Chapter 62 Untitled Chapter
The next morning, Lucas’s alarm buzzed just as Nathan finished showering. Steam still clung to the air, but to Lucas’s surprise, Nathan looked… fine…too fine, calm and collected as if the mess from last night had never happened.
“Hey, sleepyhead. Good morning,” Nathan greeted lightly, voice easy, as if tears hadn’t soaked the room hours ago.
Lucas blinked, pushing himself up on an elbow. “Hey, buddy, how are…” He paused, really looking at him now. “You’re looking… like yourself. Guess it really is a good morning.”
Nathan grinned, I can't kill myself. If I try it, I might not be as lucky as Alex. He peeled off the towel and hung it on the rack without a second thought, then walked, completely naked straight to the wardrobe.
“Oh man, you need to learn modesty.” Lucas started, already scrambling off the bed and heading for the bathroom.
Nathan laughed, the sound rich and unapologetic. “Relax, Luc. I tied the towel from the bathroom but I'm in the room now. I can't wear my boxers with the towel on. Besides, I’m too good-looking in my nude. So stop acting like I’m naked in front of some virgin girl. Or are you crushing on me?” He followed after him, voice dropping into mock menace. “Or do you suddenly have a pussy down there? Should I come check?”
“Absolutely not,” Lucas shot back, rushing inside. He slammed the bathroom door shut and locked it just before Nathan reached it. “I like my privacy, please.”
Nathan burst out laughing and shook his head, retreating to get dressed.
He thought of his observation on Lucas’s naive behavior since he moved in with him and whispered, “Is he still a virgin?”
The question hung unanswered.
Behind the locked door, Lucas pressed a hand to his chest, heart thudding. “Damn,” he muttered under his breath, then chuckled. “That play is way too expensive. I really need to be careful around him.”
He exhaled slowly, the tension easing slightly. “At least he seems okay this morning…after all the tears last night.”
Then his expression hardened and resolved. “But it doesn’t change anything,” he whispered. “I still have to stay clear of Alex. Nathan can't find out that I was the cause of their breakup. At least for now.”
In about an hour and a half, Lucas arrived at work. The instant he stepped in, he felt it—something was off. Staff clustered in small groups, laughter rising and falling, voices animated, eyes bright, like good news had just landed.
Lucas wasn’t the type to wander where he wasn’t invited. He ignored the buzz, headed straight for his station, and started prepping for the day like nothing mattered beyond knives, heat, and timing.
Then elegantly, Margaret walked into the kitchen.
Every head subtly turned to watch where she was headed.
She didn’t hesitate. She walked straight toward Lucas’s station with confidence in her stride. Someone let out a low “Uuh.” Another voice followed quickly, amused and approving. “Go, girl.”
Margaret stopped beside him. “Hello, Lucas.” She greeted with a smile
“Hello, Margaret. How are you?” He glanced up, politely and focused.
“I’m okay.” Her eyes flicked briefly to his hand. “Hope it’s less painful.”
“Yeah. It was just a scratch.”
She hesitated, fingers fidgeting slightly. “I want to ask you for a favor… but I’m a bit nervous about it.”
Lucas paused what he was doing and turned fully to her. “Come on, don’t be. What do you want?” he encouraged.
“Well,” she said, exhaling, “it’s the last batch of the staff day out, in two days. Please… be my partner.”
Lucas froze. “What? I…I don’t think I’m qualified for that. I just started working…”
“It doesn’t matter when you started,” she cut in quickly. “Besides, your name is already among the people going.” She smiled hopefully, “Please, Lucas.”
He opened his mouth to refuse but then he saw Alex stepping into the kitchen.
Their eyes didn’t meet, but the awareness hit Lucas instantly. His chest tightened. His resolve shifted before he could stop it.
“Okay,” he heard himself say. “I’ll be your partner.”
Margaret’s face lit up. “Cool! Thank you so much, Lucas.”
“It’s nothing,” he replied, though a knot twisted painfully in his stomach. He wished he hadn’t agreed. He even wondered if Alex would be going too. He wished he wouldn't.
Margaret giggled and walked away, accepting congratulatory handshakes from coworkers who reached out as if she had just won a bet.
Across the kitchen, Alex noticed the reactions…the laughter, and the attention. The way Lucas stood there was the center of it all.
And without warning, his heart gave a sharp, painful twitch.
However, he managed to focus on his work. He kept a polite smile. His hands kept busy with one thing or the other. But his main intention was to keep seeing Lucas’s face hoping for a chance to talk. Every time he glanced at Lucas something tightened in his chest.
At one stage, he left the kitchen and headed to his office with the hope of controlling himself.
“Hey Alex, it's none of your business. He can be anyone's partner. You have no claim on him completely.”
That felt like a sting to his heart and it was sharp, irrational, and undeniable.
He muttered angrily, “No, Lucas is mine. No one else will claim him. He is mine alone.”
With that, he went back to the kitchen but couldn't focus.
Later when Lucas stepped out for his break, the noise of the kitchen faded behind him. The hallway was quieter, cooler…just enough space to breathe and stay away from Alex's eyes which kept glancing his way. It made him very uncomfortable even when he tried to avert it.
“Lucas.” His voice surprised him. His heart skipped a bit and he paused in his tracks.
Alex stood a few feet away, hands in his pockets with a relaxed posture but his eyes weren’t. They were sharp, searching, restrained like something held on a leash for too long.
“Do you want me to talk from your back?” Alex asked, heading towards him. “Maybe a hug from back will ease my aching heart,” Alex said almost behind him. But as he wanted to circle his arms around him, Lucas almost jumped out of it facing him.
“What do you think you're doing?” Lucas asked with wide eyes, his heart racing.
Alex didn’t answer immediately. His jaw flexed once, then stilled. “So,” he said at last, tone even, "You're going to be her partner for the staff day out.”
Lucas blinked. “Yes, do you have a problem with that?”
“I did.” A pause. “Margaret asked you, and you said yes, just like that.”
Another silence stretched—thin and loaded with anxiety.
Lucas shifted his weight. “It wasn’t a big deal.”
Alex let out a short breath through his nose, almost a laugh, but there was no humor in it. “Funny how it suddenly became a big deal for everyone else.”
Lucas frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Alex stepped closer to him, lowering his voice, “It means that you didn’t even hesitate, what will those gossipers think of you? A despirado?”