Chapter 32 LUCAS SAW ME WITH NICK

Chapter 32 LUCAS SAW ME WITH NICK
ZARA'S POV:

I bit my bottom lip and suddenly, the topic made me uncomfortable. “Have you forgotten that I am married with a son?” 

“That poor excuse of a marriage! Anyway, how’s the divorce proceedings?” 

“It will be arranged in three weeks,” I said. “Can we talk about this next time? My stomach is grumbling for food right now.”

“Ah, so he is taking you for breakfast!”

“It’s just breakfast Antoinette, not a date,” I reminded her. 

“Whatever!”

When she said that, I could imagine her rolling her eyes. “I’ll call you later, okay?”

“Fine!” she huffed. “But seriously, this is so unfair to me!” she complained. 

“As I have said, we could go out together soon.” 

“Fine! Enjoy then,” she said before hanging up. 

After the call ended, I saw Nick and Enrique wearing a bored expression on their faces. They crossed their arms as if I was away for more than an hour. But then, seeing my son like that, I couldn't help but chuckle at his playful snorting. 

I raised my eyebrow before pinching his chubby cheek. Why were they both impatient? I just answered a quick call.

“Shall we leave now?” 

“Yes,” I answered. 

After we left the house, Nick took us to The Pancake House to have our breakfast. Ken had been excited the entire drive. He kept bouncing in his seat and pointing at every restaurant we passed like a tiny food critic who had been released into the wild. 

“Pancakes! I want pancakes!” he declared the moment we walked inside.

Nick chuckled as he pulled out a chair for him. “Then pancakes it is, champ.”

A waitress came to us to take our orders and soon, our table was filled with pancakes, eggs, bacon and of course, a tall glass of orange juice for Ken. 

“Mom! Look how big!” he said proudly, lifting his fork like a trophy.

I laughed softly while cutting his pancake into smaller pieces. “Eat slowly, Ken. No racing.”

Nick leaned back in his chair, watching him with amusement. Ken giggled even more before he started eating. I smiled. 

Nick poured me a cup of coffee. “You are not eating, Zara. Don’t you like pancakes?”

“I love pancakes. I’m just happy to see Ken being like this,” I mumbled. 

He nodded. 

While Ken was eating with gusto, I asked Nick about his girlfriend.  “So…” I said casually, cutting a piece of pancake. “What about you, Nick? Don’t you have a girlfriend?”

Nick blinked, clearly not expecting the question. Was I so blunt?  

Ken looked up with syrup on the corner of his mouth. “Yeah, Uncle Nick! Do you have a wife?”

I almost laughed at how direct kids could be. Nick just rubbed the back of his neck and then he chuckled softly. 

“No wife. Not yet,” he said.  

“Girlfriend then?” I pressed lightly.

For a moment, he didn’t answer. Instead, he stirred his coffee slowly, his gaze dropping to the table like he was thinking about something far away.

“Well, there’s…someone,” he finally admitted.

I raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Does Antoinette know about this?” I asked but before he could respond, Ken gasped dramatically. 

“You like someone?!” Ken asked. 

“Ken, focus on your food please,” I warned him with my eyes about butting in adult conversation. 

“Sorry, Mom.”

I just arched my brows instead of responding and then I glanced at Nick again. “No plans to marry her?” 

“It’s not that simple,” he said.

I forced a light smile and took another bite of my food. “Why not? If you love her, then what’s stopping you?” 

Nick shrugged, but there was a faint sadness in his voice. “Because sometimes…the person you like already belongs to someone else.”

My fork paused halfway to my mouth and Antoinette’s words suddenly echoed in my mind.

Nick likes you, Antoinette said. 

I quickly pushed the thought away.

No. That would be ridiculous. We have been friends even before Ken was born. 

“So what’s your plan then?” I asked lightly. “Just admire her from afar?”

Nick smiled faintly. “Not exactly,” he said. “I’m working on it.”

“Well, good luck, Nick,” I said, feigning ignorance because it was easier than facing the possibility that Antoinette might actually be right. 

“Thanks,” he replied as he reached for his coffee again.  

“What about you?” he asked. “Are you okay with everything happening lately?”

I nodded quickly. “I’m fine,” I said while casually looking around but then the door of the restaurant opened. 

I didn’t mean to look but I did, and my stomach dropped straight to the floor. My husband walked inside like he owned the place. 

But he wasn’t alone. Beside him was a tall woman wearing a sleek beige dress, her hand lightly touching his arm. I bit my bottom while staring at Giselle from afar and then my fingers tightened around my coffee cup. 

Nick noticed it immediately. “Zara?” he murmured.

I didn’t look away from the entrance. Fortunately, Lucas hadn’t seen us yet. Quickly, I grabbed Nick’s arm under the table.

“Nick,” I whispered urgently.

He leaned closer.

“Lucas is here,” I breathed. “And Giselle is with him.”

Nick’s jaw hardened instantly.

I lowered my voice even more.

“Ken must not see them together. Oh God, please help me!” 

For a second, Nick didn’t move. Then he nodded once.

But when Lucas suddenly started walking toward our direction…Nick froze.

Because Lucas had already lifted his gaze and his eyes had just landed directly on our table!