The 18th Floor

Chapter Forty Six

Friday evening, Lucien drives Simon and me to his for game night.

"You know, when you said you were organising a game night, I had assumed we would be going to your house Simon", I say, turning back to face him from the front passenger seat of the car as Lucien laughs.

"If Simon ever organises something, just know the location will be my house", Lucien says.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Nice House, why would I not take advantage of my best friend who is rich", Simon says.

"I'm not rich Simon", Lucien gets out.

"Yh, yh, sorry, Mr. comfortable."

I see Lucien give Simon a side eye from the rear view mirror. I decide to stay out of the unspoken words floating around.

"Pull into a Tesco or something, let's get something to drink," Simon says.

"You two just stay here, I'll go get some things quickly", Lucien says as he gets out the car.

"You stay, I'll go" Simon protests.

"It's fine, I need to get a few things for the house as well", he says, head poking back in before closing the door. I watch him walk off into the store.

"Are you happy?"

"What?", I ask, turning back to Simon.

"Are you happy? With him?", he asks, head pointing towards the store.

"Yes", I say, "truly yes. I haven't felt this happy in a long time. Everything feels good and easy and safe when I'm with him", I admit to Simon. He takes it in, slowly nodding.

"Good, because he's happier too. I can tell and I'm happy for the both of you."

"Thank you, Simon,", I say.

"We know what we're getting ourselves into", I continue to say to Simon.

"I know", he says and my face must appear confused as he clarifies, "he told me you discussed a lot. He told me what he said to you and that you told him somethings to, but don't worry he didn't let anything you said spill, just the stuff he relayed to you. I knew some of them, but I never knew the true depth of the situation and Cyrene, I felt so bad. I never knew how bad it had gotten. I always knew it was bad, but the things he said, I felt like a horrible brother."

"It's not your fault Simon", I tell him, understanding the guilt he felt of watching a person he loves slip away and not being able to do anything.

"I know, but I still feel responsible."

"I know, me too."

"I'm so glad we met you", he admits.

"Me too", I admit back.

15 minutes later after me and Simon have fallen into our easy conversation, Simon cuts me off.

"No way", he says, looking up out the front window to where Lucien disappeared into.

I follow his gaze and find Lucien leaving the store with two shopping bags and flowers in one hand. My heart starts beating a little faster as I watch him approach the car, put the bags in the back and then he comes over to open my door.

"Beautiful, just like you", he says as he places the flowers in my lap and bends over to give me a kiss.

"Lucien", I kiss him back, cheeks reddening.

"Ok, I'll just pretend like I'm not here then", Simon says from the back.

"Shut up Simon", we both say in unison.

We drive over to Lucien's and start to prep food and drinks for the night. Simon offers to take Atticus on a quick walk, mumbling something about me and Lucien getting everything out our system before we start. Lucien stares him down.

"Do you like my cheese board?", I ask Lucien as I stare down at the different amounts of cheese Lucien thinks is perfectly normal to buy from himself.

"Lovely", he says as he continues making a range of cocktails.

"Do you think the people you're interviewing next week will make the cut?"

He sighs as he looks over, his muscles filling out the t-shirt and joggers he's changed into. I've also been given a draw for clothes and changed into a pair of leggings and a jumper.

"I'm not sure. I hope so. It's like all the talent dried up or we're just not somewhere people want to work", he says.

"I don't think law and marketing really go hand in hand", I say as Simon makes his way back in. It both worries and calms me that Simon has a set of keys for Lucien's house. Atacus runs over to me and I pick him up into my lap, as we both acknowledge Simon.

"No, they don't. But at least you managed to find us", Lucien says as he starts to carry our food and drink over to the table.

"How did you find us Cyrene?", Simon asks as he takes a seat on the sofa.

"A recruiter told me about the role, I was so desperate at that point I didn't care what it was I was just tired of applying for jobs and being rejected that I thought it was worth a shot", I say as I make my way over to the living room and move to sit on the sofa next to Simon.

"Then big mouth nearly blew it here", Simon says pointing his head in the direction of Lucien.

"Simon are you already drunk", Lucien asks, his face getting red at the memory of his first comment to me. "You're in a wheelchair" I think back to the comment.

"You get used to it", I say in a shrug.

"You shouldn't have to", Simon says quietly as Lucien walks back over to the kitchen to get the remaining drinks.

Somehow, I feel like there's been a long underlying conversation between Simon and Lucien but I can't figure it out. I don't know if I want to ask either.