Shannon tries to shut her ears to such talk, but she can’t help overhearing things at the cafeteria because of her previous connection to him.
The nurses and attendants would be in the middle of a conversation.
“They say Flora Janssen is richer than even the Walkers.”
“I know. What a catch.”
“I think Lucien Walker is the catch. Though our seductive missy here isn’t doing badly at all with Kirk Fitzpatrick.”
“I know. What do you think the secret of her attraction is?”
“Big boobs on an anorexic waist?”
Laughter all around. When they notice her approaching with her lunch tray, they would hush up and plaster fake smiles on their faces. She has been nothing but nice as pie to everyone here, but Patty warned her that people may be jealous of her ability to attract seemingly unattainable men.
And then it happens.
Halloween is just around the corner, and the themes of the restaurants around town include pumpkin and fancy dresses. There are pumpkins everywhere. Carved pumpkins. Pumpkin soup. Pumpkin pie. Pumpkin bread. Pumpkin butter. Even pumpkin flavored scrubs at the spa. Waitresses are dressed as sexy witches.
“Halloween here is bigger than I thought,” Shannon says.
Her arm is linked with Kirk’s. It is a Saturday night and Kirk has made reservations at an upscale restaurant called ‘Giovanni’s’. It is situated in a converted bungalow, and Shannon can’t help wondering if the place used to belong to the Walkers before they refurbished it and sold it on. Still, it isn’t possible to live in this town and not tread on a square foot that hasn’t come in contact with the Walkers somehow. She may as well get used to the fact.
It is already eight in the evening and the sun has set. The weather is chilly tonight, with dark clouds looming on the horizon, pregnant with the threat of rain.
The greeter at the restaurant smiles at them warmly.
“We have reservations for two under Fitzpatrick.”
“Of course, Dr. Fitzpatrick. This way, please.”
The greeter takes two oversized menus and shows them the way through the tables. Giovanni’s is full tonight, and the tables are filled with silverware and candelabra and tall wine glasses with different colored liquids. Bottles containing olive oil line the walls as decoration, as do racks and racks of wine.
The greeter leads them to a table for two in the middle. Kirk pulls Shannon’s chair out for her. Just as she is about to sit down, she notices the diners at the table beside theirs.
It is a table which seats six people.
Lucien Walker is there, as handsome as ever, and his expression is as miserable as she has ever seen it. He appears like a dead man walking. His blue eyes are listless and he appears to be dazed and indifferent to the proceedings around him. The food on his plate is relatively untouched.
Shannon’s heart quickens. She had thought she is over him, but she isn’t. Not by a long shot.
Lucien is seated beside a sparkling redhead, whose laughter tinkles merrily as she converses with Margarete Walker. A blond man who looks remarkably like Margarete is also there, and Shannon takes note that he is Lucien’s infamous father.
There are two middle-aged people also seated there. The woman is dressed in an expensively-cut dress suit with Chanel buttons and the man is in a tux. Shannon figures that they must be Flora Janssen’s parents, flown in for the wedding.
But why is Lucien looking so miserable? Against her better judgment, Shannon’s heart leaps with the possibility that he might be pining for her.
Kirk looks to where she is gazing, and he sees Lucien. At the same time, Lucien turns and sees them.
His complexion goes pale.
“Shannon,” Kirk says in a low voice. “Are you OK with this? We can always leave if you want to.”
The air crackles with electricity, and Shannon isn’t completely sure that is a figure of speech because of the magic involved with these people. Lucien’s expression is unreadable, other than his deathly pallor. But something changes in his eyes. A resolve, she thinks. A determination to change his path.
He stands up.
Uh oh, Shannon thinks. He’s not going to come over here to confront Kirk, is he? It would be tit for tat, a reversal of what Kirk had done all those months back when she and Lucien were still going out.
The Walkers and the Janssens stop their conversation. They are now aware of what is going on, especially Margarete. Diners from the other tables turn their heads.
No, no, no, no, Shannon prays.
“Lucien,” Margarete begins, but he ignores her as he pushes back his chair.
“Lucien, who are those people?” Flora says.
He ignores her as well.
Lucien strides over to Shannon. It is as if he is in a trance. He does not acknowledge Kirk as he says in a low voice to Shannon, “I have to talk to you.”