Liora woke up earlier than usual, the morning sun peeking through the curtains as she stretched and yawned. For once, she didn't have to drag herself out of bed. She felt… lighter. Brushing away the memory of Lucian's gentle eyes, she got dressed and walked into the living room to see Imani sprawled on the couch like a queen on her throne.
"Aren't you going to work?" Liora asked, raising a brow.
"I am," Imani said with a groan. "But... I'm feeling a bit lazy."
"Get your lazy ass off the couch and get ready for work," Liora replied with a playful smirk, walking to the kitchen counter and grabbing an apple.
"You look energetic and vibrant today," Imani said, sitting up. "I guess it's because of Mr. Rich Guy Hotel."
"What?!" Liora nearly choked on her apple, her cheeks instantly heating up.
Imani grinned. "No need to act all innocent, lover girl."
"I just don't want to be late to work," Liora mumbled, trying—and failing—to sound indifferent.
"Are you sure, lover girl?" Imani teased again, moving closer with a knowing look.
Liora aimed the apple at her. "Of course I'm sure."
"Mm-hmm," Imani said with a laugh.
"Girl, bye. I've got to head to work," Liora said quickly, grabbing her bag and making for the door.
Liora heads to work. On her way, she can't help but reminisce about the night at the hotel with Lucian. The way he helped her, how calm and gentle he was—it all replays in her mind like a scene from a movie.
She arrives at the diner and begins serving customers. As she's tying her apron and about to sign in, one of her co-workers approaches her.
"Uh, Liora, can you take orders at table four?"
"Huh? Table four? I'm just about to sign in. Can you take it for me?"
"Sorry, but... he specifically asked for you."
"Me?" Liora looks puzzled.
She drops the pen and heads out to the dining area. Her heart skips a beat as her eyes lock with Lucian's.
The bell above the diner door jingled softly as Lucian stepped inside, the morning light catching the sharp angles of his face. Dressed in his usual tailored ease, he looked like he didn't belong in a place like this but somehow, he made it work.
He scanned the room once before quietly pulling out a chair at an empty table, his movements smooth and composed. But underneath that calm exterior, his thoughts were racing.
Would she want to see me again?
A waitress approached with a practiced smile. "Good morning, sir. What can I get for you?"
Lucian gave a polite nod. "Oh, I'm not here for breakfast. I was wondering… is Liora around?"
"Oh yeah, she's in the back. Just clocked in."
"Could she be the one to serve me, please?" he asked gently, his voice calm despite the doubt buzzing in his head. "Thank you."
The waitress blinked in surprise but nodded and walked away.
Lucian let out a slow breath and rubbed his thumb along the edge of the table. Let's hope this doesn't go south.
A few minutes later, footsteps approached and when Lucian looked up, his heart thudded.
It was her.
"Oh... it's you," Liora said, eyes wide.
Lucian gave a small smile. "Yeah. It's me."
"Uhm... what would you like to have?" she asked, slipping into work mode to cover the nerves in her voice.
"I'm not here for breakfast," Lucian replied. "I'm here for you."
"Me?" she echoed, confused.
"I mean, it's about repaying me. I'm so sorry for any inconvenience," Liora rushed out. "I swear, once I get my paycheck this month, I'll—"
"You don't need to pay me back," Lucian interrupted gently.
"What?"
"I don't want your money."
"Okay… then what do you want?"
Lucian leaned back, eyes steady. "Go on a date with me."
"Huh?" was all Liora could manage, her heart practically jumping into her throat.
"Uhm… isn't that a bit blunt?" Liora asked, her eyes narrowing slightly. "I mean, we don't even know each other."
Lucian gave a small nod, his voice calm. "Yeah, I know. I just… I'd like to get to know you. That's all."
"A date, right?" she clarified, arms crossed. "Nothing more than a date?"
He held her gaze. "Just a date."
She hesitated, then gave a small sigh. "Alright. That sounds fine by me."
