A/N – I am really excited about this chapter! I hope everyone loves reading it as much as I loved writing it! Thanks to everyone for reading and I would love a review! Reviews make me happy and motivate me to write even more!

Chapter 5 – Nerves

Johnny smirked to himself as he hung up his phone. He finally had an idea on how to get Lulu to forgive him. It was underhanded and wrong and something he would never do if it wasn't his last option. He waited for Lulu to come in with his coffee and his heart skipped a beat when she finally came through the door.

"You should start tipping me," Lulu said sarcastically, setting the cup on his desk and turning to walk out.

"Miss Spencer," Johnny called and she stopped.

"Why are you calling me that?" Lulu wondered.

"I'm not exactly pleased with your work performance," Johnny continued.

"Are you serious?" Lulu questioned.

"Very," Johnny replied, remaining stoic. "I think we should discuss ways to improve your people skills."

Johnny was struggling to hold it together. Lulu's mouth was hanging open and he was enjoying playing his little game with her. He knew she didn't know what to say next so he offered a sympathetic smile and her eyes got even wider.

"What exactly are you saying?" Lulu asked. "Did someone complain about me?"

"I can't reveal that kind of information," Johnny dodged. "What I can say is from my personal encounters with you, you've been disrespectful most of the time."

"That's because I don't like you," Lulu responded.

"I'm still your boss," Johnny reminded her. "You have to show me respect and follow my orders without questions."

"So you're punishing me for holding a grudge against you," Lulu stated. "Okay, I will be nicer to you. Are you happy now?"

"Not really," Johnny said, shaking his head. "I want something else."

"What's that?" Lulu wondered.

"I want you to give me a chance to earn your forgiveness," Johnny requested.

"No way," Lulu snapped.

"You're really forcing my hand here, Miss Spencer," Johnny chided.

"What do you mean?" Lulu demanded.

"If you don't give me the chance I'm looking for, I'll have to fire you," Johnny said softly.

The anger that filled her eyes after he uttered his threat made Johnny's mind go to dangerous places. Places that made him take a deep breath so he didn't show Lulu how much her fire and passion turned him on. She stalked back to his desk and leaned over it towards Johnny.

"You are not going to blackmail me into forgiving you," Lulu said angrily. "I have a right to hate you and you can't force me not to. You have no real reason to fire me and if you try to I could take you to court which is the last thing I'm sure you want. I mean what kind of mobster wants to be locked up for sexual harassment or wrongful termination?"

"Don't threaten me," Johnny laughed. "Let's be honest. You would never bother to bring a lawsuit against me for either of those things. And just to be clear, I never said you had to stop hating me and I never asked you to forgive me. I asked you to give me a chance to earn your forgiveness."

"What does that mean?" Lulu wondered.

"Are you considering it?" Johnny countered.

"I need this job," Lulu answered. "You know that, it's why you're doing this. Just tell me how you want to earn my forgiveness and I'll think about it."

"Okay," Johnny muttered.

Lulu stared at him impatiently and he suddenly got very nervous. Maybe this was unorthodox, but he was still asking her on a date. He was asking the most beautiful woman he had ever seen to go to dinner with him and he couldn't seem to find his voice.

"Did you forget how to speak?" Lulu asked and Johnny laughed nervously.

"I want to take you on a date," Johnny said quickly.

"What?" Lulu questioned in shock.

"I want to take you on a date," Johnny repeated. "I want to spend an evening with you trying to make you see that I'm not the ass you think I am. After that, you can decide whether or not you want to hate me forever or not."

"That's it?" Lulu prodded. "Just one date?"

"That's it," Johnny nodded. "What do you say?"

"It's not like I have a choice if I want to keep my job," Lulu said, rolling her eyes. "So I say yes. I will go on a date with you."

"Great," Johnny smiled. "You have tomorrow off right?"

"Yeah," Lulu replied.

"Well then why don't I pick you up tomorrow night at seven?" Johnny suggested.

"You don't know where I live," Lulu pointed out.

"I'm a mobster remember?" Johnny joked. "I can find out anything."

"Okay," Lulu agreed. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

Johnny watched Lulu walk out of his office and he smiled widely. He was going to do everything he could to earn Lulu's forgiveness. He wanted her in his life and he was going to have her.

