Convincing her

Jason finally decided to let her off since she looked like she was going to cry, and also the fact that he might really end up losing a fan because of his own shamelessness. He wouldn't have minded if it was just any fan but this was his sister-in-law. So he was supposed to show some restraint.

Jen decided to maintain her silence at least up until she was able to get over her embarrassment. Jason decided to change targets and was bantering with his mother when their father finally came to the garden as well.

"What are you talking about?" Noah asked as he sat next to Hellen who curled up next to him. He looked a lot more relaxed in his casual clothes compared to when he was in the office.

"I was just joking around with sister-in-law" Jason answered. He was feeling quite comfortable since they were sated and just having a casual conversation.

"Sister-in-law? You two got engaged?" Noah asked with a straight face and the recovering Jen could feel her face grow hot once more.

Lucas chuckled when he felt her bury her head deeper into his chest. Noah looked at them in confusion as everyone found his comment to be amusing. In fact, if Lucas was not his son he would have asked if they had gotten married without telling him.

"It's not like that, Jason just calls her that," Lucas said to clarify on the situation.

"Ah~," Noah said and let it go, even though he was tempted to ask Lucas whether he wanted to marry her later he thought it would be inappropriate to ask him in front of Jen so he decided to keep quiet about it.

After talking for another hour, Jen started feeling drowsy. Noah noticed this first and he felt like Jen had provided the perfect opening for him to chase the boys away. Ever since Lucas moved out things have improved in his love life now that his wife's attention is solely his. He had missed her.

"Aren't you boys going home?" Noah asked and they all knew it was their cue to leave.

"I actually wanted to stay here since I'm homeless. I w-. Never mind that can you give me a ride?" Jason had started talking but ended up shutting his mouth after one look from his father so he smartly decided to ask James to give him a ride back to his hotel. James gave a brief nod and stood up to leave.

Jason would have called his manager but it didn't look like his father had the patience to wait for them to leave as he looked like he was kicking them out. 

Lucas gently shook Jen who sleepily opened her eyes. She hadn't realised that she had fallen asleep. 

"Let's go home now," Lucas said in a low voice and Jen nodded obediently before standing up from the bench. She turned to his parents and said goodbye before Lucas led her back into the house that they can leave through the front door.

Before Jason and James could get into James' car, Jason went to hug Jen to say goodbye and for the first time, James hugged her as well although it was a bit stiff it was his way of telling her that he had accepted her as part of his family.

He had thought that Lucas was just being impulsive with her before but seeing how he was involving her with his work life and how he always came with her whenever they went to see their parents made him realise that Lucas was being serious.

"Goodnight" Jen called out after them with a smile on her lips even though her eyes were still heavy-lidded with sleep. Jason waved at her from the passenger's seat and she waved back at him before leaning on Lucas once more.

"Okay princess, let's go," Lucas said and opened the door to the passenger's seat. Lucas picked her up and put her in his car before he too climbed into the car and drove off. Jen did not sleep this time and did her best to stay awake.

She would doze off for a few seconds before opening her eyes and try to focus. Lucas would look at her when she did this and smile because he thought it was cute how hard she was trying to stay awake.

It did not take him long to get back to the hotel since it was already late and there weren't a lot of cars on the road so the trip was shorter than normal.

Lucas got off the car at the parking lot and went to open the passenger's door. 

"Come on sweetheart we're home" Lucas said to Jen who dazedly turned to look at him. Jen nodded and turned her body so she was facing him before gesturing for him to come closer to her. When Lucas moved closer Jen wrapped her hands around his shoulders and her legs around his waist.

"Can you carry me back?" Jen asked and blinked her sleepy eyes at him. How could he refuse her? So Lucas complied with her request and placed an arm firmly around her waist before getting her out of the car in one smooth motion. She leaned her head on his shoulder  and thanked him softly making Lucas smile warmly even though she was not able to see it.

He quickly left the underground parking lot and went to the elevator that took him back to his house where he directly took Jen to his room. But unlike the previous night, she did not get up and just went directly to sleep.

Lucas helped her take off her shoes and smoothed the hair that had gotten stuck to her face and looked at Jen's relaxed features. He couldn't help but admire how beautiful she was and involuntarily smile.

He was not ready to admit it but his heart pounded when his father asked them if they had gotten engaged. He wondered if she would be ready for that step now because even though it felt like it had been a long time since they started dating, it was only a bit over three months.

He knew this because summer was just ending and autumn was just starting, but he felt like he had known her his whole life.

Lucas looked at her for a bit longer before he leaned down and kissed her forehead, her closed eyelids and finally left a peck on her lips before covering her with the duvet.