals for that very reason. I’ve discovered microwave food though. It’s interesting, although not very tasty. We don’t have a microwave back home.”
He was too adorable as he piled his plate full of food. I couldn’t seem to take my eyes off him.
“That’s probably because you guys are smarter than we are and have most likely discovered how bad they are for you. I rarely use mine.”
“Really?” He sounded a little surprised.
“It’s good for heating coffee though.”
“By the way, I’m sorry I fell asleep here. I know that was rude. I hope you’ll forgive me.”
“No need to apologize. You were sleepy, so was I. I’m just glad you didn’t murder me in my sleep,” I teased, handing him his steaming cup of hot liquid.
“Dang, I should’ve thought of that.” He winked.
“Actually, I did sleep with a chair against my door,” I admitted, smirking. He looked at me with a surprised look. “What? I’ve known you for three days. What do you expect?”
“Truthfully I probably would’ve advised my sisters to do the same.”
“Well, it’s not like I thought anything would happen, but I was just leaning on the side of precaution.”
“Of course,” he said with his mouth partly full. “You know, this omelet is delicious. What’s in it?”
“Well let's see, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, cheese, salt and pepper, and of course eggs. I purposely left out the onions.”
“It’s delicious. You’re a very good cook. I’m beginning to feel spoiled.”
“To be honest I find the idea of spoiling you quite appealing,” I teased. He looked at me with an odd look. “What?”
“You really shouldn’t say that to me. You might find me over here every night.”
I smirked. “Well, I could think of worse ways to spend my evenings. But all joking aside, you’re welcome here anytime you want. Most of my nights are spent cooking for one and watching episodes of Whose Wedding Is It Anyway? I’m always looking for new ideas. Did you know they now make M&M’S with the bride and groom’s faces on them? I’ve got to find out how to do that,” I rambled.
“Um, no I didn’t know that.” He chuckled.
Soon breakfast was over, the kitchen was clean, and we were at the door saying our goodbyes. He thanked me for taking care of him, hugged and kissed me, and then he was gone.
Tuesday morning I had a meeting with my client, Aaron Parker. It was a long but productive meeting. She had finally decided on the food for the reception, and that alone gave me a sense of accomplishment.
It was after lunch when I arrived home. I smiled noting Lucas’s black rental car parked in my driveway. He was on the front porch sitting in the swing. My heart was beating heavily with excitement at seeing him again. I rolled my window down. “I’ll be right there.” Then I drove my car around to the back.
I went into the house, slipped off my heels, and set my paperwork, laptop, and the rest of my things on the bar. I poured two glasses of sweet tea and headed for the porch.
“So, what do I owe the pleasure of this unexpected visit?”
“Well Randall had things to do today, so instead of staying in the apartment on such a beautiful day, I thought I would come and see if you wanted to take a walk in the park.”
“Sure, that sounds nice. Do you want to leave right this minute?” I handed him his tea and joined him on the swing.
“No, not right away.” He took a sip of his drink, then taking both of our glasses and setting them down, pulled me close to his side.
“I hope you haven’t been waiting here long. I had a meeting with a client this morning.”
“No, not too long, about an hour, but it’s very peaceful here. I was just enjoying sitting here and thinking.”
“What were you thinking about? Hopefully not hamsters again,” I teased, bumping his shoulder with mine.
“No.” He smiled, taking my hand in his and studying them intertwined. “I was thinking about you actually and how I feel when I’m with you. I can’t quite explain it. It’s like you have this power to make me feel better about myself.” He turned to study me, his eyes penetrating mine. “When I look at you, the look I see, right now, in your lovely green eyes, makes me want to be a better man than I am. It’s like I can take o
n things easier somehow. You are such an amazing woman, Lily.” His eyes began to roam my face with admiration, as if he were memorizing each curve and line. He absentmindedly wrapped a finger through one of my loose curls. “I’ve never met anyone quite like you before.”
My heart was pounding. I’d never had anyone say those words to me before, and it touched me deeply. “Wow, thank you, Lucas, but the truth is you’re quite an amazing person yourself. If you could just see yourself the way others see you—the way I see you. It’s not just your looks, though breathtaking, it’s your spirit. You have a very sweet spirit, and I’m glad I’m getting the chance to know you.” I laid my head on his shoulder. I was surprised as he then rested his head on top of mine. We stayed just like that, swinging quietly, for a long time. It was a very sweet moment in my life, and one I wouldn’t easily forget.
