Chapter 44 - After Thoughts

Lucas made sure to drop her right in front of her house, he did wonder where she got the money for such a big house if her parents had died. It wasn't his business, and if he was to know, she would tell him later.

Audrey took shelter in front of the house as she watched Lucas's car roar to life and drive off. She smiled thinking of their unplanned outing hours before. 

She pressed the doorbell, indicating that she was home, it didn't take a long time before the door was opened, she was met with an exasperated Prisca, huffing like she just finished a marathon.

"Thank God you're okay!!", she squealed before wrapping Audrey in a hug, Audrey who was caught off-guard lost her footing, but she quickly recollected herself and returned the gesture.

" Yes, Thank God, what happened?"Audrey asked, wondering what went wrong. "You didn't text or say you were going to come home late!", Prisca said, ushering Audrey into the house and locking the door behind her.

" What do you mean, I sent a text about three hours ago!"Audrey said, taking out her phone to show Prisca that she did send a text. "Uhun, you sent a text Audrey, and you didn't even bother to check if it actually sent!", " what, what do you mean?", Audrey asked bringing the phone closer to her face before she mouthed an oh

"Next time when the weather is not okay, check your phone to make sure your texts go through, and if it doesn't, keep trying, so me and mom don't get worried!", Prisca said, bringing a glass of water for Audrey. " Aye, aye captain!!"

" So, wanna tell me where you were the whole evening, plus who dropped you?", Prisca asked, squeezing a Blush out of Audrey. "It was just a colleague from work, we had dinner together, so he dropped me off!!".

" Ohh, I see, dinner huh, no problem!", "it wasn't just dinner though…", " so it wasn't just dinner?", "will you stop repeating what I say and just let me tell you the full gist!!", Audrey said looking at Prisca's whose expression looked like a child given candy.

Audrey started with what prompted their meeting that evening, how she had insisted on going home, how her stomach embarrassed her on the way, how he complimented her eyes, dinner, the proposition, and the fact that he was the president of the whole corporation.

" So, let me get this right, he wants you to be his fake girlfriend for a couple of months and he's going to pay you!", "exactly!", Audrey confirmed, " such an easy side hustle, it sounds like the movies we watch, you know where the girl falls for the guy, and theeeen they fall in love!"

"Yeah, but this is different , because it's totally platonic, and it's an exchange, my pretense for his money!", " hmm, why then are you suddenly so jittery?_ you must be falling deep already, fantastic. Freshen up Audrey and then get some sleep!", Prisca said with a lopsided grin.

Audrey took the cup to the kitchen, she washed it and returned it to its rightful place after draining the water, she seemed to be in deep thought, would we ever fall in love, Audrey shook her head, 'nahh he probably likes sophisticated women, it's just pretense, nothing special', Audrey said trying to ignore the feelings already brewing.

A beautiful smile was plastered on Lucas's face after he dropped Audrey, he loved the time they spent together at the restaurant. He never knew she could have so many reactions to so many things, one of the things he liked looking at.

She didn't even care about where she was, or who she was with, she just ate to her heart's content, and that was when the crazy urge kicked in, hell if he wasn't henpecked before, he was most definitely falling for her now.

He didn't know what to expect in the six months to come, but one thing he hoped for was for her to love him, for her to find that his world wasn't entirely complicated, and that his intentions were genuine.

The following day was the weekend, which meant Audrey wasn't going to work, she was going to the restaurant to help out with waiting tables, cleaning the place and making heartfilled desserts for the customers.

Over the months that passed, Audrey was grateful that she had met Prisca, because if she didn't, she wouldn't know where she would be later on. Helping out at the restaurant had become a hobby rather than a chore to the ladies, and Audrey was sure she knew the reason, it was something done with passion.

The day went by with Audrey and Prisca waiting tables as usual, serving customers, and getting to have the first bites from Lizzy's delicious desserts.

Around mid afternoon, while Audrey went to the counter to document what they had sold so far, the bell at the table dinged to grab her attention, as she was lost in making sure the accounts didn't have a mistake. 

Audrey looked up to see someone she thought she'd never see, Leo stood there about to hit the bell when he noticed he grabbed her attention already.

"Leo!!", Audrey exclaimed, a smile on her face, it had been a while since she saw any staff from the supermarket she used to work at. " Hi Audrey!!", he said digging his hands inside his jean pocket, "how have you been?!", he asked, " I've been fine, stressed mostly!", "what brings you here?", " well, I come here to get desserts during the lunch break, I'm already a regular customer here!".

"Ohhh, I had no idea, you probably wouldn't see me on a weekday!", " yeah, I wondered, but it wasn't my place to ask, so I didn't bother!", "ohh, lucky for me I get to work as an assistant in an office", " wow, that's like a major step up, good job Audrey!", "Thanks Leo!", Audrey said.

"So what are you having?", " I'll be taking two waffles and a cup of hot chocolate to go please!", "Alright!", Audrey said before packing his order , " have a nice day Leo!", "you too Audrey!".Leo left after getting his order.

Audrey smiled at the first normal conversation they ever had, there wasn't tension, just old friends catching up, no feelings attached. When she thought about feelings,her mind drifted to an image of Lucas in her head, " this is gonna be interesting!", Audrey muttered.