Chapter 10:
*Eighteen Months Later*
"Mills do you have the pictures from the photo-shoot at the Atomium in Belgium last week?" Brooke asked as she entered the store front for B-Couture.
"I have the proof's right here," Millie said with a smile. "Second late morning this week. Were you with Thomas again?"
Brooke blushed at the mention of her boyfriend, "I was actually."
Millie handed Brooke the photo sheets she asked for, "we should use that studio whenever we're in Europe, it was hard to pick out any bad shots." Millie took Brooke's bag and jacket and headed towards her small office, "am I ever going to meet Mr. Wonderful?"
"He's really private, if it ever gets serious we agreed to reevaluate." Brooke leaned against her desk and surveyed the pictures, "I was skeptical about those butterfly hats and headpieces but they look great. It's as if we captured hundreds of them mid flight. It was such a beautiful touch I'm glad you convinced me to use them."
Millie shook her head, "I couldn't let you just discard them. The one that resembled a crown of monarch's took you a week to finish." The door chimed with someone's arrival. "I'll go see who that is, Vogue wants the spread selections by 11:30."
"Great," Brooke took out her phone and sent a quick text; this morning was wonderful thank you for fitting me in.
"Brooke?" Millie came in holding a large bouquet of red roses, "these just arrived for you."
Brooke gasped at the sight of three dozen red roses arranged in a tall red vase. Millie placed the vase gently on her desk and Brooke reached for the card. She opened the envelope and her mouth dried, Pretty Girl - My show isn't being picked up for another season… Now we are free… Have dinner with me? I miss you… Love, Lucas.
Millie noticed the change in Brooke's demeanor, "What's wrong? Who are they from?"
"Lucas Scott." Brooke sighed.
"Ahhh, the one that got away." Millie half smiled, "Do you want me to track down his contact information?"
"No," Brooke let out a deep breath, "I have moved on and I am sure he has too. What's the point?" Brooke stuffed the card back into the torn envelope and placed it into her top desk drawer. "So I think I really like these three on the top, they show off the beautiful details of the dresses and the headpieces. What do you think?"
"I think that's perfect," Millie replied, "So what are you doing tonight? Anything exciting?"
Brooke shrugged, "I'm having dinner with Chris, Rachel and little Harlow. Not exactly exciting, but I am not complaining."
"Hey Scott, wait up." Julian called behind him.
"I'm kind of in a hurry Julian, did you need something?" Lucas replied with a short, snippy tone, "I have three meetings this afternoon."
"That's why I stopped you," Julian grinned, "I have a project I think you would be perfect for. Give me five minutes?"
Lucas felt his body shake with rage, "No Julian, I don't think so. This isn't about a work opportunity this is about your ex wife."
"It is not," Julian beamed with satisfaction, "I have heard from several people that she is currently seeing someone named Thomas… something or other, he's some reclusive British photographer." Julian clicked his tongue against his teeth, "So honestly this is about work."
Lucas adjusted the cardboard box in his arms, "How about you hold your breath and count to a million, I'll be right back." Lucas glared, "Goodbye Julian, I would love to say that it was a pleasant experience but we both know that would be bull shit. Enjoy fatherhood and the unemployment line." Thirty minutes later Lucas pulled into the driveway of his bungalow and saw a familiar car, "Hey Hales."
Haley got up from the wicker chair on the covered porch, "Hi Luke, we heard about the show. I just wanted to see if you were alright."
"I am swell," Lucas rolled his eyes, "Thanks for stopping by."
"Why don't you enjoy the time off and come with me and Nathan to San Francisco? There's this woman we think you would hit it off with." Haley smiled up at him.
"No thanks," Lucas grumbled as he went to unlock the door, "I told you two already I was seeing someone."
Nathan opened it, "We have keys bro," Nathan winked, "Imaginary girlfriends don't count."
"Angela isn't imaginary, she just likes her privacy is all." Lucas set the box down on the coffee table. Nathan popped open two beers, "By all means help yourself baby brother."
