Dream

Chapter 33

           

Lucy was working the lunch shift once again and the restaurant had been busier than usual, something she was grateful for because it didn't allow her to think too much about what had happened the night before. She still had plenty of questions that she wanted answered, the primary one being why he hadn't bothered to call her.

Did he think it was going to be that easy to sweep back into her life?

"You seem to be a little distracted today," Paisley said as the stood together at the serving station.

"Is it that noticeable?" Lucy asked wryly

"Yes, is it your grandmother? Is she ill again?" Paisley asked as she garnished a few glasses of tea with lemon wedges.

"No, it's-"

"Oh my God, lucky duck!" Paisley interrupted her with a nudge and a nod in the direction of a table in Lucy's section.

Lucy's gaze followed the direction of her nod and saw Zeb being seated at a table. Why was he here? Did he know she was here? He had to know, Zelda had to have told him where she met her yesterday.

"That's Zelda Abbott's hot brother, the one I was telling you about yesterday. A bit of a coincidence, don't you think?" Paisley eyed him as she picked up her tray. "He's even better now that he's older, he looks far more commanding and a lot more mysterious."

Lucy shook her head at Paisley's comment. The only mysterious thing about him was why he thought he could walk back into her life so easily.

"Remember to smile, he's filthy stinking rich, and even if he doesn't offer you forever he'll probably leave a good tip!" she joked as she hurried away with her tray.

Dean slid into the empty place she left. "He generally doesn't offer his mistresses forever, but I'm sure he'll leave you a good tip," he said nastily.

Ignoring him, Lucy walked slowly towards Zeb's table. He was looking at his phone as she approached, but when he sensed her arrival he lifted his head and let his gaze linger over her. Lucy could feel the heat of it all the way to her toes.

"What can I get you to drink?" she asked. To ask him why he was there would only encourage him.

"I'll have a sweet tea with lemon please," he requested, looking back down at his phone.

"Is the guy who's been threatening to go to the press the one you were just talking to?" he asked, throwing Lucy. She hadn't thought he had noticed her, much less who she had been talking to.

"Yes," she said softly, looking over her shoulder to where Dean was watching them.

"Have you decided to agree to let me try and explain?" He changed subjects once more. It was making her head spin once again, she would swear he was doing it on purpose.

"Maybe," she hedged.

"It will take a little bit longer than a passing conversation, at least the length of a dinner," he insisted.

She turned to go get his drink without responding, and he reached out and grabbed her arm lightly, with a finger only, but it was enough to make her stop.

"Please Lucy," he begged. "If you're still of the same mind after my explanations I promise, I'll never approach you about it again."

Lucy felt a little spark of anger. "Do you even realize why I'm so angry?" she hissed, leaning into him.

"Yes."

"I don't think you do!" She shook her head, tears threatening. She had given him something she had never given another man, her innocence, and he had taken it and then left without a word. It wasn't even the farce of an engagement, at least it wasn't anymore. She got that, she understood what had happened and that none of it was his doing. But he hadn't attempted to contact her for two months.

He read the hurt in her eyes and when he attempted to reach up and touch her face she jerked away. "I'll go get you your drink and return to take your order." She turned on her heel and headed back towards the serving station.

"Trouble in paradise?" Dean mocked before he picked up his tray and moved away only to be replaced by Paisley.

"It looks like you caught his attention." She gave Lucy the side eye, unable to miss her flushed cheeks.

"Was he hitting on you, do you want me to get Lionel?" she asked.

Lucy shook her head, seeing how it would appear that way, he had detained her and then attempted to touch her face.

"Did he use the 'you have a bug on you' line?" she asked. "I have to say I never took him for one who would push himself on a woman, he wouldn't need to." Paisley kept looking at her, hoping for an explanation.

"It's fine," Lucy assured her. It was all she could say. Picking up Zeb's drink, she carried it over to him and then walked away to check on a few other tables that she had. She was back at the serving station, refilling drinks with Paisley and Dean both beside her, when he approached them.

"I can't stay," he said, smiling at Paisley before turning his attention to Dean. He looked him over, taking in every inch of his appearance. The warning was evident in his look, he didn't need to say a word.

Dean turned red and swallowed hard before scurrying off.

"Was that really necessary!" she said between clenched teeth. Looking up at Zeb who was watching Dean's retreating back.

"Yes," Zeb's cold eyes turned to her, "he got the point."

"He did, and now he will probably try to do something for sure Zeb!" Lucy stopped what she was doing and frowned at him.

"Then I'll deal with it. Can I take you out to dinner?" His eyes met hers with a silent plea.

Unable to say no, she nodded her agreement, telling herself she wasn't caving exactly, she was giving him a chance to explain.

"Good, I'll pick you up at eight?" He dropped a quick kiss on her lips.

"Stop! You're going to get me fired!"

"I doubt that," he said dryly, turning to leave.

"You don't know where I live," she called out softly.

"Yes, I do." His grin made her heart stop and she heard Paisley sigh behind her.

"Zeb uh, you guys know each other?" Her curious gaze followed Zeb as he left the restaurant.

Lucy shrugged. "I did some work on his house and we went out a few times."

"Why didn't you tell me! He must have come here to see you. That's a sure sign that he likes you."

"I never doubted that he liked me." Lucy shrugged. She knew he liked her, but did he want her, forever?

She couldn't keep denying that she wanted him, in fact, she was in love with him. Her eyes closed at the thought. What a time to admit it herself. She had seen the visions, she had had strong feelings for him from the beginning, but she had never admitted that she loved him, at least not to herself.

She had been too afraid.

"What was up with Dean?" Paisley asked, looking at him over her shoulder.

"It doesn't matter." Lucy was too tired to explain. Picking up her refills, she carried them over to her table and had to work hard at soothing the irritation that her delay in delivering them had caused.

But all the while she was trying to figure out exactly when she had fallen in love with Zeb and if there was anyway he could ever love her back.