“I’ll help you, Lil,” Emilio offered.
He started picking up a few dishes and followed me back into the kitchen. We cleaned the dining room and did the dishes in silence. I wondered what Dante had to show Lucas. Whatever it was, it was taking them forever.
“So, I was thinking. What would you say to me and you,” Emilio said, hesitating for a moment, “going out this Friday night?”
I froze for a moment, making sure I heard him right. I was contemplating my answer. I didn’t know if I wanted to go out with Emilio. Did I? I was happy to have Lucas back in my life. I had loved spending the last two days with him. He wasn’t afraid to tell me things, to let me in. Emilio always kept me at arm’s length away.
Did Emilio want to go as friends, or as more than friends? Why did he all of sudden ask this? Was he jealous of Lucas being here tonight?
I spent longer than I should have on this decision. I was stalling and I needed to give Emilio an answer.
“Sure,” I said, forcing a smile.
“Good.” He smiled back. “It’s a date then.” My heart quickened and I wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing.
“Hey, you both finished?” Dante asked as he and Lucas made their way back into the kitchen. I nodded.
“And to think we were just coming back to help,” Lucas laughed.
“Well, you’re a little late.” I smiled.
“Maybe next time,” Lucas said smiling. “Well, I’m going to take off. I’ll be back here in the morning.”
“I’ll walk you out,” I offered.
“Thank you for dinner guys, it was good,” Lucas said as we reached the front door. Dante cleared his throat from the living room. “I mean it was very good.”
“Anytime,” Dante yelled.
“Well at least if I come over you have a verbal commitment from Dante to cook dinner,” Lucas laughed.
“Not going to happen,” Dante shouted.
“Well thank you for coming,” I said.
Lucas leaned down and kissed me. My heart started to race again.
“I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Bright and early,” I responded.
Chapter 20
“Lily,” a voice called to me. “Wake up.”
I felt a gentle kiss on my forehead and my eyes slowly fluttered opened. Lucas was standing over me with a slight smile.
“Good morning.” He smiled.
“Good morning, what time is it?” I asked as I stretched.
“Umm. It’s nine-thirty,” he said calmly, since he knew what my reaction would be.
“Nine-thirty!” I yelled as I jumped out of bed. I couldn’t believe I had overslept. I was up half the night debating on whether or not I should cancel my apparent date with Emilio.
Today was the meeting with the contractors. It started in an hour, but I should have been on the road thirty minutes ago. We lived further out now and traffic in the city would be a nightmare at this time of the morning. I rushed through a quick shower, scrunched some gel in my hair, brushed my teeth, and slid into a business suit before I grabbed my makeup bag and headed straight out the door. Lucas was already waiting for me in the car when I jumped in.
“I got your coat by the way,” he said as he looked me over. He was so smart. I didn’t even think about it. I would have froze.
“Thanks, that’s why I love you!” I blurted out.
The car came to an immediate halt in the middle of our driveway.
“Wait. Did you just say what I think you just said?” he asked.
“Lucas, go! We’re going to be late!” I tried changing the subject. I didn’t mean to say that. I didn’t even know why I did.
“You love me?” he asked.
“Yes, no, I don’t know….,” I hesitated.
Did I love him?
It was an accident and I just blurted it out, but maybe I did love Lucas. I was just unsure of whether or not he felt the same way.
Lucas reached out and put his hand under my chin. He pushed my head up and turned it to where we were face-to-face.
“I love you too, Lily,” he said, and then he kissed me.
***
The ride into the city was fast to say the least. I had a hard time trying to put my makeup on as Lucas weaved in and out of traffic like he was driving in the Indy 500. He did well though, and I was only fifteen minutes late to the meeting.
The meeting took the rest of the morning and into the late afternoon. We nailed out all the details for the next four projects on our list. I handed them the paperwork they would need and also their schedules. I loved working with the group of men I had assembled. Unless we ran into any major issues, they were always punctual.
“So what else is on the agenda for today?” Lucas asked as he opened my door for me.
“Food first,” I laughed. “Then I need to go back to the house and finish the budgeting projections. My father doesn’t care how much I spend, but I try and stay within a budget on each and every project.”
“Well aren’t you efficient,” he snickered as he closed the door. He rounded the front of the car and slid into the driver’s side. “And food sounds amazing. I already have a place in mind, is that okay?”
“Sure, what is it?”
“I can’t tell you.” He grinned at me as he started the engine. “It’s a surprise.”
***
“You brought me to Central Park?” I asked confused.
“Yes I did,” Lucas said smiling.
“Well, are we just going to stand here or are we going to eat?” I questioned him. My stomach was growling more by the minute. “I see a hot dog stand,” I said as I turned to find him standing behind me with a picnic basket in his hand.
“I made lunch.” He gleamed at me. “I hope you don’t mind.”
“You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you?” I teased.
He grinned. “So where do you want to eat at?”
“Anywhere,” I said. “Maybe the great lawn?”
“Let’s go then.” He extended his hand out for me to take. “You lead the way.”
We strolled down the walkways for a while, hand in hand. We didn’t speak, we didn’t have to.
