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Chapter 856  Predictable

Heaving a sigh, Tom gently pushed the door open. The soft click went unnoticed and when she didn\'t stir, he realized that she must be deeply asleep. He couldn\'t imagine how exhausted she must be to be sleeping that soundly in such a position.

Anger, hot and unwelcome, flickered in his chest. Henry. That inconsiderate– Tom stopped himself just short of muttering a curse. The exhaustion etched on Lucy\'s face was a clear picture of the disrupted night.

Henry, that bastard had disturbed their sleep, after all. They had been unable to go back to bed after Henry picked Mia, and she had only slept for about three hours before the call.

He crossed the room, careful not to make a sound, his gaze lingering on the vulnerability splayed across Lucy\'s face. This wasn\'t a safe place to sleep, he thought, a sliver of unease worming its way into his gut. What if it had been someone else who walked in?

The protectiveness swelled, a familiar urge. Should he get her a car and a driver? A security guard? Was that overkill?

Would that be considered as being overprotective? He mused as he gently brushed a stray hair strand from her face, and Lucy stirred.

Tom watched as her lashes fluttered and her eyes opened. The moment she focused on him, her lips curved with a slow smile that spread across her face, chasing away the shadows of fatigue and she sat up.

"You\'re here," her voice was a husky whisper, but the warmth in her eyes banished the last trace of his annoyance.

"Missed me?" He asked, his own voice soft as he watched her with a loving gaze.

"Like crazy," she said, reaching out to him and he leaned forward and kissed her.

"

"Yup. How was your meeting?" She asked as she rose.

"It was okay. Let\'s go home. You look exhausted," he said as he picked up her blazer from where she hung it.

"Today seems like two days in one," she said with a yawn as she turned her back to Tom so he could help her wear the blazer.

"Why? Did something happen? Or are you saying that because you woke up too early?" He asked curiously as they both headed for the door.

"Well, I did wake up too early. Rachel is dead," Lucy said, and Tom turned to her.

"What happened?" He asked without breaking his stride as they continued for the elevator.

"She committed suicide," Lucy said and Tom nodded.

"You didn\'t cry, did you?" He asked and she shook her head.

"I didn\'t. Why would I?" Lucy asked as they got into the elevator.

"You did," Tom said knowingly, and she scowled.

"I just said I didn\'t."

"That doesn\'t sound like my girlfriend. Knowing you, you probably blamed yourself and figured that if you had been nicer she wouldn\'t have taken her life. And then you worried about Lucas. You must be okay now because Lucas is most likely fine and maybe both him and Sonia have talked you out of your guilt," Tom said, and Lucy glared at him.

"What?" Tom asked, resisting the urge to smile.

"Did you talk to Sonia or Lucas?" She asked, and he raised a brow.

"If I had the time to talk to them would I have kept you waiting for this long?" He asked, and she scowled.

"So what are you trying to say? That you know me very much?" She asked irritably, and he grinned.

"We both know I do," he said as he pulled her to himself.

"So, what? You want an award now?" She asked and Tom chuckled.

"What kind of award would it be?" He asked, wondering why she seemed so irritated.

"A know it all award," she hissed, and he kissed the tip of her nose.

"I don\'t know it all. I don\'t want a know it all award. I want a know my girlfriend award. Could you give me that?" he asked just as the elevator door opened.

Lucy rolled her eyes as she stepped out of the elevator leaving him to follow her.

"Why are you annoyed?" He asked as they walked into his office.

"I\'m not annoyed. I just don\'t like being so predictable," she said with a scowl.

"Well, I like it. Being predictable isn\'t always a bad thing. Besides, I don\'t think you\'re that predictable. I was able to guess how you felt because I have taken my time to study and get to know and understand you and how you think. Wouldn\'t you want to be able to predict me? I would love you to," he said and she sighed as they got into his private elevator.

"I\'m hungry," she murmured, and the smile slid off his face.

