Chapter 168
Ellie POV
Lucas is sitting in the far corner of the lunch spot like he belongs there, tucked between two tall plants that have no business being alive in a place that smells like grease and melted cheese.
He has a laptop open infront front of him, screen glowing faintly, one hand resting near the keyboard while the other holds a slice of pizza he hasn’t finished eating. The afternoon light pours through the window behind him, catching in his hair and turning it almost gold, like he stepped out of some annoyingly poetic coming-of-age film instead of my actual, very inconvenient life.
He looks up.
Our eyes meet.
I stop walking.
He smiles first.
Slowly. Like he’s been handed a gift he didn’t expect but is very pleased to receive.
“Well,” he says, setting the pizza down and leaning back in his chair, his voice warm with amusement. “If it isn’t the most popular woman in the pack.”
I narrow my eyes immediately. “Don’t.”
He raises his hands slightly in surrender, grin widening. “Don’t what? Congratulate you? I heard wedding bells are in season.”
“I mean it, Lucas.”
I turn away from him and keep walking, aiming for a table on the opposite side of the room, one with my back to him and a clear line of sight to the counter.
I make it three steps.
“Ellie.”
I ignore him.
“Ellie.”
I sit down at a small table near the wall, pulling the menu toward me even though I already know what I want. Pizza. Cheese. Emotional stability. In that order.
I do not look up.
There’s the faint sound of movement behind me. A chair scraping softly against tile. The quiet snap of a laptop closing.
I know exactly what he’s doing before he does it.
A second later, he drops into the seat across from me like it was always his.
I stare at him.
He smiles, unbothered. “Hi.”
“I need you to leave.”
“You walked into my territory.”
“It’s a public restaurant.”
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“Still counts.”
I look pointedly toward the counter, willing a waiter to appear out of thin air and save me from this conversation.
Lucas watches me for a moment, his expression shifting from teasing to something quieter, more observant.
“You look terrible,” he says finally.
I glare at him. “Thank you.
He shrugs lightly. “Not ugly terrible. Just… emotionally catastrophic terrible. Sure you almost died a bit ago, but more like you either just punched someone or wanted to.
“Both,” I say flatly.
His mouth twitches.
Silence settles between us for a second, not entirely uncomfortable, but not easy either.
Then he tilts his head slightly. “So. It’s true?”
I already know what he means.
“Yes.”
He studies my face carefully, searching for something. “You’re really marrying him.”
I pick at the corner of the menu. “You pack people really need hobbies.”
“Ellie.”
“Yes.”
The word leaves my mouth sharper than I intend.
He exhales softly, leaning back in his chair, his fingers tapping once against the table.
“For love?” he asks. “Because before…”
I stare at him.
He holds my gaze, completely serious for once.
Then his expression breaks into a grin. “Or is he blackmailing you? Blink twice if you need rescuing.”
Something in my chest snaps.
“Why do you always assume I need rescuing?” I snap, my voice low but sharp enough to cut. “I turned you down. Remember? Pretty clearly. I’m marrying Dominic. That should answer your question.”
The words hang between us, heavier than I meant them to be.
I regret them instantly.
Lucas goes very still.
Not angry.
Just… still.
Like I hit something I didn’t mean to hit.
Before either of us can recover, a waiter finally appears beside the table.
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“Can I get you anything?”
Lucas doesn’t look at the menu. Doesn’t hesitate.
“Hawaiian,” he says. “Extra pepperoni.”
I blink.
He glances at me briefly. “And two waters.”
The waiter nods and walks away.
I stare at Lucas.
“You didn’t even ask.”
He shrugs. “You always got Hawaiian in the caffieria. Extra pepperoni. You pick the toppings off first and eat those separately like a psychopath.”
I look away.
Because he’s right. I mean, I wanted just a cheese but he remembers.
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