Lucian's expression softened, and a glimmer of happiness sparked in his eyes, though he quickly masked it with a composed smile. He nodded, his voice low yet steady. "Great. I'll pick the time and place, then."
He paused for a moment, as if trying to contain his excitement, before adding, "I'll make sure it's worth your time."
Liora nodded, unsure of what to make of this sudden shift but keeping her composure. "We'll see about that."
Liora excused herself and walked to the back of the diner, her heart pounding in her chest. As soon as she was out of Lucian's sight, she quickly slipped into the kitchen, letting out a quiet, but frantic scream.
"Ahhh! Oh my god, what just happened? I'm literally going on a date!"
She placed her hands on her cheeks, feeling a mix of excitement and disbelief. Her thoughts raced, and the only thing she could think of was telling Imani.
"I can't wait to tell Imani!" she whispered, a smile tugging at her lips.
Liora walked into the apartment, still trying to process the whirlwind of events that had just unfolded. She found Imani sprawled out on the couch, scrolling through her phone, and for a moment, she just stood there, staring at her best friend, a goofy smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
Imani looked up briefly, not noticing anything unusual. "Hey, you're home early. Everything okay?"
Liora couldn't hold it in any longer. "Imani... you're never going to believe this."
Imani didn't even bother to look up from her phone. "Mhm, sure, sure. You're probably just tired from work."
"No," Liora said, barely able to contain her excitement. "I'm going on a date."
Imani froze, finally looking up. "Wait... what?"
Liora nodded quickly, almost nervously. "Yeah. I... I agreed to go on a date with Lucian."
Imani shot up from the couch, her eyes wide. "Lucian? Like, the Lucian? The guy who helped you that night? That Lucian?"
"Yeah, that Lucian," Liora muttered, looking down, trying to hide the blush creeping up her neck. "But it's not a big deal."
Imani raised an eyebrow, grinning mischievously. "Oh, really? Not a big deal? You've got Mr. Rich and Mysterious asking you on a date, and it's not a big deal?"
Liora crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "I only agreed because I owe him. He helped me, and I can't afford to pay him back yet. So this is just a favor. Nothing more."
Imani scoffed. "A favor? Girl, please. We both know that's not how this works. You're going on a date with him because he wants you, and you're probably low-key into him too."
"I'm not!" Liora protested, her face turning a deeper shade of red. "I swear, I'm not. I just—he helped me, and I can't keep avoiding him. It's just a date, nothing more."
Imani raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh. Sure. Just a date. But tell me, when did you start agreeing to dinner dates with rich guys as a way to 'repay favors'?"
Liora turned away quickly, trying to hide her smile. "I don't know, okay? I just couldn't think of anything else to say, so I agreed."
Imani stood up, hands on her hips, shaking her head with a grin. "Liora, you are such a terrible liar. You're totally into him. Don't even try to deny it. I can see it in your face."
"I'm not!" Liora insisted, though she knew it was no use. Imani was already giving her a look that screamed "I told you so." "He's just... he's just being nice. That's all."
"Uh-huh," Imani said, clearly unconvinced. "Well, whatever you say, 'Miss I'm-just-trying-to-repay-a-favor.' You know what? You better start thinking about what you're wearing because you've got a date with him—and you're not backing out now."
Liora sighed dramatically, trying to fight the growing butterflies in her stomach. "I didn't even ask him when the date is, okay? I don't even know if it's happening anytime soon. It's all just... well, weird."
Imani grinned wider. "It's happening, trust me. You'll be telling me all the details before you know it. And I'm here for it."
"Ugh," Liora groaned, sinking onto the couch. "This is going to be a disaster."
Imani sat next to her, nudging her with a playful elbow. "Oh, trust me. It's going to be the best disaster ever. You deserve this, Liora. Just try to enjoy the ride."
Liora shook her head, but a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Yeah, we'll see about that."