17. Jarvin
CHAPTER 17
Jarvin
A fter another busy morning at work, lunchtime rolls around, and I need a break from the constant buzz of the office. I head to a local restaurant, craving a moment of peace. As I walk in, my eyes immediately land on Lucy, seated by the window. She’s engrossed in her menu, her dark hair cascading over her shoulder. My chest tightens with surprise.
Seizing the opportunity, I walk over casually. "Mind if I join you?"
She looks up, surprised. Her green eyes meet mine, and for a moment, I see the same guarded expression she wears at work. She hesitates before nodding. "Sure."
I sit down, and we exchange small talk while perusing the menu. The tension between us is palpable.
"So, uh… come here often?" I ask, breaking the silence.
“Not this again,” she whispers. She laughs shyly and I take that as a good sign.
“What’s good here?” I ask more seriously.
She glances at me and then back at her menu. "The salads are good," she says, her voice soft and guarded.
I lean back in my chair, trying to ease the tension. "Salads? Come on, we can do better than that." I give her a playful smirk.
She looks up, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Alright then, Mr. Thraknar. What do you suggest?"
I chuckle. "How about we try their signature burger? I've heard it's pretty amazing."
Lucy raises an eyebrow but nods in agreement. We place our orders, and as we wait for our meals, the conversation gradually starts to flow more naturally.
"So," I say, leaning forward slightly. "How are you finding your job?"
She takes a sip of water before answering. "It's challenging but rewarding." Her tone is still professional but less rigid than before.
"Good to hear," I reply. "You’ve been doing great work, being my secretary and holding together the chaos…even if you do cause some of it… You know, with the whole printer thing,” I joke remembering the way the paper comically shot across the room bathing the floor in white copies.
Her cheeks turn pink as she covers her face and laughs. “Oh I was so embarrassed! But thank you.” She looks up and smiles faintly at the compliment, and I sense a bit of the initial reluctance fading away.
Our meals arrive, and we dig in. The food is excellent, but my attention keeps drifting back to Lucy. Every time she laughs or smiles, it feels like a small victory.
I watch Lucy's face as she takes a bite of her burger, her eyes momentarily closing in appreciation. It’s a simple, genuine reaction, and it makes me smile. The tension between us is still there, but it’s starting to loosen its grip.
"You know," I begin, leaning forward with a conspiratorial grin, "I once tried to cook a burger myself. Let’s just say the smoke alarm had other ideas."
She looks up, a glint of curiosity in her eyes. "Really? You don't strike me as the type to struggle in the kitchen especially since it's your secret hobby."
I smile at the way she remembers something I shared with her before. "Well, I can handle a boardroom just fine," I admit, "but the kitchen used to be enemy territory. My first attempt at making dinner ended with my apartment filled with smoke and me ordering takeout."
Lucy laughs, a genuine sound that fills the space between us. It's the kind of laugh that reaches her eyes and makes them sparkle. "I can picture it now—Mr. CEO battling it out with a skillet."
I chuckle along with her, feeling the tension dissolve further. "Yeah, not one of my finer moments. But hey, I’ve learned to stick to what I'm good at: delegating tasks and not setting off fire alarms."
She shakes her head, still smiling. "Maybe you just needed better instructions."
"Or a personal chef," I counter with a smirk.
"Or that," she agrees, laughter still in her voice.
For the first time since our encounter at the airport, I feel like we’re breaking through the walls she’s built around herself. It’s refreshing to see her let her guard down. For a moment, I catch a glimpse of the woman I met that day, and I smile to myself knowing that she’s still in there.
I take a sip of my drink, keeping my tone light and casual. "So, got any exciting plans for the weekend?"
Lucy looks up from her plate, a hint of curiosity in her eyes. "Nothing too exciting. I might go for a hike if the weather holds up."
I smile, sensing an opportunity to connect. "Hiking, huh? I went on a pretty challenging trail last weekend. Almost twisted my ankle but managed to power through."
Her eyes light up with interest. "Really? Where did you go?"
"Up in the Greenwoods," I say, leaning back slightly. "There's this hidden trail that not many people know about. The views are incredible."
She nods, her enthusiasm growing. "I love the Greenwoods! I went there last month with some friends. We found this amazing waterfall off the beaten path."
