Easy Love

CHAPTER 29

"i'm so bloody happy our paths crossed"

HIS laughter echoed through my ears as he subconsciously laid his right hand across his left shoulder, shaking from the rumble of his deep laugh.

"Lucas! It is not that funny!" I rose my brows in disbelief as my smirk persisted.

"I'm sorry to break it to you love but it most definitely is." Lucas' eyes crinkled as his smile broadened. "Calling your librarian a liar based on the size of his nose...that, that's funny." His index finger now pointed in my direction.

"I was seven! Not to mention naive!"

"I believe the word you're looking for is gullible."

"I believed in Pinocchio okay? I believed that if your nose was oddly huge it was because you were a liar!" I kept going, attempting to convince Lucas my story was far from humorous.

"What makes it funnier is that you stood up from your little chair and yelled out liar! That's just gold."

I rolled my eyes, Lucas was indeed a tease. A devilish handsome one too.

"What?" Lucas cocked his head, watching my body language intently. "You don't think I'm a liar do you? Because if that's the case I implore you stay seated."

I shook my head, my cheeks hurting from the smile that spread across my lips. Lucas was simply out going and extremely laid back. "How is it that you're single?" I blurted out my thought, blushing instinctively.

Lucas took in a breath, backing his broad shoulders unto the rustic chair. His facial expression turning more serious.

"You, you don't have to answer." I whispered, aware of the delicacy of the subject.

"No. No it's good to talk about these things." His sincere smile sent my stomach spiraling.

"Alright, I'm listening." I edged closer to the table, resting my arms on the silver edge.

"Two years ago I was immersed in a love I never thought I'd lose sight of." Lucas paused, his eyes focusing on the centerpiece. "Grace, she—she was kind in every imaginable way. Gentle, caring, loving towards anyone and everything. I was attracted to her in every possible way.  She was as beautiful on the outside as she was on the inside. So pure. Grace loved to read and helped others without expecting anything in return. In fact, her love for books is how we meant in the first place."

I nodded, following up on the choice of words Lucas was using. "Was" And "loved" "helped". Lucas was either keeping her in his past or she had left this earth and him all together... and the thought of it sank my heart.

Lucas continued, "she would sit for hours at any bookstore she'd come across. When I first saw her she was reading 'The Handmaid's Tale.'"

My eyes widened, remembering the book I checked out the first time I walked into Lucas' bookstore. Another sad smile took over Lucas's lips, a small nod accompanying it this time.

"Her hair was braided to the side, cascading down her exposed shoulder. Her eyes were glued to the words in front of her but somehow she looked up and met my gaze. Her hazel eyes setting me in a trans.  She quickly stood from her sitting position, closing the book as she held out her hand. Her first words are still engraved in my memory." Lucas smiled, a sad smile that shattered my heart. "Hi, I'm Grace and I promise to finish this book as soon as possible." Eventually Grace and I began to see each other more often. Sharing books with one another. A few months passed before I asked her to be my girl. We dated for a year and everything felt so perfect next to her. I couldn't believe I had found this perfect girl. She had me utterly in love with her. Then one day—a Monday—she didn't show at one of our book dates. Just as I was about to call her, her mom reached out to me. At first I couldn't comprehend what was going on. But once I did, I denied it. I didn't want to believe it. My Grace was gone in an instance. She never saw the other car coming, it simply took her life away. She had no chance of surviving the severity of the crash. She was gone."

Lucas paused, reaching over to wipe the tears that had escaped my eyes. His lips parted as he continued.

"Letting go of the love we shared was the hardest part of all of this. She had become my everything, and her absence broke me to the core. If anyone was deserving of this life it was her. She deserved the world and everything in it. A year passed by before I put myself back together. And the reason why I was able too was because the building that I now owe was being sold. I immediately saved up and bought it in a matter of months, turning it into a bookstore."

"G. E. M. Bookstore." I whispered, realizing who the bookstore was named after.

"Grace Elaine Maresco." Lucas' voice lowered, "I thought it would only be appropriate for me to name the bookstore after the love that inspired me to buy it after all."

"It's a beautiful name Lucas." My hand reached across the table, holding onto Lucas. "And, if you don't mind, I'd love to visit her some day."

Lucas' eyes met mine, "I'm so bloody happy our paths crossed." He whispered, leaning over the table, his lips close enough to taste. And taste I did.

a:n
well, my lovelies, I cried a bit. here's a very, very late update. Lucas has quite the story to tell. i melt for him...

dedicated to Wolfie_glader  ♥️