One Wild Night

Chapter 429: Go After Her

“Is something wrong?” Lucas asked when he could no longer ignore the way Miley was watching him with a wide smile on her face as he ate.         

    

Both her elbows were resting on the table, and her chin was resting in the cup of both hands as she smiled at him, “No.”     

“So why do you keep staring at me?”     

“Is it a crime to stare at you?” She asked with an innocent smile as she blinked at him prettily.      

“It might not be a crime, but it’s awkward and uncomfortable. Instead of watching me you should focus on your food too,” Lucas said, but Miley shook her head.      

“I feel full merely by watching you eat,” Miley said, and Amy shook her head, while Lucas sighed.     

“Besides, there will always be time to eat after now, but there won’t always be time to watch you eat since I might not see you again after today. I need to have my fill of your face,” Miley said, and Lucas set aside his cutlery and faced her.      

“Why do you need to have your fill of my face?” Lucas asked, and shrugged.      

“Isn’t it obvious? Because you’re cute and like you. I like you very much,” Miley confessed, and Lucas felt his cheeks flush red when he glanced at Amy and noticed the amusement on her face as she ate.      

“You shouldn’t say things like that out loud,” Lucas chided her in a quiet voice.     

“Things like what?” Miley asked, blinking at him innocently.     

Lucas shifted uncomfortably in his seat “Things about liking me,” Lucas said without meeting her gaze, and Amy’s lips twitched in amusement as she watched him.      

He was really cute. It was easy to see why Miley liked him, Amy mused.     

“Why not? You asked a question and I responded. Should I have lied to you?” Miley asked with an arched brow.     

“If other people hear you they might misunderstand what you mean…”     

“Other people? The only person here with us is Amy, and she can’t misunderstand. She already knows how much I like you. Don’t you, Amy?” Miley asked.     

“I do,” Amy said and flashed Lucas an apologetic smile. She hated to be in his shoes right now.      

“You see? No one is going to misunderstand anything. Besides, why do you feel uncomfortable when I watch you? I’m sure people look at you a lot,” Miley said, and Lucas shook his head.      

“Not the way you do. It’s scary. Especially with that creepy smile on your face,” Lucas said, and Miley glared at him while Amy giggled.     

Seeing the mild annoyance on her face, Lucas smiled, “I’m just kidding. Your smile isn’t creepy. It’s actually pretty. But I’m not comfortable. I’m sure you wouldn’t be either if I look at you that way,” Lucas said, and Miley smiled at him.     

“Says who? I would love you to look at me that way,” Miley said, and when Lucas watched her without saying a word, she giggled.     

“Okay, I promise not to look at you that way if you agree to go out with us tomorrow,” Miley offered, and Lucas almost laughed out loud.      

“Give it up Miley. I’m not going anywhere with you.”     

“Why not? Do you hate me that much?” She asked with a pout.     

“Hate you? It’s actually because I like you. If I didn’t like you I wouldn’t mind hanging out with you, and watching you waste what little time you have left. But because I care about you, I’m annoyed that you are doing this to yourself,” Lucas said honestly, and Amy who was the only one still eating looked from Lucas to Miley.      

“I see that we are back to that,” Miley said with a sigh as she leaned back in her seat.          

    

“Go ahead and eat. I won’t look at you that way until you’re done.” she urged him, but Lucas shook his head.      

He could tell that it was her attempt to change the subject, “I can’t eat anymore. I already lost my appetite, so let’s talk instead,” Lucas suggested, and both Amy and Miley looked at him curiously.     

“What do you want to talk about?”     

“Let’s talk about you. Shouldn’t you be busy planning on how to tell your parents about your health? How much longer are you going to keep it from…” Lucas paused and his eyes narrowed suspiciously when something suddenly occurred to him and he glanced at Amy.     

“Did you come to Ludus to interview men who would be willing to marry you?” Lucas asked, thinking that was probably why they had gotten a makeover, to look more attractive for the prospective candidates.     

Miley exchanged a look with Amy and took a deep breath. It was time.      

“About that…”     

“Miley? You’re Miley Garwood, right?” A lady who was walking past their table asked when she saw Miley, and Miley excused herself to talk with the lady who she recognized as an active Instagram follower.     

Once she left, Amy turned to see Lucas staring at her, and she flashed him an awkward smile, “Miley can be too much to handle sometimes. Please don’t be too harsh on her,” Amy said apologetically.      

