Chapter 24: Alaina

I spend the night with Lucas at my side. He makes me breakfast in bed on the Wednesday morning despite my protests that I can make my own breakfast. He brings me a huge plate of pancakes and bacon, fresh coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice. He also informs me that we are taking the rest of the week off work, and arguing with him will be futile. Who am I to argue with the boss?

I’m just out of the shower when my phone goes. It’s Detective Edwards, calling to let me know that my apartment has been cleared, and I can go back any time to pick up anything I need. He has no further updates he can give me about who could be behind this.

Lucas offers to drive me. So, we get in his car and head straight there. I text Carley on the way to let her know that she can pick up her things.

I’m surprised when we get to the apartment, there are two men fitting a brand new door.

‘I didn’t want you to have to worry about this too,’ Lucas says to me quietly as we walk towards the apartment, his cheeks turning slightly pink.

‘You bought me a new door?’ I ask, and he just shrugs nonchalantly in response, like it’s no big deal.

I stop walking, and he turns to see what’s wrong. I step towards him, wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him deeply.

‘Thank you,’ I mumble against his lips and he laughs, surprised and pleased I think.

‘You’re welcome.’

I grab a suitcase, from my bedroom closet and begin to pack. Lucas grabs toiletries from the bathroom for me, then goes to check on the guys fitting the door.

I’m just closing the suitcase when he comes back with two sets of keys, and hands me a set.

‘The guys are finished,’ he tells me.

‘I had them install two locks on the door. I’ll ask Stephan to drive a set over to Carley when we get home.’

He lifts my suitcase and then with a last look at my apartment, we head out the new door, locking it behind us.

When we get back to Lucas’s, I call my dad and fill him in on what’s being going on. When I finish there is silence on the end of the phone.

‘Dad, you there?’ I ask thinking we might have gotten disconnected.

‘So, how do you know this Lucas?’ he asks, and I roll my eyes.

‘Seriously, Dad. Out of everything that I just told you, that’s what you want to focus on?’ I ask, exasperated.

Lucas is sitting next to me and his shoulders are shaking with suppressed laughter, so I’m assuming he can hear what my Dad is saying.

‘I’m just curious about who my daughter is spending time with. Is that a crime?’ he asks innocently.

‘You know fine well, that it’s not,’ but I can’t help but laugh.

I cast a sideways glance at Lucas, not really sure how I should be answering this question.

‘He’s… someone that I’ve been spending a lot of time with lately.’ I say lamely.

I don’t hear what my Dad’s response is, because Lucas has grabbed the phone out of my hand and is walking towards the kitchen. I dive off the sofa and scramble after him.

‘Hello, Mr Winters, this is Lucas,’ he starts, and I stand rooted to the spot, unsure about where this conversation is going.

‘I just wanted to reassure you that Alaina is perfectly safe here. Alaina is my girlfriend and I love that she wanted to stay here with me. In fact, I would love if you would join us for dinner sometime this week, so that I can meet you in person?’ Lucas finishes smoothly, and honestly my jaw is on the floor.

He looks over at me and flashes me a wicked smile. His girlfriend? He called me that on the phone to the police, but I had assumed he did that just to save explaining how we knew each other. My Dad continues to speak for another couple of minutes, but I can’t make out what he’s saying.

‘OK, Jake, I’ll pass you back to Alaina and you guys can work out the details. Nice talking to you,’ he finishes, handing the phone back to me. I hold it to my ear, at a loss for words, as I watch Lucas walk around the kitchen making coffee.

Wordlessly, I put the phone back to me ear.

‘So, looks like I’m coming for dinner; he seems like a nice guy, kid.’

‘Yeh sure, Dad.’ I manage to stammer. ‘What night works for dinner?’

‘Let’s do Friday; I’m off work,’ he informs me, and thankfully doesn’t grill me any more on Lucas or my new girlfriend status. We say our goodbyes and I hang up the phone. Lucas is leaning on the kitchen island staring at me over his coffee.

‘So… we’re having dinner with my Dad, in case you didn’t know, this Friday.’ I say sarcastically.

‘Why did you tell him I was your girlfriend?’ I blurt out suddenly. Then hate myself when my face starts to burn.

‘Aren’t you?’ he asks, putting down his coffee cup and walking towards me.

‘Well, we haven’t really talked about it,’ I mumble, looking at my feet.

He reaches for me, taking me in his arms and tilting my head so that I’m forced to look at him. I swallow hard at the intensity of his gaze but I continue to look into his eyes and they soften as he smiles slightly.

‘In case I haven’t been very clear up until now, Alaina Winters, I like you a lot. So yes, you are my girlfriend unless you tell me otherwise.’

I stare up into his eyes, getting lost for a moment. He kisses me gently on the mouth twice and then leans back to look at me.

‘No, I’m yours.’

His returning smile is dazzling.

‘Then let’s go make you some closet space in the bedroom,’ he says as he kisses me quickly once more, then drags me after him by the hand, while I smile like a lunatic.

Monday morning comes around way too quickly for my liking. Lucas and I have spent the last five days together, just the two of us in our own private bubble, but now it’s time to get back to reality.