13. LYCA
Chapter 13
LYCA
W hy did I say yes? Why did I agree to this? Am I out of my mind?
These questions raced through my head as I absentmindedly pulled on my jeans and a cozy sweater. But then, my thoughts drifted back to breakfast with Xander and Lucas. The warmth of that morning lingered in my mind, a pleasant memory that brought a smile to my lips. It had definitely been a great experience for both me and Lucas.
Suddenly, my gaze fell on the clock, and I jolted back to reality. “Oh no,” I muttered to myself, realizing the time. I hastily grabbed my bag and called out for Lucas, but the apartment was eerily quiet.
“Lucas?” I called out again, my voice tinged with concern. “It's time to go to the zoo, sweetheart. Remember, you wanted to see the animals today.”
But there was no response, no sound of his excited footsteps or cheerful laughter. A sense of unease crept over me as I searched the apartment, checking every room and corner in a futile attempt to find him. “Honey, it’s not the right time to play hide and seek…”
Panic gnawed at the edges of my mind as I realized that Lucas was nowhere to be found.
“Where did that boy go?” I wondered out loud. I was starting to get really nervous.
Then, suddenly, a crazy idea formed in my head. I rushed outside and knocked on Xander’s door. He’d mentioned that he was planning to stay in and rest today.
My heart was pounding, partly from the growing panic, and partly from having to see the man who’d brought me to ecstasy last night again.
After a while, the door opened. Xander stood there, effortlessly stylish in a simple shirt and a pair of chinos, as if he had just stepped out of a magazine cover. Sporting a pair of sneakers, he looked ready to head out.
And God, he smelled sooo good.
“Uh, hey. Is Lucas there, by any chance?”
Before he could reply, I heard my son’s voice calling from behind him. “Mommy!” He ran toward me and embraced me.
“Lucas, I’ve been looking all over for you,” I said with relief, hugging him tightly. “You had me so worried.”
“I’m so sorry, Mommy,” he said in his tiny, cute voice, giving me an innocent look.
“Oh, no,” Xander said, looking alarmed. “I didn’t know he had not informed you he was coming over here. He’d been asking me to go to the zoo.”
“Oh!” I exclaimed, straightening up again. “Well, we wouldn’t want to disturb your rest, but, of course, you’re welcome to join us if you want to.”
“Yes, join us, please!” Lucas chimed, tugging on his hand. “And Mom, I made him dress up already!” He grinned mischievously, looking quite proud of himself.
I had to laugh at that, while Xander grinned and shrugged.
“I had no choice, I guess,” he quipped.
That afternoon, the three of us wandered through the Los Angeles Zoo, as if we were an actual family.
Lucas's eyes sparkled with delight as he eagerly pointed out each new animal we encountered, his enthusiasm infectious.
Xander walked beside us, his easygoing demeanor and charming smile adding to the joyous atmosphere. I couldn’t help but wonder at how wrong I’d been about him, and how different he seemed in real life from his celebrity image.
“Look, Mommy!” Lucas cried, pulling my hand as we approached the elephant enclosure. “It's Dumbo!”
I chuckled at his comparison, marveling at the majestic creatures before us. “They're incredible, aren't they?” I replied, my gaze drifting over the gentle giants as they lumbered gracefully through their habitat.
“Definitely incredible,” Xander murmured. But his eyes were fixed on me, making me blush a bit.
Wanting to change the subject, I asked him the first question that came to mind. “Did you ever come to the zoo as a kid, Xander?” I asked, genuinely curious.
He shook his head, a hint of wistfulness in his eyes. “No, actually,” he admitted. “My mom was always busy working when I was growing up, so we never really had the chance to do things like this.”
Sympathy tugged at my heartstrings as I listened to his words. “Well, then today's your lucky day,” I declared with a grin, pulling out my phone to capture the moment. “We're going to make sure you see all the animals and have the best zoo experience ever.”
“That’s right!” Lucas quipped beside me.
Xander's eyes lit up as he laughed. “Wow, thanks, you guys. This means a lot, really.”
“Never did I think of you as the type to roam around a zoo or hang out with a kid,” I told him honestly.
He grinned at me sheepishly, looking adorably cute and stunning. “Well, I gotta admit I never thought that about myself either. But I’m having fun, discovering a new part of me… So, thanks to both of you.”
As Lucas dashed ahead to catch a glimpse of the giraffes, I found myself hanging back with Xander, our hands brushing against each other in a fleeting moment of connection. My heart skipped a beat at the subtle touch, a rush of warmth flooding through me.
Xander glanced at me, his brown eyes curious as he broke the comfortable silence between us. “Did you used to love zoos when you were younger?” he asked, his voice soft.
I nodded with a fond smile as specific memories came to mind, vague images of me and my mom visiting zoos. “Yes, definitely,” I replied, my gaze drifting back to Lucas as he marveled at the majestic creatures before us. “But as a teenager, I remember wanting to visit Santa Monica Pier. It was something I’d always dreamt of doing, but I never got the chance.”
A hint of regret colored my words as I recalled the missed opportunities of my youth and the sacrifices I had made in pursuit of my goals.
“Oh,” Xander said in surprise. “Well, then, why didn’t you go when you were older?”
I shrugged, chuckling. “I’m not sure. I guess I’ve been too busy.”
“You need to live more, Lyca Taylor!”
“You bet!”
He was about to say something else when my son motioned for me to join him. I took a few snapshots of him in front of the giraffes before we moved on to the next section.
“What about you? Any places you’ve always wanted to go to in LA?” I asked Xander later on.
“Nah. But maybe somewhere else.”
“Like?”
“Like going off to Europe, exploring Paris and Rome and so on, going to Monaco and joining the Grand Prix…”
“Wow,” I replied, surprised but happy that he was opening up so much to me. It was as if we’d known each other for a long time, the way we were suddenly comfortable with one another.
“Who knows?” I said with a grin. “Maybe your dad’s targeting the Monaco Grand Prix for the team this year.”
“Maybe,” he said. “But if we do go there, I hope you come with us.”
My heart went into a crazy lurch again. Holy shit. But aloud, I just said, “Let’s see.”