Chapter 206: The date

Lucas struggled for words.

“I felt funny somehow.” His voice softened. “I can’t explain what actually happened.”

He laughed nervously. “I don’t even have words for it.”

Alex stared at the ceiling. His own ridiculous plan suddenly felt less funny. Then he teased lightly,

“What if you’re starting to fall for him?”

Lucas immediately sat straighter.

“What?”

Then he shook his head quickly.

“Oh no.” His answer came too fast. “Alex, I just met him today.”

His voice became more certain.

“So it can’t be.”

Alex smiled faintly. Even though his chest still felt weird.

“Maybe it’s love at first sight.”

Lucas groaned.

Alex continued dramatically

“Baby…” His tone turned playful.

“You’re not going to leave me, for him right?”

Lucas went quiet.

Then he sighed softly. His expression became unexpectedly serious. “Of course not, Alex.”

His voice lowered. Then quietly he said, “Please Alex, ”

Alex became still.

“Let’s drop this talk about Vince.”

Alex blinked.

“It’s making me uncomfortable.”

His voice softened more. “Please.”

Alex smiled.

His jealousy disappeared almost instantly because he realized that beneath Lucas’s confusion, there was guilt and concern. Including an instinct to reassure him.

So Alex relaxed.

“Okay, baby.”

There was a brief silence.

“But baby, call me your Alex.” He said smiling to himself. ”You used to call me that.”

Lucas blinked. Immediately his face flushed again.

“Oh that’s childish.”

Alex laughed and pleaded “Please. You used to call me that. Please, baby.”

“Really?”

“Yes, my Lucas.”

Lucas's lips curved slowly. Then quietly and shyly he said, “My Alex.”

Alex stopped breathing for a second. His smile spread helplessly. His chest warmed up. Then softly, he said in a lower voice, “My sweet Lucas. See you at dinner, okay?”

Lucas smiled. His fingers tightened slightly around the phone. Then quietly, he replied

“Okay.”

Neither of them hung up immediately. They just stayed there, listening and breathing. None of them wanted to end it first.

Finally, Alex whispered,

“Bye, baby.”

Lucas smiled softly.

“Bye…” and the call ended.

Lucas stared at his phone for a while. Then slowly pressed it to his chest, and whispered under his breath, “My Alex.”

His heartbeat became annoyingly loud again.

Meanwhile, inside the gardener’s cottage, Alex buried his face into a pillow and screamed silently. Why? Just because Lucas had just called him, My Alex.

Minutes after the call ended, Alex stayed frozen. Phone still in his hand. A ridiculous smile still on his face. He looked at the screen. Then whispered audibly, “He called me, his Alex.”

Immediately, he opened his contacts and called Annie.

She picked instantly.

“Tell me, any progress?”

Alex grinned. “It’s a date. He asked me out for a drink but I asked for dinner. He accepted, so I'm having a date with my baby tonight.”

Silence.

Then, a loud scream.

Before Alex could recover, another voice entered.

“Wait… What!?”

Alex laughed helplessly.

“He invited me, Jason. Isn’t he sweet to give us another chance?”

Annie gasped dramatically.“ I'm happy to hear this. After all your suffering?”

Jason added immediately, “Come on big bro, tell us everything.”

Alex gave them every detail. From the visit to the cottage. Then the call, Lucas’s crying, the unexpected invitation, and calling it a date.

By the time he finished, Annie sounded emotional while Jason sounded victorious.

Then Jason immediately suggested, “Perfect. Have dinner at your eatery. It's better to take him where he had been before. It could help to trigger something in his memory.”

Alex paused.

His expression changed. He replied, “No.”

Both became confused.

“Why?”

Alex responded, “The staff.”

Jason understood immediately, Right. Too many eyes may trigger questions.”

“Yeah, it's too risky,” Annie added.

Annie thought briefly. Then suddenly, she said, “Your office.”

Alex blinked.

“My office?”

Jason snapped his fingers. “That’s actually smart.”

Annie continued excitedly. “The sitting area beside your desk is good and your office is private.”

Jason added, “We’ll arrange it.”

Alex thought about it. Then slowly he smiled. His office is private and safe. There will be no unnecessary attention. He replied “Okay. Thanks, guys.”

Within the next hour, the office was quietly transformed.

A dinner table was arranged neatly in one corner beside the sitting area. Nothing overly dramatic. Just warm lighting.

Dinner for two, little flowers, it was simple and private.

Alex stared at it afterward and smiled. It felt less like impressing Lucas and more like welcoming him.

Meanwhile, Lucas stood in front of his mirror staring for the third time. The room was quiet. He had already prepared for the date, but he stayed there.

Looking, adjusting, fixing his hair, and then stepping back. His eyes moved slowly over his reflection.

His expression softened. A weird thought appeared.

Will Alex like this?

His eyes widened immediately.

He looked away, then looked back again. Why did he bother?

He frowned, then chuckled at himself. Then adjusted his collar anyway.

Just that minute, his phone buzzed and it was Alex.

Lucas smiled immediately before answering. “Hello?”

Alex’s voice sounded warm. “Baby.”

Lucas smiled unconsciously.

“Hmm?”

“I’m sending the address.” Then casually he asked, “Can I talk to whoever is driving?”

Lucas blinked.

Alex added quickly, “For directions.”

Lucas nodded. “Okay.”

He walked downstairs and saw that Jerry was already waiting. Lucas handed over the phone.

“I told you guys, I'm meeting a friend, he wants to talk.”

Jerry took it and nodded.

“Hello?”

Alex immediately switched tones.

“Good evening.”

Jerry smiled, “Evening sir.”

Alex calmly gave directions.

Where to follow and which side to enter. He talked as if they weren’t literally working together.

Jerry played along perfectly.

“Yes sir, understood.”

Lucas watched suspiciously.

Why did that feel rehearsed? He ignored it anyway.

Later.

The vehicle arrived quietly.

Jerry drove, while Mavis sat in front. Lucas sat behind. It felt strangely serious because nobody told jokes.

When they arrived, they didn’t use the main entrance. They quietly drove around toward the back to an entrance rarely used.

Lucas looked around. It was unfamiliar.

Jason was already waiting. The guards coordinated quietly.

Nobody crossed into the office area. Everything stayed clear.

Lucas looked around in confusion. “Why does this feel like a secret mission?”

Mavis grinned. “Your friend said, tonight you’re VIP.”

Lucas rolled his eyes. Then came footsteps. He turned and Alex appeared.

For a second, everything else disappeared.

Alex stopped too. He stared at Lucas in admiration. He looked beautiful like his Lucas.

Lucas became nervous immediately and managed, “Hi.”

Alex smiled and walked closer. Then softly, he said, “Hi, baby.”

Lucas smiled without realizing.

Alex reached him. Then gently held out his hand. “Come.”

Lucas looked at his hand. His heartbeat became loud, but slowly, he placed his hand in Alex’s.

Alex stepped closer, “I owe you a hug and I really need one. Are you okay with it?”

Lucas smiled shyly and nodded.

Gently Alex closed the space and pulled him into a hug, briefly.

“I'm so happy for this date, baby. Thank you for giving us a chance.”

He pulled back and took Lucas’s hand and led him quietly into the elevator. Then to his office for their date.