Chapter Three – Advice

Georgie stayed at Lulu's apartment while Lulu visited her family. She thought about everything Lulu had told her and she couldn't help but wonder what the whole story was. Something was missing on Johnny's end, but she didn't know what it was. Lulu came through the door with a smile on her face and Georgie returned the smile.

"How was your family?" Georgie wondered.

"Good," Lulu answered. "They haven't changed much."

"Did you run into Johnny?" Georgie asked.

"No," Lulu scoffed. "Why would you even say his name?"

"Because I think there is more to this than either of us know," Georgie replied.

"Trust me, there's not," Lulu sighed.

"So what are you going to do?" Georgie questioned.

"What am I going to do about what?" Lulu countered.

"What are you going to do about Johnny?" Georgie prodded.

"Nothing," Lulu responded. "It wasn't supposed to happen for the two of us and I'm over it."

Georgie watched Lulu closely. She was far from over it. She may have been very angry at Johnny for not calling, but a part of her still wanted him. Lulu wasn't the kind of person to set herself up for pain though, so getting her to let Johnny explain was going to be a chore.

"What about the note you left?" Georgie wondered. "Did you mean what you said to him?"

"Of course," Lulu answered.

"Well have you considered that maybe this is fate," Georgie offered. "Maybe you two are meant to be and this is how you were supposed to get together."

"I don't think so," Lulu said softly.

"I just think that the odds of you two meeting in a town as big as Las Vegas and then living in the same town is a little more than coincidence," Georgie replied. "It's late. I'm going to go. Will you at least think about what I said?"

"Sure," Lulu agreed. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Georgie said and closed the door behind her.

Lulu watched her best friend leave and then thought about what she had said. Lulu could still feel Johnny's breath on her skin from their night together. She had no idea how it could have possibly meant so little to him that he wouldn't even call her once. Maybe Georgie had been right. Maybe there was a reasonable explanation for what had happened.

Lulu sighed and started getting ready for bed. It had been a long and exhausting day and all she wanted to do was curl up in bed and fall asleep. She laid on the bed for over an hour, unable to stop thinking about Johnny. She finally forced herself to think about the weeks after going to Las Vegas and all the pain she felt when he didn't call. That was all she needed to remember why she wouldn't give Johnny the benefit of the doubt if she saw him again. She rolled over and fell asleep.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Matt walked lazily into Johnny's office. He found his friend staring at a piece of paper and looking like he hadn't slept all night. Johnny had a strange grin on his face and Matt knew that he was planning something. He finally decided to announce himself and break Johnny's trance.

"Johnny!" Matt yelled and Johnny almost fell out of his chair.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Johnny said angrily.

"Just visiting," Matt smirked.

"You could have gotten yourself killed sneaking up on me like that," Johnny warned.

"Well maybe you should be a little more focused instead of lost in whatever that is you're looking at," Matt countered.

"It's Lulu's note," Johnny sighed.

"Have you been up all night looking at that?" Matt asked and Johnny nodded. "No wonder you look like hell."

"I just keep thinking about her smile and how soft her skin was," Johnny said dreamily.

"You sound ridiculous," Matt laughed. "Like a pathetic lovesick teenager."

"I didn't exactly expect you to understand," Johnny said, rolling his eyes. "You won't have sex with a girl if you know her last name. Too much of a connection."

"My rules have allowed me to live a very satisfying life," Matt replied. "You won't find me pining over a note that I got six months ago from a one night stand."

"I'll also never find you with someone you love right?" Johnny asked.

"Right," Matt smiled. "Love is pain."

"So cynical," Johnny laughed.

"What are you going to do?" Matt wondered.

"About Lulu?" Johnny questioned.

"Of course," Matt answered.

"I don't know," Johnny said slowly. "Any suggestions?"

"I won't pretend I know anything about romancing a woman for the long term," Matt started. "But I did know Lulu once upon a time. What I remember most about her is she was always really stubborn. If she's still like that, you have one hell of an uphill battle to come if you want her in your life."

With those words, Matt turned and left Johnny's office. Johnny thought about what Matt said. He wondered if Lulu was worth all the trouble he was sure he would have to go through to be with her. He smiled to himself as he thought of Lulu. She was worth it.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Lulu hustled around the coffee shop. This was her fourth day at work and the busiest yet. Even Derek was waiting tables. Lulu gave refills to a couple by the door. She couldn't help but stare at them. They held hands and talked in low voices, seemingly oblivious to the outside world. Lulu remembered a time when a relationship like that was all she wanted. That had all changed because of Johnny.

She shook herself out of her thoughts and waited on a few more tables. She headed back behind the counter to ring up a customer. The man smiled at her and she just stared at him waiting for him to pay. He seemed a little upset and paid for his food without adding a tip to his total. Lulu just rolled her eyes and closed the cash register. She turned and almost ran into Derek.

"Hey, Lulu," Derek said quickly. "Do me a favor and take a to go cup of coffee back to the boss."

"Okay," Lulu replied. "How does he take it?"

"Black," Derek answered. "Just knock and then go in. He'll probably want to know who you are since you've never met. Be nicer to him than you were to that last customer."

"I wasn't interested," Lulu smiled.

"I couldn't tell," Derek said sarcastically.

Lulu poured the coffee and then headed back to the office door. She had always been curious about who the boss was because she never saw him come in. Derek said that he was an early riser and he didn't have much of a life outside of his work. Lulu expected to find an old man on the other side of the door, but when she knocked and then went in she stopped dead in her tracks.

Johnny Zacchara was her boss.