One Wild Night

877  Best Baker

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and pastries filled Lucas's nose as he pushed open the door of a quaint cafe.

He inhaled deeply, grateful that he had decided to step out of the house for breakfast instead of settling for a bowl of cereals in front of the television, as had become his habit lately.

The usual Sunday morning crowd was just beginning, the sound of chatter and the rhythmic clinking of spoons against mugs a comforting soundtrack. Lucas scanned the room, as he searched for an empty seat.

Most tables were occupied by couples or groups of friends, engaged in lively conversations. A lone woman sat by the window, a steaming cup of coffee in front of her, and Lucas thought of Amy seated by herself that way at the lounge.

He spotted one by the window, bathed in a warm shaft of sunlight. Perfect. He thought as he made his way to the window seat which had just been vacated.

With a sigh, he settled into the chair, pulling out his phone to check for a response to the email he had sent her on his way to the cafe.

It was a simple text. [Arrived at your destination yet?]

Seeing as there was no response yet, he ordered a latte and cake slice as he forced himself to put the phone away, not wanting to appear overly eager.

Once the latte was served, he took a sip, the warmth spreading through him. He glanced out the window, watching the world go by while waiting for Amy's response.

He was amazed by how the table had so quickly turned from not wanting her to text him, to impatiently awaiting her text.

Was this her plan? Was she staring at her phone right now and smirking with all arrogance at how she had successfully made him do her bidding? Lucas mused, and then shook his head.

Amy wasn't that type. She wasn't a manipulative person. If there was one thing he knew about her, it was how direct she was.

Just then, his phone beeped with a new email notification, and he smiled when he saw it was from Amy.

[Just settling in my seat now. Why are you still sending an email instead of a text?]

Now that he knew she had arrived at her  destination, he decided to give her a call.

For a moment, Lucas debated his approach.  Should he be direct? Or should he play it cool, pretending to be a stranger?

A mischievous glint entered his eyes. He decided on the latter. He leaned back in his chair as he dialed her number.

Amy, who was perusing the drink menu and trying to make up her mind on what to drink, glanced at her phone when it vibrated with a phone call, and seeing the country code displayed, she blinked, then a slow smile spread across her face.

She had begun to think he changed his mind about talking to her.

"I will have a glass of pina colada," she told the waiter distractedly as she picked up her phone and received the call.

Before she could speak, Lucas's voice came through the receiver. "Excuse me," Lucas said, his voice polite yet playful. "Is this seat taken?"

At first she was taken aback, wondering if Lucas had dialed her line mistakenly while talking to someone.

"Can you hear me?" Lucas asked when he didn't get a response and Amy chuckled, a light, musical sound when she realized he was talking to her

"Does it look taken?" She asked, playing along.

"Well, I'm not sure. I wouldn't want to intrude if you're expecting someone," Lucas said, liking the sound of her voice over the phone.

"As a matter of fact," he drawled, "a little birdie told me there might be a lonely soul looking for company out here."

Amy couldn't help but grin, "A little birdie, huh?" she said, her eyes twinkling.  "Well, that little birdie must have been mistaken. There's nobody lonely here."

"Oh? So the little birdie lied? Then perhaps I should offer my company to someone else."

Amy's grin widened. "Alright, alright," she conceded, shaking her head. "The little birdie might have been partially right. Perhaps a little company wouldn't be so bad after all."

Lucas's grin widened. "In that case, I will join you. Dr. Lucas Perry at your service."

Amy raised an eyebrow, a playful smile on her lips. "Oh, I see. Doctor, huh? Well, it's nice to meet you. I'm Amy. Amy Grant. And not a doctor," she said and Lucas smiled.

"You can call me Luca. I've heard Lucas sounds like Look Ass," he replied, and Amy burst out laughing, the sound filling  Lucas's ears and making him grin as well.

"You are never going to forget that, are you?" She asked, and Lucas shook his head enjoying the sound of her easy laughter.

"Never ever," he said and she smiled.

"Thank you," she said softly, and his brow shot up.

"For what? Never ever forgetting that you referred to me as Look Ass?" He teased, and she giggled.

She hadn't realized he had such a sense of humor. He always looked and acted sort of serious.

"For making me laugh. I was sort of feeling down. And I honestly felt like I was being a bother," she admitted.

"I take responsibility for that. I believe my response might have made you feel that way. I'm sorry," he said and she shook her head even though he couldn't see her.

"You don't have to apologize. You did nothing wrong. I'm sure you've got stuff you're dealing with too. I'm sorry I keep pestering you," Amy said apologetically.

"Let's forget about that, shall we?"

"What are we forgetting?" Amy asked as the waiter returned with her glass of  cocktail. n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Lucas' brows pulled together. "I mean let's forget…" he trailed off when she giggled and he realized what her question meant.

She had forgotten it already. She was witty. Lucas decided with a chuckle.

"Are you out? Your background isn't so quiet," Amy observed as she sipped from her glass and Lucas smiled.

"I thought I was seated opposite you?" He asked and Amy giggled.