"Thanks, I usually do," Nathan said, choosing to ignore the sarcasm. "Listen we all know you have been seeing Angela long enough that at least Haley and I should have met her by now. But since she's nothing more than a blow up doll you didn't see the need."
"It isn't like that at all," Lucas laughed, "Right now we are just taking things slow, the second that we get out of dating scene and into relationship central you guys will be the first people I call."
"What about Brooke Davis?" Haley huffed, "I really liked her. Nathan did too." Nathan nods, as if on cue. "I know you said she broke up with you because of her idiot ex husband, but now you are free from Julian Baker, why aren't you going after Brooke?" Haley poured herself a glass of water, "I know you're in love with her Lucas. You were devastated for months when she pumped the brakes and broke up with you."
Lucas sat on the couch and put his head in his hands, "I was, I can't even sit here and lie about it. But that's long over now, she's seeing someone. I sent her flowers today and I didn't even get a text message, it's over Haley. If I'm being honest about it, it was over before it even began. I should have known better, you never end up with the rebound. I was there when she needed the strength to move on and now look at her, her career is thriving and I am happy knowing I played an important part in making that happen. That's good enough for me, now if you don't mind I would like to be alone."
An hour later Lucas heard someone knocking at the door, he smiled at the thought of his dinner guest. He jogged to the front door and let her in, once the door was shut he pulled the brunette into his arms, "I made Spaghetti Carbonara I hope that works for you."
She kissed him softly, "Sounds wonderful Luke, I had such a busy day I stopped on my way and brought cookies. Before you say it, I know you were busy too… I lost track of time or I would have baked a batch of your favorite."
"Don't worry about it, I am just glad you were able to get away tonight. I saw you this morning, so I didn't think we would get anymore time until the weekend." He wrapped his arms around her waist as he led her to the kitchen, "I might have everything on hand if you want to make some cookies now. Watching you in the kitchen is incredibly sexy."
She turned to him and kinked her eyebrow, "Is that so? Let's see how I feel after dinner, it smells delicious, I am starving."
"Did you skip lunch again?" Lucas quizzed, "I am tired of telling you honey." Lucas rubbed her still taut abdomen, "When are we going to start telling everyone?"
She giggled, "Luke I am only seven weeks along, it's considered bad luck to tell people during the first trimester. You have to keep the secret for six more weeks, then you can shout it from the rooftops for all I care."
He pulled her in for a loving embrace, tilted her chin to him and kissed her, "You don't know how hard this has been for me, all I want to do is call Nathan and tell him the good news. I know him and Haley have been trying, how amazing would that be if you two were pregnant at the same time?"
"They think I'm a figment of your imagination Luke, if you told them we were having a baby they might try to commit you." She giggled, "Now can we eat, if we don't soon I might turn into a cannibal and eat your arm."
"Have a seat darling, I will serve us up." Lucas jogged to the kitchen as the brunette took a seat at the table. Lucas's eyes widened when he heard the doorbell.
"Expecting someone else?" She laughed, "Angela perhaps?"
"Stop it," He went to the door and gazed through the peep hole, "Shit, it's Nathan and Haley. They are supposed to be on their way to San Francisco, that's why I told you to come over here tonight."
"We know you're home Luke," Nathan called through the door, "Open up, or I'll use my key."
Lucas turned to his guest, "What are we going to do?"
The hazel eyed beauty shrugged, "I guess the gig is up handsome. It's time to share our secret," she stood up from the table and headed towards the other room, "I'll be in the living room."
Lucas nodded and opened the door, "Hi guys what's new?"
"I know you have a guest Luke," Haley said with a devilish grin, "we just want to meet her."
"I'm sorry big brother, you know how Haley is with secrets." Nathan said apologetically, "she saw the car in the driveway and insisted we stop before we went to the airport."
Lucas barricaded the entry, "still super sleuthing on the side I see, well you caught us. Angela and I were about to have dinner. Angela care to join us honey." Haley kept her eyes focused behind Lucas and squealed when the woman appeared, she opened her mouth to speak but Lucas silenced her, "Nathan… Haley… I would like you to meet my fiance Angela."
