Disclaimer: see Chapter 1.
CHAPTER 17: Down Bombshells
Chloe observed Lana closely and saw her fidget with her dress and dart a couple of sidelong glances at the doorway as if she were expecting someone to come through it. Meanwhile, Lex was having trouble keeping his cool demeanour with Chloe in the same room; and it didn´t help that his partners in crime were taking so long. He noticed the young blond had already downed a glass of champagne and that her cheeks had tainted a delightful red when he had bored his eyes in her. Miss Pompom- as Chloe´s cousin Lois had dubbed Lex´s girlfriend- was just as nervous as the billionaire and smiled at him in anticipation before springing to her feet when a tuxedo-clad Clark entered the dining-room escorting Lois Lane.
´She hasn´t learnt anything from her time with Lex. At least, she could be a little more subtle to show where her affections truly lie. And you thought you were pathetic, Sullivan! Wait a minute... her dazzling smile isn´t for Clark´s benefit. Who the hell is she looking at? Come on, Clark, step aside. You´re blocking my view! But that is... Pete? What has possessed Pete Ross to grace the doorstep of the devil´s son, as he used to call Lex? ¨ mused Chloe.
The young reporter´s suspicious look turned into a puzzled one when Pete kissed Lana on the lips and Lois, grabbing Clark tightly, winked conspiratorially at her cousin. Chloe followed Lois and Clark with her eyes as they strolled towards Lex, who hugged the young Kent in a brotherly embrace and spoke to him in a low voice. ´Since when are these two friends again? ´
¨What the devil took you so long? ¨ asked Lex anxiously.
¨Hey, Luthor! Be nice to my significant other, ¨ murmured Lois.
¨Significant other? ¨ echoed Clark. ¨ I´m doing this for Chloe, remember? ¨
¨Oh, yeah! Whatever you say, Smallville. ¨
¨I´m not your... ¨
¨Why don´t you leave this for later? ¨ interrupted Lex. ¨ Could you make it? ¨
¨Yes, but we had to take Pete with us as back up to convince him to come over. ¨
¨I knew it wasn´t going to be easy but... ¨ said Lex.
¨Yeah, well... you are aware you´ve never been Pete´s favourite person so his being with us to plead in your favour was a godsend. ¨
¨So... he´s here, isn´t he? ¨
¨Yes, he only wants Chloe´s happiness, Lex. Still, you can´t blame him. You´ve got to admit this has taken us all by surprise. ¨
¨Maybe it´s taken you and some other clueless individuals by surprise, Smallville. I hadn´t been in this godforsaken town for long before I noticed the sparks between Lex and my cuz, ¨ answered Lois, raising an eyebrow.
¨Ladies and gentlemen, ¨ spoke Lex, clinking his crystal goblet, ¨ may I have your attention, please? I know most of you must be somewhat confused by the recent arrivals so, instead of leaving the toast to the end of the party as it´s customary, I will go straight to it. If you´ll bear with me, there´s someone who´s still missing and without whom, ¨ said Lex looking at Chloe, ¨we cannot start. ¨
¨Chloe, honey, are you OK? ¨asked a worried Martha.
¨Did you... did you know about ... ? ¨stuttered Chloe.
¨About Lana and Pete? No, I found out yesterday evening when Lex met Lois and Clark at the barn. ¨
¨Clark and Lois? ¨
¨Yes, they saw Lana and Pete in Metropolis. ¨
¨All this time... ¨started Chloe. ¨D... dad? ¨she asked chokingly.
¨Gabe! You´ve arrived just in time, ¨exclaimed Lex, moving forward to shake hands with his former plant manager.
¨Lex, ¨ said Chloe´s father gravely. ¨ Hello, sweetie, ¨ he added, smiling at his daughter.
¨Please, Gabe, have a seat. Now that we´re all here, let me start by saying that this is a very special evening for me. Not only I´m about to offer myself and all my worldly possessions to the woman I love, but I´m also going to give my blessing to another important woman in my life. Lana, ¨ said Lex, addressing the brunette, ¨you´ve been a marvellous friend and partner. I´ve seen you grow into a beautiful woman. I feel proud of your achievements and thankful that you´ve let me be part of your life. Pete, man, you´ve never made a secret of your dislike for the Luthors and your being here tonight shows what a friend you are. I´m glad Lana´s found someone like you, someone who can provide her with what it wasn´t mine to give her in the first place. Chloe, I´ve been a coward. You were right. I know I shouldn´t be saying this in front of an audience, dad, but I think the end is worth my behaving out of character. Will you ever be able to forgive me, Chloe? ¨ he asked, walking towards her seat as the guests broke into gasps and murmurs.
¨It was high time you came to your senses, Lex. But why do you always have to do things on a grand scale? Couldn´t you drop by and inform me about the new developments? ¨ she said nodding towards Lana and Pete.
¨She has a point there, Lex, ¨stated Gabe.
¨Now that we´ve set all tongues wagging, what would you say if we took this conversation to the privacy of my study? ¨ said Lex with a lopsided grin.
¨Gee, Lex, I don´t know. ¨
¨Come on, cuz´! Don´t play hard to get now. You´ll give Smallville a heart attack, considering he had to spend a whole evening with me in Oliver´s closet to convince him to change his mind about Lex, ¨ shouted Lois across the table, making Clark turn red.
¨Ladies and gentlemen, ¨ said Lionel, clearing his throat and getting up from his chair with a glass of champagne in his hand, ¨why don´t we raise our glasses to toast Mr Ross and Miss Lang´s happiness and let these two other lovebirds cross swords in private? ¨he proposed with a wry smile.
¨You´ve just spoken my mind, Mr Luthor, ¨responded Lois, getting to her feet.
¨Lois! ¨ hissed Clark, grabbing her by the sleeve and yanking her down. ¨ Shut your trap! ¨
¨Smallville, do you want me to tell Luthor the secret you´ve been keeping from him all these years? ¨ she threatened under her breath, feeling him loosen the grip. ¨I didn´t think so, Green Arrow, ¨ she added with a sly smile.
¨Miss Sullivan, show my son he´s finally found his match and make your father proud, ¨ smirked Lionel.
Mm... let´s see what happens when these two are all alone.