Matters of the Heart (Rucas Adult AU)

Chapter 9 -Love is all you need

A week had passed since their weekend getaway, a week since Riley had dinner with his mother and step-father, a week since he had seen Riley collapse from the memories that had flooded her mind. In that time, they had gone back to work, and finished the final preparations for the company's latest client. Lucas hadn't given any thought to having dinner with Riley's father until he had gotten home early that night and stood in front of his closet wondering what he should wear.

"You're not a teenage girl Friar," he murmured while he pulled out three different outfits and stared at them, before settling on a clean white button up shirt, a pair of jeans that hadn't been torn to shreds, and a suit jacket. It was dress casual, which should be alright since they were eating at Riley's childhood home.

It had taken him an hour just so that he could decide on what to wear, he didn't want to offend Riley's father in anyway especially since he was also Zay's father. But he was also worried about how the man would react to him dating Riley, because while everyone had given him a version of the hurt her and die speech the opinion that mattered the most was from the man who had raised her.

Thinking back to their earlier conversation Lucas wasn't sure what he should do, while Riley had sat there in his office smiling back at him. He had never been so nervous about anything, not

"You're going to be fine Lucas," she said smiling from the couch where she was putting out the latest contracts for his clients. "He's not going to bite you."

"I know that Riley," he said walking over from the window as he ran a hand through his hair. "It's just that first impressions are important, just like a client here, or someone at the bar, the first impression you make can have someone's approval or disapproval."

"Yeah well he's not going to eat you alive so keep calm," she put her hands on his shoulders and squeezed them, but he could tell that she was feeling the tension in them. "Geez Lucas," she said sitting up and kneeling next to him as she tried to rub his shoulders.

"I know I shouldn't worry too much," he sighed as she worked through one particularly tough knot. "I think it's more about the fact that I've never gone through this for anyone."

"Well there's a first time for everything," she said putting her arms around his shoulders and giving him a kiss on his cheek. Lucas had turned to meet her lips and held her arms close to his heart.

That had been hours ago, and while they had decided to leave early to get ready, he nerves had gone to hell and back again several times. It had taken him more time to get ready than he had hoped for and as he was walking out of his room he noticed Maya getting ready for her shift while Josh smiled at her as he put some food in front of her face urging her to eat.

It had been such a long time since he had seen his sister so happy, and while he knew what he had with Riley was special, he had also noticed that his sister had found something special as well. They hadn't gone to lunch with their mother that week because he had had dinner with her, and afterward had been swamped with work but he knew that Maya had taken Josh instead so that the older man could finally meet their mother. But as he watched them now, he noticed that she was more relaxed than she had been over the years with the random guys she had gone on dates with. Those guys who had barely lasted through three dates with her before she realized that they weren't worth the effort. Guys that Lucas had seen at the bar and mostly gave them his assessment within three seconds of meeting them.

Maya had always joked that he had been too harsh with them, but in the end she had found Josh and he had given her his approval. Josh was sweet on her, he always gave her flowers or sat with her while she painted. And most of all, Lucas had seen how the older man had helped Maya through her own insecurities about being in a relationship. The both of them had found something special, but they had also learned to trust their other halves, their better halves.