One Wild Night

978  Back For Good

A soft hum escaped Amy as she flipped through the final pages of the report. Her desk, was cluttered with sketches, fabric samples, and a couple of fashion catalogues from recent collections.

The entire office was a whirlwind of activity, with designers and stylists bustling in and out, but Amy's focus was unshaken. Christmas was only a week away, and in her heart, the anticipation wasn't just for the holiday— it was for Lucas.

Three months had passed since she'd last seen him, and though their daily calls and texts kept them connected, nothing compared to having him right there beside her.

The thought of him coming back next week filled her with excitement. As she tidied up her desk, she hummed a festive tune, imagining the moment she'd see him again.

Amy looked up just as Lucy stepped out of her office, her face glowing with the same festive cheer Amy felt. Lucy's excitement had a different source— her marriage proposal to Tom was just around the corner, and the perfect moment she'd been quietly planning for months was a week away.

"Hey, Amy!" Lucy called as she approached, a wide smile on her face. "Have you finished working on the new collection's documents?"

Amy grinned, nodding as she held up a neat stack of papers. "All done. I sent them out just now."

"Great! You're a lifesaver," Lucy said, her smile widening. "By the way, are you coming to Mia's surprise welcome-back party tonight? It's going to be fun."

"Of course," Amy replied. "I wouldn't miss it."

"Good. See you later," Lucy said as she  turned to head out for lunch with Tom.

As Amy watched Lucy go, she found herself pausing to think about Mia. The last time she'd seen her, Mia had offered to stay with her, to comfort her through a difficult time, even though at the time she did not know that Mia had been dealing with her own struggles. Amy admired that about Mia— her quiet strength, even when everything wasn't okay.

She was still lost in thought when her phone buzzed on the desk, the familiar ringtone causing her heart to skip a beat.

Lucas. A smile crept across her face as she quickly picked up the call.

"Hey, you," she said softly, surprised to hear from him at this time. He should've been asleep.

On the other end, Lucas let out a groggy yawn, his voice still thick with sleep. "Hey. You busy?"

"Not really. It's almost lunch break. What's up?"

"Can you do me a favor?" Lucas asked, his tone playful but a little mysterious.

"Sure, what's the favor?"

"Could you swing by the company clinic during your lunch break?" he asked, sounding more awake now. "I need you to pick up a package from my friend there. He's the new doctor."

"New doctor?" Amy asked, puzzled. "I didn't know we had a new doctor."

Lucas chuckled softly. "Yeah, you'll meet him. Just tell the secretary you're there for Dr Lucas' package."

"Okay, I can do that," Amy replied, still curious but trusting him. "I'll head over there in a bit."

"Great. Thanks, babe." His voice softened, and she could almost hear his smile. "Talk soon."

"But what's his name? What should I tell the secretary?" She asked, but Lucas had already ended the call, leaving her intrigued.

As soon as the clock hit lunchtime, she grabbed her coat and headed toward the clinic, her thoughts wandering to Lucas and his mysterious favor.

Although the clinic was located in the company premises, it wasn't on the same building. It was tucked away in a quiet corner. When Amy arrived, the secretary greeted her warmly and directed her to the doctor's office after she mentioned her name.

With a slight knock, Amy opened the door and stepped into the room. The figure seated behind the desk had his back to her, but something about him seemed familiar.

"Hello! Dr Lucas sent me," she greeted, and the moment the chair swiveled around to face her, Amy froze. Lucas.

"Surprise!" he said, his voice filled with amusement.

A loud shriek of pure joy burst from her, startling even the secretary outside. Lucas laughed, standing up as Amy rushed toward him, her heart racing in disbelief.

"Lucas!" she exclaimed, still in shock as she wrapped her arms around him tightly. "What are you doing here? When did you get back? Why didn't you tell me? We've been texting, calling— how did you keep this a secret?"

He chuckled, hugging her just as tightly, his hand gently resting on the back of her head. "Calm down, calm down," he teased, pulling back slightly to look at her. "I wanted to surprise you so I broke my journey in bits so you wouldn't suspect a thing or be worried about not hearing from me."

