Chapter 42 - I’m Sorry

Lucy tilted her head back and blinked at Tom, "Ground rules? What ground rules?" She asked as though she was struggling to understand and keep up with what he was saying.

One end of Tom's lips twitched, "Yeah. You only get to ask a question once. And you can't continue from where you stopped or generate another question from my response," Tom said and Lucy rolled her eyes.

"How boring," She muttered as Tricia returned to their table with their drink.

"Thanks," Both Tom and Lucy told her before she left.

It amused Tom that someone like her would refer to anyone else as boring, "So are you in or not?"

Lucy picked up another glass against her better sense of judgment and started drinking from it out of habit. It seemed to Tom like once she started drinking, she couldn't bring herself to stop until she was done. When she was done, she dropped the glass on the table and grinned at him as if something was amusing her, "Of course, I'm in."

She couldn't help noticing that her voice was beginning to sound foreign to her. She was gradually beginning to feel light-headed, and she could tell that she was on her way to becoming drunk. For someone aware of her low alcohol tolerance, it amazed her that she kept drinking alcohol even when she didn't need it anymore.

Tom had expected her to insist on adding her own ground rules too, but it appeared like being tipsy was affecting her ability to think straight, or maybe it was making her bold and daring, "I suggest you carefully think about your questions..."

She waved both hands to stop him, "Worry about yourself instead. So I'm asking the next question, right?" Lucy asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Yes, you are," Tom said as he raised his glass to his lips and sipped from it. He was still on his second glass while she was going to her fourth. He watched her with interest as a rosy blush flushed her cheeks, and he couldn't help wondering what she wanted to ask him that embarrassed her that much.

"Did you...." She closed her eyes as she tried to summon up courage, "Did you use a co.. cond... condom? I mean that night?" She blurted out, without looking at him directly.

Tom tried hard to maintain a straight face, and the only indication of his amusement was the gleam in his eyes as his body shook with laughter, "No, I didn't," he said as he watched her over the rim of his wineglass.

Lucy gasped as she glanced at him, "What? You didn't? How can you have unprotected sex with a stranger?" Lucy asked in panic.

Tom smiled, "It's my turn," he said in a calm voice, ignoring her question.

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"But..."

"Have you ever been in love?"

Lucy stiffened for a brief moment, "I said don't ask me anything about my past," Lucy said testily.

For someone who was close to tipsy, she was still very alert, Tom noted, "That wasn't what you said. You said I shouldn't ask why you're not in a relationship, and my question has nothing to do with that," Tom said with a wide smile.

Different emotions flickered in her eyes and Lucy opened her mouth to argue, but then decided not to bother with it, "I don't know. Maybe. I guess so," She said with a sad sigh as though she didn't want to dwell on it.

"That is a lot of answers for a simple question of yes or no," Tom observed.

"Yeah. Sorry," she said wearily, making Tom frown. He didn't like the sadness he could sense in her words, neither did he like the thought that he might have reminded her of a sad memory.

"You don't have to be. I'm sorry if I reminded you of an unpleasant memory," Tom said apologetically.

Lucy heaved a long sigh, "It's okay. Let's just call it a night and go home. I should sleep," Lucy said, glancing at her wristwatch.

Tom couldn't help wondering what was wrong. He wished he could ask her about it, but he knew it was probably the reason she had said he shouldn't ask her why she wasn't in a relationship, so he gave her a nod, "Okay," he said as he took out some money notes from his wallet and dropped them on the table before standing up.

He offered his hand to help her stand up, and she placed her small hand in his and allowed him to pull her up. Tom looked down at their intertwined hands, before drawing her closer to his side, and then leading her out of the bar.

"I love the cool evening breeze," Lucy commented once they were out and she inhaled fresh air which was unlike that in the stuffy interior of the bar where the smell of sweat mingled with that of food, alcohol and different perfumes.

"You want to sit out here before we leave?" He asked her thoughtfully as they walked over to where the car was parked, and she nodded. Without asking, Tom placed both hands on her waist and lifted her off the ground and on top of the car trunk.

Lucy who had been alarmed when he touched her without warning, relaxed when she realized what he was doing. Once she was seated, he jumped on the space beside her. She rested her back on the rear windshield of the car looking at the night sky above them which was decorated by a full moon and so many stars, while they sat under it in comfortable silence. Although she was slightly tipsy, she was calm.

"Tom?" She called after some time.

"Yeah?" Tom who had been trying to guess what she was thinking, or whether she had dozed off, turned to look at her.

"I'm sorry."

"What for?"

Lucy shifted her gaze from the sky to his face, "I think I almost cost you your job today," she confessed, making his brow pull together in surprise. He hadn't expected her to confide in him about that.

"What happened?"

"I asked Mr. Harry to give me a different driver. I didn't want you," she explained, looking at him guiltily.

"You dislike me that much?" Tom asked with a slight frown, and she shook her head.

"It's not that. I think you're pretty cool, and that is why I'm telling you this. I will try to be a better friend henceforth," Lucy promised, and Tom was the one to feel guilty now, but he didn't let it affect him too much.

"So what happened? Did he change your mind?" Tom asked with an expressionless face.

Lucy shook her head, "The CEO got involved and insisted that if you leave, I will lose my job. So I guess I'm stuck with you," Lucy said with derogatory laughter directed at herself.

"Is that why you agreed to all I said at the grocery shop? Because you didn't want me to quit?" Tom asked with narrowed eyes, and she giggled.

"Honestly? Yes. I hope you won't take advantage of that and start making absurd demands."

Tom smiled, "I can't promise you that I won't take advantage of it, but I can assure you that I won't ask you to do something that you can't do."

"Fair enough. I owe you that much. So, friends for real now?" She asked, extending her hand for a handshake.

Tom took her hands, "Friends.." At least for now, he added to himself.

Chapter end