It was a beautiful, cloudless day as we walked through the quiet park holding hands and laughing. Lucas had a great sense of humor. Most of the funny things he said he didn’t even realize were funny, even studying me in confusion when I laughed at him, which just added to his charm.
In a normal relationship, I probably wouldn’t have spent so much isolated and undivided time with one person, but Lucas’s time was limited, and I felt a strange sense of urgency to spend as much time as possible getting to know him. With that decision, however, also came the danger of unavoidable heartbreak later. But the idea of breaking it off was unbearable to me. I think the danger for me had already come. It was a strange, new feeling, and yet, one I was surprisingly embracing.
Lucas and I spent the entire day together. It was, as Lucas would say, a lovely day. He told me the next day he was going hiking in the mountains with Randall to see some of North Carolina’s beauty. I, on the other hand, had a wedding to plan.
Chapter Five
“Meagan, I’m telling you we had the best day. We sat in the swing for an hour. He held my hand while we walked in the park. He even bought me ice cream. I think he likes me.”
“Really, why do you say that?”
I plopped down on a barstool in the kitchen. “Well, just little things like he plays with my hair sometimes when he talks. But I don’t think he realizes it, though he may just do it out of nervousness. But then why does he even get nervous around me? He tells me that I’m beautiful a lot. But then again, maybe he says that to a lot of girls. No, I definitely think he likes me.”
She laughed at my rambling, grabbing the milk carton from the fridge and taking a swig. “And how do you feel about him?”
“Umm, I’m not totally sure. I like him, but I’ve never felt this way before, so I really can’t compare it. I just wish he were more secure of himself. I would like to help him get over that, but I’m not sure exactly how.”
“Well considering how the media covers his every move, then criticizes him about it, it kind of makes sense why he would be insecure.” She grabbed the newspaper and joined me at the bar.
“I guess that could have something to do with it. You know, I’ve been writing about him in my journal so much that it’s almost full. I’ll need to get another one soon.”
“Yeah, I know,” she remarked.
“I don’t know what in the world I wrote about before I met him.”
“Just boring stuff, really.”
I suddenly caught on and glared at her. “Meg, have you been reading my journal again?!”
“Oh, don’t act so surprised. I’ve been reading your journals since we were nine. But speaking of the media covering his every move, you had better come here and look at this,” she said, wide-eyed as she handed me the newspaper she’d been flipping through.
I took the paper from her and froze in horror at what I saw. There was a picture of Lucas and me holding hands in the park—then another of us exchanging licks of our ice cream cones. “How did they get these?” I asked in confusion.
Meagan took the paper from me and began reading. “Well, they know he’s here now and that he’s seeing a local girl, but they don’t seem to know your name. That’s good, right?”
“I guess, but it won’t take long before someone recognizes me, and then they’ll be here at my door.”
Just then my phone rang, sending us both jumping. “Hello….Oh, Lucas, I thought you were hiking with Randall….You didn’t have to come back early for my sake….Oh, you saw that?....Yeah, actually we were just looking at it….Well, I guess we shouldn’t be surprised….Don’t be upset, it’ll be okay….Stop apologizing. I knew this could happen when I agreed to be with you. I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself….Of course, I’ll see you soon.” As I snapped the phone closed, I had a strange feeling of joy at the fact that he was worrying about me. I also couldn’t wait to see him again. He’d said that he ended his trip early because he was anxious to see me again. I liked the idea of that very much and hoped it was true.
In thirty minutes I heard a knock on the door. Meagan let him in and he took a seat next to me on the sofa. “Are you all right?” He asked, reaching over and taking my hand in his.
“I think so. I guess I should’ve expected this, and yet it feels so intrusive. I mean we were just walking in the park for Pete’s sake.”
“Yes, but Lily, this is a part of my life now. I’m just sorry that I brought this on you.”
“Like I said earlier, big girl.”
“Well, no matter, I’ll feel better if you two know a few things to keep yourselves safe.”