"I'm being serious now…"

"That makes the both of us," Lucas said and Amy laughed.

"Well, I'm just having breakfast at a cafe. What's the scene like at the lounge?" He asked as he drank from his latte.

"It's not too bad," she replied. "A bit quiet, but it's early evening here, remember?"

"Right. Then I guess you haven't met any interesting characters yet."

"Not yet," she admitted. "Just a couple of regulars enjoying their drinks." There was a hint of disappointment in her voice.

"Ouch! I'm hurt. I'm seated opposite you but you don't think I'm interesting," Lucas joked, and Amy laughed softly.

"Was that a test?"

"It wasn't until you answered," he said and she grinned.

"So, what's the place like? I mean style. Is it a dive bar or a hidden gem?"

"Neither," Amy replied mysteriously. "Think cozy armchairs, dim lighting, and maybe a worn piano in the corner."

Lucas pictured the scene, "Sounds...interesting," he admitted.

"I will send you a picture after the call," she promised.

"I will be expecting it. So, what are you drinking? A cocktail or something more sophisticated?"

"Can't you see it? I thought you were seated opposite me?" Amy said, a hint of a smile in her voice.

Lucas chuckled, "Right. I am. You're having a… cocktail," he guessed.

"That's a good guess. What are you having for breakfast?" Amy asked curiously since she didn't want the whole of the conversation to be about her.

"Latte and cake."

"Cake, huh? You've got a sweet tooth?" She asked, curious to know more about him than she knew already.

"Guilty as charged," Lucas admitted.

"Noted. Maybe I will bake you a thank you present when next you come around," she offered.

"Do you realize that this is the third thing you're offering?" He asked, amused.

"What?" Amy asked, lost.

"You said you'd like to buy me a drink or coffee when next I visit. You said you'd take me to the lounge when next I visit. And now you are offering to bake me something. Just how many days do you plan to see me?" Lucas pointed out.

"One day is good enough. I will buy you the drink at the lounge, and you can take the cake, cookie, or pastry home with you. But I can assure you that the moment you taste whatever I bake, you are going to be begging for more. It will be an addiction," Amy said confidently.

"Then I guess it's best I never taste it. I do not want to become addicted to anything."

"Really? You'd rather miss the opportunity to taste the best cake ever because you're scared of addiction?" Amy asked incredulously.

Lucas angled his head, "You sound too confident in your ability. How did you learn to bake?"

"My mom. She is a housekeeper. She is the chief housekeeper at Miley's home. She has been working there since I was a little girl. She made me learn how to cook and bake," Amy explained with a note of pride in her voice.

"So, what's the cafe like? Any interesting people around?" Amy asked and Lucas looked around.

"It's a quaint place. It has a sort of homey feel. There's one interesting person in front of me. She claims she is the best baker in the world," Lucas teased and her delighted laugh filled his ear.

"I never said I was the best baker in the world," she said defensively.

"You said it would be the best cake I've ever tasted. That means you're better than every other baker," Lucas said and she rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, I was waiting for you to say no interesting person around you. Too bad you didn't fall into my trap," she said, and Lucas chuckled.

As their conversation neared an end, a comfortable silence settled between them. "I think I should leave you now. You might not meet anyone interesting if you remain on the phone," Lucas said and Amy sighed deeply.

She had enjoyed his company more than she could have ever thought possible, and now it made her think back to how she had behaved during his visit.

11:33

She had enjoyed his company more than she could have ever thought possible, and now it made her think back to how she had behaved during his visit.

"I'm sorry," she blurted with a wince.

"Sorry? What for?" Lucas asked at a loss.

Amy shut her eyes, "I just remembered how silly I behaved when we met at Lucy's. I'm usually a reasonable person…"

"Even the most reasonable people do unreasonable things at times. Forget it," Lucas cut in and Amy scowled.

"Are you saying I was unreasonable?" She asked playfully, and Lucas chuckled.

"You said it yourself, not me."

"Wow. Nice one," she said, and he grinned.

"So, Luca," Amy said, her voice softer, "what are you doing for the rest of the day after breakfast?"

"Honestly? I need to catch up on some reading." It wasn't entirely true, but the thought of admitting his day was wide open felt oddly appealing.

"Sounds...dreadfully boring," Amy drawled.

Lucas chuckled. "I love to read. Reading is not boring. What about you? What do you plan to do?" Lucas asked curiously.

"Go home and go to bed. I'm so glad tomorrow is Monday. I will be too busy to bother you. So, how about you be my weekend buddy? Can I bother you on weekends?" She asked and Lucas shrugged.

"I will try to be available."

"Deal!" Amy said, glad that he agreed.

"Alright then. Have fun," Lucas said, hanging up the call.

He sighed when he checked the call duration and realized they had been talking for almost an hour. He had not planned to stay that long on the phone with her.

He raised a brow when he received a text notification from Amy, and his lips twitched with an amused smile when he saw she had sent a selfie with the background of the lounge in full display.

Being friends with her wasn't so bad after all, Lucas decided as he set aside his phone to focus on his latte which had now become cold.