No Such Thing As A Hollywood Ending

chapter 21

Lucy and Henry stood just inside the doorway of the dimly lit building that was soon to be the home of Lucy's ambitious restaurant project. The place had no power yet, so the only light came from the flickering glow of candles Lucy had placed around the room. Shadows danced on the walls, casting an eerie but oddly calming atmosphere.

Lucy looked around, her mind filled with visions of what the space could become, but her attention kept drifting back to Henry, who stood quietly beside her. He seemed a little tense, his hands fidgeting slightly at his sides, and she couldn't help but notice the way he avoided looking directly at her. They hadn't spent much time completely alone together since that night in her bedroom, and this was different. More personal, more intimate in a way that made her pulse quicken.

She walked a few steps forward, her footsteps echoing softly in the quiet room. "What do you think?" she asked, gesturing toward the space. "It needs a lot of work, but I think it could be something great."

Henry glanced around, his eyes adjusting to the low light. "Yeah... it's nice. I mean, I can see what you're going for. It has potential."

Lucy smiled at his response, but she could still sense his nervousness. She wasn't sure if it was the dark, the empty building, or just being alone with her that was making him uneasy. Wanting to ease the tension, she turned to face him more directly, leaning against one of the old tables.

"Can I ask you something?" she said, her voice softer now, more serious.

Henry looked at her, his brow furrowing slightly. "Yeah, sure. What's up?"

Lucy bit her lip, feeling the weight of her question before she even asked it. "Why did you say yes to being in a relationship with me? I mean... you don't seem like the kind of guy who just jumps into something like that."

Henry blinked, clearly caught off guard by the question. His hands stilled, and he shifted on his feet, looking a little uncertain. "I, uh... I don't know. I guess I said yes because... well, you made it pretty clear that's what you wanted."

Lucy's heart sank slightly at his initial answer, but before she could react, he continued, his voice softer now, more careful.

"And because I wanted it too," Henry added, his eyes finally meeting hers. "It's just... hard for me to explain. You know, I don't always understand how these... social things are supposed to work. Relationships, flirting, all that stuff—it's confusing, and I've never really been good at it."

Lucy nodded, staying quiet so he could keep talking.

"But with you... it's been different," Henry went on, taking a deep breath. "You make things clear for me. You're honest. You don't hide what you want, and you're not afraid to admit when you screw up. That makes things easier for me to understand. I don't have to guess what you're thinking all the time, and that's... a relief, I guess."

Lucy felt her chest tighten as she listened. She hadn't realized how much clarity she had been giving him or how much he had valued it. It made her see their relationship in a new light—one where Henry's acceptance of her wasn't just about liking her but about feeling safe and understood.

"I didn't know that," she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't know I was helping you like that."

Henry shrugged, his expression softening a little. "Well, you do. I like that you're direct with me. I know I can trust you because of it."

Lucy smiled gently, her heart warming at his words. "I'm glad you feel that way. I... I don't always know what I'm doing either, but I want this to work, Henry. I don't care if it's awkward or if we mess up sometimes."

Henry smiled slightly, the tension between them easing just a bit. "Yeah, me too."

They stood in silence for a moment, the candles flickering around them, casting a soft glow over their faces. Lucy took a deep breath, feeling more grounded now, more certain of where they stood. She wasn't sure what the future held, for her project or for her relationship with Henry, but at least she knew they were on the same page.

"We'll figure it out," she said, her voice filled with quiet determination. "Now let's go inside." before henry could protest, Lucy pulled him into the building.