Chapter 204: Weird

Judging by the way Lucas pulled his hand back quickly, Alex noticed that he felt the same warmth.

“So…” Lucas said awkwardly while taking a sip. “How old are you?”

Alex nearly laughed at the random question.

“Some years older than you.”

Lucas raised a brow. “That confident?”

“I can tell.”

“Oh really?” Lucas challenged lightly. “Then how old am I?”

Alex almost answered correctly without thinking. Luckily, he caught himself in time.

“Let's say about twenty-six?” he guessed carefully.

Lucas looked impressed. “Close.”

Alex smiled proudly. “See?”

Lucas shook his head with amusement before relaxing more into the conversation.

And for the next several minutes, they talked surprisingly easily. The discussion expanded to gardening,

food, the estates, childhood stories, and even terrible cooking disasters.

Alex purposely avoided telling lots of his life stories and told him fabricated ones.

At one point, Lucas laughed so hard at one of Alex’s made-up gardening experiences that he nearly spilled his tea.

Alex simply sat there staring at him softly, completely gone, because for the first time in a long while, Lucas looked genuinely happy beside him again.

Time passed so naturally that neither of them noticed the afternoon had already started fading.

At some point, the tea became empty, but the conversation drifted on.

Lucas laughed more than he had expected.

Alex forgot several times that he was supposed to be acting. For a while, it almost felt normal.

Alex leaned back casually and smiled.

“You know…”

Lucas looked up.

“That meal you made for Mr. Macho the other day…”

Lucas blinked. “What about it?”

Alex rubbed the back of his neck. “You should make it for me someday.”

The words came out softer than intended.

Lucas stared for a second. Then unexpectedly he replied, “Sure.”

Alex’s eyes widened.

Lucas shrugged casually. “You’re replacing Mr. Macho for a month.   It’s only fair.”

Alex nearly smiled too hard. “You agreed too fast.”

Lucas looked away slightly. “Come on Vince, it’s just food.”

But for some reason, his cheek felt warm.

Alex noticed and his chest became annoyingly light. It was getting too dangerous.

Before he could say something suspicious, Lucas glanced outside and stood up.

“I should go.”

Immediately Alex’s mood dropped.

“Going already?”

He wanted to ask him to stay, just a little longer, but that would be strange and too eager. So instead, he controlled himself and stood as well.

“Oh… okay.”

Lucas looked at him and smiled lightly. “It was nice meeting you.”

Alex stared for half a second before returning the smile.

“Yeah.” He said as his head spiralled on how to see him again. He gathered courage and said, “If you have free time…”

Lucas paused.

Alex tried sounding casual. “You can come around.”

Lucas looked at him briefly.

Something softened in his expression. Then he nodded.

“I will.”

Alex walked him to the door.

Lucas stepped outside and turned back.

“See you around, Vince.”

Alex’s chest tightened as he responded, “See you, Lucas.”

How he wished he could just hug him and beg him to stay forever.

He stood at the doorway watching Lucas walk away.

Lucas never looked back, but Alex stayed there until he disappeared completely. Only then did he close the door.

Immediately, he jumped once, then twice, and covered his face, chortling like some love-struck teenager.

“Oh gosh, he came. My Lucas really came.”

Meanwhile, at the mansion, the minute Lucas entered his room, he quietly closed the door and stood still.

Then suddenly, he ran and threw himself dramatically onto the bed and bounced.

Silence followed, then he bounced again, chortled happily, and buried his face into the pillow.

Then pulled his face up, “What the heck is going on with me?”

He rolled over and stared at the ceiling.

“Why did that conversation feel so easy, so comfortable, and sweet?”

He sat up abruptly.

“Why do I feel so weird around this gardener just like I felt with…”

His brows furrowed.

“…Alex.”

Then he froze.

Slowly, his eyes widened.

“Wait. He frowned harder. “His name is Vince.”

Lucas stared at nothing.

Why did another name come to his mind?

He rubbed his face and groaned. “What is wrong with me?”

He dropped back onto the bed.

Then quietly muttered, “It felt as if… we were already friends.”

His eyes stayed on the ceiling.

And strangely, without realizing it, he found himself smiling.

Lucas remained lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling. His room was quiet, but his mind wasn’t.

For some reason, his thoughts kept drifting back to the gardener’s cottage.

To Vince, to the tea, to random conversations, and to the strange ease between them.

His brows pulled together.

Then, in that instant, his phone vibrated beside him. He reached over and picked it up.

“Hello, Em.”

Emily’s cheerful voice came immediately. “How are you doing?”

Lucas smiled faintly. “I’m okay.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

Emily became suspicious instantly.

“That response sounded too normal.”

Lucas rolled his eyes. “What does that even mean?”

She laughed. Then suddenly changed topics.

“So… are you doing your guys’ hangout tonight?”

Lucas blinked.

That's right.

Before he could even think, he answered, “Yes.”

Emily gasped dramatically.

“What?”

Lucas moved the phone away from his ear. “You don’t need to scream.”

“You agreed?”

“Yes.”

Emily laughed happily.

“Wow. Look at you becoming social.”

Lucas sighed.

Truthfully, he only agreed because he knew those guards wouldn’t stop bothering him.

“Anyway,” Emily continued teasingly, “Have fun.”

“Mhm, okay.”

After chatting briefly, they ended the call. The room became quiet again.

Lucas dropped the phone beside him. Then slowly his expression changed. His eyes drifted toward the promise he remembered.

Alex had said with a smile, “I’ll tell you more about our memories when next we meet.”

Lucas swallowed slightly.

He wanted to know more than before. Without thinking much, he picked up his phone again. Opened contacts, scrolled, and stopped at

Alex's number.

His thumb hovered over the number. His chest tightened strangely as he stared at the screen.

He wanted to hear his voice again, to hear him call him baby or say I love you.

He smiled, then chortled. “Oh Lucas, what would he say?”

He paused and said, “Hi Alex, I suddenly wanted to hear you talk?”

“Damn it, that's ridiculous.” He whispered, locked the screen immediately, then sat up.

Suddenly another idea came.

Instead of calling Alex, he dialed Mavis. The call connected quickly.

“Hello, boss.”

Lucas leaned back. “I want to ask you something.”

“Yes?”

“We’re having our guys’ day out tonight.”

Immediately Mavis’ voice exploded. “Wow! That’s awesome!”

Lucas pulled the phone away slightly as Mavis continued happily.

“I knew friendship would win!”

Lucas ignored him and said, “But… I need a favor.”

Mavis quieted. “Okay?”

Lucas looked down at his blanket. “I’d like to talk to someone privately for about an hour at the bar.”

There was a short silence. Then Lucas added carefully. “I don’t want you guys mentioning it to Derby.”

Mavis answered immediately.

“Of course boss.”

Lucas blinked. “Is that easy?”

“It’s no big deal, boss.”

Then Mavis lowered his voice dramatically. “You can even take two hours as long as you’re safe with the person.”

Lucas frowned.

“Why are you making it sound weird?”

Mavis smiled suspiciously on the other side. “No reason.”

Lucas ignored him, but replied, “Yes. I’ll be fine.”

They ended the call.

Lucas stared at his dark screen.

Then slowly he opened contacts again, and scrolled to Alex's number. His thumb hovered over the call button. His heartbeat became annoyingly noticeable. He sighed and locked the phone.

Then unlocked it again, opened Alex’s contact, and stared at the name. His heart pounded.

Then muttered quietly, “Would it be strange if I called?”

His thumb hovered. He didn't swipe the call button, he didn't lock the phone. He just stared at the screen, just waiting.

That instant his phone buzzed in his hand, startling him.