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Georgie watched Lulu try on yet another outfit. For a date that was "mandatory" as Lulu had said, she seemed very nervous about what to wear. Georgie rolled her eyes as Lulu headed back into the closet again.

"Lulu, that one looked good," Georgie called.

"I know," Lulu said, coming out of the closet again. "Too good. I don't want Johnny thinking I tried to look good for him."

"What exactly do you want him to think?" Georgie wondered.

"I want him to think that I barely worked to get ready because this date doesn't mean anything," Lulu answered.

"But the date does mean something," Georgie responded.

"No it doesn't," Lulu insisted.

"Then why are you working so hard to get ready?" Georgie asked.

"Because I also want him to eat his heart out about everything he could have had if he had called all those months ago," Lulu replied.

"So you want to look good, but not like you had to work to look good," Georgie stated. "Lulu, you're my friend so I say this with love. You're crazy."

"What do you mean?" Lulu scoffed.

"I mean it would be a lot simpler for everyone if you would admit the truth," Georgie answered. "You're going through all of this because you're nervous about going out with Johnny because you still have feelings for him."

"I don't have feelings for him," Lulu scoffed. "I am over him. There was barely anything there to start with and whatever it was is gone now."

"Why do you insist on lying to me?" Georgie wondered.

"I'm not," Lulu muttered.

"The lady doth protest too much, methinks," Georgie smirked.

"Stop quoting Shakespeare," Lulu said. "I don't want anything to do with Johnny and to prove it I will wear whatever you pick out for me."

Georgie smiled and sauntered over to the closet. She thought about her conversation with Matt as she picked through all of Lulu's clothes. She found a flashy red dress that Lulu had failed to try on earlier. She knew it was because the dress was revealing and would definitely not give the impression Lulu was looking to give Johnny, but she couldn't help herself as she pulled it out of the closet.

"This one," Georgie smiled and Lulu's eyes widened in shock.

"No," Lulu shook her head.

"You agreed," Georgie reminded her.

"Georgie," Lulu groaned. "Wearing that dress will make Johnny think I want him."

"At least your clothes will be honest with him," Georgie laughed. "Put it on."

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Johnny adjusted his tie and took a deep breath. He had planned the best evening he could imagine with Lulu and he couldn't wait to start the night. He heard a knock at his door and he walked across the room to open the door. As soon as the door opened, Matt burst into laughter and Johnny rolled his eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Johnny asked in an annoyed tone.

"I thought you might need someone to calm you down," Matt chuckled. "Turns out I was right. Who wears a suit to a first date?"

"Someone who is looking for a second date," Johnny quipped. "Not that you know what that's like."

"Just because I don't date often, doesn't mean I don't know how it works," Matt replied.

"Why shouldn't I wear a suit?" Johnny questioned.

"Because," Matt answered. "It screams, 'I'm trying too hard'. You don't want to let Lulu know how important this is to you."

"Regretting this immediately," Johnny said slowly. "What do you suggest?"

"Lose the coat and tie," Matt responded. "The nice pants and shirt will impress her but not let on to how desperate you are to keep her in your life."

"I am desperate," Johnny muttered. "I probably made that clear by blackmailing her into going on a date with me."

"You need to forget how you got her here," Matt advised. "All that matters is you got the chance you wanted. Now go show her a good time."

"What if I don't know how?" Johnny wondered. "What if she really just hates me?"

"What ifs won't get you anywhere?" Matt said supportively. "You have one night to change her mind and you're going to have to be on top of your game. I mean if you were me, you would just have to smile and everything would be good. But you being you, things might be a little more difficult."

"Me being me got her the first time," Johnny smirked. "I can do it again."

"That's the Johnny Zacchara I know," Matt smiled. "You're not planning on sleeping with her tonight are you?"

"First," Johnny started. "I never go into a date planning to sleep with someone. Like you said, I'm not you. Second, the whole point of this date is to show Lulu she is way more than sex to me. Getting some is the last thing I'm thinking about."

"The last thing?" Matt teased and Johnny blushed. "I've heard you talk about her. A lot. I think we both know it's not the last thing on your mind."

"Maybe not, but it's in the back," Johnny promised. "I have to focus on getting Lulu to forgive me and consider going out with me again."

"Good luck," Matt offered.

"Thanks," Johnny breathed.