“Is she still going ahead with the marriage and surrogacy plan?” Lucas asked, and Amy gave him a nod.      

“Of course.”     

“You did not try to talk her out of that ridiculous plan?” Lucas asked, and Amy frowned.      

“I never said I was going to do that, did I? And who said her plan is ridiculous?” Amy asked defensively, and Lucas looked at her incredulously.     

“I understand that she is too distraught and out of her mind to think straight, but shouldn’t you be a little more reasonable?”     

Amy raised a brow, “I beg your pardon?”     

“I was hoping you would change her mind after having enough time to think about the situation, but instead of doing that you are encouraging her with your blind devotion and loyalty,” Lucas scolded, his eyes glaring at her accusingly.     

“What is so wrong about her wanting to be married and have a child? And what is wrong in supporting my best friend to get what she wants?” Amy asked, feeling annoyed by Lucas’ words.     

Lucas shook his head, “It is wrong because it is not logical. Her action is being fueled by emotions and so is yours! Have you stopped to think about what your boyfriend would say about you being a surrogate?” Lucas asked, and Amy raised a brow.     

“I don’t have a boyfriend, so I don’t think…”     

“And you have no plans of having one either, I suppose? Do you think it makes sense that you are going to be carrying another person’s child…”     

“What I choose to do with my body has nothing to do with you or any damned person!” Amy cut in coldly.     

“Sure. It is not my business. The point here is that you are both not being logical. You are just thinking about the present. I can excuse Miley’s lack of objectivity, but not yours. You are not thinking about your future or that of the child, are you? How do you think the child would feel to know that he or she was conceived on the whim of a dying woman? How would you feel if you found out you were conceived based on a bucket list and not out of love?” Lucas asked angrily.     

“I’m sorry, but I’m missing your point. I believe you’re not naive enough to believe that every child was conceived out of love. Miley’s child would definitely understand when the time comes. And I see no reason why we are even arguing about this when it has nothing to do with you. Miley has a right to do what she wants, and so do I. If you’re not going to help her then maybe you should stay out of it…”     

“Are you sure you are doing this just because you care about her?” Lucas cut in before Amy could finish speaking, and Amy’s eyes narrowed into slits.     

“What is that supposed to mean?”         

    

Lucas shrugged, “For all I know, you could be doing this because you want her to reward your loyalty by leaving you all she has when…” The rest of his sentence was forgotten when Amy picked up her glass of water and threw the sparkling water on his face.     

“HOW DARE YOU?” She snarled as she stood, her amber eyes blazing with fury at the insult.      

Miley who had been talking with the lady some tables away from there, turned around in surprise when she heard Amy’s voice, and immediately she excused herself and returned to the table.     

“Do you think you care about her more than I do? Who do you think you are to say something like that to me?” Amy was asking just as Miley joined them.     

“Amy? What is going on?” She asked, but instead of responding Amy picked up her handbag.     

“Let’s leave, Miley,” Amy said, her eyes glistening with unshed tears as she grabbed Miley’s hand wanting to drag her away, but Miley didn’t budge.     

“What is wrong? Lucas?” Miley asked, glancing at Lucas who was staring at Amy.     

“If you are not coming with me, you can meet me at home,” Amy said as she let go of her hand and walked away without waiting for Miley to say another word.     

Miley’s frown deepened as she watched Amy leave, and then she turned to Lucas, “What did you say to make her so angry?” Miley asked in confusion.     

She had thought Amy liked Lucas, and everything had been going smoothly to the best of her knowledge, so what could have changed between them in the short time she was away to make Amy so mad?     

Lucas sighed, “You should go after your friend,” he said, feeling embarrassed by the words he had spoken.      

He knew he shouldn’t have said that. He shouldn’t have agreed to this dinner in the first place. Why was he so interested in what either of them chose to do? None of it was his business, so why couldn’t he just mind his business and keep his opinion to himself?     

“Lucas…”     

“Go after her. We can talk some other time. Tell her I’m sorry,” Lucas said, but Miley shook her head.      

“If you said something hurtful to her then you should apologize yourself. Go after her and tell her you’re sorry yourself,” Miley said as she picked up her handbag.      

“But I don’t know where she is going to…”     

Miley picked up her phone and texted Amy’s home address and phone number to Lucas, “I just texted her details to you. I will be hanging out with that lady and her friends over there. Please make sure she gets home safely,” Miley said, and walked away before Lucas could say another word.