Chapter 24 - Challenge

Lucy said nothing as she got into the backseat of the car. She needed to set the boundaries between them if they were going to work together. He was her driver at work, and her neighbor at home. She had asked him to forget whatever had happened between them, and she needed to forget it too. Truly had he not been her one night stand, she would have found it amusing that her handsome next door neighbor was her driver, and they would have gotten along quite well as friends, but now she just couldn't help being extra cautious around him.

Tom on the other hand said nothing as he drove the car. He knew she was being cautious because of what she believed had happened between them, and he couldn't exactly blame her. He just didn't like that she didn't seem to think she owed him an apology for keeping him waiting without giving him prior notice. And he also didn't like that she kept trying to ask him to quit every little opportunity she got.

"I'm sorry." Lucy said after fidgeting in her seat for sometime. Even if he resigned from her job, there was no way she could ask him to move out of the apartment next to hers. She was going to have to face him everyday, and if that was going to be the case, it was better they run into each other as friends rather than enemies.

Tom met her gaze through the rearview mirror, wondering why she was apologizing all of a sudden when she had been acting like a boss lady just a moment ago in her office.

She wasn't the type of person to delay the inevitable, so it was best she did this and got it out of the way, "I know you must think I'm a mean bitch." Lucy said with a self deprecating smile, and waited for him to assure her he didn't think so.

But when he said nothing after a sometime, she decided to continue, "I actually do close late most of the time. I get carried away with work, and since I don't have friends around to hang out with or better put, since I just don't like hanging out I try to spend the time working so that I will be exhausted by the time I get home, and then sleep off." Lucy explained.

"I'm not saying this as an excuse. I'm just trying to say I didn't keep you waiting intentionally."

"How boring." Tom murmured.

"What? I beg your pardon?" Lucy asked, sounding partially confused and offended at the same time.

"I mean your life. It must be very boring."

"It isn't. That is just how I love it." Lucy said defensively.

"Or maybe that is because that is the only way you know to live." Tom suggested in a challenging tone.

"I can have fun when I want to." Lucy snapped at him.

"Really? Like your little checklist?" Tom asked dryly.

A rosy blush flushed her cheeks at that, "Do you always have to keep referring to the past?"

"There is no future without the past. We have to make reference to it at some point." Tom said in a matter of fact tone, without taking his eyes off the road.

Lucy took in a deep breath, "Anyway, that wasn't the point I was trying to make. I was trying to say maybe I've not been fair. It was a two way thing after all, and you were kind enough to offer yourself, so I shouldn't..."

"Really? One minute you don't want me to talk about our fling and then the next you bring it up? You can bring it up at will whenever you like but I can't?" Tom asked incredulously making Lucy grit her teeth.

Why was she beginning to feel like he was in charge of the conversation? Sitting at the back seat now was making her feel like she was a child being scolded by her father, "I was only trying to make a point." Lucy defended weakly.

"Which is?" Tom asked cocking a brow at her through the rearview mirror.

"Let's just start all over." Lucy suggested.

Tom resisted the urge to chuckle, "Do you realize that would mean it's the fourth time we've met for the first time?"

"Huh?" Lucy asked in confusion.

"The first was at the club. The second was at your apartment while you were pretending not to know who I was because you somehow happened to believe I won't recognize you because of your glasses, and the third was you pretending not to know me when your boss was introducing me to you earlier. All within a space of forty-eight hours." Tom said sounding amused.

Lucy didn't miss the humor in his tone, so she smiled, "I know you must think I'm weird." And a little scatterbrained, she added to herself.

"Weird doesn't even cut it." Tom said honestly making her giggle.

What lady doesn't like a fine looking man with a good sense of humor? "The fourth time could be the charm."

"That was supposed to be the third time. But are you sure you want us to start afresh for the fourth time?"

"Yes. That's the only way this can work. Let's start all over. But as friends this time." Lucy offered.

"If I'm your friend I'm going to want to hang out with you every chance I get. I'm going to break every wall you set up and be in your space until you want to spend all your spare time with me. Are you sure you still want us to be friends?" Tom asked as he parked the car in front of the apartment block and turned to look at her.

"I don't think you or anyone else can make me do that. Even my best friend who is very outgoing couldn't accomplish that." Lucy said with a confident air as she opened the door and got out of the car with her hand bag in one hand.

"Is that a challenge I hear in your tone?" Tom asked as he got out of the car and locked it.

"Make of it what you will.." Lucy called out with a shrug as she turned around and started heading for her apartment.