41. Feels Like Home
Feels Like Home
The bell jingled its welcome as Lucien opened the door from the roadside restaurant, gesturing for Kate to go first.
“Why thank you, gentleman.”
“Always, my lady.” He winked at her with a sly smile.
She rolled her eyes and shook her head as she stepped into the diner.
How he could still be in a good mood after getting rocked around the car for an hour straight was beyond her. She’d finally gotten the Volvo rolling for a good five times without stalling. At which point, Lucien decided it was time to go and grab food.
Inside the diner, it was hamburgers, pizzas, and French fries, with red couches flanking the walls, forming small booths. It didn′t get more classic than this. They passed by the counter, where a red-skirted waitress poured coffee. Kate nearly followed her nose to the pot.
A shoulder hit hers. “Don’t go drooling over the floor, sweetheart.”
She pushed him right back, getting him to move at least two inches. Great. “Who said it again, oh, wait it was you! If you don’t want to face my known irritated side… friend. Speak your next words wisely.”
Lucien made a show of closing his mouth, pretending to turn a key and throw it behind him.
“Wise move.”
They shuffled into a booth, thanking the waitress for the menus.
But the woman stayed in her spot next to their table, eyes trailing over Lucien for a good couple of seconds.
She lingered on the biceps rolling beneath his dark blue sweater, giving him a brilliant smile.
Hand going up to brush back her brown hair over an ear.
Lucien cut it short with a friendly smile. “Thank you! That was all.”
Finally, she moved away, but not without throwing another eager glance over her shoulder.
Kate hid a laugh behind her hand. “It should almost be considered groping.”
“She was merely friendly.”
“Sure, sure. I’m surprised she got her feet moving away from you.”
Lucien shot her a burning glare. Kate ignored it, choosing to flip through the menu with a whistle. The choice was overwhelming. After all the quinoa, oat pasta, veggies, olive oil and spices Lucien had all but shoved through her throat.
The waitress came prancing back, having given them a good two minutes to decide on their meal. She shot Lucien a doe-eyed look and followed up sweetly. “What will you be having today, sir?”
All addicts for a show of muscles. Pssst
Kate raised her eyebrows in jest, still flipping through the menu.
“I’ll have the garden salad. Oil and vinegar on the side, please.”
“Want chicken on that?” She peeked at his trained arms again.
“No, no.” He shook his head. “Just the greens.”
Eventually she turned to acknowledge Kate, her sweet smile disappearing into the abyss.
“I’ll have what he has. With a sparkling water, please.”
They returned the menus, the woman, Deborah her name tag read, wheeled around to pass on their orders.
Lucien raised a single eyebrow at her. “All I’ve heard is… I want a cheeseburger, what is this… quinoa?! I want fried rice, Lucien.” He’d piped his voice down to mimic hers. “Now here we are, surrounded by the world’s greasiest foods, nearly dripping off the menu. And you order a… salad?”
She shrugged. “I didn’t want to make you feel uncomfortable.”
“Why would you make me feel that way?”
Deborah returned, swifter than lightning with their orders. Placing them down on the table with a clank, followed by Lucien’s requested olive oil and vinegar.
Lucien didn’t look away from Kate, the question heavy in his eyes.
“Well?” He gestured with his chin to her salad.
“Well.” Kate trapped a piece of lettuce on her fork. “You are vegan, aren’t you?” His look shifted from suspicion into downright shock.
She smiled sweetly. “I’m not wrong, am I?”
His mouth opened and closed, almost like a fish on dry land. Kate bit her lip, trying to hold back her laugh.
Finally, he settled on, “However did you find that out?”
So, I was right all along!
She didn’t let her thoughts show, fully enjoying the moment of Lucien being off-kilter for once. She leaned forward. “You’re not that much of an enigma… sweetheart.”
She popped a piece of tomato in her mouth, wincing slightly. Ugh, greenhouse tomatoes that hadn’t seen the sun. Tasteless buggers.
Lucien fixed her with another glare. “Spill it, Kate Withers, or you will suffer the consequences in training… soon.”