The scenery was beautiful. Even though there was still a slight layer of snow on the ground, the park was crowded. It was full of runners, couples walking, and people playing fetch with their dogs.
“How about here?” Lucas asked pointing to a park bench. I nodded. I was about to sit down when Lucas stopped me and threw a blanket over the park bench.
“This way it won’t be so cold.” He smiled. I just shook my head and took a seat. “I made us sandwiches, brought some chips, potato salad, and soup.”
“Sounds perfect,” I replied.
We ate as we talked more about work. Lucas was always interested, not because he was forced to be, but because he generally was. He even had a really good idea for one of the projects, which I might incorporate into the final product.
It was so easy to talk to him and it always felt natural. I could always be myself around him and he never judged me. He listened and supported all my weird and crazy ideas, never laughing or questioning me. I had never been with a guy like him before.
“So enough about work,” Lucas finally spoke up after we finished eating. “I need to ask you a question.”
“Shoot,” I said as I grinned at him.
“How are you at ice skating?”
Ice skating?
Even though I grew up in Canada, I had never been ice skating before. No one in my family liked it and therefore, I was never given the option to do it.
“Believe it or not, I have actually never been ice skating.” I shrugged.
“You’ve never been ice skating!” he said shocked. “But you’re from Canada!”
“Nope,” I said. “My family doesn’t like ice skating, so I was never really given the chance.”
“Well I think it’s about time you had the chance.”
He stood up and held his hand out for me to take.
Why not?
Lucas looked at me with his bright blue eyes, patiently waiting for me to take his hand, and then I did. He grabbed the blanket and the picnic basket from the bench and we headed back toward the car. Lucas threw the basket and the blanket into the trunk and pulled out two pairs of ice skates.
The bigger set was black and I could tell they had been worn. The other was a nice new shimmering white pair. They were beautiful, but seriously, how was I supposed to balance on those things?
“Lucas,” I said nervously. “How exactly am I supposed to balance on these things?” The sharp metal blades weren’t even a half inch thick.
“Did you ever roller blade as a kid?” he asked.
“Yes,” I replied, “but it was a long time ago.”
“It’s just like roller skating, but if you stumble a little, don’t worry, I will be there to catch you,” he said with a wink as he grabbed my hand again and took off. “You’re going to love Wollman skating rink. I have been going since I was four.”
***
Lucas was right. I loved ice skating. He was also right about me slipping and falling a few times as well. But just like he promised, he was there to catch me, and after a little while, I didn’t need his help anymore. I caught on really quick. Lucas was an excellent skater and a great teacher. It was definitely the most fun thing I had done since Coney Island.
“I told you it was going to be awesome.” Lucas grinned at me as I finished putting on my shoes. “I promise I won’t ever take you to do something that I know you won’t enjoy.”
“I had fun, that’s for sure. It was much better than working.”
“Speaking of work, Emilio just texted me wanting another update on today,” Lucas said reading his phone.
“Does he do that a lot?” I asked. Lucas gave me an of course look. “Well that does sound like something he’d do.”
“It’s okay. I don’t blame the guy. I would probably do the same thing. Although, five plus updates in an eight to ten hour period is kind of ridiculous.”
I laughed, because it really was.
“Do you want some hot chocolate?” he asked once he put his phone back in his pocket.
“Sure.”
I smiled as I watched him walk toward the hot chocolate stand before I turned my attention back to the ice skaters.
There was one girl in particular that caught my gaze. She was so graceful and beautiful out there skating and I wondered to myself how long she had been skating, probably her whole life.
“So, how about that number now?” I heard a voice call from behind me. I looked side-to-side to see if anyone was around me, then he cleared his throat again. “I said so how about that number now?”
I realized that the person was talking to me, and then I realized who it was. I smiled as I turned around.
“I see you found me,” I said as I looked into Nikolas’s green eyes. I hadn’t seen him since that day on the beach. He still looked the same, just as gorgeous as ever and had that same smile that would make any girl swoon. “Long time no see.”
“You’re a hard woman to track down Miss Lily.” His smile widened as he approached me. “I’ve been looking for you for months, and here I am walking in the park, when I turn around and there you are.”
“Well isn’t that lucky,” I replied.
“I’d say so. Out of all the places in New York, I run into you at the park, in winter.” He smiled.
“Yeah, that does sound strange, but I guess it was time for our paths to cross again.” I grinned.
“So since our paths did cross, how about that number now? I had a good time getting to know you. I don’t think anyone could have too many friends. And as cheesy as it may sounds, I haven’t stopped thinking about you since we talked. I could really use an outside friend to talk to when things get stressful.”
“Sure, I think that’d be okay. Honestly, I could use someone outside of my own circle to talk to as well. And you’re right. You can never have too many friends.”
We exchanged numbers and were in the middle of saying goodbye when Lucas growled from behind us.
“Heinrich.”
Nikolas turned to face Lucas. “Nice to see you again Lucas,” Nikolas said and then turned his attention back toward me. “See you soon Liliana.” Then he was gone.
I was confused. Heinrich? As in the Heinrich family that was after my family and me?
