Chapter 213: May I stay?

There was no response.

Lucas frowned and knocked again.

Knock. Knock.

Still nothing.

The cottage remained silent.

He waited a few seconds before knocking a third time.

“Vince, are you in there?”

He heard nothing. The only answer was the distant chirping of insects outside.

Lucas sighed.

“Don't tell me you actually went drinking.”

He knocked a fourth time. The moment his knuckles hit the wood, the door shifted inward.

Lucas blinked.

“Oh, the door wasn't locked?”

It had been slightly open all along but he didn't know. So he pushed it wider.

“Hello?”

Silence greeted him.

A single bulb in the kitchen dimly lit the cottage. Everything appeared normal but the house seemed empty.

Lucas stepped inside and shut the door behind him.

“Vince, are you in here?”

No answer.

He checked the kitchen and the washroom but they were empty.

The bedroom door stood partially open. He peeks in but there is no Vince.

Lucas rubbed the back of his neck.

“Seriously?”

His frustration from dinner slowly mixed with confusion.

The cottage was never left open except if Vince was around.

He glanced around the room again. “Did he go out for a drink?”

He wondered aloud.

The thought seemed plausible.

Vince occasionally disappeared for a few drinks after work. Though he would usually tell someone first.

Lucas dropped himself onto the couch.

The old furniture creaked beneath his weight. For the first time since leaving the mansion, he exhaled properly.

But then the anger from dinner came rushing back. The image of Derby dropping something into his water replayed in his head.

His jaw tightened.

"What was she thinking?"

He leaned back and closed his eyes. She wanted to test whether he was lying. Larrisa had suggested it and Derby had already carried it out. Somehow they seemed determined to investigate his private life. A bitter laugh escaped him. He opened his eyes and chuckled.

"If Alex hears this silly action, he'll probably laugh himself to death."

The thought unexpectedly eased some of the tension in his chest.

He rested his head against the couch and closed his eyes again. The cottage was far more peaceful than the mansion.

A few minutes passed. Then ten and then fifteen.

Lucas was beginning to think that Vince wasn't coming back that night. Then suddenly, he heard faint footsteps crunching outside on the gravel path.

Lucas opened his eyes.

The footsteps were getting closer and they were steady,  quick, and purposeful. Someone was approaching the cottage and he hoped it wasn't Derby.

Lucas remained seated on the couch, his eyes fixed on the door.

The footsteps stopped outside, the handle turned, the door opened, and Alex walked in, disguised as Vince.

For a split second, Lucas forgot how to breathe as he sat up. Relief hit him strongly. He was glad it was him but then unexplainable emotion held him. It was strong to the extent that he nearly stood up and crossed the room to hug him.

The urge was ridiculous, overwhelming and dangerous.

Vince himself was surprised as well. He too almost rushed forward.

Almost wrapped his arms around him. He almost called him baby before he pinched himself in reminder. The thought alone shocked him.

Lucas remained where he sat.

What the hell was that? Why do I feel this way around him? He wondered.

Vince was still at the doorway. Then he breathed and said,

"Lucas?" He looked genuinely surprised.

"What are you doing here this late?" Lucas asked in confusion.

Then blinked several times as he tried to recover. Tried to pretend he hadn't just experienced a small emotional crisis.

"Come on Lucas, I should be the one asking you the same thing."

Vince laughed.

"Did you forget that I live here?"

Lucas opened his mouth to speak but then closed it.

"Right." Vince said as he set down the bag he was carrying, wondering what happened to him.

"You look terrible, Lucas."

"Thank you." Lucas muttered to both of them surprise.

"Are you kidding me? That wasn't a compliment."

Lucas rolled his eyes. ”Yeah, I'm a bit lost."

That familiar exchange somehow made everything feel normal again.

Vince walked farther into the cottage and studied him. Something clearly wasn't right.

Lucas's shirt was a bit wrinkled.

His expression was tense. Then the fact that he was sitting alone in the gardener's cottage late at night was suspicious enough.

Vince folded his arms and stared at him. "What happened?"

"Nothing."

"Lucas?"

"Nothing."

Vince stared.

Lucas avoided his eyes.

The silence stretched.

Then Vince sighed. "You only come looking for me when you have something to say."

Lucas frowned. "That's not true."

"It absolutely is."

Lucas still kept his eyes away.

Unfortunately, Vince knew something serious happened for him to come out this late. He drew an arm chair closer and sat opposite him. "Okay, buddy let's hear it."

He leaned forward focusing more on him.

Lucas groaned. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Then why are you here?"

That question left Lucas speechless. Why was he there? He could have gone anywhere. Enter his room and locked the door. Went and lodge in a hotel or even went home to his father and Emily.

Instead, he had walked all the way to this cottage. In other words to Vince.

The realization made his chest tighten. Lucas quickly looked away.

Vince noticed. His eyes narrowed slightly and he smiled.

“Very interesting, my love. That’s trust.” He muttered inwardly, before he continued.

"Lucas."

"Hmm?"

"Are you running away from something?"

Lucas let out a humorless laugh.

"Someone actually."

Vince raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, who? Your wife?"

Lucas rubbed his face. Then finally said it. "My wife tried to drug me at dinner."

Vince blinked. "What?"

Lucas nodded. "That was my reaction too."

A second later, Vince burst out laughing.

Lucas stared at him in disbelief.

"You're laughing?"

"I wasn't expecting that sentence."

"It's not funny."

"It is a little funny."

"It's not."

"It definitely is."

Lucas grabbed a cushion and threw it at him.

Vince caught it easily. Still laughing. "Okay, okay."

He raised both hands. "I'm done."

His smile remained though. "Explain."

And so Lucas did. The audio recording. The conversation. The suspicious behavior. The tablet in the water and everything.

By the time he finished, Vince's amusement had disappeared. His expression softened. "That's messed up."

Lucas nodded. "Yeah."

For several moments neither spoke until Lucas's stomach grumbled.

Then Vince got up. "Stay here."

Lucas watched him disappear into the kitchen.

After a few minutes, he returned with two cup of fruit juice and a plate of vegetable rice with steak.

He dropped one cup and the food in front of Lucas.

Lucas smiled, “Thank you, Vince”

Vince sat beside him this time instead of across from him. Not too close but just enough.

The warmth immediately spread through Lucas's body.

The cottage felt quiet but very comfortable.

Lucas started eating but then unexpectedly smiled.

Vince noticed and asked, "What?"

Lucas shook his head. "Nothing." Then glanced at him and continued eating.

For some reason, seeing Vince walk through that door earlier had felt like the best thing that had happened all day.

The thought embarrassed him. So he simply looked away and muttered,

"I was just glad it was you."

Vince paused. The casual smile on his face slowly faded.

For a second, neither of them spoke.

Then Vince looked down at his coffee. A small smile tugged at his lips. "Yeah?"

Lucas nodded. "Yeah. I sort of feel very comfortable around you. May I stay the night?"

“What?”