"What do you want to eat? Can you wait until we get home or should we just stop over at a restaurant for dinner?" Tom asked, and she nodded.

"I haven\'t had anything to eat all day," she confessed.

"What? Why not?" He asked, and when she gave him a pointed look, he realized it was because he had missed lunch time.

"C\'mon, Jewel. You should have gotten something no matter how little," he said with a frown.

"Well, I might have, but I was also upset about the Rachel situation and worried about Lucas, so I lost track of time," she said, and Tom glanced at his watch.

"Let\'s have dinner before we head home then. We will go to somewhere nearby," he said, making a mental note to make sure they ate before leaving in the morning going forward.

And he would have to ask Adolf to deliver lunch to Lucy going forward, at least until Harry returned and his schedule became less tight. After the last ulcer episode he had witnessed, he didn\'t want to see it happen again.

As he drove to the restaurant, they filled each other in on the details of their day.

"I\'m so glad you have Harry to balance things out with you, else I\'m not sure how I would have coped with having such a busy boyfriend," Lucy said as they pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant, and Tom chuckled.

"Coming from someone who didn\'t want a boyfriend in the first place," he pointed out.

"I may not have wanted it, but now that I have it, I intend to enjoy it to the maximum," she said, and Tom turned to give her a naughty smile.

"It? Or him? Don\'t tell me you want to do it," he said, and she giggled as they both got out of the car.

"Whatever. You know what I meant," she said, laughing softly.

They walked into the restaurant, a warm buzz of conversation and clinking silverware filling the air. Tom scanned the room for a table, his hand resting possessively on Lucy\'s lower back.

As they rounded a corner, a woman with fiery red hair and a tight emerald dress practically collided with them.

"Tom!" she shrieked, her voice laced with surprise and a hint of something else. "Oh my gosh, it\'s really you!" She said excitedly as she threw herself at him.

Tom blinked, momentarily taken aback. "Tricia," Tom said without emotion as he stepped back.

Tricia was the lady he had dated before Anita. They had been together for six months and just when he had thought she might be the right one for him, he found out that the only reason she was cool with dating a nobody like him was because she had a wealthy boyfriend at the side who was sponsoring her lifestyle.

Tricia beamed at him. Her eyes, however, flickered past him for a fleeting moment before settling back on his face.

"Wow, you look way better than you did the last time we were together," Tricia gushed, leaning in a little too close for comfort.

Lucy, who was wondering who she was and waiting for Tom to do the introductions, frowned when she saw how the redhead practically draped over Tom.

"I saw your interview. How could you hide something like that from me when you know how much I love you?" She asked with a sexy pout.

"Hi," Lucy said curtly, her voice leaving no room for misinterpretation.

Tricia\'s smile faltered for a split second before she schooled her features into a wide, fake grin. "Oh, hello there. I\'m Tricia, Tom\'s… friend. You must be his secretary," She extended a hand towards Lucy, but her eyes remained fixed on Tom.

Lucy met her gaze coolly. "Lucy," she said, taking Tricia\'s hand in a firm handshake. "His girlfriend. And I\'m very sure you know that already since you just said you saw the interview."

The air crackled with a sudden tension. Tricia\'s smile faltered for a real moment this time, a flicker of annoyance crossing her features. She quickly recovered, though, her gaze flitting back to Tom. Nôv(el)B\\\\jnn

"I must have skipped that part. Girlfriend, huh?" she drawled, her voice dripping with a hint of disbelief. "Well, isn\'t that something?"

"Yeah. It is. So, you can stop flirting with my man. It\'s rude to do so in front of me," Lucy said bluntly and a flicker of irritation crossed Tricia\'s face, but it was quickly masked by a sugary-sweet smile.

"Slow down. I\'ve been there before you. And who knows? Someone else might come after you," Tricia said, but Lucy ignored her and turned to Tom.

"I\'m starving. I will go ahead to get a table and order something to eat while you catch up with your… friend," Lucy said, and Tricia smiled.

