Shying away from the towel as if it were an even remotely threatening object, a wide grin found its way onto Lucas’s features and a genuine laugh expelled from his lips. “Too old? Bullshit?” He questioned with widened eyes, making his best attempt at appearing to be shocked and appalled. “I am offended – have you never heard a man speak from his heart?” Lucas piled on the dramatics by using a hand to clutch at his chest briefly, shaking his head in disbelief. “And there’s no such thing as being too old – especially not for you, the laws of aging are too intimidated to come for you.” While his compliments were overdone on purpose, that didn’t mean they were any less sincere, beyond the amused sparkle in Lucas’s bright blue eyes was the gaze of an honest man and a fond smile to match his words of appreciation. There was a magic to Nola that brought forward the lighter side of Lucas, she made him feel safe and happy, a temporary cure for any sorrows he might be having. The male exhaled an exhausted sigh from his lungs when Nola told him what he, truth be told, already knew but chose to ignore whenever possible. “In this field? I expect nothing and hope for the best, but you’re right. You always are. It’s just that I’m…too passionate about the art. I forget that I must remove my rose-tinted goggles and let the reality of money hungry corporates settle in.”
Lucas wiped the pensive look from his expression by taking another drink from his glass. He closed his eyes temporarily, scrunching his face as Nola’s hand gave his cheek a teasing pat, opening them once again to watch the woman walk over toward the stove. Setting an elbow down on the counter beside him, he leaned comfortably while listening to the advice Nola had for him. Lucas hadn’t expected a fix to come of his complaining, but he was open to whatever she would suggest. She was incredibly successful and respected by all, she knew what she was doing and she knew how to play the game right. “I think you’re onto something grand,” Lucas beamed – he didn’t think, he knew. “I have plenty of connections to make the event one they couldn’t possibly forget and the board would jump for joy at the influx of donors, while at the same time, I’ll earn getting my leash loosened and I get to make the Whitney a better place.” The wheels were turning rapidly, already invisioning everything from a source of entertainment to key points in the address he’d make. “Since I’m good for nothing but my looks, can I at least provide some entertainment? I can put on a record,” he offered while already exiting the kitchen to delve into his collection. “Any requests?”
Have you never heard a man speak from his heart? Nola couldn’t hold back the laugh, looking Lucas’ way with a cocked brow. “ Not even once.” She chuckled, moving back to her food as she stirred in whatever spiced she could find. His compliments made her feel charmed, of course, but she was too used to pleasantries by now, and too jaded to really take anything nice anyone said to heart. Her focus instead stayed on cooking and giving advice -- areas she knew she excelled in greatly and was all too happy to show off in as well. “ Baby, I’m telling you -- you need to keep your passion as your own and not go givin’ it away to just anybody. In this day and age, passion and kindness is a weakness that everybody is all too happy to take advantage of. You give the men their money and you keep the passion and drive as your own reward. That’s the only real way to get ahead.” Nola stood firmly in this belief, having gone through so much of it herself in her life. It wasn’t that she was trying to discourage Lucas, but he was too good, too kind, and she knew that the world would never stop eating up sweet people like him.
“Now you know I’m a sucker for Motown -- you got anything from the 70s?” She called, wanting to chge the topic to something light hearted for his sake. “ It’s the only time music was anything good and people put effort into being clever. and not just vulgar for shock value.” She insisted, knowing how old and stuck in her ways it made her sound. “You youngins don’t know nothing about what it was like to go out and have a good time just dancin. I went to a club opening last weekend and you look down from the VIP balcony and all you see if these girls twerkin’ they ass breaking somebody’s pelvis for a free drink. Hell, I dont’ have to tell you that; I’m sure when you go to the club you get he same damn thing, don’t you?” She chuckled.