The brunette came up beside him and giggled, "nice to you you guys again, I'm sad you busted us, we were really hoping to get a few more weeks of no one knowing about us."
"Wait a minute," Nathan scratched his head, "You have been seeing Brooke this entire time?"
"That's all you can say," Haley glared, "Didn't you hear him say FIANCE?!"
"Yeah Hales," Nathan said gruffly, "I caught that. So there isn't an Angela then?"
"No," Lucas smirked, "We each made up a significant other." Brooke reached her arms around his waist, "Hello I'm Thomas, I'm the photographer Brooke has been casually seeing for the last year."
"And I'm Angela, the therapist Lucas has been dating for the last few months. Nice to meet you." Brooke giggled again.
"So did you two even break up at all?" Haley questioned.
"Yes," Lucas responded before Brooke could, "about six weeks after Brooke ended things we started talking again. We quickly rekindled our relationship and then the secrets started. We didn't want Julian to find out because I still worked with him on a daily basis, so as hard as it was at first we made the decision to keep our love a secret."
"We kept it a secret from everyone, when Millie finally noticed a change in my demeanor I created Thomas and when you wanted Lucas to move on and get back into the dating scene we came up with Angela." Brooke sighed, "Please don't hate us."
Haley pulled Brooke into a loving hug, "We don't hate you. I understand completely, but now that the show is over are you going to continue the charade? When did you get engaged? When are you getting married?" Haley paused, "I'm sorry, I am just so excited and I feel like I have a hundred questions."
"It's fine Hales, we were about to sit down for dinner, would you and Nathan like to join us?" Lucas smiled, "I need to make sure Brooke eats soon, the b-"
Lucas caught himself before he said the word baby, Brooke finished for him, "The bitch will be unleashed if I don't eat soon." Brooke let out an uncomfortable laugh and headed back to the table. "Lucas only proposed a few months ago, we're going to just enjoy being engaged for a while. See what life is like on the outside again."
Everyone sat down, except Lucas who was in the kitchen dishing Spaghetti Carbonara up for everyone. He brought a large bowl to the table and sat down, "Dig in everyone."
Haley took one look at the pasta and the color left her face, "Is that bacon I smell?" She gulped.
"Yeah, it's Carbonara… One of Brooke's favorites." Lucas furrowed his brow, "Is something wrong Haley? You always love it when I make Spaghetti Carbonara, you say it reminds of my mom's old diner."
Haley gulped again and pushed her chair back from the table, "Excuse me." Haley covered her mouth and ran down the hallway.
"Sorry Luke, it's not the food… It's the bacon." Nathan put his fork down, "Haley is going to murder me for saying this but you're going to be an uncle soon man. Haley is pregnant."
Brooke shrieked and covered her mouth. "How far along is she?"
"She's eleven weeks on Monday." Nathan grinned.
Haley returned to the table a few minutes later, everyone was silent. "Nathan Royal I could murder you, you told them didn't you."
"I did," Nathan sighed, "I had to honey, why else would you be vomiting… You love B-A-C-O-N." Nathan spelled it out so Haley wouldn't be upset again.
"It's alright Hales, Brooke and I have some news too." Lucas started.
"Lucas," Brooke started.
"What's the matter pretty girl are you worried I'm going to tell them you are pregnant too?" Lucas blurted out before she could stop him.
"Damn you Lucas Scott." Brooke huffed, "I told you we had to wait till I passed the three month mark." The entire table grew quiet and immediately burst into laughter. One thing was certain this year was going to be amazing for the Scott Family and Lucas Scott couldn't wait.
*~* THE END *~*
So whatcha all think? I hope you loved it as much as I did. :) Thanks to everyone that read and reviewed and hung in there when it took me awhile to update. You all are amazing.
Hit review and tell me your thoughts. Happy Valentine's Day!
Thanks again!
Krystal