"Run along then. We don\'t want you starving. I will try not to keep him from you for too long," she said, and Tom, who had been observing the exchange, finally stepped in.

"That won\'t be necessary, Jewel," Tom said to Lucy, holding her hand.

He turned to Tricia, "There is nothing to catch up on. It\'s been nice seeing you again. Take care," Tom said politely.

Tricia bit her lip, her gaze lingering on Tom for a moment longer than necessary. "Sure, of course," she said finally, her voice laced with disappointment. "It was lovely seeing you. Good luck with everything. And congratulations, Tom. You certainly have good taste."

Lucy met Tricia\'s gaze head-on. "Thank you," Lucy said sweetly.

Tricia\'s smile faltered again, a hint of pink creeping up her cheeks. She cast a hesitant glance at Tom, who seemed amused by the entire exchange.

Sensing his amusement, Lucy nudged him. "Come on, love," she said, her voice laced with mock impatience. "Let\'s go get a table,"

Tom chuckled, "Lead the way, Jewel."

With a triumphant smile, Lucy led Tom away. She couldn\'t help but steal a glance back at Tricia, who was staring after them, a mixture of emotions swirling in her eyes.

Lucy offered a small, satisfied smirk before turning away, content in the knowledge that she had successfully asserted her territory.

Once they got to a table and were seated, Lucy looked at Tom as she picked up the menu, "So, who is she? One of your ex girlfriends? Or an admirer?"

"The ex before Anita," he said casually as he signalled to a waiter who was walking by.

"I didn\'t know redheads were your type," Lucy said just as the waiter stopped by their table and they placed their order.

"You both seemed awfully friendly with all that hug. For a moment I thought you were going to carry her," Lucy said dryly, resuming the conversation which Tom thought had ended.

"I apologize for that. She can be a bit… much," Tom admitted with a grimace. "But honestly, Jewel, you have nothing to worry about. We haven\'t spoken since I called off things with her and if you weren\'t there, I wouldn\'t have chatted with her for that long."

"Well, I\'m not worried. You should try to keep it brief next time whether I\'m there or not," she said, and Tom grinned.

"Sure. But if I had done so I wouldn\'t have had the joy of watching you establish your territory in that manner," he said and she shook her head.

"What is it with you and women anyway? It\'s like I can\'t turn my eyes away from you for a moment without some lady trying to flirt with you," Lucy muttered.

"It\'s not me they want. It\'s my money," Tom said and she shook her head.

"Nah. When you were just my driver, women looked at you that way too. You\'re more than just your money. You are goodlooking, you are funny, you are thoughtful. What woman wouldn\'t want you?"

"Why then did I not find any suitable woman this whole time?" He asked, and she shrugged.

"You were looking in all the wrong places. If you had come to Heden you would have found me sooner," she said with a wink, and Tom laughed.

"Well, I believe I found you at the right time," he said just as the waiter returned with a cocktail for him, and a mocktail for Lucy.

"Well, cheers to right timing," Lucy said, raising her glass to Tom who clinked his with hers.

"Talking about timing, I should check on Harry and Jade when we get home. They should have arrived at their destination by now," Tom said, and Lucy raised a brow over the rim of her mocktail glass.

"Really? They went to somewhere that close?" She asked as she drank from it, and he nodded.

"Yeah. Harry wanted somewhere not very far away so we can easily fly over there for the proposal," he explained before taking a sip from his glass.

"Oh, that makes sense," Lucy said with a nod, "when we go on a vacation, make sure it\'s somewhere really far away," she said, and Tom chuckled.

"I will keep that in mind," he said as the waiter arrived with their dinner.

"I wonder how Mia is doing," Lucy said after the waiter had left.

"Me too. But let\'s not worry about it. He won\'t hurt her. If he was going to, he wouldn\'t have announced that he was bringing her back," Tom said, and Lucy nodded thoughtfully as she focused on her meal.