Ohhh, we’ve reached last name basis. With threats on the side… interesting
“Oh, trust me.” She brushed her hair back behind an ear. Noticing how his gaze followed the movement. “After that driving lesson of yours just now, I am only returning the favor.”
She smirked, having drawn out his misery long enough.
“Maybe it’s because your fridge is always stacked to the brim, but it never contains anything from meat or cheese.
” Her smile fell away. “Plus, the looks. When we drove by that slaughterhouse a couple miles back?” He nodded.
“You can’t not see it. Sometimes it makes me think…
well… you look as if you live their pain and breathe their fear.
Knowing what they’re about to go through. ”
He turned into a statue.
“Which is strange… considering.” She almost said it but bit her tongue at the very last second. She was so used to being straight up, she’d nearly forgotten they were in public. She added hastily. “Knowing what you do.”
But Lucien sidestepped her question. Firing off one of his own, confusion obvious in the curve of his frown. “It doesn’t answer my earlier question. You could have easily ordered a hamburger. If only to tease me, which we both know is the reason for your existence.”
Her answering laugh made people turn their heads and glance her way. Hiding her red cheeks behind her hands, she muttered shyly. “Maybe you’ve rubbed off on me. Besides.” An innocent shrug rolled off her shoulders. “There are better ways to get under your nails.”
“Well.” He cleared his throat. “I guess your detective work deserves a reward.”
That made her perk up. “A reward? You mean you won’t torture me in the car anymore?”
“Nope, can’t do that. But… I do know a place near the chalet, the sole vegetarian and vegan restaurant in the area. I want to take you there.”
That sounded an awful lot like a date. Before she could respond, Lucien’s phone piped up with a shrill alarm. He frowned, digging into his pocket to fish out the phone. His eyebrows raised at what he saw.
Her gut tightened into a ball. News was never really good in their situation.
Before she could fire off a question, he shoved the phone over the table, turning it for her to see.
Luke, the young police officer stood in front of Lucien’s door, knuckles rapping over the door while his foot tapped the steps impatiently. With Ghost waiting in the car in the parking lot beside their window, the house was deserted. Quite obviously so.
Lucien rose a finger to his lips, motioning for her to remain silent as he leaned closer to the phone and turned up the volume. Right. His installation picked up sound as well. Kate leaned in too, straining her ears to hear something.
The officer’s knuckles rapped over the door again, then halted temporarily as he stood on his toes to glance in through the tiny window.
His feet stomped over the steps as he walked down.
“Fucking Lucien Alexander Evans.” They saw him clench his hand next to the gun on his hip.
“Think he can rule the Montana roost.” The sound fell away, and she thought he’d leave.
Instead, He rounded the corner to the large window, peeking inside with a hand beside his temple.
Luke finally seemed to get the message that no one was home. Slamming the door of his black-and-white patrol car with a harsh clang before leaving.
Kate narrowed her eyes. “Well, guess his day has been ruined a bit, huh.”
Lucien leaned his chin on a hand. “Why is he so determined… to go behind the back of his superior. This footage is enough to get him fired if Richard doesn’t know of his visit.”
“I wouldn’t get him fired.”
“Oh, no I won’t.” He regarded her with curiosity. “You’re right, it’ll only serve to light a fire under his ass. Best to keep him within sight. Even if it’s premature to say if he’ll be an… issue.”
Kate frowned. “Come to think of it, where has the zooming sound from the cameras gone off to?” One of those things you don’t notice until it’s finally missing.
Lucien pointed outside to the setting sun, drawing her attention to the brilliant orange rays taking over the dimming evening sky. He returned to ticking on his phone, fingers flying over the screen, not looking up as he said. “I noticed it bothered you, they’re angled toward the outside now.”
Kate wondered when it had happened. When her supposed place of doom had started shifting into a… home? When had constant threats changed to sharing laughter? She’d never know the exact moment it happened. But it was clear that things between them had undoubtedly changed.
“So, what do you say?” He looked up, the reflection of the sun bright on his face, lighting up the green in his eyes. “Dare to go on a dinner with me?”
She sipped from her water as if it was wine, pinkie pointing up. “Can’t be worse than the first one can it?”
Lucien chuckled, eyeing her up and down with disbelief. “This will be better than Christmas. That’s a promise.”