I listen intently as she describes the hike, the excitement in her voice making her even more captivating. She talks about the towering trees, the smell of pine in the air, and how refreshing it was to stand by the waterfall after hours of trekking.
"Sounds like an adventure," I say, genuinely interested. "Did you take any pictures?"
Lucy nods, pulling out her phone to show me a few snapshots. The images are stunning—lush greenery, cascading water, and smiling faces of her friends.
"You've got a good eye," I comment, admiring one particularly well-framed shot of the waterfall.
"Thanks," she replies with a modest smile. "It's hard not to take good pictures when you're surrounded by so much beauty."
As she talks about her love for hiking and nature photography, I make sure to listen closely, nodding at appropriate moments and asking follow-up questions that show my genuine interest.
"You know," I say thoughtfully, "I find hiking clears my mind like nothing else. There's something about being out in nature that helps me reset."
Lucy’s eyes meet mine, and for a moment, there's an unspoken understanding between us. "Exactly," she agrees softly. "It's like everything else fades away, and it's just you and the trail."
I lean in slightly, feeling a deeper connection forming as we share our mutual love for hiking and nature.
"So," I continue with a playful grin, "think you'd ever want to tackle that hidden trail in the Greenwoods? It could be our next adventure."
Lucy laughs softly but doesn’t give me an answer right away. Instead, she takes another bite of her burger, savoring the moment.
For now, that’s enough for me.
Throughout the meal, I keep my focus on Lucy. My eyes hold hers just a second longer each time she looks up, hoping she senses my interest. When she laughs, I make sure to mirror her smile, creating an unspoken connection between us.
At one point, we both reach for the breadbasket at the same time. Our hands brush, and this time, I don’t pull away immediately. I let the touch linger for just a moment longer, feeling the warmth of her skin against mine. I watch as a flicker of something—recognition, perhaps—crosses her face. She feels it too, the undeniable chemistry between us.
“Sorry,” she says softly, retracting her hand with a slight smile.
“No need to apologize,” I reply, keeping my tone light but my gaze steady. “It’s nice to have company..and the bread is good.”
Lucy’s cheeks flush slightly, and she looks down at her plate. The subtle signals seem to be working; I can tell she’s aware of the tension between us.
“So,” I say, shifting the conversation back to lighter topics. “Any good books you’ve read lately?”
She brightens at the question, clearly passionate about reading. “Actually, yes! I just finished this amazing thriller. The plot twists were incredible.”
I lean in, genuinely interested. “Sounds intriguing. What’s it about?”
“It’s about a woman who stops speaking after being accused of murdering her husband,” she says with excitement.
I nod thoughtfully. “I’ll have to check it out.”
Our conversation flows easily from there, covering everything from favorite movies to travel destinations we dream of visiting someday. Each shared laugh and mutual interest feels like another brick removed from the wall she’s built around herself.
As we continue our impromptu lunch, I notice Lucy seems more relaxed than when we first sat down. Her laughter comes more freely now, and her eyes sparkle with genuine enjoyment.
I can't contain the smile on my face, feeling a sense of accomplishment. The meal is coming to an end, but the connection between us feels stronger than ever.
She looks at me with those vibrant green eyes and smiles warmly. For now, that’s enough for me.
As we finish our meals, I reach for the check before Lucy can even think about it. “I’ve got this,” I say firmly, flashing her a confident smile. She opens her mouth to protest, but I cut her off. “Consider it my treat for such an enjoyable lunch.”
She hesitates for a moment, then nods with a smile. “Alright, thank you.”
We leave the restaurant together, the air between us now comfortable and warm. I walk beside her to her car, our steps in sync. The sun casts a golden hue over everything, making the moment feel almost surreal.
When we reach her car, I turn to face her, taking in the way the light dances in her green eyes. “I really enjoyed today,” I say sincerely. “We should do this again sometime.”
Lucy looks at me, emotions flickering across her face. She hesitates, and for a moment, I worry she’ll reject the idea outright.
But then she gives me that glimmer of hope—a small smile that lights up her face.
“I’d like that,” she says softly.
It’s not a declaration of love or even a promise of more to come, but it’s something.
She unlocks her car and gets in, pausing to look at me one last time before closing the door. As she drives away, I stand there watching until her car disappears from view.
Turning back towards my own car, I feel a sense of determination settling in my chest. It’s a small victory, but it feels significant. That smile means more than words can express.