“Lily.” Lucas’s voice sounded like it was at the end of a tunnel. My own thoughts kept me from answering him.
Heinrich? Like the people who killed Roman, Heinrich?
“Liliana?” I heard him say again. Why did his voice sound like it was a million miles away? And why was everything starting to spin?
“Was he?” I started to ask my voice shaking. “Was he the one who killed Roman?” I was trying to find any logical explanation that would change what I already knew.
“Lily, we need to get home. Now.”
I could hear Lucas, but his words weren’t enough to pull me from my epiphany. I was outside in the cold, but I felt like I was in my own personal hell.
My body started to shake, and I started hyperventilating, almost to the point of passing out. The only thing keeping me steady was the warm comfort and embrace of Lucas’s arms that wrapped tightly around me.
I didn’t remember the walk back to the car or even most of the ride home. I kept playing my first meeting with Nikolas over and over in my head. Had he known who I was when he ran into me on the beach? If so, had he been following me this entire time? I had more questions now than I had answers. Emilio would have no choice but to answer them now, or even Lucas.
“Emilio?” Lucas yelled as we stepped into the house. His hand was still clasped to mine as he dragged me through the house.
“Emilio!” he yelled again.
I heard Emilio respond and I even saw him come stomping down the stairs. I knew Lucas and Emilio were having a conversation, but my own shock was dulling all my senses. I could have been standing there for two minutes or two hours and I wouldn’t have known the difference until Emilio’s face came into view as he screamed into mine.
“What the hell were you thinking?” His livid voice broke through my thoughts.
“I…,” I stuttered. “I didn’t know.”
“How could you have been so ignorant?” he asked, criticizing me.
“Why are you yelling at me?” I yelled back at him as tears threatened to fall down my cheek. “How can I be ignorant if everyone keeps these things from me?”
“You should know better than to talk to people you don’t know,” he responded, his judging eyes staring at me. I took in his face for the first time. I saw he had yet another gash above his right eyebrow and a scratch across his cheek.
“When you can explain all of this,” I said pointing toward his fresh injuries, “then we can talk about me.”
“You’re a foolish, meddlesome, naïve girl and it’s going to get you killed one day!”
I couldn’t stop the tears this time as they came rushing down my face. How could he say something like that to me?
“Don’t you talk to her that way,” Lucas yelled at Emilio, which made me jump. “Don’t you ever talk to her that way again!”
I couldn’t believe Lucas just yelled at Emilio. Neither could Emilio by the look of shock on his face.
“What did you say to me?” Emilio growled at Lucas.
“I said,” Lucas said sternly, “do not talk to her that way again. She isn’t naïve, foolish, or meddlesome. She deserves better than for you to speak to her like that, and as long as I am around, I never want to hear you speak to her like that again.”
Lucas turned his back to Emilio and placed his hand on my face, using his thumb to wipe away the tears that had escaped.
“You okay?” he asked.
I nodded as he pulled me in close. I could see Emilio star
ing back at us, his face red with fury and his hands clinched at his sides. I could see it in his eyes that he was struggling.
“Come on, Lucas,” Emilio snarled.
“I’ll be there in a second,” he called over his shoulder before turning his attention back to me and holding out his hands.
“Jump,” he instructed.
Without hesitation, I put my arms around his neck and jumped so that he could hold my back with one arm and carry my legs with the other.
I looked back over Lucas’s shoulder as he carried me up the stairs and towards my room. Emilio was nowhere in sight, but the sound of things breaking and his muffled cursing let me know he wasn’t far. He deserved all the words Lucas yelled back at him.
Why did I even lay thoughts to a man who talked to me that way? Lucas came to my defense, when Emilio words cut me like a knife.
When we reached my room, Lucas sat me on the edge of my bed and he gently took my face in his hands.
“Lily, look at me,” he said.
I opened my eyes, and the tears streamed down my face as I stared at his lovely baby blues.
“You’re the smartest, most caring, most beautiful woman I know. Don’t ever let anyone convince you otherwise, especially that asshole downstairs.” He slightly smiled at me.
This was the moment. The moment I finally fell completely and hopelessly in love with Lucas. I couldn’t stop myself as I reached for his lips and kissed him with all the passion I had for him in that moment.
Chapter 21
I spent Thursday locked up in my room refusing to come out. The only person I wanted to see was Lucas, but because of his actions last night, Emilio wouldn’t let him on the property.
I talked with Lucas on and off throughout the day. We had both done our best to get him back onto the property. I had even gone as far as suggesting he use someone else’s code since his had been deactivated, but he said he didn’t want to get anyone in trouble. I even tried telling both Dante and Emilio that I wasn’t coming out until I saw Lucas again. Neither one of those plans worked.
Dante had knocked on my door several times throughout the day. He even threatened to kick it in if I didn’t at least open the door to get my lunch, to which I responded by opening the door quickly, grabbing the plate, and slamming the door back in his face. I knew it wasn’t his fault that I was so upset, but I also knew if I asked him any questions about the Heinrichs, he would beat around the bush just as much as Emilio did. But, Dante would never call me naïve or foolish like Emilio had.