Chapter 16 Lennox curled up in her wicker lounge chair , afternoon sunlight streaming through the glass storefront and warming her to the bone . She squinted her peach blossom eyes contentedly , fingers unconsciously tapping the armrest as wind chimes occasionally tinkled in the breeze , The door chimes rang again with a crisp " ding - a - ling . " " Boss ! " Perfect England English floated in , the speaker's gaze landing precisely on the lazy figure in the chair . Lennox lifted her eyelids , saw it was a regular customer , and closed her eyes again . " Oh , it's you . Pick whatever you want to make today - materials are on the shelves . " A month ago she'd moved to this seaside town , bought a small villa with a garden , and took over this corner shop to open a craft store . Life moved at a lazy pace . The shop didn't get many customers , so most days she just basked in the sun and daydreamed . All those messy complications from the past six months had faded like fog blown away by sea breezes , gradually disappearing without a trace . Until two weeks ago , when this man named Lucas pushed through her door and became a regular . " Len , could you teach me to make ceramic cups today ? " Lucas settled familiarly on the wooden stool across from her , his gaze falling on her sun kissed profile . Long lashes , a delicate nose , even the little dimple at the corner of her mouth seemed touched with warmth . Lennox hummed lazily : " The plates you made a few days ago are still in the kiln , Lucas . Your passion for ceramics is pretty persistent . " " I've always been fascinated by handicrafts . " Lucas smiled honestly , his emerald eyes sparkling like scattered diamonds in the sunlight . " Too bad after all these visits , I still can't complete a single piece on my own . " He looked down slightly , a hint of disappointment in his voice . Lennox smiled to herself . Back when she was learning pottery , how many clay forms had she ruined before getting the hang of it ? If this man picked it up in just a few tries , all her years of practice would've been for nothing . She sat up from the lounge chair , dusting off her hands : " Apron's on the hook . Put it on and I'll teach you . " They moved to the work table . Lennox grabbed a piece of clay , her fingers deftly kneading and shaping as she demonstrated and explained : |||| " Keep your palms steady , even pressure , thumb goes down from the center first … right , now slowly push outward … " She was focused on teaching , and when she looked up to ask " got it ? " she unexpectedly met a pair of starlit emerald eyes . Lucas ' pupils contracted sharply . Like he'd been burned , he looked away and fumbled for his own clay . Unfortunately , he was all thumbs . The perfectly good clay turned into a shapeless mess under his clumsy handling . 11 Watching his ears turn red , Lennox suddenly understood . She deliberately drew out her words : " Hey , I'm starting to think you coming here every day isn't really about learning pottery , is it ? " 15:20 A Billion Dollar Goodbye : Too Late for Second Chances , Mr. Ex 12.0 % Chapter 16 She paused , watching Lucas ' body go rigid , then added mischievously : " You don't … like me , do you ? " The clay in Lucas ' hands dropped onto the wheel with a " plop . " His face went from ear - tip to hairline red at visible speed , his heart hammering like drums , fingertips trembling . Sunlight streamed through the windows , weaving a fuzzy golden halo between them . Seeing him frozen for so long , Lennox's heart skipped . Had she actually hit the mark ? Just as she was about to smooth things over , Lucas suddenly looked up , her reflection clear and bright in his emerald pupils . She felt a flutter of panic , instinctively blinking as even her ears grew warm . Those eyes were too intense , like deep sea whirlpools that made you want to drown . " I … " " L … " They spoke at the same time , then both stopped . Something indefinably intimate hung in the air . " Maybe … " Lennox blinked rapidly , breaking the silence first , " you go ahead ? " Lucas took a deep breath , his Adam's apple bobbing as he prepared to voice the words he'd been hiding for so long . " I like- " " Ding - a - ling- " The door chimes suddenly rang as someone crashed through , the crisp sound shattering the atmosphere . Lennox's heart dropped back into place with a " thud . " The tension from moments before still hadn't faded as she hurriedly looked away , turning toward the door with her habitual welcoming smile : " Welcome to- " The words stuck in her throat . The man standing in the doorway wore a wrinkled suit , dark circles under his eyes , but those eyes were locked onto her with frightening intensity . Lennox felt like all the blood in her body had frozen at once . She could only hear her own heartbeat . It was Hayes . " Len . " Hayes spoke , his voice slightly hoarse . " I finally found you . " Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!