He spent the next half hour giving us clear instruction on ways to protect ourselves from the paparazzi and what to do if we find ourselves surrounded, or being followed. Things like, don’t engage in a conversation with them, don’t offer information, ignore them when you’re driving, and never pick your nose in public. He warned that once they knew who I was it could get tricky. He said he would protect me as much as he could, but since we couldn’t be together twenty-four hours a day, he insisted I know these things.
“We decided to order pizza for supper, sitting on the floor in the den and eating on paper plates and drinking canned sodas.
“So, Lucas,” Meagan began, chewing her gum with her mouth open, “did Lily mention that she’s a huge Star Wars fan? Any guy who wants to be with her had better like it too.”
“Umm no, she didn’t mention it.” He gave me a curious look. “But I have to admit, I’m a bit surprised. I thought all Star Wars fans were geeks. At least, that’s the way the media portrays them.”
“Now, Lucas, you of all people should know not to believe what the media says. Besides, there is nothing geeky about me,” I teased, putting my hands on my hips and smiling.
“Yes, I will wholeheartedly agree with that,” he said flirtatiously. “To be honest, I’ve never seen the original Star Wars movies, only the new ones, and I don’t really understand the draw.”
“Oh-my-God!” I jumped up, went to my movie shelf, and grabbed a copy of the first original movie. Out of nowhere, Meagan appeared behind me and pinched me as hard as she could, this time square on the butt.
“Oww!! Meagan, what did you do that for?”
“You said ‘Oh-my-God’ of course.” She shrugged, blowing a big bubble and popping it loudly.
“Blast! I thought I stopped saying that.”
“I guess not, but it doesn’t bother me too much,” she teased.
“What’s that all about?” Lucas asked in confusion.
“It’s nothing, just something Meagan’s helping me overcome.” I gave her an evil glare before turning my attention back to Lucas who was sitting patiently on the sofa, staring at us in amusement. “Lucas, its no wonder you don’t get the draw if you’ve never seen the original movies. You’ll love this.” I became excited as I put the movie in the DVD player and went to the sofa to snuggle up beside him.
“Well, I like this part of it anyway,” he said, snuggling closer and rapping his arms around me.
“I’ll make some popcorn,” Meagan said, jumping up and heading into the kitchen.
We
took the opportunity to enjoy the few minutes we had alone, snuggling. It felt nice, and I could definitely see myself getting use to it.
Just as I had that thought, Lucas whispered in my ear, “I could definitely get use to this.”
I laughed.
“What?”
“You read my mind, literally.”
“Hmm, you smell so good,” he murmured in my ear as he ran his nose along my jaw and into my hair. The gesture made me tingle. He was definitely awakening feelings I’d rather stay dormant.
Meagan was back with the popcorn and once I hit play and the opening theme song began, I was hooked and everything else became a blur, well almost everything.
On Friday night, Meagan had arranged for us to double date with her and Randall. We hadn’t heard anymore from the media on the subject of Lucas and me, but to be safe we decided to have dinner at my house.
Meagan was helping me get dinner on the table when we heard the knock at the door. She ran eagerly to the door and was getting ready to swing it open when I stopped her.
“Meagan, you don’t want to appear too eager. Relax. Take a deep breath,” I demanded. Then I made her count to fifteen. She opened the door, turning her expression quickly from agitation to glee as she greeted them.
“Hello gentlemen.” She smiled exuberantly.
“Hello ladies,” Randall responded, turning to me. “Lily, thank you for doing this tonight.”
“Oh, you’re welcome. It was my pleasure.”
“Hello beautiful,” Lucas whispered in my ear as he leaned down and kissed my cheek. Meagan stuck her tongue out at me behind his back.
“Dinner smells delicious,” Randall commented as we approached the table.
“Thank you, though I hope it tastes as good as it smells.”
“Don’t let Lily fool you, Randall, she’s an excellent cook, and just wait until you taste what she’s baked for dessert.”
It blessed me to hear the pride in Meagan’s voice.
“I’m looking forward to it,” he responded.
I thought I heard something in his tone, and I instantly felt uncomfortable, but no one else seemed to notice, so I guess I just imagined it.
Loving Lily Lavender Page 5