Chapter 112 So endearing
Lucas turned back to the stove, stirring the pot. “Go sit down,” he said, waving him away. “Let me finish up here. I don’t want to accidentally add extra spices because of your distraction.”
Alex chuckled, leaned in, and pecked Lucas’s cheek again before walking toward the living room.
Halfway there, he glanced around the apartment again. The slightly messy couch. The displaced chair. The missing boxes that used to sit near the wall.
He smirked slightly.
“So…” Alex said casually, pretending not to know a thing, “What happened here? Did Nathan move out or something?”
Lucas answered while still focused on the food. “Yeah. He got an emergency transfer to the Fairbanks branch.”
Alex raised his brows. “Oh? He’s lucky then. I heard the boss stays there most of the time, and they pay higher salaries too.”
Lucas nodded. “Yeah, and my friend was pretty happy to leave.”
Alex leaned against the wall, watching Lucas move around the kitchen.
“I guess that means you’ll be lonely here now,” he said after a moment.
Lucas shrugged. “I’ll manage for the meantime.”
Alex hesitated, then spoke again.
“Well, how about you move in with me?”
“No, Alex.” Lucas cut him off immediately. He turned slightly to look at him, his tone calm but firm. “It’s just for a while.”
Alex frowned slightly.
“I can’t move in with you,” Lucas continued gently. “My dad has been asking me to come back home.”
Alex straightened a little. Lucas stirred the spaghetti again before adding quietly, “I might consider it, if he accepts you and my working as a chef.”
Lucas paused briefly, knife hovering over the cutting board before he resumed chopping the remaining vegetables.
Across the room, Alex was watching him quietly. And suddenly, the strange calls from Mac earlier flashed back into his mind. The threatening voice. The text message.
Alex’s brows pulled together slightly. A thought crept in. Could Lucas’s father have something to do with it? He didn’t like the possibility one bit, but didn't want to accept it either.
Pushing himself away from the wall, Alex spoke carefully. “Oh, it’s a good thing if you can make up with him,” he began. “But baby, I need to say something.”
Lucas glanced at him while tossing the chopped vegetables into the pan.
“I know he’s your father,” Alex continued slowly, “but based on his past actions, don’t trust him completely.”
Lucas nodded without hesitation.
“Yeah,” he said calmly. “I know that.”
Alex studied him for a moment, then relaxed slightly. “And speaking of family,” he added, shifting the mood. “My dad wants me to bring you to a family dinner.”
Lucas looked up immediately.
“They want to meet you this weekend.”
Lucas blinked. “Already?” he asked in surprise. “Isn’t it a little too early to meet them?”
Alex laughed softly. “Too early?” he repeated as he started walking back toward the kitchen. “Come on, sweetheart. Family is just the starting point.”
He stopped in front of Lucas. “I want the world to meet you.” His voice softened. “I want everyone to know you’re my baby.”
Lucas froze slightly. His heart began to beat faster, caught somewhere between happiness and fear. He hadn’t expected that.
Not this soon.
Alex noticed the conflict in his eyes and gently lifted his hand, cupping Lucas’s cheek.
“Baby,” he murmured, brushing his thumb softly across his skin. “I love you with all of me.” His gaze was steady. “Don’t say no, hmm?”
Lucas swallowed. “Of course, it would be an honor to meet your family,” he said softly. “It’s just that…” He hesitated for a bit. “I feel a little uncomfortable.”
Alex shook his head immediately.
“Don’t be, baby.” He smiled reassuringly. “My family is very welcoming. There’s absolutely nothing to worry about.”
Then he added gently, “Trust me.”
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Their eyes held. Lucas searched Alex’s face, looking for doubt, hesitation, anything at all, but there was none. Just warmth and certainty.
Lucas finally smiled. “I trust you, honey.”
Alex’s expression softened instantly. “Baby, when you call me that, you get my heart flipping.”
Lucas smiled, looking away to hide his shy smile. But Alex gently turned his head to face him. The sight before him was so endearing and irresistible. Without another word, he leaned forward and kissed him warmly.
Their lips were still locked together when Alex’s phone suddenly started ringing.
The sharp sound sliced through the quiet warmth between them.
Alex groaned softly against Lucas’s lips but didn’t pull away immediately.
The phone kept vibrating insistently in his pocket.
Lucas finally broke the kiss with a small laugh. “Your phone,” he murmured, brushing his thumb lightly over Alex’s chin.
Alex sighed, clearly annoyed, and pulled the phone out. His expression shifted the moment he glanced at the screen. It was an important business call.
“Damn…” he muttered under his breath.
Lucas smiled knowingly. “Go on and take your call. Let me finish up.”
Alex leaned in quickly and stole another brief kiss before answering. “Yeah, this is Alex,” he said, already turning and walking toward the sitting room to settle into the couch. His voice instantly shifted into his calm, professional tone.
Lucas watched him for a moment, amused at how quickly he switched personalities. Then he turned back to the kitchen.
The spaghetti was almost ready. He stirred the sauce, added the final spices, and turned the heat down low. The rich aroma filled the apartment.
Behind him, Alex’s voice drifted faintly from the couch, serious, focused, discussing numbers and deadlines.
Lucas wiped his hands on a towel and glanced around the apartment. Now that Nathan had packed and left, the place looked like a quiet mess.
Boxes had been dragged across the floor earlier. Cushions were crooked. A few things were left out of place. Lucas shook his head lightly. “Nathan…” he muttered with a small smile.
Since Alex was still busy on the call, Lucas walked into the bedroom.
Nathan’s hurried packing had left the room looking half-disturbed. A blanket was crumpled on the bed, a chair pushed aside, and a drawer slightly open.
Lucas straightened the blanket, closed the drawer, and pushed the chair neatly back into place. He picked up a few stray items Nathan had forgotten and placed them carefully on the bedside table.
Satisfied, he nodded to himself.
Then he stepped back out into the living room.
Alex was still on the phone.
“…No, move the shipment to Monday,” Alex was saying firmly from the couch. “I don’t want any delays this time.” Then Alex stood up walking around as he spoke.
Lucas quietly began fixing the living room. He fluffed the cushions on the couch. Straightened the coffee table. Folded the blanket that had been tossed aside earlier.
Every now and then he glanced toward where Alex was still talking, pacing slowly as he handled the call.
Lucas found himself smiling.
Even while working, Alex looked intense, focused, sweet, and powerful.
After tidying up the room, Lucas headed back into the kitchen.
Dinner time.
He pulled out two plates, carefully serving the spaghetti, the steam curling softly into the air.