Amy blinked up at him, her heart pounding in her chest. "I can't believe this. I—this is the best surprise ever!" She was breathless, grinning up at him like she had just won the lottery.

Lucas smiled, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "I missed you, Amy. These last few months have felt like years."

"I missed you too," she replied, her voice soft. "You have no idea how much."

Then, pulling back, she stared at him in confusion. "Wait, why are you in this office? What's going on?"

Lucas's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Well," he began, gesturing around the room, "I'm the new doctor."

Amy's eyes widened in disbelief. "What? Does that mean… does that mean you're staying in Ludus?"

Lucas nodded, a grin spreading across his face. "Unless you want me to treat patients from Husla, then yes— I'm here for good."

A joyful laugh bubbled out of Amy as she jumped into his arms, her happiness overflowing. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, playfully hitting his chest. "I can't believe you kept this from me!"

"I love surprising you," Lucas replied, his laughter filling the room.

"What if I had quit my job as I was thinking so I could move back to Husla with you after the holidays?" She asked, and Lucas chuckled.

"Good thing your boyfriend is the CEO's brother-in-law to-be. You would have gotten back your job," he said with grin.

Still grinning from ear to ear, Amy pulled back, her eyes bright with excitement. "This is so wonderful. What about Tyler? I'm sure he's going to miss you so much," she said, and he nodded.

"Yep. But he's going to be alright. He finally got himself a girlfriend. You won't believe who," Lucas said, and Amy raised a brow.

"Sam?" She asked, and Lucas chuckled.

"How did you guess so easily?" He asked, surprised.

Zeus

"Who else do I know over there apart from the girl you cheated with?" She asked, and Lucas chuckled.

"Damn, Amy! I'm never saying anything to you," he said, and she giggled.

"So, are we going to have lunch? You have a lot of explaining to do."

Lucas chuckled, his arm sliding around her waist as he led her to one of the seats in the office, "I ordered lunch. There's more than enough time for an explanation in the future."

"True," she said with a grin as she sat down, and Lucas did the same.

"So, I guess you'll be attending Mia's welcome back party tonight?" She asked, and he shrugged.

"Only if you are," Lucas said, and Amy grinned.

"I have to be there. Mia is the latest member of the GEL club and tonight will be her induction," she said, and Lucas chuckled.

"Induction, huh? What's the process?" He asked, and she shook her head.

"Sorry, I can't disclose such details to you. It's against the sisterhood code," she said, and Lucas laughed.

"That is interesting. I'm glad you've found your place among the girls," he said, and she nodded.

"Yeah. They are so much fun. They are the reason I've been able to endure your absence," she said, and Lucas smiled, grateful to Lucy for making sure Amy was fine. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"So, I guess as a member of the sisterhood you have an invitation to Lucy's party  on Christmas Eve?" He asked, since he had not mentioned it yet.

Amy chuckled. "An invitation? I'm Lucy's personal assistant. I'm very much involved in planning the party, so yes, I'm attending the party, with you as my plus one," she said and Lucas laughed.

"I'm not exactly your plus one since it's a family event…"

"Don't care," she said with a shrug, cutting him off and he laughed softly.

"So, what's your plan for new year?" He asked curiously.

Amy pursed her lips, "I've not made any plans yet. I was thinking I'd leave it open since you'd be around. That way we can make plans together."

"Perfect! So, how would you like to go on a trip? Although I'd like us to go on a personal trip, but the whole of the family… by that I mean ours and the Hanks, are going on an end of year vacation and I'd like you to join me," he said, and her eyes lit up with excitement.

"You know I'd go anywhere with you. So, where to?" She asked, and Lucas grinned.

"Anywhere?" He asked, and she laughed.

"Yeah. As long as you'd be there, lead the way," she said, and Lucas smiled.

"So? Where to?" Amy asked again, and Lucas shook his head.

"I have no idea. Tom says he is going to make the announcement during breakfast on Christmas Day. But I'm just telling you this so you keep the trip in mind," he said, and Amy smiled.

"Alright. I can't wait to find out where," she said excitedly, and Lucas laughed, happy to see her excitement.

As they had lunch together, the festive air around them felt even more magical. Lucas was back, and not just for Christmas— he was back for good. Amy couldn't stop smiling.