Chapter 303 - Eat With Us

[This chapter is dedicated to _AMiss. Thank you for all your support. It is greatly appreciated. Hugs to you!] 

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She entered her passcode to the door panel of her apartment and when she pushed the door open, she heaved a deep sigh before saying, "tadaima". Her apartment replied. She smiled as the security of her place was in place. 

She pushed her suitcase to the side and put her purse on the console table when she felt a presence behind her.

"Put down the damn figurine, Jess." He said, stomping his feet. 

She grinned and turned around slowly to see Luke holding a piece of paper with scrabble that even a kindergarten student can do better. The words 'welcome home. I'll miss living at your house, why didn't you stay longer in Mumbai' were written in colorful letters. 

She laughed reading his warm welcome. "You are such a bitch!" She ran inside Luke's open arms to give him a big hug. "I miss you!" 

"Where are my presents?" He asked after giving her back a few taps, he pushed the piece of paper he was holding into her arms. He walked to where her suitcase was and pulled it to the living room. 

Jess followed Luke to the living room. She sat down on the couch, putting down the shit piece of paper Luke gave her on the coffee table. "Get that paper bag." She pointed to the brown shopping bag that was right at the top of her stuff. "...and don't try to mess up my luggage." She pulled her feet up and hugged her knees in her chest as she made herself comfortable on the couch. 

"Tell me what happened while I was gone." 

However, her words fell on deaf ears as Luke shrieked and gasped as he opened the bag of presents she got for him. She rolled her eyes and waited for Luke to finish checking what she bought for him. 

She dropped herself on the couch and curled like a fetus. She was about to close her eyes when Luke dropped himself on the couch, near her feet. 

"Hey, thanks for all of my pasalubong. Where's the little miss?" 

"I'm here. I bought you goodies from my trip even if it was a work trip and not a vacation but you're asking for Lucille?" She pursed her lips, "why don't you go to Noah's apartment and ask her yourself?" 

Luke slapped her butt. "Don't be silly. You know I like Lucille more than you." 

She clicked her tongue and shook her head. "There is something new with you but I can't point my finger on it." 

Luke blushed and Jess's jaw dropped. She scrambled to get up from the couch and grabbed his arm. "Tell me the deets, you bitch! Who's this new guy that was making you blush like a frigging teenager."

Luke stared at Jess's sparkling eyes and he averted his eyes. "He wasn't a new guy…" 

"Oh! It's the same guy you're seeing before I left for Mumbai?" 

Luke nodded but didn't say anything.

"Don't be so stingy! Spill the tea!" she shook his arm. But before Luke could answer their attention was drawn to the main door with the soft buzzing. 

No one buzzes her apartment especially since Noah already has his own passcode to her apartment. The building security uses the intercom to call for her attention. 

"Why don't you open the door? It's your new favorite person." She kicked Luke and dropped herself back to the couch.

Luke didn't need probing to open the door. He got up quickly from the couch and went to the door. 

Jess watched him as he got up to get the door. She has a nagging feeling that Luke hurriedly got up from the couch not because he was excited to open the door for Lucille but to run away from her line of questioning.

The curiosity of Jess for the new partner of Luke deepened. The last time they talked about the unnamed guy, Luke told her that the guy was straight. Hence, she was worried but she didn't think much about it, thinking that Luke would lose interest soon. And yet, he was still in the relationship with the same guy, and Luke was acting like a teenager in love. 

"Aunt Jessie!" 

She pushed her worries about Luke at the back of her mind as she got up from the couch when she heard Lucille's voice. Her eyes automatically went behind the little girl but she was alone. 

"Daddy is at home." 

Lucille said as if she knew who she was checking. Jess bit the inside of her cheeks. "Soraya isn't with you?" she asked, trying to cover her embarrassment for being caught by a child. 

"Hmm. No." She climbed on the sofa and sat next to her. "Uncle Jin picked up Soraya as soon as we got home." 

"Oh!" she exclaimed, lost for words. She was still not used to Lucille calling her aunt Jessie and Luke grinning at her mouthing "aunt Jessie" does not help with her awkwardness. 

She reached for Lucille's head and fixed her ponytail. "Why are you here?" 

"Daddy sent me. He wanted me to ask if you want to eat with us."

Jess cleared her throat and glared at Luke who snorted behind the sofa, listening to her conversation with Lucille. 

"Is your dad cooking?" 

Lucille giggled. "You wish! He ordered for delivery." 

She laughed softly. She has no plan to eat. She was still sore and tired that all she wanted was to take a shower and curl up in her bed but it would be the first time that she would be eating with Lucille and Noah at their house. She can't just turn down the invitation. Not to mention it was Lucille who came to ask her to go to their house. 

"Uncle Luke, you should eat with us." 

Luke laughed. "Oh, no! I should not. I don't want Little Miss Jessie promoted to aunt Jessie to skin me alive." 

"Luke!" She snapped at him, glaring at him. 

Luke, who was clearly having fun at her expense, just laughed while Lucille shifted her gaze from the two of them.. Her blue eyes were full of questions.